Broken Hearts Are Blue was an indie-emo band formed in the mid-1990s by musicians with roots in several Michigan bands. The lineup included Charles Wood (guitar) and Ryan Gage (vocals), both of whom previously played in Vine (Kalamazoo), Daniel Buettner (bass), who was part of Ordination of Aaron (Kalamazoo), and Derek Brosch (drums), who had played with Current (3), Ottawa, and Gregor (11) in Detroit.
The journey of Charles and Ryan began with an early, short-lived band called Fire Sale in the early 1990s, which produced a demo tape and underwent a slight lineup change before rebranding as Vine. Vine is notable for being Kalamazoo's first "emo" band, enjoying local acclaim despite releasing only a demo tape and a single.
As Ordination of Aaron was nearing its end, Daniel joined Charles, who was already writing songs with another drummer. However, after a few rehearsals, the drummer departed, prompting Charles and Daniel to seek a new drummer. They auditioned numerous local drummers without finding the right fit until Daniel convinced Derek Brosch to join. Despite Derek's residence in Detroit, which was about three hours from Kalamazoo, he agreed to participate.
With only a few local singers auditioned, none quite met their expectations. During this time, Ryan and Charles were living together; Ryan was focused on his final college days and teaching internship, but Charles persuaded him to check out the band. Ryan agreed to join temporarily, contemplating a move to Denver after graduation.
The band's name, Broken Hearts Are Blue, originated from a photograph of James Dean that Ryan had marked with the phrase and displayed on his bedroom door. After considering various names, they opted for BHAB.
Derek committed to a rigorous practice schedule, driving three hours to Kalamazoo every weekend. He would arrive Friday night, rehearse all day Saturday, and spend another few hours on Sunday before returning to Detroit. This routine continued for about a year, even as Charles relocated to Columbus, Ohio, for graduate school, making the trip to Detroit twice a month for practice.
Broken Hearts Are Blue officially formed in the fall of 1995 and played a series of shows throughout the Midwest in 1996, sharing stages with bands such as Wallside, Franklin (2), Constantine Sankathi, Spirit Assembly, The Locust, Braid, Julia (17), Guyver-One, and Boy Sets Fire, among others.
In terms of songwriting, Charles was the primary composer, while the entire band contributed to arrangements. Ryan was responsible for all the lyrics.
Their recording session took place at Western Sound Studios at Western Michigan University in 1996, culminating in the release of their full-length album, titled The Truth About Love, in early 1997 through Caulfield Records of Lincoln, Nebraska. The track "525 To Heart" was recorded during these sessions but was not included on the album. Close friend and musician Bryan Charles made a spontaneous contribution, providing backup vocals on "Last Night's Tattoo."
While a few more songs were in development, the band disbanded before they could enter the studio again. Their final performance occurred in March 1997 at the Michigan Festival. Ryan's decision to move to Denver came just a month before this last show, and given the geographical challenges posed by Charles in Columbus and Derek in Detroit, continuing as a band would have been difficult regardless.
Since the dissolution of Broken Hearts Are Blue, neither Ryan nor Chuck has participated in other bands or music projects. After a few years in Denver, Ryan returned to Kalamazoo and now works as a librarian. Chuck obtained a Ph.D. in special education and currently resides in Charlotte, NC, where he teaches at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Derek is a systems engineer based in Los Angeles, while Daniel works as an art teacher. Derek Brosch was also involved with Fastpass, and Daniel Buettner played in The Hidden Chord.
