Interview and Pictures: Adrian Hextall / MindHex Media
An exhilarating addition to the Maid of Stone festival line-up this July is the up-and-coming rock band, The Heat Inc. I had the pleasure of catching up with Jon Dodd (singer), Marco Simoncelli (lead guitar), and Maurizio Vitale (drummer) to get the inside story on the band’s history, their meteoric progress, and what the Maid of Stone audience can expect from their set.
A Serendipitous Formation
The story of The Heat Inc. is a testament to the power of chance and being in the right place at the right time. The seeds of the band were sown in July 2019 when drummer Maurizio Vitale, then playing with a Berlin-based project, had a chance encounter with lead guitarist Marco Simoncelli. “I was playing a gig in the UK, and Marco was in the audience,” Maurizio recalls. “He said my drumming reminded him of Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which was a huge compliment.” A technical issue during the set saw Marco jump on stage to help, and a post-gig chat revealed their shared Italian heritage.
A few weeks later, Marco, whose previous band had just disbanded, reached out to Maurizio. “He told me he was ready to start all over again and was looking for band members,” says Maurizio. “My life was at a point where I was ready for something new, so the timing was perfect.”
The arrival of frontman Jon Dodd is a story that has become the stuff of band legend. A planned holiday to Dubrovnik with his then-pregnant girlfriend was cancelled at the last minute following a “massive f***ing argument.” With two weeks off work and a newly acquired 35mm camera, Jon began a daily pilgrimage to Kafri Studios. “I’d walk across town, taking photos, and then hang out with my friend Syd,” Jon explains. Syd, who was the studio owner, would point Jon in the direction of rehearsing bands.
On a whim, Jon started knocking on rehearsal room doors, offering free photos. “I knocked on one door, and Marco answered,” Jon remembers. “I asked if they wanted some photos, and he said yes.” An exchange of business cards followed, but it wasn’t until Jon followed up about the pictures that Marco discovered he was a singer. “He asked if I was a musician, and I told him I sang in a band. The rest, as they say, is history,” Jon laughs. He adds, “You need to be quick; it helps to be good, but you have to be lucky. I’ll forever be grateful to my ex for that argument!”
With the addition of bassist Nico Rigot, the line-up was complete. Jon had made it a condition of his joining that his bass player could come along, and the chemistry between the four was instantaneous. “We had one rehearsal, and it was love at first sight,” says Jon. Maurizio agrees: “The band sounded as good as it does now, right from the very beginning. The groove and interplay between me and Nico were there immediately.”
Maid of Stone Festival 2025
A “Fast and Furious” Creative Process
The members of The Heat Inc. are all seasoned musicians, and this experience has allowed them to work at a pace that is nothing short of breathtaking. “None of this is our first rodeo,” Jon asserts. “We’ve all been in bands since we were kids, and we know what we’re doing.”
Their debut EP was a whirlwind of creativity. Marco brought the initial song ideas, and after a single meeting, the foundations for tracks like ‘Raptors’, ‘Polaroids’, and ‘Down in the City’ were laid. The recording itself was a frantic affair. “We tracked the whole EP in three days, mostly live,” Maurizio reveals. This “live” approach is a cornerstone of their sound. “We wanted it to sound live, to capture that energy,” Jon explains. “You can tell it’s a live band, and that’s an energy that’s missing from a lot of modern albums.”
This philosophy has carried through to their debut album, ‘Asleep in the Ejector Seat‘, and the upcoming follow-up, ‘Tom Bleasdale’s Car (and other attractions)’. They have a secret weapon in producer Michael Smith, who Jon says can “translate the band from something archetypal to something accessible and modern.” The result is a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly unique, drawing on a diverse range of influences from blues and punk to new wave and goth, all filtered through the band’s singular vision. As Marco puts it, “The strength of the band is that we do it in our own way. That’s what makes us The Heat Inc.”
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The Heat Inc. Uncovered
Even the band’s name has a story. The original suggestion, “The Heat,” was inspired by the Michael Mann film, but the existence of several other bands with the same name led to the addition of “Inc.” for “Incorporated.”
Jon’s passion for photography, which was the catalyst for his joining the band, remains a significant part of his creative life. He is rarely seen without his trusty Nikon L35AF, a mid-80s point-and-shoot. “It just takes great f***ing shots straight out of the can,” he enthuses.
What is most striking about The Heat Inc. is their relentless creative drive. With their second album on the horizon, they are already laying the groundwork for their third and fourth. “I haven’t stopped writing since I met Marco,” Jon confesses. “The guy is a machine.”
Maid of Stone Festival 2025
What to Expect at Maid of Stone
So, what can the Maid of Stone audience expect from The Heat Inc.? Jon Dodd puts it best: “You should come expecting the best of rock and roll. You should come expecting noise. You should come expecting the best time of your lives. This is The Heat Incorporated, and if you’re not there, you’re gonna miss out.”
Their live performances are an extension of their recording ethos: raw, energetic, and unpredictable. The recent addition of a second guitarist, Fabio Laudadio, has added a new dimension to their live sound, allowing Marco the freedom to soar with his lead guitar work.
The Heat Inc. is a band that embodies the true spirit of rock and roll. Theirs is a story of destiny, passion, and a shared artistic vision. Their music is a potent and intoxicating brew of raw power, accomplished musicianship, and a modern sensibility. When they take the stage at Maid of Stone, they will not just be playing a gig; they will be creating an experience. Prepare to be blown away.
https://theheatinc.bandcamp.com/track/ultraviolence
maidofstonefestival.com/the-festival
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