Guitarist/Producer Mike Krompass on The Fell’s Rebirth, Featuring Billy Sheehan, and Their March Mini‑Tour

Welcome to episode #143 of the Rock Interview Series. Recorded on March 12, 2026. For this feature, I’m joined by guitarist, songwriter, and producer Mike Krompass of the supergroup The Fell. During this interview, Mike talks about the re‑launch of the band—which also includes bass legend Billy Sheehan and vocalist Toby Rand—along with their touring plans, their 2025 EP Killswitch, and his long career as a producer and former member of Smash Mouth.

The Fell will kick off a short run of spring dates starting March 22 in Liverpool, NY, followed by a Western New York stop at The Evening Star in Niagara Falls on March 25. Despite having only five officially released songs, Mike made it clear the band is far from limited onstage. “We actually have enough material to do a lot longer set… probably 90 minutes‑ish of our songs,” he said. He also hinted that fans might hear “something really cool from Billy’s catalog,” but kept the details under wraps.

One thing Mike wanted to emphasize is that The Fell is not a classic‑rock nostalgia act. “People would expect, ‘Billy’s in the band, it must be a classic rock sound,’ but it’s not,” he explained. “It’s a modern rock sound with throwbacks to that stuff because we love it.” The band hopes to land a major tour later this year, and Mike noted that a pairing with Mammoth WVH would be a perfect fit. Their ability to “go poppy” or “go heavier” gives them flexibility across a wide range of modern rock bills.

When I mentioned that some bigger bands might hesitate to follow The Fell’s level of musicianship, Mike laughed but appreciated the thought. “We’d love to go out and blow people off the stage… but that’s because we just love to play,” he said. Still, he stressed that the goal is connection, not competition: “There’s room for everything.”

A standout element of Killswitch is Mike’s guitar work—flashy, melodic, and unapologetically technical in a genre that often downplays solos. When I compared him to players like Paul Gilbert and Steve Vai, he was genuinely moved. “Those are my heroes… I miss playing solos, so this has been a great opportunity to work on my chops again and be that kind of guitar player.”

Mike’s musical roots go back to early childhood, shaped by parents who played everything from ABBA to Deep Purple. Guitar came first, drums followed, and his influences eventually shifted toward guitar heroes like Van Halen and Paul Gilbert. Even now, he admits the modern landscape can be intimidating—“these kids on Instagram can shred your face off”—but he’s learned to stay grounded: “Find a thing that’s you and just do you the best you can.” With new material ready and a mini‑tour about to begin, The Fell enters 2026 sounding focused, energized, and ready for bigger stages. https://www.facebook.com/thefellmusic/

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