Acidic (band)
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ACIDIC is an
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
band from
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
. The band consists of lead vocalist /guitarist Michael Gossard, drummer Matt Whitaker, guitarist/vocalist Josh Bennett, and bassist/vocalist Max Myrick.


History

Gossard, with childhood friend Ted Dubrawski (former bassist of ACIDIC) started performing together in their high school’s rock band (Crespi Carmelite) before Michael formed the band now known as ACIDIC in his freshman year. In 2008, looking to add a drummer to their new group, they found Matt Whitaker at a rival high school (Loyola). Drummer Whitaker is a cancer survivor, having overcome
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
when he was seven. ACIDIC's debut tour in Southern California began in October 2008, at what was then the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, followed by the first of many appearances at the
Whisky a Go Go The Whisky a Go Go (informally nicknamed "the Whisky") is a historic nightclub in West Hollywood, California, United States. It is located at 8901 Sunset Boulevard on the Sunset Strip, corner North Clark Street, opposite North San Vicente Boule ...
. ACIDIC was a three-piece band with Gossard, Dubrawski, and Whitaker, but they soon added a fourth member, guitarist Andy Sabatine. Their early promotional efforts soon focused beyond their local shows but also on their first full self-released CD ''Ironic Dreams''. In 2009, the band included new member, guitarist/vocalist Michael Thompson. ACIDIC bridged 2010 and 2011 in Europe, on a New Year's tour with the Armed Forces Entertainment Network, performing at the US Army/
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
base
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in Kosovo and
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and Spangdahlem AFB in Germany. The band also began a collaboration with producer John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions (
Styx In Greek mythology, Styx (; grc, Στύξ ) is a river that forms the boundary between Earth (Gaia) and the Underworld. The rivers Acheron, Cocytus, Lethe, Phlegethon, and Styx all converge at the centre of the underworld on a great marsh, whic ...
,
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, the
Allman Brothers Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Gregg Allman Band People *Allman (surname) ...
,
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Ju ...
, and more). ACIDIC's touring expanded into the Midwest in 2011, adding another showcase at
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, a second performance at the
Sunset Strip Music Festival The Sunset Strip is the stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through the city of West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with the city of Los Angeles near Marmont Lane to its western border with Beverly H ...
, and with routings supporting
Marcy Playground Marcy Playground is an American alternative rock band consisting of three members: John Wozniak (lead vocals, guitar), Dylan Keefe (bass), and Shlomi Lavie (drums). The band is best known for their 1997 hit "Sex and Candy". History Early yea ...
,
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, and
Alien Ant Farm Alien Ant Farm is an American Rock music, rock band that formed in Riverside, California in 1996. They have released five studio albums and sold over 5 million units worldwide. The band's cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth_Criminal#Alien Ant Farm ...
. ACIDIC's "Strata Red" from the ''Getting Lucky'' CD also won the Alternative category in the 18th Billboard WorldWide Song Contest. The year concluded with ACIDIC being named one of Music Review’s "12 BANDS TO WATCH IN 2012" 2012 opened with ACIDIC as a featured band at the 2012 Winter
NAMM The NAMM Show is an annual event in the United States that is organized by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), who describe it as "the industry’s largest stage, uniting the global music, sound and entertainment technology commun ...
Show at the
Anaheim Convention Center The Anaheim Convention Center is a major convention center in Anaheim, California and is the largest exhibition facility on the West Coast of the United States. It is located across from the Disneyland Resort on Katella Avenue. The original comp ...
. The year featured even more ambitious touring, solidifying the band's growing reputation in the Midwest and opening up the East Coast with such headliners as
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and
Candlebox Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released seven studio albums, several charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD. Candlebox found immediate success with the release of ...
. Standout events in 2012 included a featured performance at the
Florida Music Festival Florida Music Festival was founded in 2002 by aXis Magazine & Promotions as a three-day music festival and conference, showcasing unsigned talent and promoting major national acts. Every spring in Downtown Orlando, the Florida Music Festival showcas ...
, and their first-ever headlining show at Doug Weston's Troubadour in mid-summer, By year's end, guitarist/vocalist Josh Bennett, formerly of the Palmdale CA rockers Order 66, settled in as ACIDIC's fourth band member, replacing Thompson. They then started work on their next album. ACIDIC started 2014 with bassist/vocalist Max Myrick coming aboard, replacing Dubrawski. The band launched their first-ever headlining tour, the "Electric Cool-aid ACIDIC Tour," performing throughout the Rockies and Pacific Northwest during January and February. ACIDIC's show at Herman's Hideaway in Denver was that venue's "best Wednesday night in a year," and their performance at Machinery Row in Great Falls MT was that club's "best Monday night EVER!" The band's touring schedule was growing in scope, with another booking at "2Broke 2Rock" at the Knitting Factory in Spokane. New music was already being tested with fans on the road and winning raves never before seen in preparation for their next CD. The upcoming album is the third ACIDIC album produced by John Ryan of Chicago Kid Productions, who by this point has become a valued adviser and mentor to the band.


''Ironic Dreams''

ACIDIC's very first full-length CD, Ironic Dreams, was produced by Michael Gossard, while still a high school student. He played most of the instruments because the full lineup of the band was not in place yet. Track Listing 1. ''Her Walls Are Coming Down'' 2. ''Lost the Will'' 3. ''Strata Red'' 4. ''Move On'' 5. ''The Addict'' 6. ''Ironic Dreams'' 7. ''Break Me Down'' 8. ''Black Box'' 9. ''Without A Trace'' 10. ''Good Bye'' 11. ''When I Fade Away'' 12. ''You're So Dangerous''


''Getting Lucky''

Their second album ''Getting Lucky'', a 12 track CD, was produced by duo The Wizardz of Oz, Andrew Bojanic and Liz Hooper (who have previously worked with artists such as
Liz Phair Elizabeth Clark Phair (born April 17, 1967) is an American singer-songwriter. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Phair was raised primarily in the Chicago area. After graduating from Oberlin College in 1990, she attempted to start a musical career ...
and
Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne ( ; born September 27, 1984) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. At age 16, she signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records. Her debut studio album, ''Let Go (Avril Lavigne album), Let Go'' (2002), is the ...
). Released March 22, 2010, it features the ballad "Maybe", which debuted on the FMQB Hot AC radio spin chart in early May at No. 78 and eventually reached the top 40. "Tell Me" and "The Big Bang" were featured rock tracks for Triple A Radio. Two songs, "Move On" and "Strata Red" are re-recordings of tracks that originally appeared on ''Ironic Dreams''. "Strata Red" later won First-Place honors in the Alternative Category at the 18th Billboard WorldWide Song Contest. Track Listing 1. ''Tell Me'' 2. ''The Big Bang'' 3. ''Move On'' 4. ''No Name'' 5. ''It's OK'' 6. ''Strata Red'' 7. ''Let Me Take You Away'' 8. ''Closer to the Sun'' 9. ''Liar'' 10. ''Waiting for Someone'' 11. ''Retrograde'' 12. ''Maybe''


''Chronic Satisfaction''

On September 20, 2011 ACIDIC released their third full-length album. The album was produced by multi-platinum award-winner John Ryan (who has produced albums for
Styx In Greek mythology, Styx (; grc, Στύξ ) is a river that forms the boundary between Earth (Gaia) and the Underworld. The rivers Acheron, Cocytus, Lethe, Phlegethon, and Styx all converge at the centre of the underworld on a great marsh, whic ...
,
Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer Boats * Santana 20, an American sailboat design by W. D. Sch ...
,
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Ju ...
,
Allman Brothers Allman may refer to: Music *The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman *The Gregg Allman Band People *Allman (surname) ...
) of Chicago Kid Productions. Several earlier tunes were reworked and definitely "new and improved," including "Break Me Down," "Her Walls Are Coming Down," "Black Box," "Goodbye," and "Ironic Dreams." The opening track, "Uninspired," garnered airplay on radio stations from coast-to-coast and Canada. "The Brave" was a song written by Michael Gossard after ACIDIC's visit to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, during which time the band witnessed wounded soldiers returning from the Iraq War, being transported to hospital facilities on the base. The album boasts riveting original cover art by young Arizona artist Lucas Borncamp. “Chronic Satisfaction” was recorded with all members playing live in true rock concert style, each track recorded in a single take. Track Listing 1. ''Uninspired'' 2. ''Break Me Down'' 3. ''Call for More'' 4. ''Her Walls Are Coming Down'' 5. ''Black box'' 6. ''Goodbye'' 7. ''Fifteen Miles Away'' 8. ''The Brave'' 9. ''Ironic Dreams''


''Copper Man''

“Copper Man", the band's fourth album was released March 11, 2013, again with the help of John Ryan. ACIDIC then earned a distribution deal with Sony/RED via MegaForce Records.
Mötley Crüe Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
's
Nikki Sixx Nikki Sixx (born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.; December 11, 1958) is an American musician, best known as the co-founder, bassist, and primary songwriter of the heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. Prior to forming Mötley Crüe, Sixx was a me ...
named both the title track and "Drive Thru" “Sixx Picks of the Week” on his syndicated radio "Side Show". The music video “Copper Man” has hit over 1,000,000 views on
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. The album features guest vocals from
Candlebox Candlebox is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since its formation in 1990, the group has released seven studio albums, several charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD. Candlebox found immediate success with the release of ...
front man Kevin Martin, and Los Angeles singer/songwriter/impresario Kota Wade, who co-wrote the ballad "Believe" with Michael Gossard; and additional lead guitar licks from guest artist Nick Papa George of the L.A.-based band thatwasthen. The album cover features another example of original artwork by Chicago-based artist/designer Bendow. Track Listing 1. ''Copper Man'' 2. ''Satellite'' 3. ''Monster'' 4. ''Only One'' 5. ''Drive Thru'' 6. ''Forever More'' 7. ''Looking Glass'' 8. ''Pirate Eyes'' 9. ''Hail to the Yeti'' 10. ''Believe''


Charity

In 2008 and 2009, ACIDIC donated a portion of their online album sales to the East Valley Animal Shelter in Los Angeles. The band also has their own charity, Help Us Help, which contributes to various charities in the Los Angeles area. In 2009, they helped to raise funds for the One Love for Chi foundation, a charity that helps cover the medical expenses of Deftones bass player Chi Cheng. ACIDIC is also involved with The
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization founded in 1949, is the largest voluntary health organization dedicated to fighting blood cancer in the world. The LLS's mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's l ...
, which helped drummer Matt Whitaker and his family during his battle with cancer. The band has supported that organization since 2008, playing at
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walk-a-thon events and Man/Woman of the Year fundraisers. They worked with
Charitybuzz Charitybuzz is an internet company which raises funds for nonprofit organizations through online charity auctions with celebrities and brands. Auction experiences include music, entertainment, business, politics, sports, art, fashion and othe ...
in the spring of 2010, auctioning a guest slot in the band at one of their Whisky a Go Go concerts, which was won by a 17-year-old guitarist from Seattle.


Reception

The band have enjoyed positive feedback for both their live performances and their recordings. Abigail Miller of ''BLUERAILROAD.com'': “Frontman Michael Gossard is a force of nature, connecting to his audience and his band mates in ways that make an ACIDIC show highly electrifying.” ''RUKUS magazine'': “These guys aren’t afraid to rock out. Gossard can really wail with his vocal at times and the band is full of energy. They move all over the stage, enjoying every minute of every song they play.” ''PERFORMER magazine'': “Straight from the get go, ACIDIC brings forth its frenetic energy and passionate sound in waves of indie alternative delight. This band brings the goods, with personality and flair unmatched in many West Coast bands.“ ''The Inlanders Laura Johnson says, “ACIDIC plays the sort of dense, noisy rock that’s not quite metal, not quite punk. But with its pulsing rhythms, not-too-serious lyrics and towering guitar solos, it’s the kind of rock that begs to be heard.“ Of their live performances, ''Upstate Metal'' stated, “Entrancing, incredible sound and vibe the band gave off… Gossard ran through the crowd while singing soulfully and jumped onto the bar, taking everyone by surprise…killer performance!” ''Future Rock Stars of America'' said of the band, "The instrumentals are very upbeat and have an old school rock tone to them...this young group sound like a band on the rise." ''All Access Magazine'' said Acidic has, "Produced a peppy, punky package of original tunes" and said of their live show, "Acidic's members concluded yet another stop on their ascent to the broader acclaim and popularity this energetic young Westside trio merits." ''Campus Circle Magazine'' said, "Acidic is a good band with a lot of energy. They are professionals with a clean style who are able to achieve an energetic stage presence while still appearing like three very approachable guys...their solid rock songs and jovial, happy stage demeanor left me feeling cheerful and optimistic."Altrocchi, Geoffre
"Acidic: July 24 @ Whisky a Go Go"
''campuscircle.com'' - 8 March 2009


References

{{reflist Alternative rock groups from California