Suburban Legends are an American
ska punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with hardc ...
band that formed in
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County, California, Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 duri ...
, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby
Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the
Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular performances at the
Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort, commonly known as Disneyland, is an entertainment resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division and is home to two theme parks (Di ...
, a series of lineup changes in 2005 introduced elements of funk and disco into the group's style.
Since 2009, the band has gradually returned to its ska roots, and has also recorded cover versions of songs from
Disney films
This is a list of films produced by and released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner (known as that since 1983, with '' Never Cry Wolf'' as its first release) and films released before that under the former name of the parent company, Wal ...
and
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
.
History
Formation and first EP (1998-2002)
Influenced by artists such as
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and
Oingo Boingo
Oingo Boingo () was an American new wave band formed by songwriter Danny Elfman in 1979. The band emerged from a surrealist musical theatre troupe, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, that Elfman had led and written material for in the ye ...
, the band was formed in 1998 as The No Tones, consisting of vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
, guitarist Brent Feige, bassist Justin Meacham, drummer Fred Johnson, trumpet players
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
and
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
, and trombonists
Ryan Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
and
Brian Robertson. A few months after forming, Feige was replaced by Josh Lander and Johnson by
Jimmy Sullivan and the band changed their name to Bomb Squad, under which name they released an EP, now known as the ''Bomb Squad EP''.
In 1999, the band changed their name to Suburban Legends. Guitarist Josh Lander left the band shortly before the release of the first demo album, ''
Origin Edition
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
'', for which they recruited guitarist
Brian Klemm
Brian Wayne Klemm (born May 21, 1982) is the guitarist for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined Suburban Legends in 1999, shortly before the release of Origin Edition, although he did not play guitar on the alb ...
. The album was self-pressed and even though Brian Klemm was already in the band, Vince Walker recorded the guitar parts for the demo album. Later that year, vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
and drummer
Jimmy Sullivan left the band, with the former being replaced by
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only offici ...
, and the latter by Derek Lee Rock. Sullivan went on to form the band
Pinkly Smooth
James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009), also known by his stage name the Rev (shortened version of ''the Reverend Tholomew Plague''), was an American musician, best known as a member of the heavy metal band Avenged Seven ...
, and co-found the band
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, ...
. A few months later, bassist Justin Meacham left the band as well and was soon replaced by former lead vocalist Tim Maurer's brother,
Chris Maurer
Chris Maurer (Born August 3, 1984) was the bassist for the third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. After years of watching his older brother sing for the band, he joined the band August 3 of 2000, replacing Justin Meacham who left the band.
He le ...
. Sullivan and Meacham would later perform together as members of metal band Avenged Sevenfold, under the respective pseudonyms "The Rev" and "Justin Sane".
In 2001, the band released their first, self-titled, EP, ''
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
'', on We The People Records, featuring some re-recorded songs from ''
Origin Edition
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
''. This was the band's only release with Chris Batstone on vocals, as he left the band in early 2002.
Rump Shaker and Disney (2002-2005)
In early 2002 previous vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
rejoined the band on vocals, and the band re-recorded the vocals for their EP, and re-released it independently as ''
Suburban Legends (Tim Remix)
After the departure of lead singer Chris Batstone, Suburban Legends re-released their first EP, ''Suburban Legends (album), Suburban Legends'', by removing the vocal track featuring Chris, and replacing it with a vocal track of new lead singer, T ...
''. During the year, the band played close to 1000 shows at
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney (officially the Downtown Disney District) is an outdoor shopping center located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It opened on January 12, 2001; a component of the Disneyland Resort expansion project alongside the ...
. They also performed on many occasions for the X Games Xperience promotion at
Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park, commonly referred to as California Adventure or by its acronym DCA, is a theme park located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Park ...
in 2003.
In 2003, the band recorded and released their first actual album, ''
Rump Shaker'', followed by a year of heavy touring. The band released their first live DVD in 2004 titled ''
Season One Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012
* ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012
See also
*
*
* Season 2 (disambiguation)
* Season 4 (disambiguat ...
''. At the end of the year trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
and bassist
Chris Maurer
Chris Maurer (Born August 3, 1984) was the bassist for the third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. After years of watching his older brother sing for the band, he joined the band August 3 of 2000, replacing Justin Meacham who left the band.
He le ...
left the band, the former to go to college and the latter to get married. While Maurer was replaced by
Mikey Hachey
Michael Joseph "Mikey" Hachey (born January 29, 1985) is an American bassist, best known as a former member of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in November 2004, replacing Chris Maurer on bass guitar, after his frie ...
, Walker wasn't replaced and the band continued with only one trumpet player. In May 2005, trumpet player
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
left the band to get married as well, and was replaced by
Luis Beza
Luis Beza (born January 2, 1985 in Santa Ana, California) was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis starte ...
.
In late 2005, former trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
rejoined the band for the 2005
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The ''MDA Labor Day Telethon'' was an annual telethon held on (starting the night before and throughout) Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Muscular Dystrophy Association was founded in ...
, after which vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
left the band once again. The band went on a pause until further notice.
Death of Dallas Cook and new formation (2005-2006)
At 12:25 AM on October 19, 2005,
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...
player
Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
was killed in a
hit-and-run
In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions.
Additional obligation
In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...
motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruising ...
accident on the
Costa Mesa Freeway
Costa may refer to:
Biology
* Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy
* Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus
* Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral
* Costa (entomology), the leading edge of ...
. A few days after the incident, a large group of Suburban Legends' fans and Dallas' friends and family gathered nearby the
ESPN Zone
ESPN Zone was a theme restaurant and entertainment center chain in the United States that included arcades, TV studios, and radio studios, operated by the Disney Regional Entertainment subsidiary of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts using the Disne ...
at Disneyland Resort's
Downtown Disney
Downtown Disney (officially the Downtown Disney District) is an outdoor shopping center located at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It opened on January 12, 2001; a component of the Disneyland Resort expansion project alongside the ...
, where the band played their many performances in the early 2000s, to share their memories of Cook. On November 29, 2005, the band performed a benefit show for the Dallas Cook Memorial Fund, which was as set up in Cook's honor to donate money to the
Huntington Beach High School
Huntington Beach High School (HBHS) is a public high school in Huntington Beach, California. Built in 1906, it is part of the Huntington Beach Union High School District. HBHS is a California Distinguished School. Huntington Beach High School is ...
instrumental music program. The performance also featured former members
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
,
Chris Maurer
Chris Maurer (Born August 3, 1984) was the bassist for the third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. After years of watching his older brother sing for the band, he joined the band August 3 of 2000, replacing Justin Meacham who left the band.
He le ...
and
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
returning for one final show, and trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
permanently switching to the vocalist position.
In 2006 the band recruited trombonist Phillip Inzerillo to replace
Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
. They released their first EP with
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
on vocals, ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'', which showed the band's shift in style towards disco rock. The band promoted the EP by appearing on
G4's ''
Attack of the Show!
''Attack of the Show!'' (''AOTS'') is an American live television program and that aired on G4. AOTS features segments on pop culture, video games, and movies. After an initial run from 2005 to 2013 (which originally aired from 2005 until 2013 ...
'' on April 18, 2006.
On July 19, 2006, while they were on tour and in
St. Louis
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, Phillip Inzerillo woke up to notice the band's tour van was on fire. The fire destroyed the front driver's side of the van. The band's tour money had also been missing from the van. It is suspected that the fire and robbery was caused by an
arson
Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
ist.
At the end of the year, trombonist Phillip Inzerillo left the band without official announcement, and wasn't replaced. Around this time keyboardist
Dallas Kruse
Dallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album '' Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, ''Infectious
An infection is the invasion of ti ...
started performing with the band, despite never being listed as an official member.
New musical direction (2007-2009)
In 2007 the band released a Japan-only album, an extended version of their EP release, titled ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', containing several new and re-recorded songs. In early July 2007, the band started releasing videos on their
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
account documenting progress recording new material in the studio. Later that year, the band released their first full album with Vince Walker on vocals,
''Infectious''. The album continued the shift in style started with ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'', with ska being traded in for a pop-rock sound with disco and funk elements.
On November 11, 2007, the band was robbed again, while supporting
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American ska punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, formed in 2002. They released their first album, ''Everything Goes Numb'', which was distributed by Victory Records, on August 26, 2003. The band he ...
on their
Somewhere in the Between
''Somewhere in the Between'' is the third studio album by American ska punk band Streetlight Manifesto.
Release
In July and August 2007, Streetlight Manifesto supported Less Than Jake and Reel Big Fish on their co-headlining US tour. On August 23, ...
Tour. This time, Suburban Legends' van was stolen along with approximately $80,000 worth of all their equipment and instruments. Fans were first alerted of this when
Dallas Kruse
Dallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album '' Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, ''Infectious
An infection is the invasion of ti ...
posted a
MySpace bulletin reading:
" You all know just HOW MUCH suburban legends have been through throughout the years! .... lets all gather to HELP THEM through this!
I just got a call from my dear friend MIKEY, bassist for Suburban Legends.
They are on tour in Philly and woke up to head down to the van and trailer from the hotel room and the van and trailer were stolen.
Every piece of equipment and merchandise the band owns is gone.
Drum sets, horns, clothing, basses, guitars, amps, etc.
The value of the equipment alone is appx 40k. The value of the trailer alone is 30k. Estimated value of everything is probably close to 80k (in my estimation) including the van, trailer and gear.
They are troopers and going to try and rent another van, rent gear and finish the tour.
This is devastating. Most, if not ALL of you know just how dear and sincere these guys are and how close I am with them.
Is there ANYTHING we can do to help them?
My idea was to find someone with money who would be able to immediately front them an investment for gear and work out terms for the band to pay that person back. Or does someone here have connections to a car dealership? Instruments? SOMETHING!?!
Please help!
if you have some help or ideas, PLEASE, lets help the guys out!"
Another MySpace bulletin which was posted on November 13, said that the van was recovered in a neighborhood in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, apparently after somebody saw the news story on the van theft and gave information of its whereabouts. When the van was recovered, it only required minor repairs. However, the contents of the van and trailer were missing. While insurance issues were still being resolved, the band apologized to the fans for any shows they missed and stated that they would be back on the road again.
The song "Fire" from their 2008 album, ''Let's Be Friends'', was about the van fire and robberies.
The band's second DVD
Poisonous Candy Factory
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
was released in March 2008. Similar to
Season One Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012
* ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012
See also
*
*
* Season 2 (disambiguation)
* Season 4 (disambiguat ...
, it featured live sets containing songs from ''Rump Shaker'' through to new, unreleased material, music videos and extra videos from the band.
Shortly after this release, the band headed back into the studio and recorded their third official album, ''
Let's Be Friends
''Let's Be Friends'' is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records CAS 2408, in April 1970. It is the second Presley budget album to appear on the low-priced RCA Camden label. It peaked at number 10 ...
'', released on July 10, 2008, while touring with
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...
,
Goldfinger, and
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork in Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and ...
on the Shout It Loud Tour 2. This album mixed elements of previous albums, featuring a return to ska on some songs as well as a continued focus on a pop-rock sound.
In the winter of 2008, they toured with
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtures. ...
on the Hooray for the Holidays Tour. In February 2009, they appeared along with The Aquabats'
MC Bat Commander on
MC Lars
Andrew Robert Nielsen (born October 6, 1982), known professionally as MC Lars, is an American record producer, rapper, cartoonist, podcaster and educator. Lars is one of the self-proclaimed originators of "lit-hop", and is the founder and CEO of ...
' new song, "This Gigantic Robot Kills", from Lars' new
album of the same name. MC Lars describes that "this song is about bringing ska back. It's about this kid who builds this giant robot" who "as he destroys Orange County, he leaves behind a trail of
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...
CDs, a field of Aquabat limited edition vinyls, and a stack of CDs by Suburban Legends." They also performed at
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
' 16th Birthday Party celebration.
Shortly after, trumpet player
Luis Beza
Luis Beza (born January 2, 1985 in Santa Ana, California) was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis starte ...
left the band.
In 2009 the band appeared as a full ska band on the 2009
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The ''MDA Labor Day Telethon'' was an annual telethon held on (starting the night before and throughout) Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Muscular Dystrophy Association was founded in ...
, with a new ska song titled "Open Your Eyes". The performance featured former member
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
on trumpet once again, and guest musicians Byron Panopio and Justin Lewis, on trumpet and trombone respectively. The three continued to perform with the band on the subsequent tour and Disney shows, along with touring trumpet player Chris Lucca. At the end of 2009 Panopio and Lewis, as well as long-time collaborator
Dallas Kruse
Dallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album '' Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, ''Infectious
An infection is the invasion of ti ...
, stopped performing with the band.
Day Job era (2010-present)
In 2009 the band had announced they were planning to release a full ska record once again, and in late 2010 the band released a seven-track EP as a preview, ''Going on Tour EP''. This was followed by the departure of bassist Mikey Hachey, even though he continues to collaborate with the band on some occasions. He was soon replaced by Brad Polidori.
On January 1, 2011, the band's song, "You," from their 2003 album, ''Rump Shaker'', was performed by the
in the 2011
Tournament of Roses Parade
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
. The band chose to perform the song in honor of the late
Ryan Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
.
In July 2011, it was announced that Suburban Legends was cast as the house band for ''Pick-a-Split'', a retro-themed bowling game show pilot hosted by
Neil Hamburger
Neil Hamburger is a fictional standup comedian and singer created by Australian-American entertainer Gregg Turkington. Distinguished for his misanthropic jokes and anti-comedy style, Turkington has released a number of albums as Hamburger and ...
.
During November 2011, Connecticut's
Asbestos Records
Asbestos Records is an American independent record label in Stratford, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1996. It was established as a business to release albums and compilations for local bands, and to book shows at the Newtown Teen Cente ...
and Chicago, IL's
Underground Communiqué Records
Underground Communique Records is an American independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois. Launched in late December 2003, the label includes punk rock, indie rock, and ska bands.
Artists
*Apocalypse Hoboken
*Big D and the Kids Table
*Ed ...
launched a fundraiser together on
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
to release ''
Rump Shaker'' on vinyl, among other third-wave ska classics from
Pilfers
Pilfers are an American ska band formed in 1997, when former Toasters vocalist, Coolie Ranx, at the urging of Pietaster's vocalist Steve Jackson, joined with former Bim Skala Bim trombonist, Vinny Nobile. To complete the lineup, they recruit ...
,
Edna's Goldfish
Edna's Goldfish was an American ska punk band from Long Island, New York.
Together from 1997 to 2000, their studio albums include ''Before You Knew Better'' (1998) and ''The Elements of Transition'' (1999), both released on Moon Ska Records. T ...
, and
The Pietasters
The Pietasters are an American eight-piece ska/soul band from Washington, D.C., with additional members from Maryland and Virginia.
History
In 1990, Stephen Jackson and Chris Watt met at Virginia Tech, through mutual friend Tal Bayer, who was at ...
. The funding goal was met by January 18, 2012, and the records began pre-production in Spring 2012.
On February 23, the band's 2009 collaboration track with
MC Lars
Andrew Robert Nielsen (born October 6, 1982), known professionally as MC Lars, is an American record producer, rapper, cartoonist, podcaster and educator. Lars is one of the self-proclaimed originators of "lit-hop", and is the founder and CEO of ...
and
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtures. ...
'
MC Bat Commander, "This Gigantic Robot Kills", was released on
Rock Band Network
The ''Rock Band'' Network (abbreviated RBN) was a downloadable content service designed by Harmonix with the help of Microsoft to allow musical artists and record labels to make their music available as playable tracks for the ''Rock Band'' seri ...
.
On April 3, 2012, the band released its fifth full-length album, ''
Day Job
Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other ...
''. It includes new songs, four re-recorded tracks from ''Going on Tour'', a collaborative track with rapper
Lyrics Born
Tsutomu "Tom" Shimura (born September 2, 1972), better known by his stage name Lyrics Born (formerly Asia Born), is a Japanese-American rapper, singer, and producer. He is one half of the duo Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.
Early life
Shim ...
, as well as two Disney covers, "
Under the Sea
"Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
" from ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
'' and "
I Just Can't Wait to Be King
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a song written by Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the Disney animated feature film ''The Lion King'' (1994). The song is performed by American actor and singer Jason Weaver as the singing voice of ...
" from ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, it ...
'', which have been long-time staples of the band's live performances. In November 2012, long-time drummer Derek Rock left the band to pursue other career options.
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
drummer
Ryland Steen
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
and former
Big D and the Kids Table
Big D and the Kids Table is a ska punk band formed in October 1995 in Boston, Massachusetts when its members converged in college. Their first release was on their own Fork in Hand Records label, but have since teamed with Springman Records and ...
drummer
Max MacVeety
Max or MAX may refer to:
Animals
* Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog
* Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE)
* Max (gorilla) ( ...
filled in on drums between Rock's departure and the hiring of current drummer Edward Larsen in 2013.
The group released its all-Disney covers EP, ''
Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1'', through
Rock Ridge Music
Rock Ridge Music is an independent record label and artist management company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2004, it has signed, managed, and/or promoted artists including Reel Big Fish, Sister Hazel, Rachel Platten, Matthew Perryman ...
on October 7, 2013. On March 17, 2015, the band officially announced their next album, ''
Forever in the Friend Zone''.
In 2015, Suburban Legends and
Roger Lima
Rogério Lima Manganelli (born October 31, 1973), commonly known as Roger Lima, is an American musician, best known as the bassist and co-lead vocalist of the ska-punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska mus ...
(of
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida, formed in 1992. The band consists of Chris DeMakes (guitars, vocals), Roger Lima (bass, vocals), Matt Yonker (drums), Buddy Schaub (trombone), and Peter "JR" Wasilewski (saxoph ...
) recorded with
MC Lars
Andrew Robert Nielsen (born October 6, 1982), known professionally as MC Lars, is an American record producer, rapper, cartoonist, podcaster and educator. Lars is one of the self-proclaimed originators of "lit-hop", and is the founder and CEO of ...
to release "Sublime With Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)" on his 2015 LP,
The Zombie Dinosaur LP.
Klemm, Walker, and former bassist Chris Maurer also currently perform in Personal Satisfaction, a
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
/
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
side project.
Retirement from touring
On December 23, 2015, the band announced via their Facebook page that their 2016 US tour in support of
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
would be their "last tour ever," while also leaving the possibility to tour again open, stating, "who knows what the future will hold but after this we will be taking a time out from touring." In late 2018 Suburban Legends commenced a tour as the support for Reel Big Fish and supported fellow supports from the tour Zebrahead on select UK gigs where they had days off and Zebrahead headlined gigs at pubs and clubs.
Style
Suburban Legends' style of music has evolved over time and is different from that of other ska bands. While earlier material being heavily rooted in
ska
Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...
, the 2006 release ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' brought a different sound took ideas and influence from
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
,
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
, and
pop, some songs on the EP containing little to no ska sound at all. The band furthered its distance from ska with the 2007 release of ''Infectious'', heavily focusing on disco on the record. The band has not abandoned their earlier sound, though, regularly performing older material alongside their current work.
The 2008 album ''
Let's Be Friends
''Let's Be Friends'' is a compilation album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records CAS 2408, in April 1970. It is the second Presley budget album to appear on the low-priced RCA Camden label. It peaked at number 10 ...
'' combines elements from all their previous releases. In May 2009, the band announced that they would be recording a "full blown ska rock album," not simply a ska-influenced album because they have horns or an album with only a few ska songs.
Further supporting the band's transition back to ska, less time was devoted in live performances to songs found on more recent albums, such as ''Infectious'', with the band reintroducing older songs such as "Alternative is Dead," "Gummi Bears," "I Want More," and "Waikiki," all of which were found either on ''
Origin Edition
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
'' (1999) and ''
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
'' (2001). The band has been playing these songs and other from that era ever since. In 2009 the band also started performing a new ska song, "Open Up Your Eyes", which later appeared on their 2010 Going on Tour EP and their 2012
Day Job
Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any other ...
album.
Part of the band's claim to fame has been its live shows which often involve dance routines far more complicated than those often found in ska bands, as horn playing usually inhibits movement on stage.
Covers
Suburban Legends are known to perform many live covers, most often when performing at the Disneyland Resort, sometimes performing top 40 and classic pop or rock hits to appeal to the theme park guests outside of the band's usual fanbase. The band has also performed and recorded many songs from Disney films and television shows. They have performed "
Under the Sea
"Under the Sea" is a song from The Walt Disney Company, Disney's 1989 animation, animated film ''The Little Mermaid (1989 film), The Little Mermaid'', composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman. It is influenced by the Calypso music, c ...
" from ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" ( da, Den lille havfrue) is a literary fairy tale written by the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the journey of a young mermaid who is willing to give up her life in the sea as a mermaid to gain a h ...
'' at many of its shows since 2002, and the theme songs from ''
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
''Adventures of the Gummi Bears'' is an American animated television series, created by Disney CEO Michael Eisner, produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, and distributed by Buena Vista Television. The series, loosely inspired by the gummy ...
'' and ''
DuckTales
''DuckTales'' is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. The original cartoon series premiered on syndication and on Disney Channel on September 18, 1987 and ran for a total of 100 episodes over four seas ...
'', "
I Just Can't Wait to Be King
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a song written by Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the Disney animated feature film ''The Lion King'' (1994). The song is performed by American actor and singer Jason Weaver as the singing voice of ...
" from ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, it ...
'', and more recently, "
Kiss the Girl
"Kiss the Girl" is a song written by lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken Walt Disney Pictures' 28th animated feature film ''The Little Mermaid'' (1989). Originally recorded by American actor Samuel Wright in his film role as Sebasti ...
" from ''The Little Mermaid'' and "
Colors of the Wind
"Colors of the Wind" is a song written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Walt Disney Pictures' 33rd animated feature film, ''Pocahontas'' (1995). The film's theme song, "Colors of the Wind" was originally recorded by Amer ...
" from ''
Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter of ...
''. Until 2013, only "Gummi Bears", "Under the Sea", and "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" had seen recorded releases, with the first track appearing on the ''Bomb Squad'' EP and ''Origin Edition'', and the latter two tracks appearing on the band's 2012 album, ''Day Job''. The band released an EP consisting of Disney covers in October 2013, including "DuckTales", "Kiss the Girl", and others. The band's Disneyland performances have also featured "
Build Me Up Buttercup
"Build Me Up Buttercup" is a song written by Mike d'Abo and Tony Macaulay, and released by the Foundations in 1968 with Colin Young singing lead vocals. Young had replaced Clem Curtis during 1968, and this was the first Foundations hit on which ...
" by
The Foundations
The Foundations were a British soul band (m. 1967–1970). The group's background was: West Indian, White British, and Sri Lankan. Their 1967 debut single "Baby Now That I've Found You" reached number one in the UK and Canada, and number ele ...
, "
Celebration" by
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West. T ...
, "
Higher Ground" by
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
, "
Rubberneckin'
"Rubberneckin'" is a song performed by Elvis Presley, which was recorded at American Sound Studio. It was used in the film ''Change of Habit'' and subsequently issued as the B-side of "Don't Cry Daddy" (RCA single 47–9768) in conjunction with ...
" by
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, "
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. It was recorded as a single by Frankie Valli. The song was among his biggest hits, earning a gold record and reaching No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for a week ...
" by
Frankie Valli
Francesco Stephen Castelluccio (born May 3, 1934), better known by his stage name Frankie Valli, is an American singer, known as the frontman of the Four Seasons beginning in 1960. He is known for his unusually powerful lead falsetto voice.
...
, "
I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)
"I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" is a song by English glam rock singer Gary Glitter, written by Glitter with Mike Leander and produced by Mike Leander. It was Glitter's first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks at ...
" by
Gary Glitter
Paul Francis Gadd (born 8 May 1944), best known by his stage name Gary Glitter, is an English former singer, songwriter, and record producer. He achieved success during the glam rock era of the 1970s and 1980s, and his career ended after he w ...
, "
Sweet Caroline
"Sweet Caroline" is a song written and performed by American singer Neil Diamond and released in May 1969 as a single with the title "Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good)". It was arranged by Charles Calello, and recorded at Americ ...
" by
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
, and an excerpt of "
Moves Like Jagger
"Moves like Jagger" is a song by American band Maroon 5 featuring American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on June 21, 2011, as the fourth and final single from the re-release of the group's third studio album '' Hands All Over'' (201 ...
" by
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
as a segue into the band's own "All Around the World".
Outside of the three Disney songs, cover songs rarely appear on the band's studio releases. An exception is "
Dancing Machine
"Dancing Machine" is a song recorded by American R&B outfit the Jackson 5, and was the title track of their ninth studio album. The song was originally recorded for the group's 1973 album '' G.I.T.: Get It Together'' and was released as a remix ...
", a song originally performed by
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
, appearing on the 2007 Japan-only release, ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of the U.S.-released ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' EP. All other covers have been released as part of compilations, such as the band's cover of "
On the Outside" appearing on ''
Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo''. During Chris Batstone's tenure as lead vocalist, a recording of "
Rose Tint My World
A rose is either a woody perennial plant, perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred Rose species, species and Garden roses, tens of thousands of cultivar ...
" from ''
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple ...
'' was made for an abandoned ''Rocky Horror'' tribute album (which would have also featured fellow ska artists such as
Chris Murray and
Pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...
), and was eventually released in
MP3
MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Origin ...
format by the band. The band began performing
The Gregory Brothers
The Gregory Brothers are an American musical quartet, specializing in comedy music and pitch correction through their YouTube channel Schmoyoho (). After the success of their songs 'Chrissy Wake Up' and ' It's Corn' in the summer of 2022, NPR re ...
' and
Antoine Dodson
Kevin Antoine Dodson (born June 27, 1984) is an American Internet celebrity, singer, and actor. In 2010, while a resident of the Lincoln Park housing project in Huntsville, Alabama, he gave an interview on local television news prompted by the re ...
's "
Bed Intruder Song
"Bed Intruder Song" is a song by The Gregory Brothers and Antoine Dodson, featuring Kelly Dodson. The song, created for '' Auto-Tune the News'', features processed vocals of a WAFF-48 news interview with Antoine Dodson, who was talking to a repo ...
" at live performances in 2010, eventually releasing a studio recording on a 7" single backed with "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" by
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is an American band formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995. Best known for playing ska punk music characterized by an offbeat sense of humor and prominent Christian themes, Five Iron was one of the pioneering figures of the Christi ...
as part of
Asbestos Records
Asbestos Records is an American independent record label in Stratford, Connecticut, United States, founded in 1996. It was established as a business to release albums and compilations for local bands, and to book shows at the Newtown Teen Cente ...
' ''Ska is Dead'' 7" Club series in 2012.
Lineup
The band has had many lineup changes over the years. Original vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
left the band after the recording of
Origin Edition
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
, and was replaced by
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only offici ...
. Batstone later left the band, and Maurer rejoined. After an album and live DVD, Maurer left again after the 2005
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The ''MDA Labor Day Telethon'' was an annual telethon held on (starting the night before and throughout) Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Muscular Dystrophy Association was founded in ...
to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by former trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
, who returned to the band in the same performance, oddly switching roles from horns to vocals. Walker also plays the trumpet and guitar in some songs on stage. Before becoming the band's lead vocalist, he already had provided lead vocals on several songs such as "Desperate", "Blingity Bling" and "Powerful Game". Walker sometimes switches to guitar so that Brian Klemm can take over lead vocals.
Guitarist
Brian Klemm
Brian Wayne Klemm (born May 21, 1982) is the guitarist for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined Suburban Legends in 1999, shortly before the release of Origin Edition, although he did not play guitar on the alb ...
joined the band in 1999 and has been with the band ever since. He can also be heard doing lead vocals in several of the band's songs, such as "Desperate", "Powerful Game", "This Cherry", "So Fine", "Love Fair", "I Just Can't Wait to be King" and "Girlfriend's Pretty". After the departure of Aaron Bertram, Klemm started providing more backing vocals live, and this increased even more after the departure of Mikey Hachey.
The band's original bassist, Justin Meacham, left the band in 2000 to join
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, ...
and replace their original bassist Matt Wendt. He was soon replaced by
Chris Maurer
Chris Maurer (Born August 3, 1984) was the bassist for the third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. After years of watching his older brother sing for the band, he joined the band August 3 of 2000, replacing Justin Meacham who left the band.
He le ...
, the younger brother of former lead vocalist
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
. Apart from bass, Chris Maurer also provided backing vocals on many songs live. Maurer left the band in 2004 to marry his fiancée and was replaced by
Mikey Hachey
Michael Joseph "Mikey" Hachey (born January 29, 1985) is an American bassist, best known as a former member of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in November 2004, replacing Chris Maurer on bass guitar, after his frie ...
, who stayed with the band until 2010, when he left the band to pursue other musical activities, notably becoming the house bassist for
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 Ju ...
's ''
Viva Elvis
''Viva Elvis'' was the seventh resident Cirque du Soleil show on the Las Vegas Strip. It resided at the Aria Resort & Casino and premiered on February 19, 2010. The show closed on August 31, 2012. Cirque du Soleil partnered with Elvis Presley En ...
'' show at the
Aria Resort & Casino
Aria Resort and Casino is a luxury resort and casino, part of the CityCenter complex on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Aria consists of two curved glass and steel highrise towers adjoined at the center. It opened on December 16, 2009 a ...
in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. He also did many of the band's main backing vocals after Aaron Bertram left, and also occasionally sang lead vocals in "Powerful Game" live. The band's current bassist is Brad Polidori who joined in 2010.
One of the band's early drummers,
Jimmy Sullivan, left the band to form
Pinkly Smooth
James Owen Sullivan (February 9, 1981 – December 28, 2009), also known by his stage name the Rev (shortened version of ''the Reverend Tholomew Plague''), was an American musician, best known as a member of the heavy metal band Avenged Seven ...
and later became known as "The Rev" in
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance, ...
, along with former Suburban Legends bassist Justin Meacham, who became known as Justin Sane during his time with Avenged Sevenfold. After that drummer Derek Lee Rock was with the band from 2000 onwards. He recently left the band in 2012, and temporarily filling in on drums were Max McVeety and
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
's
Ryland Steen
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
. In 2013 Edward Larsen joined the band on drums.
Trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
was with the band until his departure in 2004 to focus on his education. He rejoined the band in 2005 to become the band's new lead vocalist.
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
left the band in 2005 to marry his fiancée, but returned to the band in 2009 as a touring trumpet player. In between this,
Luis Beza
Luis Beza (born January 2, 1985 in Santa Ana, California) was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis starte ...
was the band's only trumpet player. Since 2009, Bertram usually performs with the band as their trumpet player, but Chris Lucca often takes the trumpet player role in the band's overseas tours. Bertram was the band's main backing vocalist before he left, and has also provided lead vocals for several songs such as "Gummi Bears", "Rose Tint My World" and "Powerful Game". In 2013, Chris Lucca became the band's official trumpet player. Aaron Bertram still regularly performs with the band at local shows,
Trombonist
Brian Robertson is the only member to have been in the band since its inception in 1998.
Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
, who also provided lead vocals for the band's cover of "Rose Tint My World", was killed in 2005, and was replaced by Phillip Inzerillo who left the band in 2006. Since then, Robertson has been the band's only trombonist. He usually only plays trombone, but also sings backing in the song "Blingity Bling" from ''
Rump Shaker''.
Keyboardist
Dallas Kruse
Dallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album '' Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, ''Infectious
An infection is the invasion of ti ...
began playing with the band around 2006 after the departure of Inzerillo. While not an "official" member, not appearing on the band's website and not announced by the band, he often performed with the band since the tour at local shows until late 2009. Kruse served as producer for ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', ''
Infectious
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dise ...
'', and ''
Let's Be Friends and Slay the Dragon Together
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
''.
Current lineup
*
Vincent Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
– lead vocals, trumpet, guitar, acoustic guitar,
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
(2005–present), trumpet, backing vocals (1998–2004)
*
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
– trumpet, vocals (2009–present; local shows only, 1998–2005; full member)
*
Brian "Robot" Robertson –
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the Brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the Standing wave, air column ...
, backing vocals (1998–present)
*
Brian Klemm
Brian Wayne Klemm (born May 21, 1982) is the guitarist for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined Suburban Legends in 1999, shortly before the release of Origin Edition, although he did not play guitar on the alb ...
– lead guitar, vocals (1999–present)
*Ryan Brown - bass (2021-present)
*Edward Larsen – drums (2013–present)
*Chris Lucca – trumpet (2013–present, 2009–2013 touring)
Former
*
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert Maurer (born October 10, 1980) is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition ...
– lead vocals (1998–2000, 2002–2005)
*
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only offici ...
– lead vocals (2000–2002)
*
Luis Beza
Luis Beza (born January 2, 1985 in Santa Ana, California) was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis starte ...
– trumpet (2005–2009)
*
Dallas Cook
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska, Orange County ska scen ...
– trombone (1998–2005; died 2005)
*Phillip Inzerillo – trombone (2005–2006)
*Josh Lander – lead guitar (1998–1999)
*Brent Feige – lead guitar (1998)
*Justin Meacham – bass guitar (1998–2000)
*
Chris Maurer
Chris Maurer (Born August 3, 1984) was the bassist for the third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. After years of watching his older brother sing for the band, he joined the band August 3 of 2000, replacing Justin Meacham who left the band.
He le ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals (2000–2004)
*
Mikey Hachey
Michael Joseph "Mikey" Hachey (born January 29, 1985) is an American bassist, best known as a former member of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in November 2004, replacing Chris Maurer on bass guitar, after his frie ...
– bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2010)
*Fred Johnson – drums (1998)
*
Jimmy Sullivan – drums (1998–1999; died 2009)
*Derek Rock – drums, keyboard (2000–2012)
*Brad Polidori – bass, backing vocals (2010–2021)
;Former touring musicians
*Byron Panopio – trumpet (2009, touring)
*Justin Lewis – trombone (2009, touring)
*
Ryland Steen
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
– Drums (2011, 2012–2013, touring)
*Max MacVeety – Drums (2012–2013, touring)
*
Dallas Kruse
Dallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album '' Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, ''Infectious
An infection is the invasion of ti ...
– keyboard,
keytar
The keytar is a lightweight synthesizer that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement onstage, compared to conventional keyboard ...
, backing vocals (2006–2009; local shows only)
Timeline
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Colors =
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id:BackingVocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals
id:Trumpet value:skyblue legend:Trumpet
id:Trombone value:coral legend:Trombone
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:Keyboard value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Touring value:yellow legend:Touring_musician
id:album value:black legend:Release
id:bars value:gray(0.95)
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color:album
at:06/01/1999
at:06/01/2001
at:02/14/2002
at:06/28/2003
at:05/12/2006
at:03/21/2007
at:07/10/2008
at:11/11/2010
at:04/03/2012
at:10/23/2013
at:06/02/2015
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bar:Chris text:"Chris Batstone"
bar:Vince text:"Vince Walker"
bar:Aaron text:"Aaron Bertram"
bar:Luis text:"Luis Beza"
bar:ChrisL text:"Chris Lucca"
bar:Robot text:"Brian Robertson"
bar:Dallas text:"Dallas Cook"
bar:Phillip text:"Phillip Inzerillo"
bar:JustinL text:"Justin Lewis"
bar:Josh text:"Josh Lander"
bar:Brent text:"Brent Feige"
bar:Brian text:"Brian Klemm"
bar:Kruse text:"Dallas Kruse"
bar:Justin text:"Justin Meacham"
bar:ChrisM text:"Chris Maurer"
bar:Mikey text:"Mikey Hachey"
bar:Brad text:"Brad Polidori"
bar:Fred text:"Fred Johnson"
bar:Jimmy text:"Jimmy Sullivan"
bar:Derek text:"Derek Rock"
bar:Ed text:"Edward Larsen"
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bar:Tim from:01/01/1998 till:02/01/2000 color:Vocals
bar:Chris from:02/01/2000 till:01/01/2002 color:Vocals
bar:Tim from:01/14/2002 till:09/05/2005 color:Vocals
bar:Vince from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/2004 color:Trumpet
bar:Vince from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/2004 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Vince from:07/01/2005 till:09/05/2005 color:Trumpet
bar:Vince from:09/01/2005 till:end color:Vocals
bar:Vince from:09/01/2005 till:end color:Trumpet width:3
bar:Vince from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Guitar width:7
bar:Brent from:01/01/1998 till:06/01/1998 color:Guitar
bar:Josh from:06/01/1998 till:05/01/1999 color:Guitar
bar:Brian from:05/01/1999 till:end color:Guitar
bar:Brian from:05/02/1999 till:04/03/2012 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Brian from:04/03/2012 till:end color:Vocals width:3
bar:Justin from:01/01/1998 till:06/01/2000 color:Bass
bar:ChrisM from:08/03/2000 till:11/01/2004 color:Bass
bar:ChrisM from:08/03/2000 till:11/01/2004 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Mikey from:11/01/2004 till:10/01/2010 color:Bass
bar:Mikey from:09/01/2005 till:10/01/2010 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Brad from:10/01/2010 till:end color:Bass
bar:Fred from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/1998 color:Drums
bar:Jimmy from:11/02/1998 till:06/01/2000 color:Drums
bar:Derek from:06/01/2000 till:11/01/2012 color:Drums
bar:Derek from:12/01/2009 till:11/01/2012 color:Keyboard width:3
bar:Ed from:05/01/2013 till:end color:Drums
bar:Aaron from:01/01/1998 till:05/25/2005 color:Trumpet
bar:Aaron from:01/01/1998 till:05/25/2005 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Luis from:06/01/2005 till:05/01/2009 color:Trumpet
bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Trumpet
bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Touring width:3
bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:BackingVocals width:7
bar:ChrisL from:12/01/2009 till:end color:Trumpet
bar:ChrisL from:12/01/2009 till:01/01/2014 color:Touring width:3
bar:Dallas from:01/01/1998 till:10/19/2005 color:Trombone
bar:Robot from:01/01/1998 till:end color:Trombone
bar:Phillip from:11/01/2005 till:10/01/2006 color:Trombone
bar:JustinL from:06/01/2009 till:12/01/2009 color:Trombone
bar:JustinL from:06/01/2009 till:12/01/2009 color:Touring width:3
bar:Kruse from:11/01/2006 till:12/01/2009 color:Keyboard
bar:Kruse from:11/01/2006 till:12/01/2009 color:Touring width:3
Discography
A majority of the band's material has been self-released, with the exception of the red, blue, and green versions of the Tim Maurer ''
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
'' EP (released by We The People Records) the UK version of ''
Rump Shaker'' (released by Brand New Hero Records), the Japan-only ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'' (released by Subrange Records), and ''Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1'' (released by
Rock Ridge Music
Rock Ridge Music is an independent record label and artist management company based in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 2004, it has signed, managed, and/or promoted artists including Reel Big Fish, Sister Hazel, Rachel Platten, Matthew Perryman ...
). Some out-of-print and/or rare recordings were previously made available by fans on the now-defunct Suburban Legends official forums in the "Suburban Legends Collection" forum, under permission of trombonist Brian Robertson.
Albums
*''Origin Edition'' (1999)
*''
Rump Shaker'' (2003) (2012 - Limited Vinyl Pressing)
*''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'' (2007) (Japan only)
*''Infectious'' (2007)
*''Let's Be Friends... and Slay the Dragon Together'' (2008)
*''Day Job'' (2012)
*''Forever in the Friend Zone'' (2015)
EPs
*''Bomb Squad EP'' (1998)
*''Suburban Legends'' (2001)
*''Suburban Legends Raw (Karaoke)'' (2002)
*''Suburban Legends (Tim Remix)'' (2002)
*''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' (2006)
*''Going on Tour'' (2010)
*''Getting Down to Business'' (2011) (Europe only)
*''Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1'' (2013)
DVDs
*''Season One'' (2004)
*''Poisonous Candy Factory'' (2008)
Singles
*"Rose Tint My World" (download only) (unreleased tribute album) (2001)
*"Gimme, Gimme" (CD single from Christmas 2004 shows) (2004)
Collaborations
*"This Gigantic Robot Kills" with
MC Lars
Andrew Robert Nielsen (born October 6, 1982), known professionally as MC Lars, is an American record producer, rapper, cartoonist, podcaster and educator. Lars is one of the self-proclaimed originators of "lit-hop", and is the founder and CEO of ...
and
The MC Bat Commander
Christian Richards Jacobs (born January 11, 1972) is an American musician, television producer, and actor. He is perhaps most recognized as the co-creator of the award-winning Nick Jr. TV show ''Yo Gabba Gabba!'', on which he additionally serves ...
, on MC Lars'
album of the same name (2009)
*"Five Finger Discount" with Uh Oh! Explosion on their album For the Win! (2009)
Music videos
*"I Want More" (2001)
*"High Fives" (2003)
*"Up All Night" (2004) - animated
*"Come Back Home" (2007) - features cameos by
Justin Mauriello
Justin Mauriello (born 1975) is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock band Darling Thieves, and former guitarist and founding member of punk rock band Zebrahead.
Musical career
Zebrahead (1996–2004)
Mauriello was a foundi ...
(formerly of
Zebrahead
Zebrahead is an American rap-punk band from La Habra, California. Formed in 1996, the band has released thirteen studio albums to date.
History
1996–2001: Formation and early years
Zebrahead was formed in La Habra, California in summer ...
) and Aaron Barrett (
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album ''Turn the Radio Off''. Soon af ...
)
*"Infectious" (2007) - directed by the Fackrell Brothers
*"Kiss the Girl" (2013)
*"You've Got a Friend in Me" (2013)
Compilations
*''Supporting the Scene - Disc 1 Track 15, "All The Nights"'' (2000)
*''Skratch Comp CD No. 6 - Track 5, "Gummi Bears"'' (2000)
*''Fatty's Favorites - Track 14, "Waikiki"'' (2000)
*''Because We Care: A Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Orange County'' - Track 11, "Gummie Bears"'' (2002)
*''Skyboys vs Highscalers - Track 5, "Desperate", Track 19, "Alternative Is Dead"'' (2003)
*''Dead Baby vs. Jesus - Track 22, "Zanzibar"'' (2003)
*''Camp Ska (DVD) - Track 12, "High Fives"'' (2003)
*''Sorry If It Isn't Cool Anymore! Vol. 1 - Track 2, "You"'' (2004)
*''Live @ iMusicast 1.0 (DVD) - Track 13, "Up All Night"'' (2004)
*''Casino Chips and Sunset Strips - Track 10 "Autumn in the Park", Track 11 "All the Nights", Track 12 "Bright Spring Morning"'' (2004)
*''
Of Hands and Hearts: Music for the Tsunami Disaster Fund - Disc 2 Track 4, "Blingity Bling"'' (2005)
*''
Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo - Track 10, "On the Outside"'' (2005)
*''The Christmas Chronicles vol. 1 - Track 8, "I Wish Every Day Was Christmas"'' (2011)
*''Skannibal Party vol. 11 - Track 6, "Emergency"'' (2012)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
American ska musical groups
Third-wave ska groups
Musical groups established in 1998
Musical groups from Orange County, California