Middle Class Rut, also known as MC Rut, is an American
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Zack Lopez and vocalist/drummer Sean Stockham. They were formed in
Sacramento
)
, image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg
, mapsize = 250x200px
, map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
in December 2006. After several
EP's, in 2010 they released their first full-length LP, ''
No Name No Color
''No Name No Color'' is the debut LP by Middle Class Rut, released October 4, 2010 under exclusive Worldwide license to Bright Antenna. The album was made available as a Digital Download, CD and Limited Edition 12" Double Record.
Reception
...
''. Their second album ''
Pick Up Your Head
''Pick Up Your Head'' is the second album by Middle Class Rut, released June 25, 2013 by Bright Antenna Records. The album is available as a digital download, CD and 12" double record. Produced by the band, the album was mixed by Dave Sardy
...
'' was released June 25, 2013. After a brief hiatus, the band returned in 2018 with their third album ''Gutters''.
Biography
Middle Class Rut was formed after the dissolution of Lopez and Stockham's previous band, Leisure, which was signed to
Dreamworks Records
DreamWorks Records (often referred in copyright notices as SKG Music, LLC) was an American record label founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks Pictures. The label operated until 200 ...
in 2000 when Lopez and Stockham were in their teens. Leisure came to an end in 2003 and, after taking a hiatus from performing, Lopez and Stockham came together again to form Strangler, which would soon after be renamed Middle Class Rut.
The band played its first major national tour in the fall of 2007 with
Receiving End Of Sirens and
Envy On The Coast. ''
Alternative Press
Alternative press may refer to:
Individual publications
* ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine
Alternative journalism
* Alternative media
** Alternative media (U.S. political left)
** Alternative media (U.S. political ri ...
'' reviewed MC Rut's live performance, saying “…it’s mind-blowing to witness the sheer depth and complexity of the sound these two guys are capable of unleashing on their own…but once the novelty subsides, you’re left with incendiary post-rock with visible traces of ‘90s alternative.” The band toured with
Burning Brides
Burning Brides were an American hard rock band. They were partially known for their live performances, such as selected dates as the opening band for The White Stripes in 2000. In 2002 they toured with …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead ...
during July 2008 and
3 during October 2008.
In late 2007 Sacramento alternative rock station KWOD 106.5 FM (defunct) featured Middle Class Rut's "New Low" as part of its on-air local band feature. KWOD DJ/Music Director Andy Hawk received the submission direct from the band, and KWOD DJ Rubin played "New Low" later that day. "New Low" reacted immediately and was quickly added to regular rotation. The song became one of the most requested of the year, and KWOD developed a relationship with the band. At the end of 2008, "New Low" was voted top song of the year by KWOD listeners in an online poll conducted by the station. Throughout 2008, Zack and Sean did numerous live interviews with KWOD DJs Rubin and Andy Hawk to promote local MC Rut shows. KWOD's parent company flipped the station's format in mid-2009 to an all 1990s format. During a local show after the flip, Middle Class Rut singer/guitarist Zack Lopez made mention of it by saying, "There's been a death in Sacramento. KWOD 106.5 gave us and a lot of good local bands a chance to be heard by a much bigger audience than we could ever get on our own. So thank you, KWOD. We'll miss you."
The band released two self-titled EPs, referred to as the Red EP and the Blue EP due to their respective colors, in early 2008, as well as a limited-edition 7" in the UK on November 24, 2008 which featured "Busy Bein' Born" and "All Walks of Life."
In September 2008, the band came to the attention of
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
DJ,
Zane Lowe
Alexander Zane Reid Lowe (born 7 August 1973) is a New Zealand radio DJ, live DJ, record producer, and television presenter.
After an early career in music creation, production and DJing, he moved to the UK in 1997. He came to prominence thro ...
, who then featured their song, "Busy Bein' Born," as his Single of the Week during the week of October 20, 2008. In November 2008, the band was profiled in the Radar section of
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
magazine, which described them as "...epic noise alchemists...," and played a five-stop tour in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
for the first time. On November 19, 2008 the band recorded a live session for BBC One in Studio Four of the BBC's
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC sound studios, of which five are in regular use, in Delaware Road, Maida Vale, west London.
It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, ...
. After this tour,
Kerrang!
''Kerrang!'' is a British weekly magazine devoted to rock, punk and heavy metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent (the same company that owns electronic music publication ''Mixmag''). It was first published on 6 June 1981 as a one- ...
magazine wrote in its December 12, 2008 issue, "
heir
Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
sound is nothing short of colossal, and one that a mere two-piece shouldn't be able to create, combining the boisterous swagger and pomp of Jane's Addiction and the feral fury of Rage Against the Machine.", and Rocksound's December 2008 Christmas issue pegged them as "Ones to Watch," saying, "Their debut double A-side single 'Busy Bein' Born'/'All Walks of Life' is a breath of fresh air in the midst of the musical stench that emo is now emitting."
On March 10, 2009, Zane Lowe of Radio 1 debuted a new song called 'I Guess You Could Say' and named it as his Hottest Record in the World. The song is featured on the EP, ''
25 Years''.
On May 1, 2009, Middle Class Rut performed at the 2009 Road Recovery Benefit show at the Nokia Theatre in New York.
During a concert in Cesar Chavez Park in Sacramento, California on June 19, 2009, lead singer Zack Lopez announced that Middle Class Rut would be releasing their debut album for which they had recently been recording new material. Lopez did not announce a release date. Outside a concert in Montreal, QC on March 17, 2010, Lopez said the new album was going to be out hopefully next summer.
Middle Class Rut opened for
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...
at the end of 2009, and
Alice In Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
for the second half of their 2010 tour. They also opened for
Them Crooked Vultures
Them Crooked Vultures is an English-American alternative rock supergroup formed in Los Angeles in 2009 by Josh Homme (of Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss) on lead vocals and guitar, John Paul Jones (of Led Zeppelin) on bass and keyboards, and D ...
in Los Angeles, CA on April 14, 2010 and Las Vegas, Nevada on April 17, 2010. On October 4, 2010, Middle Class Rut released their full-length album, ''
No Name No Color
''No Name No Color'' is the debut LP by Middle Class Rut, released October 4, 2010 under exclusive Worldwide license to Bright Antenna. The album was made available as a Digital Download, CD and Limited Edition 12" Double Record.
Reception
...
'' in the United States and November 22, 2010 in the UK.
On October 30, 2010, Middle Class Rut opened for Chevelle's second night of the 10 Year Anniversary show at the Metro in Chicago, IL. Chevelle singer and guitarist
Pete Loeffler
Peter Loeffler is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Chevelle alongside his brother, drummer Sam Loeffler.
Pete, Sam, and bassist Joe Loeffler formed Chevelle in 19 ...
is a fan of Middle Class Rut.
On December 17, 2010, Middle Class Rut opened "The Night 89x Stole Christmas" show featuring Middle Class Rut,
Sick Puppies
Sick Puppies is an Australian alternative metal band formed in Sydney, New South Wales in 1997. After releasing their debut album '' Welcome to the Real World'' in 2001, the band rose to prominence in 2006 when their song " All the Same" was u ...
and
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance (commonly abbreviated to MCR or My Chem) is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mi ...
at the Fillmore in Detroit, Michigan.
In February 2011, Middle Class Rut opened for 30 Seconds to Mars at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York. On May 21, 2011, Middle Class Rut opened "
DC101 Chili Cook-Off
The DC101 Chili Cook-Off is an annual rock concert sponsored by Washington, D.C. / Baltimore, Maryland radio station WWDC (FM). Proceeds from the concert, traditionally held in Washington, D.C. in mid-to-late May, are donated to the National Capi ...
" featuring Middle Class Rut,
Paper Tongues
Paper Tongues is an American alternative rock band from Charlotte, North Carolina. The band currently consists of Aswan North ( lead vocals) and Daniel Santell (bass guitar). Their sound is described as fusing rock n' roll melodies with beats, an ...
,
Neon Trees
Neon Trees is an American rock band from Provo, Utah. The band received nationwide exposure in late 2008 when they opened several North American tour dates for the band The Killers. Not long after, the band was signed by Mercury Records. Their fi ...
,
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...
,
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. The original lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix, guitarist Jerry Horton, drummer Dave Buckner, bassist Will James, and trombonist Ben Luther.
After ...
,
Seether
Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wit ...
and
Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Scott Shriner (bass guitar, keyboards, backing v ...
at
RFK Stadium
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the w ...
grounds in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The band appeared on the 2011
Vans Warped Tour
The Warped Tour was a traveling rock tour that toured the United States plus three or four stops in Canada annually each summer from 1995 until 2019. It was the largest traveling music festival in the United States and the longest-running touring ...
.
Starting February 2012, Middle Class Rut co-headlined tour the United States with
Chevelle and
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
.
On April 26, 2013,
Loudwire
''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August of 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive ...
premiered the music video for the single "
Aunt Betty".
For
Record Store Day
Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
2014 the band released a limited edition 7" ''
Factories/Indians'' featuring previously unreleased tracks.
On September 18, 2015 Zack Lopez announced via the band's Facebook account that the band was on an indefinite hiatus, due to scheduling and recording purposes of the duo.
On September 9, 2017, the band successfully completed a Kickstarter campaign to fund the third album. According to a post on the band's official Facebook page, the third album is estimated to be released in May 2018.
Members
*Zack Lopez - vocals, guitar
*Sean Stockham - vocals, drums, percussion, guitar
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
References
External links
Roadrecovery.comMiddle Class Rut Official PageMiddle Class Rut at Bright AntennaMiddle Class Rut on Myspace"Busy Bein' Born" YouTube VideoOctober 20, 2008: "Busy Bein' Born" as Zane Lowe's Single of the Week on BBC Radio1
{{Authority control
Alternative rock groups from California
American musical duos
Rock music duos
Musical groups established in 2006
Musical groups from Sacramento, California
Bright Antenna Records artists