Simon Says was an American rock band from Sacramento, California. In 2001, they changed their name to Key to Arson, and they broke up in 2004.

History

Simon Says was formed by a group of California high schoolers (Matt Franks, Zac Diebels, and Mike Johnston) who got their start playing high school auditoriums around the state in the early 1990s. Adding bassist Mike Arrieta in 1995, the group self-released two records, which attracted the attention of manager

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. Saltzman set them up with

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's producer Mark Needham and got them signed to

Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records l ...

in July 1998. In 1999, they released their major-label debut, ''Jump Start'', which yielded two hit modern rock singles, and the follow-up ''Shut Your Breath'' netted a third radio hit. In 2001, Simon Says left Hollywood Records over promotional issues and changed their name to Key to Arson; soon after, drummer Mike Johnston left the band, to be replaced by Dave "Stixx" Marich. In 2004, Key to Arson announced the completion of an album entitled ''Light 'Em Up'', but by the end of the year the band had broken up. It is now known that Zac Diebels and Matt Franks have formed Automatic Static and will release a full album soon as of 2012, called Number IV.

Members

; Final line-up *Matt Franks - vocals (1992–2004) *Zac Diebels - guitar (1992–2004) *Mike Arrieta - bass (1995–2004) *Dave "Stixx" Marich - drums (2001–2004) ;Former members * Mike Johnston - drums (1992–2001) *Shane Ozmun - bass (1994-1995)

Discography

*''

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'' (self-released, 1994) emo EP*''Little Boy'' (self-released, 1997) ndependent album*''Perfect Example'' (self-released, 1997) ndependent album*''Jump Start'' (

, 1999) ebut major label studio album*''Shut Your Breath'' (Hollywood, 2001) econd major label studio album*''Light Em Up'' s Key To Arson(self released, 2004)

Singles

*"Life Jacket" (1999) US

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...

No. 23

Billboard Singles A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large out-of-home advertising, outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboard ...

Allmusic.com. ''passim''. *"Slider" (1999) Mainstream Rock No. 34 *"Sever" (1999) *"Blister (Nothing)" (2001) Mainstream Rock No. 31

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon Says American post-grunge musical groups Musical groups from Sacramento, California