Rx Bandits
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Template:Infobox band Rx Bandits is a six-member band based in Seal Beach, California. Their musical style is an eclectic mix of ska, punk, rock, and reggae.
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History
The band started out amid other popular southern California ska-influenced acts such as Reel Big Fish and No Doubt. Of the original line-up, only singer/songwriter Matt Embree and drummer Chris Tsagakis remain. Their first two releases were recorded with bassist Franz J. Worth, saxophonist Noah Gaffney, and trombonist Rich Balling. Upon signing to Drive-Thru Records, the band released the album Halfway Between Here and There, a straightforward third-wave ska effort, though lyrics in songs such as "Gun In Your Hand" hinted towards the political leanings which would be evident in their subsequent releases. In the time between Halfway Between Here and There and Progress, Worth and Gaffney quit the band. Worth was replaced by James Salomone, formerly of My Superhero. Gaffney's position was left open.
They are notable for their strong political views, which they share with fans through periodic website posts [1]. They have toured with such bands as label mates New Found Glory and Finch, as well as with DESA, The Exit and Keziah Jones. They have also appeared on the Vans Warped Tour.
Their live shows are known for being highly energetic, with pre-rehearsed jams in between songs. They perform extended versions of many numbers; they fall somewhat short of being a full fledged "jam band," however it is fair to say that they exhibit musicianship live that is not captured by their recordings. They are known to interpolate songs by other artists, as well as their own, during their jams.
Progress
With 2001's Progress, the band took a huge step forward musically. The incarnation of the band which recorded the album consisted of Embree, Tsagaskis, Balling, Salomone, and current trombonist Chris Sheets. Steve Choi played keyboards on the album, but was not credited as a full member of the band, although he often joined the band on stage. With this album, the band moved beyond playing pure ska. Progress involved elements of punk, reggae, and hardcore punk. Indeed, the band itself notes influences ranging from Fugazi and Bad Brains, to Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and Toots and the Maytals. The album spawned their only music video, for the song "Analog Boy". Former Bandit Noah Gaffney also contributed on the song "Anyone But You."
Shortly after the release of the album, Chris Sheets joined the band on trombone. Steve Choi, formerly of the Chinkees, also became a member playing guitar and keyboards. Choi had also played keyboards on the demos that the band made for Progress, but when it came time to record, they decided to have Zahniser play on the album, because at the time he was touring with the band. Former Jeffries Fan Club trombonist, Chris Colonnier also played with the band at times, in the same role as Zahniser. While they had just gained members with Choi and Sheets, James Salomone left the band. They had many tempory replacements, most notably Johnny Tsagakis, who is Chris' younger brother. Joe Troy, a longtime friend of Embree, who also helped to write the song What if? on Halfway Between Here and There, eventually joined the band as their bass player . Also during the same time, longtime trombonist Rich Balling left the band. He was replaced by saxophonist Steve Borth, who had played formerly in the popular East Bay ska-punk band Link 80. The line-up of Embree, Tsagakis, Sheets, Choi, Troy and Borth has been consistent ever since.
The Resignation
In 2003, they released The Resignation, a CD/DVD release. Guitars, bass, drums, and some keyboards were all recorded live. Vocals, horns, percussion and additional keyboard parts were then overdubed. They only allowed themselves a limited number of takes for each parts, and they once a take was recorded, it was left as it was, with no punch-ins. Embree also shared songwriting duties with Steve Choi, whereas he had previously been responsible for all of the band's material. Also of note is the album cover, which was originally a painting by Aaron Nagel, a Bay Area artist and member of both Link 80 and DESA. Musically, the album continued the genre mixing of Progress and experimented with unconventional time signatures. It again featured overtly political lyrics, evident most obviously in songs such as "Overcome (The Recapitulation)," and "Mastering the List".
Since the release of The Resignation, several members have found time for side projects. Embree is involved with his own independent label, MDB Records, as well as the hip hop group Seekret Socyetee, Coke vs. Bills with Joe Troy, and Apotheke with members of the Rx Bandits. Steve Borth has started the band Satori which plays reggae/rocksteady and features members of The Exit as well as Embree on bass. Steve Choi collaborated with Asian Man Records founder Mike Park in both The Chinkees and The Bruce Lee Band.
Rx Bandits Live: Vol. 1
The band then released a dvd of live performances that were filmed during their many live shows. It was one of the first released on Embree's MDB Record label. It also contains two easter eggs, one being a performance of the song Up to No Good, which is the only song recorded during the sessions for The Resignation that was not included on the album. The other is studio footage of the band working on the album.
The Next Album
As of October 2005, they finished recording on the follow-up to The Resignation. It is currently slated to be released summer 2006.
On March 22, 2006, they released a new song, titled "Only for the Night" via their MySpace Page. While this is supposed to be the last album of their Drive-Thru records contract, it is rumored that they will release it on Embree's MDB Records.
Band members
- Matthew Embree – vocals, guitar
- Steve Choi – guitar, keyboards
- Steven Jess Borth II. – saxophone, keyboards, backing vocals
- Chris Sheets – trombone, backing vocals, percussion
- Joseph Troy – bass
- Christopher Tsagakis – drums
Discography
Rx Bandits have released four full length albums:
- Those Damn Bandits (1998) Originally released under the name "The Pharmacuetical Bandits" on the band's own Antedote records (now defunct). Was re-releasd when the band signed with Drive-Thru. The original version contains an "RXB aproved" seal in the lower corner of the cover.
- Halfway between Here & There (1999) Two versions of this album also exist. The first one was released under the name "The Pharmacuetical Bandits. The second was a re-release, under the now familiar "Rx Bandits" name, with new artwork when Drive-Thru signed a distribution deal with Universal.
- Progress (2001)
- The Resignation (2003)
They also released a split CD with the Band Slow Gherkin in 1999. It featured an early version of the song Progress, which was later re-released on the album of the same name, and Tribute, which is a medley of reggae songs that the band had been playing live at the time.
And one DVD:
- Rx Bandits Live: Vol. 1 (2004)
Prior to 1998, the band released a self-produced demo tape, DEMOnstration. All of the songs were later released on Those Damn Bandits, with two exceptions: Sleepy Tyme, an instrumental piece, and High Skool, which was later re-recorded and released on the compilation album Fatty's Favorites. All the Time, a song off Progress, was originally released acoustially on the Drive-Thru compliation You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again. Shorty after the release of Progress they contributed an unreleased song, titled Mastering the List on the Drive-Thru compilation Welcome to the Family. That song was later re-recorded, and included on The Resignation. Other notable compilation releases include: Holy Wars, a Megadeth cover that was released on Punk Goes Metal, a cover of the Sublime song Saw Red, a Christmas version of This Time (from Halfway...), which was renamed All I Want for Christmas, and a dub version of the song Band-Aid, from their first album, Those Damn Bandits. They were recently featured on the tribute compilations Listen to Bob Dylan and Dead Band's Party: an Oingo Boingo Tribute. They performed The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, and Grey Matter, respectively. They have had other previously released songs on compilations, including Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1, which was released in April 2004.
Numerous bootlegs of their concerts are available, via P2P services, and fan websites. As long as they are not distributed for money, the band is usually okay with it.