John Reis, also known by the pseudonyms Speedo, Slasher, and the Swami is an American musician, singer, guitarist, record label owner, and disc jockey. He is best known as the singer and guitarist for the rock band

Rocket from the Crypt Rocket from the Crypt is an American punk rock band from San Diego, California, originally active from 1990 to 2005, then active during 2011 and again from 2013 to the present. The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record ...

, which he formed and fronted (as Speedo) for the entirety of its career from 1990 to 2005. Prior to this he was the guitarist in the

post-hardcore Post-hardcore is a punk rock music genre that maintains the aggression and intensity of hardcore punk but emphasizes a greater degree of creative expression. Like the term " post-punk", the term "post-hardcore" has been applied to a broad conste ...

band

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

, and also played in Drive Like Jehu during the early 1990s. In 1999 he formed the

Hot Snakes Hot Snakes were an American rock band led by Rick Froberg and John Reis, formed in 1999 in San Diego, California. Reis and Froberg had previously performed together in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu, after which Reis found international succe ...

, and in 2000 also formed the

Sultans Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

, in which (as Slasher) he sang and originally played bass before switching to rhythm guitar. He played in both these bands until their breakups in 2005 and 2007 respectively. He also released a solo recording under the name Back Off Cupids, which was recorded in 1994 but not released until 1999. Over the years he has performed in many other musical acts including Conservative Itch, Stacatto Reads, Custom Floor, and Beehive & the Barracudas. He is the owner of Swami Records, a label he founded in 1999 (he uses the title the Swami in this capacity). He frequently works with bands in a studio capacity and releases albums by many southern California groups through his label. He also hosts the "Swami Sound System" program (previously on

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

radio station 94.9 (

KBZT KBZT (94.9 FM, "Alt 94-9") is a commercial radio station licensed to San Diego, California. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station broadcasts an alternative rock format. Its studios are located in San Diego's Stonecrest area, and the transmitter ...

), and now available on Slacker Radio). Reis remains an influential figure in the San Diego underground music community and is currently performing with San Diego bands the Night Marchers and PLOSIVS, with Rob Crow.

Musical career

Reis became involved in music in 1984, playing in a

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band called Conservative Itch at age 15. In 1986 he formed the

group

with friend Rick Froberg, in which he played until the group's dissolution in 1990. Following this he formed two new bands: Drive Like Jehu included Froberg and was the more experimental, exploring styles such as

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...

, post-hardcore,

math rock Math rock is a style of Alternative rock, alternative and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush (band), Rush. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), cou ...

, and early-1990s

emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...

, meanwhile, was envisioned as a more back-to-basics rock band and involved other San Diego-area musicians. Both groups released debut albums in 1991 through local labels Cargo Records and Headhunter Records. Rocket from the Crypt was soon re-invented as a punk-inspired

rock & roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

band with a

horn section A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the term ...

, developing a reputation for creative and energetic live shows. The group released many vinyl singles and put out their second album '' Circa: Now!'' in 1992. Reis' heavy involvement with Rocket from the Crypt sidelined Drive Like Jehu at this time, but both groups were soon signed to major label

Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...

as a pair. In 1994 Rocket from the Crypt took a six-month break while Reis returned to work with Drive Like Jehu, recording the critically acclaimed album '' Yank Crime''. At this time he also recorded an album's worth of solo material under the project name Back Off Cupids, but the majority of this work went unreleased until 1999. In 1995, with little fanfare, Drive Like Jehu disbanded and Reis resumed working with Rocket from the Crypt full time. The group experienced a flurry of creativity that resulted in a trilogy of releases that year, culminating in the acclaimed album ''

Scream, Dracula, Scream! ''Scream, Dracula, Scream!'' is an album by American punk rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1995 by Interscope Records. It was the band's first major-label release. Music videos were filmed for the singles " On a Rope," " Born in ...

'' They became well known in the alternative music community, filmed several music videos, toured internationally, and experienced a surge of popularity in the United Kingdom. They released a follow-up entitled '' RFTC'' in 1998, but Interscope turned their attention to higher-grossing acts and soon the band left the label. This was followed by the departure of longtime drummer Adam Willard from the group in early 2000, resulting in a hiatus of sorts during which Reis explored other musical endeavors. In 1999 Reis started the record label Swami Records, primarily as a means of releasing music by a number of San Diego-area bands including several he was involved with. He also formed two new bands: Sessions with drummer Jason Kourkounis resulted in the formation of

(which also reunited Reis with Rick Froberg), while collaborations with drummer Tony Di Prima led to the formation of the

. Both bands essentially explored stripped-down versions of the musical formulas Reis had established in Rocket from the Crypt, with Hot Snakes incorporating some of the more experimental elements of Drive Like Jehu while the Sultans used a more straightforward rock & roll approach. During this time Reis recorded and acted as producer for a number of groups, including Superchunk, Selby Tigers, GoGoGo Airheart, and the Red Onions. He also performed on and off with other bands including Stacatto Reads, Custom Floor, and Beehive and the Barracudas. Rocket from the Crypt regrouped in 2000, signing to

Vagrant Records Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock music, rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk music, folk, soul music, so ...

and bringing in new drummer

Mario Rubalcaba Mario Rubalcaba (also known by the pseudonym Ruby Mars) is an American drummer from San Diego, notable as a member of numerous rock bands including Clikatat Ikatowi, Thingy, Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes, Earthless, the Sultans, and Off! ...

. Reis continued to record and perform with Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes, and the Sultans for the next several years, dividing his time between all three groups. Between 1999 and 2005 he recorded 2 albums with Rocket from the Crypt, 2 with the Sultans, and 3 with Hot Snakes. In 2003 his younger brother Dean Reis joined him in the Sultans. Rubalcaba also became a member of all three of Reis' bands, replacing Kourkounis in Hot Snakes in 2004 and Di Prima in the Sultans in 2006. John Reis live with Sultans 1-10-07

2005 marked the end of Reis' multi-band involvement, with the breakups of Hot Snakes in July and Rocket from the Crypt on

Halloween Halloween, or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve), is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christianity, Western Christian f ...

. He then focused his attention on Swami Records, putting out numerous releases that Fall and Winter and organizing tours in support of the label. He began hosting the "Swami Sound System" program on San Diego radio station 94.9 (

) and continued to play with the Sultans occasionally until their disbanding in January 2007.

Recent activity

Reis continues to operate Swami Records and acts as a producer and occasional studio musician for various artists and releases on the label, while focusing on his new role as a father. He constructed his own recording studio and opened a bar called The Bar Pink Elephant (later renamed Bar Pink) in San Diego's North Park district. In 2007 he announced a new musical project, and began recording and writing new songs with former Hot Snakes members Gar Wood and Jason Kourkounis and CPC Gangbangs bassist Tommy Kitsos. Reis described the new group as "a combonation icof everything I've been a part of dating back to my prepubescent days in Pitchfork. Similar to Hot Snakes but not as sinister yet still maintaining some of the drama and subsonic boom. Akin to the rockin' fun of RFTC but without the same kind of riffery. Like the Sultans but not as straightforward yet still maintaining the sense of melody and pop of the 2nd record." Dubbed the Night Marchers, the new group began performing and touring in 2008 with Reis again using the stage name "Speedo". Their debut album '' See You in Magic'' was released on April 22, 2008. Reis continues to host the "Swami Sound System" program on San Diego radio station 94.9 on Saturday nights and is preparing several releases of rare and previously unreleased Rocket from the Crypt material. He also plays a recurring role on the television show '' Yo Gabba Gabba'' as the Music Swami, introducing each episode's musical guest. In 2011 Hot Snakes announced they will be reforming for tours the US and Europe. In 2015, Reis produced American rock band

Ceremony A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil ...

's fifth studio album, '' The L-Shaped Man''. In March 2015, ''Vintage Piss'' was released by Sonny Vincent and Rocket from the Crypt. The album was originally recorded with Vincent in 2003 following a tour with Rocket from the Crypt serving as his backing band however the album was left unmixed and unfinished until twelve years later following the reunion of Rocket from the Crypt when Reis decided to go back and complete the album, which he also produced. On 9/8/21 he made his debut with Me First and the Gimme Gimmes at Express Live! in Columbus, OH performing with CJ Ramone, Andrew "Pinch" Pinching, Jonny "2 Bags" Wickersham and Spike Slawson.

Personal life

Reis is married. He and his wife had their first child, a son, in 2006.

Influence

Many artists have cited John Reis as an influence or have expressed admiration for his work, including

Jim Adkins James Christopher Adkins (born November 10, 1975) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter who is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of the rock band Jimmy Eat World. Career Jimmy Eat World (1993–present) ...

Jimmy Eat World Jimmy Eat World is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Mesa, Arizona, in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and lead guitarist Jim Adkins, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch, and drummer Zach ...

Kurt Ballou Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and record producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for metalcore band Converge and for his recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio. Early and pe ...

Converge Converge may refer to: * Converge (band), American hardcore punk band * Converge (Baptist denomination), American national evangelical Baptist body * Limit (mathematics) In mathematics, a limit is the value that a function (or sequence) app ...

, Laurent Barnard of

Gallows A gallows (or less precisely scaffold) is a frame or elevated beam, typically wooden, from which objects can be suspended or "weighed". Gallows were thus widely used to suspend public weighing scales for large and heavy objects such as sa ...

and Steven Andrew Miller of Unbroken. According to Doug McCombs of

Tortoise Tortoises ( ) are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin for "tortoise"). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like o ...

-fame:

John Reis fills a void. It's a cynical world and there aren't many true believers in rock & roll anymore. He's the carnival barker that lures you into rock & roll. He believes in rock & roll wholeheartedly and wants you to believe too. He's a genius at guitar riffs. He's evidence that rock & roll is not played out.

Membership timeline

ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:18 PlotArea = left:130 bottom:80 top:10 right:10 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1986 till:12/31/2021 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1986 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1986 Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass BarData = bar:Pitchfork text:"Pitchfork" bar:Rocket text:"Rocket From the Crypt" bar:Drive text:"Drive Like Jehu" bar:Hot text:"Hot Snakes" bar:Sultans text:"Sultans" bar:Night text:"The Night Marchers" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Pitchfork from:01/01/1986 till:07/01/1990 color:guitar bar:Rocket from:07/01/1990 till:10/31/2005 color:vocals bar:Rocket from:07/01/1990 till:10/31/2005 color:guitar width:3 bar:Rocket from:10/01/2011 till:10/02/2011 color:vocals bar:Rocket from:10/01/2011 till:10/02/2011 color:guitar width:3 bar:Rocket from:01/01/2013 till:end color:vocals bar:Rocket from:01/01/2013 till:end color:guitar width:3 bar:Drive from:08/01/1990 till:12/31/1995 color:guitar bar:Drive from:08/31/2014 till:08/31/2016 color:guitar bar:Hot from:01/01/1999 till:11/01/2005 color:guitar bar:Hot from:01/01/2011 till:end color:guitar bar:Sultans from:01/01/2000 till:01/10/2007 color:vocals bar:Sultans from:01/01/2000 till:10/31/2003 color:bass width:3 bar:Sultans from:10/31/2003 till:01/10/2007 color:guitar width:3 bar:Night from:08/01/2007 till:end color:vocals bar:Night from:08/01/2007 till:end color:guitar width:3

Discography

This section lists albums and EPs on which Reis has performed. For complete listings of releases by each act, see their individual articles.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reis, John American punk rock musicians American punk rock singers American rock guitarists American male guitarists Record producers from California Drinking establishment owners Drive Like Jehu members Rocket from the Crypt members American people of Portuguese descent Musicians from San Diego 1969 births Living people Guitarists from California Hot Snakes members Sultans (band) members 20th-century American guitarists