The Hi-Fives are an American
rock band from the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a List of regions of California, region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose, California, S ...
.
History
The band was formed in 1994 after drummer
Al Sobrante (John Kiffmeyer) left the previous incarnations, The Ne'er Do Wells and Thee Shatners. Sobrante was replaced by drummer Julie Rose, formerly of Red No.9. Rose remained with the band through the recording of the first
Lookout! Records album ''
Welcome To My Mind''. The title track was a minor hit on
college radio and
modern rock
Modern rock is an umbrella term used to describe rock music that is found on college and commercial rock radio stations. Some radio stations use this term to distinguish themselves from classic rock, which is based in 1960s–1980s rock music.
...
stations.
Rose left the band for personal reasons and was replaced by Evan Mendell from Benicia. The band was asked to open for
Green Day
Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...
during the 1994 ''
Dookie'' tour, along with
Pansy Division. Mendell left the band after the tour and was replaced by
Danny Seelig from
The Phantom Surfers.
The band won a category in the 1996
Bay Area Music Awards
''BAM'' (short for ''Bay Area Music'') was a free bi-weekly music magazine founded and published by Dennis Erokan in the San Francisco Bay Area from January 1976 until June 1999.
History
''Bay Area Music'' magazine was first published in Janu ...
("Bammies") for "Outstanding Alternative Pop/Rock Group" and embarked on a tour in the United States and
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
with the
Mr. T Experience. While on U.S. tour with
The Queers, Seelig and bassist Jess Hilliard both quit the band onstage after a fight. They returned to record the second album ''
And A Whole Lotta You'', but they were soon replaced with
Steve Faine (previously of
Decal and
The Stimmies) and
Gary Gutfeld (of
Redemption 87).
The 1998 album ''
Get Down
Get Down may refer to:
* Get down, a stance or movement in traditional African culture, in African American culture, and throughout the Black African diaspora
Film and television
* ''Get Down'' (film) or ''Treed Murray'', a 2001 Canadian film
* ...
'' followed. John Denery married Judy (from Judy and the Loadies), moved to
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
and back, while Chris Imlay became a graphic designer for such magazines as ''Gearhead'', ''
MacAddict'', ''
PlayStation: The Official Magazine'', and ''
Wired''. The band played a couple of shows in 2005, and a show in January 2008 supporting the Mr. T Experience.
Members
*
Chris Imlay
Christopher Sterling Imlay (born May 24, 1969) is an American rock and roll musician and graphic artist.
He has been in such bands as The Hi-Fives, The Dukes of Burl, The Dukes of Hamburg, Brent's T.V., Judy and The Loadies, Thee Shatners, and th ...
— guitar and vocals
*
John Denery — guitar and vocals
*
Jess Hilliard — bass guitar
*Julie Rose — drums
*
Evan Mendell — drums
*
Steve Faine — bass guitar
*
Gary Gutfeld — drums
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
Welcome to My Mind'' (Lookout! Records, 1995)
* ''
And a Whole Lotta You!'' (Lookout! Records, 1997)
* ''Get Down!'' (Lookout! Records, 1998)
Singles and EPs
* ''It's Up To You'' (Lookout! Records)
* ''Summer Games'' (Lookout! Records)
* ''Hypnotizer'' (G.I. Records)
* ''Misery'' (Go Zombie Records)
References
External links
Old Thumb Records Hi-Fives pageLookout! Records pageSPIN: 20 Essential Songs From the Late Lookout! Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hi-Fives
Indie rock musical groups from California
Musical groups established in 1994
Musical groups from the San Francisco Bay Area
1994 establishments in California