Suburban Legends are an American
ska punk
Ska punk (also spelled ska-punk) is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music together. (sometimes spelled skacore) is a subgenre of ska punk that mixes ska with hardcore punk. Early ska punk mixed both 2 tone and ska with har ...
band that formed in
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby
Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the
Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular performances at the
Disneyland Resort, a series of lineup changes in 2005 introduced elements of funk and disco into the group's style.
Since 2009, the band has gradually returned to its ska roots, and has also recorded cover versions of songs from
Disney films
This is a list of films produced by and released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner (known as that since 1983, with '' Never Cry Wolf'' as its first release) and films released before that under the former name of the parent company, Walt ...
and
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...
.
History
Formation and first EP (1998-2002)
Influenced by artists such as
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album '' Turn the Radio Off''. Soon ...
,
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and
Oingo Boingo, the band was formed in 1998 as The No Tones, consisting of vocalist
Tim Maurer, guitarist Brent Feige, bassist Justin Meacham, drummer Fred Johnson, trumpet players
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
and
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
, and trombonists
Ryan Dallas Cook and
Brian Robertson. A few months after forming, Feige was replaced by Josh Lander and Johnson by
Jimmy Sullivan and the band changed their name to Bomb Squad, under which name they released an EP, now known as the ''Bomb Squad EP''.
In 1999, the band changed their name to Suburban Legends. Guitarist Josh Lander left the band shortly before the release of the first demo album, ''
Origin Edition'', for which they recruited guitarist
Brian Klemm. The album was self-pressed and even though Brian Klemm was already in the band, Vince Walker recorded the guitar parts for the demo album. Later that year, vocalist
Tim Maurer and drummer
Jimmy Sullivan left the band, with the former being replaced by
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only of ...
, and the latter by Derek Lee Rock. Sullivan went on to form the band
Pinkly Smooth, and co-found the band
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
. A few months later, bassist Justin Meacham left the band as well and was soon replaced by former lead vocalist Tim Maurer's brother,
Chris Maurer. Sullivan and Meacham would later perform together as members of metal band Avenged Sevenfold, under the respective pseudonyms "The Rev" and "Justin Sane".
In 2001, the band released their first, self-titled, EP, ''
Suburban Legends'', on We The People Records, featuring some re-recorded songs from ''
Origin Edition''. This was the band's only release with Chris Batstone on vocals, as he left the band in early 2002.
Rump Shaker and Disney (2002-2005)
In early 2002 previous vocalist
Tim Maurer rejoined the band on vocals, and the band re-recorded the vocals for their EP, and re-released it independently as ''
Suburban Legends (Tim Remix)
After the departure of lead singer Chris Batstone, Suburban Legends re-released their first EP, ''Suburban Legends'', by removing the vocal track featuring Chris, and replacing it with a vocal track of new lead singer, Tim Maurer. ''Suburban Lege ...
''. During the year, the band played close to 1000 shows at
Downtown Disney. They also performed on many occasions for the X Games Xperience promotion at
Disney California Adventure Park in 2003.
In 2003, the band recorded and released their first actual album, ''
Rump Shaker'', followed by a year of heavy touring. The band released their first live DVD in 2004 titled ''
Season One Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012
* ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012
See also
*
*
* Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to:
...
''. At the end of the year trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
and bassist
Chris Maurer left the band, the former to go to college and the latter to get married. While Maurer was replaced by
Mikey Hachey, Walker wasn't replaced and the band continued with only one trumpet player. In May 2005, trumpet player
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
left the band to get married as well, and was replaced by
Luis Beza.
In late 2005, former trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
rejoined the band for the 2005
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, after which vocalist
Tim Maurer left the band once again. The band went on a pause until further notice.
Death of Dallas Cook and new formation (2005-2006)

At 12:25 AM on October 19, 2005,
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrat ...
player
Dallas Cook was killed in a
hit-and-run motorcycle
A motorcycle (motorbike, bike, or trike (if three-wheeled)) is a two or three-wheeled motor vehicle steered by a handlebar. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long-distance travel, commuting, cruisin ...
accident on the
Costa Mesa Freeway. A few days after the incident, a large group of Suburban Legends' fans and Dallas' friends and family gathered nearby the
ESPN Zone at Disneyland Resort's
Downtown Disney, where the band played their many performances in the early 2000s, to share their memories of Cook. On November 29, 2005, the band performed a benefit show for the Dallas Cook Memorial Fund, which was as set up in Cook's honor to donate money to the
Huntington Beach High School instrumental music program. The performance also featured former members
Tim Maurer,
Chris Maurer and
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
returning for one final show, and trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
permanently switching to the vocalist position.
In 2006 the band recruited trombonist Phillip Inzerillo to replace
Dallas Cook. They released their first EP with
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
on vocals, ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'', which showed the band's shift in style towards disco rock. The band promoted the EP by appearing on
G4's ''
Attack of the Show!'' on April 18, 2006.
On July 19, 2006, while they were on tour and in
St. Louis,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, Phillip Inzerillo woke up to notice the band's tour van was on fire. The fire destroyed the front driver's side of the van. The band's tour money had also been missing from the van. It is suspected that the fire and robbery was caused by an
arson
Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...
ist.
At the end of the year, trombonist Phillip Inzerillo left the band without official announcement, and wasn't replaced. Around this time keyboardist
Dallas Kruse started performing with the band, despite never being listed as an official member.
New musical direction (2007-2009)
In 2007 the band released a Japan-only album, an extended version of their EP release, titled ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', containing several new and re-recorded songs. In early July 2007, the band started releasing videos on their
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...
account documenting progress recording new material in the studio. Later that year, the band released their first full album with Vince Walker on vocals,
''Infectious''. The album continued the shift in style started with ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'', with ska being traded in for a pop-rock sound with disco and funk elements.
On November 11, 2007, the band was robbed again, while supporting
Streetlight Manifesto
Streetlight Manifesto is an American ska punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States, formed in 2002. They released their first album, '' Everything Goes Numb'', which was distributed by Victory Records, on August 26, 2003. The band h ...
on their
Somewhere in the Between Tour. This time, Suburban Legends' van was stolen along with approximately $80,000 worth of all their equipment and instruments. Fans were first alerted of this when
Dallas Kruse posted a
MySpace bulletin reading:
" You all know just HOW MUCH suburban legends have been through throughout the years! .... lets all gather to HELP THEM through this!
I just got a call from my dear friend MIKEY, bassist for Suburban Legends.
They are on tour in Philly and woke up to head down to the van and trailer from the hotel room and the van and trailer were stolen.
Every piece of equipment and merchandise the band owns is gone.
Drum sets, horns, clothing, basses, guitars, amps, etc.
The value of the equipment alone is appx 40k. The value of the trailer alone is 30k. Estimated value of everything is probably close to 80k (in my estimation) including the van, trailer and gear.
They are troopers and going to try and rent another van, rent gear and finish the tour.
This is devastating. Most, if not ALL of you know just how dear and sincere these guys are and how close I am with them.
Is there ANYTHING we can do to help them?
My idea was to find someone with money who would be able to immediately front them an investment for gear and work out terms for the band to pay that person back. Or does someone here have connections to a car dealership? Instruments? SOMETHING!?!
Please help!
if you have some help or ideas, PLEASE, lets help the guys out!"
Another MySpace bulletin which was posted on November 13, said that the van was recovered in a neighborhood in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
, apparently after somebody saw the news story on the van theft and gave information of its whereabouts. When the van was recovered, it only required minor repairs. However, the contents of the van and trailer were missing. While insurance issues were still being resolved, the band apologized to the fans for any shows they missed and stated that they would be back on the road again.
The song "Fire" from their 2008 album, ''Let's Be Friends'', was about the van fire and robberies.
The band's second DVD
Poisonous Candy Factory was released in March 2008. Similar to
Season One Season One may refer to:
Albums
* ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004
* ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012
* ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012
See also
*
*
* Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to:
...
, it featured live sets containing songs from ''Rump Shaker'' through to new, unreleased material, music videos and extra videos from the band.
Shortly after this release, the band headed back into the studio and recorded their third official album, ''
Let's Be Friends'', released on July 10, 2008, while touring with
Less Than Jake,
Goldfinger, and
Big D and the Kids Table on the Shout It Loud Tour 2. This album mixed elements of previous albums, featuring a return to ska on some songs as well as a continued focus on a pop-rock sound.
In the winter of 2008, they toured with
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtur ...
on the Hooray for the Holidays Tour. In February 2009, they appeared along with The Aquabats'
MC Bat Commander on
MC Lars' new song, "This Gigantic Robot Kills", from Lars' new
album of the same name. MC Lars describes that "this song is about bringing ska back. It's about this kid who builds this giant robot" who "as he destroys Orange County, he leaves behind a trail of
Less Than Jake CDs, a field of Aquabat limited edition vinyls, and a stack of CDs by Suburban Legends." They also performed at
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
' 16th Birthday Party celebration.
Shortly after, trumpet player
Luis Beza left the band.
In 2009 the band appeared as a full ska band on the 2009
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, with a new ska song titled "Open Your Eyes". The performance featured former member
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
on trumpet once again, and guest musicians Byron Panopio and Justin Lewis, on trumpet and trombone respectively. The three continued to perform with the band on the subsequent tour and Disney shows, along with touring trumpet player Chris Lucca. At the end of 2009 Panopio and Lewis, as well as long-time collaborator
Dallas Kruse, stopped performing with the band.
Day Job era (2010-present)
In 2009 the band had announced they were planning to release a full ska record once again, and in late 2010 the band released a seven-track EP as a preview, ''Going on Tour EP''. This was followed by the departure of bassist Mikey Hachey, even though he continues to collaborate with the band on some occasions. He was soon replaced by Brad Polidori.
On January 1, 2011, the band's song, "You," from their 2003 album, ''Rump Shaker'', was performed by the
Western Carolina University Pride of the Mountains Marching Band in the 2011
Tournament of Roses Parade in
Pasadena, California. The band chose to perform the song in honor of the late
Ryan Dallas Cook.
In July 2011, it was announced that Suburban Legends was cast as the house band for ''Pick-a-Split'', a retro-themed bowling game show pilot hosted by
Neil Hamburger.
During November 2011, Connecticut's
Asbestos Records and Chicago, IL's
Underground Communiqué Records launched a fundraiser together on
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, K ...
to release ''
Rump Shaker'' on vinyl, among other third-wave ska classics from
Pilfers
Pilfers are an American ska band formed in 1997, when former Toasters vocalist, Coolie Ranx, at the urging of Pietaster's vocalist Steve Jackson, joined with former Bim Skala Bim trombonist, Vinny Nobile. To complete the lineup, they recrui ...
,
Edna's Goldfish, and
The Pietasters. The funding goal was met by January 18, 2012, and the records began pre-production in Spring 2012.
On February 23, the band's 2009 collaboration track with
MC Lars and
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtur ...
'
MC Bat Commander, "This Gigantic Robot Kills", was released on
Rock Band Network.
On April 3, 2012, the band released its fifth full-length album, ''
Day Job''. It includes new songs, four re-recorded tracks from ''Going on Tour'', a collaborative track with rapper
Lyrics Born
Tsutomu "Tom" Shimura (born September 2, 1972), better known by his stage name Lyrics Born (formerly Asia Born), is a Japanese-American rapper, singer, and producer. He is one half of the duo Latyrx with Lateef the Truthspeaker.
Early life
Shi ...
, as well as two Disney covers, "
Under the Sea" from ''
The Little Mermaid'' and "
I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, ...
'', which have been long-time staples of the band's live performances. In November 2012, long-time drummer Derek Rock left the band to pursue other career options.
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album '' Turn the Radio Off''. Soon ...
drummer
Ryland Steen and former
Big D and the Kids Table drummer
Max MacVeety filled in on drums between Rock's departure and the hiring of current drummer Edward Larsen in 2013.
The group released its all-Disney covers EP, ''
Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
'', through
Rock Ridge Music on October 7, 2013. On March 17, 2015, the band officially announced their next album, ''
Forever in the Friend Zone
Suburban Legends are an American ska punk band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998 and later based themselves in nearby Santa Ana. After building a fanbase in the Orange County ska scene through their numerous regular perform ...
''.
In 2015, Suburban Legends and
Roger Lima (of
Less Than Jake) recorded with
MC Lars to release "Sublime With Rome (Is Not the Same Thing as Sublime)" on his 2015 LP,
The Zombie Dinosaur LP
''The Zombie Dinosaur LP'' is the fourth studio album by MC Lars, released on November 6, 2015, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard Heatseakers chart. It was funded entirely through the Kickstarter, and was completed and released in eighteen ...
.
Klemm, Walker, and former bassist Chris Maurer also currently perform in Personal Satisfaction, a
blues/
comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term ori ...
side project.
Retirement from touring
On December 23, 2015, the band announced via their Facebook page that their 2016 US tour in support of
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album '' Turn the Radio Off''. Soon ...
would be their "last tour ever," while also leaving the possibility to tour again open, stating, "who knows what the future will hold but after this we will be taking a time out from touring." In late 2018 Suburban Legends commenced a tour as the support for Reel Big Fish and supported fellow supports from the tour Zebrahead on select UK gigs where they had days off and Zebrahead headlined gigs at pubs and clubs.
Style
Suburban Legends' style of music has evolved over time and is different from that of other ska bands. While earlier material being heavily rooted in
ska, the 2006 release ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' brought a different sound took ideas and influence from
disco,
funk, and
pop
Pop or POP may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* Pop music, a musical genre Artists
* POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade
* Pop!, a UK pop group
* Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band
Albums
* ''Pop'' (G ...
, some songs on the EP containing little to no ska sound at all. The band furthered its distance from ska with the 2007 release of ''Infectious'', heavily focusing on disco on the record. The band has not abandoned their earlier sound, though, regularly performing older material alongside their current work.
The 2008 album ''
Let's Be Friends'' combines elements from all their previous releases. In May 2009, the band announced that they would be recording a "full blown ska rock album," not simply a ska-influenced album because they have horns or an album with only a few ska songs.
Further supporting the band's transition back to ska, less time was devoted in live performances to songs found on more recent albums, such as ''Infectious'', with the band reintroducing older songs such as "Alternative is Dead," "Gummi Bears," "I Want More," and "Waikiki," all of which were found either on ''
Origin Edition'' (1999) and ''
Suburban Legends'' (2001). The band has been playing these songs and other from that era ever since. In 2009 the band also started performing a new ska song, "Open Up Your Eyes", which later appeared on their 2010 Going on Tour EP and their 2012
Day Job album.
Part of the band's claim to fame has been its live shows which often involve dance routines far more complicated than those often found in ska bands, as horn playing usually inhibits movement on stage.
Covers
Suburban Legends are known to perform many live covers, most often when performing at the Disneyland Resort, sometimes performing top 40 and classic pop or rock hits to appeal to the theme park guests outside of the band's usual fanbase. The band has also performed and recorded many songs from Disney films and television shows. They have performed "
Under the Sea" from ''
The Little Mermaid'' at many of its shows since 2002, and the theme songs from ''
Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears
''Adventures of the Gummi Bears'' is an American animated television series, created by Disney CEO Michael Eisner, produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, and distributed by Buena Vista Television. The series, loosely inspired by the gu ...
'' and ''
DuckTales
''DuckTales'' is an American animated television series produced by Disney Television Animation. The original cartoon series premiered on syndication and on Disney Channel on September 18, 1987 and ran for a total of 100 episodes over four ...
'', "
I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from ''
The Lion King
''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance, ...
'', and more recently, "
Kiss the Girl" from ''The Little Mermaid'' and "
Colors of the Wind" from ''
Pocahontas
Pocahontas (, ; born Amonute, known as Matoaka, 1596 – March 1617) was a Native American woman, belonging to the Powhatan people, notable for her association with the colonial settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. She was the daughter o ...
''. Until 2013, only "Gummi Bears", "Under the Sea", and "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" had seen recorded releases, with the first track appearing on the ''Bomb Squad'' EP and ''Origin Edition'', and the latter two tracks appearing on the band's 2012 album, ''Day Job''. The band released an EP consisting of Disney covers in October 2013, including "DuckTales", "Kiss the Girl", and others. The band's Disneyland performances have also featured "
Build Me Up Buttercup" by
The Foundations, "
Celebration
Celebration or Celebrations may refer to:
Film, television and theatre
* ''Celebration'' (musical), by Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones, 1969
* ''Celebration'' (play), by Harold Pinter, 2000
* ''Celebration'' (TV series), a Canadian music TV serie ...
" by
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang is an American R&B/soul/ funk band formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1964 by brothers Robert "Kool" Bell and Ronald Bell, with Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown, and Ricky West ...
, "
Higher Ground" by
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, sou ...
, "
Rubberneckin'" by
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, "
Can't Take My Eyes Off You
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a 1967 song written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio. It was recorded as a single by Frankie Valli. The song was among his biggest hits, earning a gold record and reaching No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for a ...
" by
Frankie Valli, "
I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)
"I'm the Leader of the Gang (I Am)" is a song by English glam rock singer Gary Glitter, written by Glitter with Mike Leander and produced by Mike Leander. It was Glitter's first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks ...
" by
Gary Glitter, "
Sweet Caroline" by
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...
, and an excerpt of "
Moves Like Jagger" by
Maroon 5 as a segue into the band's own "All Around the World".
Outside of the three Disney songs, cover songs rarely appear on the band's studio releases. An exception is "
Dancing Machine", a song originally performed by
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most ...
, appearing on the 2007 Japan-only release, ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', an extended version of the U.S.-released ''Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' EP. All other covers have been released as part of compilations, such as the band's cover of "
On the Outside" appearing on ''
Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo''. During Chris Batstone's tenure as lead vocalist, a recording of "
Rose Tint My World
A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be e ...
" from ''
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the ...
'' was made for an abandoned ''Rocky Horror'' tribute album (which would have also featured fellow ska artists such as
Chris Murray and
Pain
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...
), and was eventually released in
MP3
MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Orig ...
format by the band. The band began performing
The Gregory Brothers' and
Antoine Dodson's "
Bed Intruder Song" at live performances in 2010, eventually releasing a studio recording on a 7" single backed with "It Was a Dark and Stormy Night" by
Five Iron Frenzy
Five Iron Frenzy is an American band formed in Denver, Colorado, in 1995. Best known for playing ska punk music characterized by an offbeat sense of humor and prominent Christian themes, Five Iron was one of the pioneering figures of the Chris ...
as part of
Asbestos Records' ''Ska is Dead'' 7" Club series in 2012.
Lineup
The band has had many lineup changes over the years. Original vocalist
Tim Maurer left the band after the recording of
Origin Edition, and was replaced by
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only of ...
. Batstone later left the band, and Maurer rejoined. After an album and live DVD, Maurer left again after the 2005
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon to spend more time with his family. He was replaced by former trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
, who returned to the band in the same performance, oddly switching roles from horns to vocals. Walker also plays the trumpet and guitar in some songs on stage. Before becoming the band's lead vocalist, he already had provided lead vocals on several songs such as "Desperate", "Blingity Bling" and "Powerful Game". Walker sometimes switches to guitar so that Brian Klemm can take over lead vocals.
Guitarist
Brian Klemm joined the band in 1999 and has been with the band ever since. He can also be heard doing lead vocals in several of the band's songs, such as "Desperate", "Powerful Game", "This Cherry", "So Fine", "Love Fair", "I Just Can't Wait to be King" and "Girlfriend's Pretty". After the departure of Aaron Bertram, Klemm started providing more backing vocals live, and this increased even more after the departure of Mikey Hachey.
The band's original bassist, Justin Meacham, left the band in 2000 to join
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
and replace their original bassist Matt Wendt. He was soon replaced by
Chris Maurer, the younger brother of former lead vocalist
Tim Maurer. Apart from bass, Chris Maurer also provided backing vocals on many songs live. Maurer left the band in 2004 to marry his fiancée and was replaced by
Mikey Hachey, who stayed with the band until 2010, when he left the band to pursue other musical activities, notably becoming the house bassist for
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil (, ; "Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus") is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world. Located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul on 16 ...
's ''
Viva Elvis'' show at the
Aria Resort & Casino in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...
. He also did many of the band's main backing vocals after Aaron Bertram left, and also occasionally sang lead vocals in "Powerful Game" live. The band's current bassist is Brad Polidori who joined in 2010.
One of the band's early drummers,
Jimmy Sullivan, left the band to form
Pinkly Smooth and later became known as "The Rev" in
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...
, along with former Suburban Legends bassist Justin Meacham, who became known as Justin Sane during his time with Avenged Sevenfold. After that drummer Derek Lee Rock was with the band from 2000 onwards. He recently left the band in 2012, and temporarily filling in on drums were Max McVeety and
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album '' Turn the Radio Off''. Soon ...
's
Ryland Steen. In 2013 Edward Larsen joined the band on drums.
Trumpet player
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker (born March 2, 1980), better known as Vince Walker, is an American multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He was formerly the lead trumpet player, and left sometime aft ...
was with the band until his departure in 2004 to focus on his education. He rejoined the band in 2005 to become the band's new lead vocalist.
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
left the band in 2005 to marry his fiancée, but returned to the band in 2009 as a touring trumpet player. In between this,
Luis Beza was the band's only trumpet player. Since 2009, Bertram usually performs with the band as their trumpet player, but Chris Lucca often takes the trumpet player role in the band's overseas tours. Bertram was the band's main backing vocalist before he left, and has also provided lead vocals for several songs such as "Gummi Bears", "Rose Tint My World" and "Powerful Game". In 2013, Chris Lucca became the band's official trumpet player. Aaron Bertram still regularly performs with the band at local shows,
Trombonist
Brian Robertson is the only member to have been in the band since its inception in 1998.
Dallas Cook, who also provided lead vocals for the band's cover of "Rose Tint My World", was killed in 2005, and was replaced by Phillip Inzerillo who left the band in 2006. Since then, Robertson has been the band's only trombonist. He usually only plays trombone, but also sings backing in the song "Blingity Bling" from ''
Rump Shaker''.
Keyboardist
Dallas Kruse began playing with the band around 2006 after the departure of Inzerillo. While not an "official" member, not appearing on the band's website and not announced by the band, he often performed with the band since the tour at local shows until late 2009. Kruse served as producer for ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'', ''
Infectious
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable dis ...
'', and ''
Let's Be Friends and Slay the Dragon Together''.
Current lineup
*
Vincent Walker – lead vocals, trumpet, guitar, acoustic guitar,
keyboard (2005–present), trumpet, backing vocals (1998–2004)
*
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram (born April 3, 1981, in Lubbock, Texas) is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's music group Kids Imagine Nation. In the past he has taught music and movement to preschool students ...
– trumpet, vocals (2009–present; local shows only, 1998–2005; full member)
*
Brian "Robot" Robertson –
trombone
The trombone (german: Posaune, Italian, French: ''trombone'') is a musical instrument in the brass family. As with all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player's vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrat ...
, backing vocals (1998–present)
*
Brian Klemm – lead guitar, vocals (1999–present)
*Ryan Brown - bass (2021-present)
*Edward Larsen – drums (2013–present)
*Chris Lucca – trumpet (2013–present, 2009–2013 touring)
Former
*
Tim Maurer – lead vocals (1998–2000, 2002–2005)
*
Chris Batstone
Chris Batstone was the 2000–2002 lead singer of the third-wave ska band, Suburban Legends. He joined the band in 2000 as the replacement for Tim Maurer, who had left the band after the recording of Origin Edition. Batstone's first and only of ...
– lead vocals (2000–2002)
*
Luis Beza – trumpet (2005–2009)
*
Dallas Cook – trombone (1998–2005; died 2005)
*Phillip Inzerillo – trombone (2005–2006)
*Josh Lander – lead guitar (1998–1999)
*Brent Feige – lead guitar (1998)
*Justin Meacham – bass guitar (1998–2000)
*
Chris Maurer – bass guitar, backing vocals (2000–2004)
*
Mikey Hachey – bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2010)
*Fred Johnson – drums (1998)
*
Jimmy Sullivan – drums (1998–1999; died 2009)
*Derek Rock – drums, keyboard (2000–2012)
*Brad Polidori – bass, backing vocals (2010–2021)
;Former touring musicians
*Byron Panopio – trumpet (2009, touring)
*Justin Lewis – trombone (2009, touring)
*
Ryland Steen – Drums (2011, 2012–2013, touring)
*Max MacVeety – Drums (2012–2013, touring)
*
Dallas Kruse – keyboard,
keytar
The keytar is a lightweight synthesizer that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement onstage, compared to conventional keyboard ...
, backing vocals (2006–2009; local shows only)
Timeline
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at:07/10/2008
at:11/11/2010
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bar:ChrisM from:08/03/2000 till:11/01/2004 color:Bass
bar:ChrisM from:08/03/2000 till:11/01/2004 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Mikey from:11/01/2004 till:10/01/2010 color:Bass
bar:Mikey from:09/01/2005 till:10/01/2010 color:BackingVocals width:3
bar:Brad from:10/01/2010 till:end color:Bass
bar:Fred from:01/01/1998 till:11/01/1998 color:Drums
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bar:Derek from:06/01/2000 till:11/01/2012 color:Drums
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bar:Aaron from:01/01/1998 till:05/25/2005 color:Trumpet
bar:Aaron from:01/01/1998 till:05/25/2005 color:BackingVocals width:3
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bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Trumpet
bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:Touring width:3
bar:Aaron from:06/01/2009 till:end color:BackingVocals width:7
bar:ChrisL from:12/01/2009 till:end color:Trumpet
bar:ChrisL from:12/01/2009 till:01/01/2014 color:Touring width:3
bar:Dallas from:01/01/1998 till:10/19/2005 color:Trombone
bar:Robot from:01/01/1998 till:end color:Trombone
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bar:Kruse from:11/01/2006 till:12/01/2009 color:Keyboard
bar:Kruse from:11/01/2006 till:12/01/2009 color:Touring width:3
Discography
A majority of the band's material has been self-released, with the exception of the red, blue, and green versions of the Tim Maurer ''
Suburban Legends'' EP (released by We The People Records) the UK version of ''
Rump Shaker'' (released by Brand New Hero Records), the Japan-only ''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'' (released by Subrange Records), and ''Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1'' (released by
Rock Ridge Music). Some out-of-print and/or rare recordings were previously made available by fans on the now-defunct Suburban Legends official forums in the "Suburban Legends Collection" forum, under permission of trombonist Brian Robertson.
Albums
*''Origin Edition'' (1999)
*''
Rump Shaker'' (2003) (2012 - Limited Vinyl Pressing)
*''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights'' (2007) (Japan only)
*''Infectious'' (2007)
*''Let's Be Friends... and Slay the Dragon Together'' (2008)
*''Day Job'' (2012)
*''Forever in the Friend Zone'' (2015)
EPs
*''Bomb Squad EP'' (1998)
*''Suburban Legends'' (2001)
*''Suburban Legends Raw (Karaoke)'' (2002)
*''Suburban Legends (Tim Remix)'' (2002)
*''
Dance Like Nobody's Watching'' (2006)
*''Going on Tour'' (2010)
*''Getting Down to Business'' (2011) (Europe only)
*''Dreams Aren't Real, But These Songs Are, Vol. 1'' (2013)
DVDs
*''Season One'' (2004)
*''Poisonous Candy Factory'' (2008)
Singles
*"Rose Tint My World" (download only) (unreleased tribute album) (2001)
*"Gimme, Gimme" (CD single from Christmas 2004 shows) (2004)
Collaborations
*"This Gigantic Robot Kills" with
MC Lars and
The MC Bat Commander, on MC Lars'
album of the same name (2009)
*"Five Finger Discount" with Uh Oh! Explosion on their album For the Win! (2009)
Music videos
*"I Want More" (2001)
*"High Fives" (2003)
*"Up All Night" (2004) - animated
*"Come Back Home" (2007) - features cameos by
Justin Mauriello (formerly of
Zebrahead
Zebrahead is an American rap-punk band from La Habra, California. Formed in 1996, the band has released thirteen studio albums to date.
History
1996–2001: Formation and early years
Zebrahead was formed in La Habra, California in summe ...
) and Aaron Barrett (
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Orange County, California. The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold-certified album '' Turn the Radio Off''. Soon ...
)
*"Infectious" (2007) - directed by the Fackrell Brothers
*"Kiss the Girl" (2013)
*"You've Got a Friend in Me" (2013)
Compilations
*''Supporting the Scene - Disc 1 Track 15, "All The Nights"'' (2000)
*''Skratch Comp CD No. 6 - Track 5, "Gummi Bears"'' (2000)
*''Fatty's Favorites - Track 14, "Waikiki"'' (2000)
*''Because We Care: A Benefit for the Children's Hospital of Orange County'' - Track 11, "Gummie Bears"'' (2002)
*''Skyboys vs Highscalers - Track 5, "Desperate", Track 19, "Alternative Is Dead"'' (2003)
*''Dead Baby vs. Jesus - Track 22, "Zanzibar"'' (2003)
*''Camp Ska (DVD) - Track 12, "High Fives"'' (2003)
*''Sorry If It Isn't Cool Anymore! Vol. 1 - Track 2, "You"'' (2004)
*''Live @ iMusicast 1.0 (DVD) - Track 13, "Up All Night"'' (2004)
*''Casino Chips and Sunset Strips - Track 10 "Autumn in the Park", Track 11 "All the Nights", Track 12 "Bright Spring Morning"'' (2004)
*''
Of Hands and Hearts: Music for the Tsunami Disaster Fund - Disc 2 Track 4, "Blingity Bling"'' (2005)
*''
Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo - Track 10, "On the Outside"'' (2005)
*''The Christmas Chronicles vol. 1 - Track 8, "I Wish Every Day Was Christmas"'' (2011)
*''Skannibal Party vol. 11 - Track 6, "Emergency"'' (2012)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
American ska musical groups
Third-wave ska groups
Musical groups established in 1998
Musical groups from Orange County, California