Sultans (band)
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The Sultans were an American
rock and 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 led by
John Reis 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, which ...
, formed in 2000 in
San Diego, California 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 ...
. Over the course of the band's lifespan they released two full-length albums on Reis' Swami Records label. The band took pride in their "stripped down" rock and roll approach, using a simple
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
/
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
/
drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...
structure and recording quickly using pre-used equipment and borrowed instruments in order to maintain a loose, spontaneous feel.


Band history


Formation

Sultans essentially began as a "
side project In popular music, a side project is a project undertaken by one or more people already known for their involvement in another band. It can also be an artist or a band temporarily switching to a different style. Usually these projects emphasize ...
" in 2000 while Reis was taking time off from his main 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 ...
, who were in between record labels and had lost their longtime drummer
Atom Willard Adam David "Atom" Willard (August 15, 1973) is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. His career began in 1990 when he joined Rocket from the Crypt, with whom he remained until 2000. Subsequently, he joined t ...
. While searching for a new record label and drummer, Reis started his own label Swami Records and experimented with other musicians, resulting in the formation of both the Sultans and
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 ...
. Sultans resulted from his collaboration with drummer Tony Di Prima. Bringing in Rocket from the Crypt guitarist Andy Stamets, Reis took up the
bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...
and the band recorded an introductory EP and the album ''
Ghost Ship A ghost ship, also known as a phantom ship, is a ship, vessel with no living crew aboard; it may be a fictional ghostly vessel, such as the ''Flying Dutchman'', or a physical Flotsam, jetsam, lagan and derelict, derelict found adrift with its cre ...
'', both of which were released that year on the Swami label. As Reis has a tradition of using different stage names or pseudonyms in his various projects, he chose to perform as "Slasher" in the Sultans, while Stamets performed as "Black Flame." Touring in support of ''Ghost Ship'' was limited due to the members' commitments to their other bands. They were able to play several shows in the
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 ...
area. Reis also toured sporadically with Hot Snakes at this time before he and Stamets resumed working full-time with Rocket from the Crypt.


Lineup change

In November 2003 Reis and Di Prima reconvened to work on another Sultans album, but Stamets chose not to rejoin the group. Reis took over the guitar position and his younger brother Dean Reis was brought in to play bass, taking the stage name "Black Velvet." This lineup recorded the album '' Shipwrecked'', released in early 2004 on Swami Records. That April the band embarked on the Swami Southwest Seance tour of southern California, featuring other acts also signed to the Swami label. Afterwards John Reis returned to work with Hot Snakes. Over the next year the Sultans would perform sporadically around the San Diego area as Reis' schedule permitted.


Demise

In mid to late 2005 both Hot Snakes and Rocket from the Crypt played their final shows. The breakups of these groups left the Sultans as John Reis' only active band. He devoted himself to running Swami Records, which released several albums by San Diego–area rock bands. In January 2006 the Sultans toured four cities as part of "The Swami California Field Trip," with Rocket from the Crypt/Hot Snakes 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! ...
replacing Di Prima, who had left the group. The band performed infrequently throughout the rest of the year. On January 10, 2007, the Sultans played their final performance with Mario Rubacaba at the San Diego rock club the Casbah. The event was organized as a benefit for the San Diego–based video production company Fourth Project, who had been working on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for digital video disc or digital versatile disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any ki ...
releases for several of Reis' bands when most of their offices were destroyed by a fire. Reis had announced prior to the show that this would mark the end of the Sultans as an active band , although he would not rule out the possibility of them ever performing together again. Following the band's breakup Reis has taken a break from performing, focusing his energy on running Swami Records, building a recording studio, and taking care of his new child. He has indicated that he will return to music in the near future. Dean Reis, meanwhile, performs with The Heartaches, while Rubalcaba plays in Earthless and is part-owner of the independent record store Thirsty Moon Records in the Hillcrest area of San Diego. Dean Reis and Mario Rubalcaba also play in the band Spider Fever along with Cody Young of The Widows and Billy Baggins of The Heartaches. On October 31, 2010, the Sultans played a reunion show at Bar Pink, a San Diego bar co-owned by John Reis, with a lineup of John Reis, Dean Reis, Andy Stamets, and Tony DiPrima.


Band members

*Slasher (
John Reis 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, which ...
) –
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
, lead vocals (played bass from 2000–2003 before switching to guitar) *Black Flame ( Andy Stamets) – guitar, backing vocals (2000–2003) *Black Velvet ( Dean Reis) –
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Wood * Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
, backing vocals (2003–2007) * Tony Di Prima
drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...
, backing vocals (2000–2006) *
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! ...
– drums (2006–2007)


Timeline


Discography


Albums


EPs


Non-album Tracks


References


External links


Sultans at Swami Records

Swami Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultans Rock music groups from California Swami Records artists Musical groups from San Diego Musical groups established in 2000 Musical groups disestablished in 2007