Rx Bandits Biography
Following various lineup changes over the years, RX Bandits included vocalist/guitarist Matt Embree, keyboardist Steve Choi, bassist Joseph Troy, drummer Chris Tsagakis, and a horn section of trombonist Chris Sheets and saxophonist Steve Borth by the early 2000s. Emerging in 1997 from Orange County's thriving ska-punk scene, the band quickly began to make a name for itself as a unit willing to take musical risks and lyrical stances. Most of this was due to Embree, whose songwriting continued to evolve in a more progressive direction even as RX Bandits grew to its eventual complement of six. After generating a strong buzz in the Anaheim area, the Bandits signed with SoCal punk-pop powerhouse Drive Thru and issued their official debut in 1999. Halfway Between Here & There was typical ska-punk with a decided pop edge, but 2001's ambitiously named Progress did mess with the sound's traditional precepts a bit. It certainly showed the Bandits as willing to use the horn section in adventurous ways. The band continued to build their national following, appearing on the Warped Tour and playing club gigs of their own. In 2002, Embree started the record label Mash Down Babylon (MDB) Records, which emphasized the band's role in a larger musical community. With July 2003's Resignation (issued through Drive-Thru's upstream agreement with MCA), RX Bandits took their progressive sound to another level entirely, excising much of the ska in favor of moodier reggae and raw, near post-hardcore screeds. It was also a platform for Embree's views on society and politics. That September, RX Bandits headed out with Something Corporate for a two-month club tour. Summer 2006 found the band on nationwide headlining dates, leading up to the fall release of their next album, ...And the Battle Begun, on MDB. Borth also exited the group. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Emanuel Biography: Upon first meeting, it's easy to tell why some are calling Matt Breen rock's newest self-loathing posterchild. Just ask the soft spoken, 21-year-old singer/guitarist of the band Emanuel about their...
Aphrodite Biography: Aphrodite's Gavin King is one of the reigning, well, kings of jump-up style jungle, a sparse, high-energy offshoot of drum'n'bass designed for maximum dancefloor impact. With tracks propelled...
Skindred Biography: When the fusion of styles yields innovative and contagious new music, it is an explosive event. The band creating this explosion is Skindred, a four-piece heavy rock n' reggae outfit hailing from the...
Showoff Biography: Forming in 1997, Chicago's Showoff comprised vocalist/guitarist Chris Envy (aka Chris Messer), bassist Dave Envy, drummer Dan Castady, and guitarist Graham Jordan. The punk-pop group released their...
Miranda sex garden Biography: This creatively named band was formed when the members were studying vocal music together and started busking in the streets of London. Madra, their first album, is largely a capella, and composed...
Climax blues band Biography: Led by Colin Cooper, the former frontman of the R&B unit the Hipster Image, the Stafford, England-based Climax Chicago Blues Band was one of the leading lights of the late-1960s blues boom. A sextet...
Brand new sin Biography: When rock fans think of Syracuse -- one of the cities in upstate New York -- they often think of hardcore punk and the straight-edge movement, which has used punk to promote clean living,...
Hole Biography: Throughout Hole's career, vocalist/guitarist Courtney Love's notorious public image has overshadowed her band's music. In their original incarnation, Hole was one of the noisiest, most abrasive...