Jump to content

Rx Bandits: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
mNo edit summary
 
(732 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|American band}}
{{Infobox_band |
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
band_name = Rx Bandits|
image = [[image:RxBandits.gif|250px]] |
| name = Rx Bandits
| image = Rx Bandits photo.jpg
caption = Top: Chris Tsagakis, Steven Borth, Steve Choi<br>Bottom: Matt Embree, Joe Troy, Chris Sheets |
| caption = The Rx Bandits performing on March 11, 2007 in [[Buffalo, New York]].
years_active = [[1997]]&ndash;present |
| image_size = 220
origin = [[Seal Beach, California]], [[United States|USA]] |
| landscape = yes
music_genre = [[Rock (music)|Rock]], [[ska punk]], [[progressive rock]] |
| background = group_or_band
record_label = Mash Down Babylon, [[Drive Thru Records]] |
| alias = The Pharmaceutical Bandits
| origin = [[Seal Beach, California|Seal Beach]], [[California]], [[United States]]
| genre = {{flatlist|
[[Ska punk]], [[progressive rock]], [[post-hardcore]], [[reggae]], [[alternative rock]]
}}
}}
| years_active = 1995-present <!--Rx BANDITS HAVE NOT BROKEN UP! THEY HAVE MADE IT EVERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE STILL A BAND! DO NOT WRITE OTHERWISE UNLESS THE BAND RELEASES A MESSAGE STATING THE OPPOSITE-->
'''Rx Bandits''' is a six-member [[musical band|band]] based in [[Seal Beach, California]]. Their musical style is an eclectic mix of [[ska]], [[punk (music)|punk]], [[rock (music)|rock]], and [[reggae]] to a more [[progressive]] rock fusion.
| label = Antedote, [[Drive Thru Records|Drive Thru]], Mash Down Babylon, [[Sargent House]]
| associated_acts = [[The Sound of Animals Fighting]], [[Matt Embree|Love You Moon]], ME & LP, Apotheke, Technology, Coke Vs. Bills, Biceratops, [[Chris Tsagakis|C-Gak]], Peace'd Out, Machines, Pebaluna, [[Chiodos]], [[The Mars Volta]], [[Circa Survive]]
| current_members = <!--THEY HAVE NOT BROKEN UP! THE CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE BAND DO NOT BELONG IN THE PAST MEMBERS SECTION!-->
*[[Matt Embree]]
*Steve Choi
*[[Christopher Tsagakis]]
| past_members =
*[[Joseph Troy]]
*Steve Borth
*Chris Sheets
*Johnny Tsagakis
*James Salomone
*Rich Zahniser
*Franz J. Worth
*Noah Gaffney
*Neil Burdick
*[[Rich Balling]]
}}

'''Rx Bandits''' are a [[musical band|band]] based in [[Seal Beach, California]], United States. The band formed in 1995 in [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], [[California]]. They have appeared on the [[Vans Warped Tour]], at the [[Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival]], [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival]], and [[The Bamboozle]]. In the UK they have appeared at [[Reading and Leeds Festivals|Reading/Leeds Festival]] & [[Slam Dunk Records|Slam Dunk Festival]].


==History==
==History==
The band started out amid other popular [[southern California]] ska-influenced acts such as [[Reel Big Fish]] and [[No Doubt]]. Of the original line-up, only [[Singer-songwriter|singer/songwriter]] Matt Embree and [[drummer]] Chris Tsagakis remain. Their first two releases were recorded with bassist Franz J. Worth, saxophonist Noah Gaffney, and trombonist Rich Balling. Upon signing to [[Drive-Thru Records]], the band released the album ''Halfway Between Here and There,'' a straightforward [[third-wave ska]] effort, though lyrics in songs such as "Gun In Your Hand" hinted towards the political leanings which would be evident in their subsequent releases. In the time between ''Halfway Between Here and There'' and ''Progress,'' Worth and Gaffney quit the band. Worth was replaced by James Salomone, formerly of My Superhero. Gaffney's position was left open.


===Early years (1995-1999)===
They have toured with such bands as label mates [[New Found Glory]] and [[Finch]], as well as with [[DESA]], [[Catch 22]], [[Big D and the Kids Table]], [[The Exit]], [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Slow Gherkin]] and [[Keziah Jones]]. They have also appeared on the [[Vans Warped Tour]].
Originally known as The Pharmaceutical Bandits, the band began their career by participating in the [[third wave ska]] revival of the 1990s. In 1996, they released their first studio album, the self-produced ''Demo(nstration)''. In 1997, they released ''Those Damn Bandits'', which featured guest appearances by [[Jimmy the Robot]] of the [[Aquabats]] and Chris Colonnier of [[Jeffries Fan Club]] and [[The Forces of Evil]]. Noting the Bandits' potential, a Los Angeles Times review of the album said "Now comes a young, talented ska band, the Pharmaceutical Bandits. It would be OK with me if the Grinch spared them but swiped their ska records and left a shelf of Who, Clash, Bob Marley, Elvis Costello and Neil Young."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Boehm |first=Mike |date=December 17, 1997 |title=Rx for Change Could Improve the Bandits' Chronic Ska |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/23997065.html?dids=23997065:23997065&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec+17%2C+1997&author=MIKE+BOEHM&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=ALBUM+REVIEW+%2F+POP%3B+Rx+for+Change+Could+Improve+the+Bandits%27+Chronic+Ska%3B+**+1%2F2+THE+PHARMACEUTICAL+BANDITS+%22Those+Damn+Bandits%22+Antedote+Records |access-date=2009-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330085003/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/doc/421228829.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Dec%2017,%201997&author=MIKE%20BOEHM&pub=Los%20Angeles%20Times&edition=&startpage=&desc=ALBUM%20REVIEW%20/%20POP;%20Rx%20for%20Change%20Could%20Improve%20the%20Bandits%27%20Chronic%20Ska;%20**%201/2%20THE%20PHARMACEUTICAL%20BANDITS |archive-date=March 30, 2016}}</ref> Matt Embree attended [[Los Alamitos High School]], which was an incubator for other third wave ska bands such as [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Save Ferris]], and [[The Scholars (band)|The Scholars]].


===Drive-Thru years (1999-2006)===
Their live shows are known for being highly energetic, with pre-rehearsed jams in between songs. They perform extended versions of many numbers; they fall somewhat short of being a full fledged "[[jam band]]," however it is fair to say that they exhibit musicianship live that is not captured by their recordings. They are known to interpolate songs by other artists, as well as their own, during their jams.
In 1998, the band released ''Halfway Between Here and There''. On this album, the band began to branch out beyond the [[third wave ska]] sound.


The album's success allowed them to tour with well-known acts such as [[The Bloodhound Gang]], [[Goldfinger (band)|Goldfinger]], and [[Reel Big Fish]], and later to headline shows with up-and-comers such as [[New Found Glory]] and Freakdaddy frequently opening for them.
Also, they are notable for their strong [[politics|political]] views.


In 1999, the album was re-released with a new track list, 2 remastered songs, and new artwork. The '99 release was released under the band's new name—Rx Bandits.
===Those Damn Bandits===
In 1997, the band released ''Those Damn Bandits'', their first full-length album. ''Bandits'' was originally released through Random Order Records. It was this album that caught the attention of the ska scene, which allowed the Bandits to headline their own local shows. Striking while the iron was hot, up-and-coming pop/punk label [[Drive Thru Records]] immediately signed the band (in turn buying the rights to ''Those Damn Bandits'' and releasing it under their label]] and geared them up for production of their first major label album.


In the time between ''Halfway Between Here and There'' and their next release, ''[[Progress (RX Bandits album)|Progress]]'', bassist Franz Worth and saxophonist Noah Gaffney left the band. Worth was replaced by James Salomone, formerly of [[My Superhero]]. Gaffney's position was left open. In June 2000, the band toured the US with [[Edna's Goldfish]] and [[the Gadjits]].<ref>{{cite web |date=May 21, 2000 |title=Edna's Goldfish loose on the east coast |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/521/ednas-goldfish-loose-on-the-east-coast |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703083019/https://www.punknews.org/article/521/ednas-goldfish-loose-on-the-east-coast |archive-date=July 3, 2019 |access-date=February 7, 2021 |publisher=Punknews.org}}</ref>
The album was essentially a re-recording of their demo (excluding Sleepy Tyme) plus 4 new songs and a secret track.
===''Halfway Between Here and There''===
Bigger production budgets and the backing of a big label (later even bigger) saw the Bandits reach new heights with ''Halfway Between Here and There''. The band held on to their ska roots while exploring a larger element of distorted punk rock. While breaking no boundaries, the album did branch out a bit on tracks such as "Gun In Your Hand" and "Cornered", an allusion to what would be found on their later albums.


With 2001's ''Progress'', the band continued to expand their sound. The album contained the song "Analog Boy", which was made into one of their three music videos. At this point, the band consisted of Embree, Tsagakis, Balling, and Salomone. The album included a number of guest performers, including former member Noah Gaffney.
The album's success opened doors for the band, which allowed them to tour with well-known act such as [[The Bloodhound Gang]], fellow DTR band [[A New Found Glory]] and ska heroes [[Reel Big Fish]]. These tours found them the exposure and acceptance they'd always desired.


Shortly after the release of the album, Chris Sheets joined the band on trombone as well as Steve Choi on guitar and keyboards. Choi had played keyboards on the demos for Progress, but when it came time to record, they decided instead to have Rich Zahniser of [[The Hippos]], who was touring with the band, play on the album. Chris Colonnier also played with the band at times, filling the same role as Zahniser. Soon after they gained the new members, James Salomone and [[Rich Balling]] left the band. They had many temporary replacements for Salomone, most notably Johnny Tsagakis, Chris' younger brother, but eventually Joe Troy, a longtime friend of Embree, who helped to write the song "What If?" on ''Halfway Between Here and There,'' joined the band as their bass player. Balling was replaced by saxophonist Steve Borth, who had played formerly in the popular [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]] ska punk band [[Link 80]]. Their line-up of Embree, Tsagakis, Sheets, Choi, Troy and Borth would go on to create the next two albums, ''[[The Resignation]]'' and ''[[...And the Battle Begun]]''.
''Halfway'' sold out rather quickly after it's initial 1998 release. In 1999, the album was re-released with a new track list, 2 remastered songs and new artwork. The '99 release was also release under their newer and simpler name: RX Bandits.


2003 saw the release of ''The Resignation'', a CD/DVD combination. Guitars, bass, drums, and some keyboards were all recorded live in studio, and vocals, horns, percussion and additional keyboard parts were then overdubbed. The band allowed themselves a limited number of takes for each part, and once a take was recorded it was left as it was - no punch-ins were allowed. Embree shared songwriting duties with Steve Choi, whereas Embree had previously been responsible for all of the band's material. ''The Resignation'' became the first album to debut the Billboard 200. It was charted No.&nbsp;5 on the Top Heatseekers chart.
===''Progress''===
With 2001's ''[[Progress (Rx Bandits album)|Progress]]'', the band took a huge step forward musically. The incarnation of the band which recorded the album consisted of Embree, Tsagaskis, Balling, Salomone, and current trombonist Chris Sheets. Steve Choi played keyboards on the album, but was not credited as a full member of the band, although he often joined the band on stage. With this album, the band moved beyond playing pure ska. ''Progress'' involved elements of punk, reggae, and [[hardcore punk]]. Indeed, the band itself notes influences ranging from [[Fugazi]] and [[Bad Brains]], to [[Jimi Hendrix]], [[Led Zeppelin]], and [[Toots and the Maytals]]. The album spawned their only music video, for the song "Analog Boy". Former Bandit Noah Gaffney also contributed on the song "Anyone But You."


Musically, the album continued to branch out beyond ''Progress'' into new musical territory, including experimentation with unconventional [[time signature]]s. ''The Resignation'' featured overtly political lyrics as the band evolved even further from their ska-punk days as the Pharmaceutical Bandits, a subject that drummer Chris Tsagakis commented on in an interview conducted by former member [[Rich Balling]] for Skratch Magazine:
Shortly after the release of the album, Chris Sheets joined the band on trombone. Steve Choi, formerly of the Chinkees, also became a member playing guitar and keyboards. Choi had also played keyboards on the demos that the band made for Progress, but when it came time to record, they decided to have Zahniser play on the album, because at the time he was touring with the band. Former Jeffries Fan Club trombonist, Chris Colonnier also played with the band at times, in the same role as Zahniser. While they had just gained members with Choi and Sheets, James Salomone left the band. They had many tempory replacements, most notably Johnny Tsagakis, who is Chris' younger brother. Joe Troy, a longtime friend of Embree, who also helped to write the song ''What if?'' on ''Halfway Between Here and There,'' eventually joined the band as their bass player . Also during the same time, longtime trombonist Rich Balling left the band. He was replaced by saxophonist Steve Borth, who had played formerly in the popular [[East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)|East Bay]] ska-punk band [[Link 80]]. The line-up of Embree, Tsagakis, Sheets, Choi, Troy and Borth had spawned two outstanding albums, [[The Resignation]] and [[...And The Battle Begun]], and has lasted until June 28th, 2006, when Borth left.


{{cquote|''A closed-minded person will definitely see a band with horns and think ska or ska-punk. I don't really stress on it, because I know what we are doing transcends genres. We make music, and we are a band that has horns. I would never classify this band under any label. We make music, and we have horns and keys and everything else.''<ref>[http://www.skratchmagazine.com/interviews/int-rxbandits.php] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051109033208/http://www.skratchmagazine.com/interviews/int-rxbandits.php |date=November 9, 2005 }}</ref>}}
===''The Resignation''===
In 2003, they released ''The Resignation,'' a CD/DVD release. Guitars, bass, drums, and some keyboards were all recorded live. Vocals, horns, percussion and additional keyboard parts were then overdubed. They only allowed themselves a limited number of takes for each parts, and they once a take was recorded, it was left as it was, with no punch-ins. Embree also shared songwriting duties with Steve Choi, whereas he had previously been responsible for all of the band's material. Also of note is the album cover, which was originally a painting by [[Aaron Nagel]], a [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] artist and member of both [[Link 80]] and [[DESA]]. Musically, the album continued the genre mixing of ''Progress'' and experimented with unconventional [[time signature]]s. It again featured overtly political lyrics, evident most obviously in songs such as "Overcome (The Recapitulation)," and "Mastering the List".


The album cover of ''The Resignation'' is an original composition called "Predictable" by [[Aaron Nagel]], a [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] artist and member of both [[Link 80]] and [[Desa (band)|DESA]].
Since the release of ''The Resignation,'' several members have found time for side projects. Embree is involved with his own independent label, [[MDB Records]], as well as the [[Hip hop music|hip hop]] group [[Seekret Socyetee]], [[Coke vs. Bills]] with Joe Troy, and [[Apotheke]] with members of the Rx Bandits. Matt Embree (aka Walrus) as lead guitar and Chris Tsagakis (aka Lynx) as drums can also be found on their other side project featuring a collaboration of multiple musicians in the band known as [[The Sound of Animals Fighting]]. One of the most recognizable members for his distinct vocals is [[Anthony Green]] (ex-[[Saosin]], more recently of [[Circa Survive]] vocalist). Steve Borth has started the band [[Satori (band)|Satori]] which plays [[reggae]]/[[rocksteady]] and features members of [[The Exit]] as well as Embree on bass. Steve Choi collaborated with [[Asian Man Records]] founder Mike Park in both [[The Chinkees]] and [[The Bruce Lee Band]].


In 2004, the band released a DVD of live performances that were filmed during their many live shows. It was one of the first released on Embree's Mash Down Babylon Record label (aka MDB Records). It contains two Easter Eggs: a performance of the song "Up to No Good", the only song recorded during the sessions for ''The Resignation'' that was not included on the album as well as studio footage of the band working on the album. During the DVD's slide show, the background music is performed by Apotheke, a side project run by several members of the band.
===''Rx Bandits Live: Vol. 1''===
The band then released a dvd of live performances that were filmed during their many live shows. It was one of the first released on Embree's MDB Record label. It also contains two easter eggs, one being a performance of the song ''Up to No Good,'' which is the only song recorded during the sessions for ''The Resignation'' that was not included on the album. The other is studio footage of the band working on the album.


===MDB/Sargent House===
===''...And the Battle Begun''===
''[[...And the Battle Begun]]'' was initially released online on June 24, 2006, and was made available for purchase during the band's 2006 US Tour. The album's title refers to the poetry of [[Lord Byron]], in which the phrase appears repeatedly.
Their next album, ''...And the Battle Begun'' will be released in retail stores on October 10, 2006; but has recently leaked onto the internet. Along with the new song "Only for the Night", the Rx Bandits have posted the songs "Crushing Destroyer" and "In Her Drawer",on their [http://www.purevolume.com/rxbandits Purevolume]page, as well as their own website [http://www.rxbandits.com RX Bandits]. As with the Resignation the artwork was done by the multi-talented Aaron Nagel.


The album was originally slated to be released in 2005 through [[Drive-Thru Records]] (with one album left on their contract), but for unspecified reasons, the band and label chose to part ways, causing lengthy delays in the release date. Finally free of any legal setbacks, the CD was made available via online order from MDB Records and on specified tour dates. Officially it debuted in retail stores in October 2006, after which the band performed a Northeastern CD release tour to promote the album.
The album is already available for sale on the band's current 2006 US Tour.


On June 28, 2006, the band announced via their [[MySpace]] page that saxophone player and backup vocalist Steve Borth had left the Rx Bandits to pursue his own band, Satori. This announcement came in the midst of their 2006 US Summer Tour to the surprise of many fans. Borth played his final show with the Rx Bandits on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at the [[Bowery Ballroom]] in [[New York City]].
This record will be released on Embree's MDB Records.


In conjunction with Refused TV, the Bandits recorded a music video for the title track off ''[[...And the Battle Begun]]''. It is only their second music video since the making of a video for "Analog Boy" in 2001, and their first independently produced video for the song "I Will Live" on the Those Damn Bandits album. The "I Will Live" video was never officially released, although some bootleg copies still exist.
On June 28th, 2006, the band announced via their MySpace page that saxophone player and backup vocalist Steve Borth had left the band to pursue his own musical interests. Borth had been a member of the RX Bandits since the departure of trombonist Rich Balling, and had contributed his talents to both ''The Resignation'' and ''...And The Battle Begun''. This announcement came in the midst of their 2006 US Summer Tour to the surprise of many fans. Borth played his final show with the RX Bandits on Tuesday, June 27, 2006 (incidentally lead singer/guitarist Matt Embree's birthday) at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

They released their live set from the [[Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival]] 2007 exclusively on the [[iTunes Store]]. ''Live from Bonnaroo 2007'' is currently only available for download from the U.S. iTunes Store.

During the summer of 2008 the band did a headlining tour with support from [[Portugal. The Man]], [[Maps & Atlases]], [[Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground]] and [[Facing New York]].

Cathy Pellow of [[Sargent House]] announced via the Rx Bandits fan site plans for a live DVD featuring their live performance at the Glasshouse in Pomona, CA on August 22, 2008, as well as interviews and footage from the writing and recording for the next album. That writing and rehearsing process saw the departure of Chris Sheets, leaving the band a four-piece and without horns for the first time in its history.

===''Mandala'' (2009-2011)===
''[[Mandala (Rx Bandits album)|Mandala]]'' was released as a digital download on July 14, 2009, and the CD was released on July 21, 2009, on [[Sargent House]].<ref name="Rx Bandits New Album - Mandala">{{cite web |title=Current.com. May 14, 2009 |url=http://current.com/items/90044063_rx-bandits-new-album-mandala.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516234447/http://current.com/items/90044063_rx-bandits-new-album-mandala.htm |archive-date=May 16, 2009 |access-date=2011-10-29 |publisher=Current.com}}</ref> They then headed out on a co-headlining tour with [[Dredg]] with revolving support from [[Good Old War]], Zechs Marquise and [[As Tall As Lions]]. This album peaked No.&nbsp;117 on the Billboard 200.

On January 4, 2010, the band announced some U.S. tour dates starting in March with support from [[Zechs Marquise]] and The Builders And The Butchers. This tour featured a 3-night stand at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City, where they performed (in their entirety) ''The Resignation'', ''...And The Battle Begun'', and ''Mandala'' on each respective night (an album per show). They recruited some close friends to play horns for these shows. In September 2010, they had a similar run of shows at The Troubador in Los Angeles. The full album shows from The Troubador were recorded live and the audio was released by the band via flashdrive.

===Last Summer Tour (2011)===
On April 12, 2011, the band announced that their forthcoming summer U.S. tour would be their last.<ref>{{cite web |title=Break-ups: Rx Bandits (1995-2011) |url=http://www.punknews.org/article/42226 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228031527/https://www.punknews.org/article/42226/breakups-rx-bandits-1995-2011 |archive-date=December 28, 2023 |access-date=2014-07-23 |publisher=Punknews.org}}</ref> A brief statement was given by the band:

{{cquote|We would like to express our love and appreciation for all that you've done for us and how much a part of our growth you have been. We have all mutually decided that this summer will be our last tour. We love each other and love you all and hope to see you at the shows.}}

The tour was composed of 36 shows spanning from May 4, 2011, to August 7, 2011.

Fans first believed the announcement to mean that the band was breaking up when, in fact, they are simply stopping their summer tours. Steve Choi has confirmed this in a ''Playmaker'' interview:<ref>{{cite web |date=2011-06-20 |title=Exclusive Interview: RX Bandits' Steve Choi Discusses Farewell Tour |url=http://www.playmakeronline.com/2011/06/20/and-the-battles-just-begun |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624142342/http://www.playmakeronline.com/2011/06/20/and-the-battles-just-begun |archive-date=June 24, 2011 |access-date=2011-10-29 |publisher=Playmakeronline.com}}</ref>

{{cquote|To clarify, we’re not breaking up. We’re just doing our last tour. What we’re gonna do in the future, we’re not quite sure. That’s a big question because it involves what we’re going to do collectively and what we’re going to do individually. Despite popular belief, we don’t live together, sleep together or eat together. Those days have passed. We all have our own lives to tend to. When we’re not full time touring or playing shows, we gotta handle business…}}

===Brazilian Tour (2012)===
On May 30, 2012, Rx Bandits announced that they would be performing a series of dates in [[Brazil]] during the summer, effectively ending their year-long hiatus.<ref>[http://ryansrockshow.com/php2/news/11081-rx-bandits-brazil-dates-band-to-regroup-for-shows-in-july.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429105141/http://ryansrockshow.com/php2/news/11081-rx-bandits-brazil-dates-band-to-regroup-for-shows-in-july.html|date=April 29, 2013}}</ref>

===''The Resignation'' Tenth Anniversary Tour and New EP (2013)===
Rx Bandits toured the United States during the summer of 2013 to mark the tenth anniversary of the release of ''The Resignation''. The band released an EP featuring covers of [[The Police]], [[Blonde Redhead]], [[Weezer]], [[Fugazi]], and [[King Crimson]].

===''Gemini, Her Majesty'' (2014)===
During their special acoustic performance in their hometown of Long Beach, California on December 14, 2013, Embree stated that a new album is halfway written and Rx Bandits will be together again.

The band released a demo recording on January 26, 2014, through [[PledgeMusic]].<ref>{{cite web |date=2014-01-26 |title=The New Album!: Brand New Track for Pledgers! |url=http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/rxbandits/updates/31368 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140129215829/http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/rxbandits/updates/31368 |archive-date=January 29, 2014 |access-date=2014-07-23 |publisher=PledgeMusic}}</ref> The track is tentatively titled, "Ready Eddie" . The official cut of the track has since been released, and is called "Stargazer", the first track recorded for the new album.

On June 6, 2014, the band announced via Twitter that their new album will be called ''Gemini, Her Majesty'', and it was released on July 22, 2014.<ref>{{cite web |author=Mark Deming |title=Gemini, Her Majesty - RX Bandits |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/gemini-her-majesty-mw0002687085 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112132708/https://www.allmusic.com/album/gemini-her-majesty-mw0002687085 |archive-date=January 12, 2021 |access-date=2014-07-23 |publisher=AllMusic}}</ref>

In December 2014 the band played two nights at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA. The first night was dedicated to playing through Gemini, Her Majesty in its entirety, followed by a six-song encore set with horn players. The second night was a fan-made setlist featuring the horn section again, including many older fan favorites from The Resignation.

In 2015, the band toured with Circa Survive for their "Juturna" 10-year anniversary tour. Drummer Chris Tsagakis was unable to tour during this time, and his role was filled by Javier Torres. The band played as a four piece on this tour, and no horn players were present.

In 2016, the band embarked on a 10-year anniversary tour of "And the Battle Begun", which featured Matt Embree and Steve Choi, but with Javier Torres on drums and Matt Fazzi on bass. Long-time bassist Joe Troy was absent from the tour. Chris Tsagakis stated that he was no longer touring with the band to focus on being a father. Andrew Bornstein also played trombone on this tour, as well as Dennis Passley on saxophone. Since this tour, the band has remained inactive and there seem to be no future plans to tour. Since then, Matt Embree has filled in on tours for numerous bands, and is currently touring with the band [[Dispatch (band)|Dispatch]]. He also recorded/engineered the latest Dan P and the Bricks' album.

In 2019, the band announced they would be performing at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California on January 24, 2020, with support from [[Anthony Green (musician)|Anthony Green]] and VIS.<ref>{{cite web |author=RX Bandits |date=2019-10-11 |title=RX Bandits on Twitter: "Tickets for our January 24th House Of Blues show with @AnthonyGreen on sale now! " |url=https://twitter.com/RXBandits/status/1182701696511705088 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011174353/https://twitter.com/RXBandits/status/1182701696511705088 |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |access-date=2020-03-31 |website=Twitter.com}}</ref>

In 2022, the band toured with Nova Charisma.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=2022-03-16 |title=RX Bandits announce 2022 tour |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/rx-bandits-announce-2022-tour/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=BrooklynVegan |language=en-US}}</ref>

On November 10, 2023, Steve Choi, on the 'Football, Beer & Punk Rock Podcast', confirmed the band are working on a new album and are back with Sargent House.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/2EABsfp3SJNO6ZraGKSB6I?si=8d7f45d197c749b8 |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=open.spotify.com}}</ref>

On November 15, 2023, the band announced via 'X' (formerly Twitter) that they would be performing a series of 8 shows across the U.S. in March 2024 for the 20-year anniversary of The Resignation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=RX Bandits |date=October 11, 2019 |title=Tickets for our January 24th House Of Blues show with @AnthonyGreen on sale now! |url=https://twitter.com/RXBandits/status/1724805979878142258 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011174353/https://twitter.com/RXBandits/status/1182701696511705088 |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref>

==Side projects==
Over the years, several members found time for side projects.

Embree and Chris Tsagakis can also be found in [[The Sound of Animals Fighting]] as “Walrus” and “Lynx,” respectively. The group was founded by former Rx Bandits trombonist [[Rich Balling]]. Joe Troy, Chris Sheets, and Steve Choi have performed live with the band, which also includes [[Anthony Green (musician)|Anthony Green]] ([[Saosin]], [[Circa Survive]]) and Craig Owens ([[Chiodos]] vocalist) as well as members of Finch and Days Away.

Steve Borth played with the Northern California skacore band, [[Link 80]], signed to [[Asian Man Records]]. He later started the [[reggae]]/[[rocksteady]] band [[Satori (band)|Satori]] which has also featured Embree on bass, members of [[The Exit]], and [[Chris Murray (musician)|Chris Murray]].

Steve Choi collaborated with [[Asian Man Records]] founder [[Mike Park]] in both [[The Chinkees]] and [[The Bruce Lee Band]]. The Rx Bandits were featured as Park's Bruce Lee Band during the recording of the Beautiful World EP. Choi is also a member of the band Machines, in which he plays the drums.

September 9, 2008 saw the release of Matt Embree's acoustic side project, entitled Love You Moon. The album consists solely of Matt on the acoustic guitar with the exception of 3 tracks where Chris Tsagakis assists on drums. This album was presold at the Rx Bandits' concurrent tour. He also released an EP of covers entitled "Maracay" during the last Rx tour. The album was recorded during a trip to Venezuela and all proceeds went to [[Doctors Without Borders]].

Embree and Tsagakis have also played guitar and drums, respectively, with Lauren Coleman in her project, [[Pebaluna]]. The three met when she was recording in the Elizabethan in late 2005.

Matt Embree can also be heard on other projects such as those of the hip-hop group Seekret Socyetee, 2 Drunk'n Poets, and V.I.T.A.L. Emcee's solo album, "The Secret of the Invisible Man", all of which have been released on Embree's [[MDB Records]].

Tsagakis is recording and performing solo material under the name C-Gak. He also released an album under the moniker of Technology.

Embree also started a new group with Lisa Papineau named ME & LP. They released their first EP Chez Raymond on August 9, 2011, and toured the West Coast.

Choi is currently producing bands, recently working with [[Silver Snakes (band)|Silver Snakes]], Gardening Not Architecture and [[The Velvet Teen]].

Embree and Tsagakis released an album as Biceratops in November 2012.


== Band members ==
== Band members ==
;Current Members
* Matthew Embree &ndash; [[Singer|vocals]], [[guitar]]
* Steve Choi &ndash; guitar, [[Synthesizer|keyboards]]
* Steven Jess Borth II. &ndash; [[saxophone]], keyboards, [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]]
* Chris Sheets &ndash; [[trombone]], backing vocals, [[percussion]]
* Joseph Troy &ndash; [[bass guitar|bass]]
* Christopher Tsagakis &ndash; [[Drum kit|drums]]


* [[Matt Embree]] – vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards (1995–present)
== Discography ==
* Steve Choi – guitar, keyboards, vocals, percussion (2001–present)
* [[Christopher Tsagakis]] – drums (1995–present)


;Former members

* Joseph Troy – bass, vocals (2001–2022)
* Christopher Sheets – trombone, vocals, percussion on ''The Resignation'' and ''...And The Battle Begun'' (2001–2008)
* Steven Borth II – saxophone, vocals, keyboard, percussion on ''The Resignation'' and ''...And The Battle Begun'' (2002–2006)
* John Tsagakis – bass (2001)
* James Salomone – bass on ''Progress'' (2000–2001)
* Franz J. Worth – bass on ''Those Damn Bandits'' and ''Halfway Between Here and There'' (1995–2000)
* Noah Gaffney – saxophone, vocals on ''Those Damn Bandits'' and ''Halfway Between Here and There'' (1995–2000)
* Neil Burdick – alto saxophone, vocals on ''Demo'' and ''Those Damn Bandits'' (1997)
* [[Rich Balling]] – trombone, vocals on ''Those Damn Bandits'', ''Halfway Between Here and There'' and ''Progress'' (1995–2001)

;Touring members

* Matthew Fazzi – bass, vocals (2016–present)
* [[Monty Are I|Andrew Borstein]] – trombone, vocals, keyboards (2006–present)
* Dennis Passley – saxophone (2013–present)
* Javier Torres – drums (occasionally between 2015–2021)

* Rich Zahniser – keyboards, trombone, vocals (2001)
* Chris Colonnier – keyboards, trombone, vocals (1997, 2001–2002)
* Nat Love – saxophone (2010-2011)

;Timeline
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20
PlotArea = left:110 bottom:95 top:0 right:15
Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy
Period = from:01/01/1995 till:{{#time:d/m/Y}}
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3
ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1995
ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995

Colors =
id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:Saxophone value:skyblue legend:Saxophone
id:Trombone value:lavender legend:Trombone
id:Keys value:purple legend:Keyboards,_percussion
id:Lines1 value:black legend:Studio_album
id:Lines2 value:gray(0.5) legend:Other_release
id:bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

LineData =
at:01/01/1996 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:01/09/1997 color:black layer:back
at:26/10/1999 color:black layer:back
at:17/07/2001 color:black layer:back
at:15/07/2003 color:black layer:back
at:27/06/2006 color:black layer:back
at:05/12/2007 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:21/07/2009 color:black layer:back
at:12/04/2010 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:24/06/2013 color:Lines2 layer:back
at:22/07/2014 color:black layer:back
Bardata =
bar:Embree text:Matt Embree
bar:Choi text:Steve Choi
bar:Gaffney text:Noah Gaffney
bar:Borth text:Steven Borth
bar:Balling text:Rich Balling
bar:Sheets text:Christopher Sheets
bar:Worth text:Franz J. Worth
bar:Salomone text:James Salomone
bar:JTsagakis text:John Tsagakis
bar:Troy text:Joseph Troy
bar:CTsagakis text:Christopher Tsagakis
PlotData=
width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Embree from:01/01/1995 till:end color:Guitar
bar:Embree from:01/01/1995 till:end color:Vocals width:3
bar:Embree from:01/01/1995 till:end color:Keys width:7
bar:CTsagakis from:01/01/1995 till:end color:Drums
bar:Worth from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2000 color:Bass
bar:Gaffney from:01/01/1995 till:01/10/2000 color:Saxophone
bar:Gaffney from:01/01/1995 till:01/10/2000 color:Vocals width:3
bar:Borth from:01/09/2001 till:28/06/2006 color:Saxophone
bar:Borth from:01/09/2001 till:28/06/2006 color:Vocals width:3
bar:Borth from:01/09/2001 till:28/06/2006 color:Keys width:7
bar:Balling from:01/01/1995 till:22/09/2001 color:Trombone
bar:Balling from:01/01/1995 till:22/09/2001 color:Vocals width:3
bar:Sheets from:22/09/2001 till:01/08/2008 color:Trombone
bar:Sheets from:22/09/2001 till:01/08/2008 color:Vocals width:3
bar:Choi from:01/09/2001 till:end color:Keys
bar:Choi from:01/09/2001 till:end color:Guitar width:7
bar:Choi from:01/09/2001 till:end color:Vocals width:3
bar:Salomone from:01/01/2000 till:01/09/2001 color:Bass
bar:JTsagakis from:01/09/2001 till:01/05/2002 color:Bass
bar:Troy from:01/05/2002 till:end color:Bass
bar:Troy from:01/05/2002 till:end color:Vocals width:3
}}

== Discography ==
===Albums===
===Albums===
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Title
! Release Date
! Release date
! Label
! Label
|- bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Demo(nstration)''
| 1996
| Self-produced
|-
| ''Those Damn Bandits''
| ''Those Damn Bandits''
| 1998
| 1997
| Antedote Records; [[Drive-Thru Records]]
|
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
|-
| ''[[Halfway Between Here and There]]''
| ''Halfway Between Here and There''
| [[October 26]], [[1999]]
| October 26, 1999
| [[Drive-Thru Records]]
| Drive-Thru Records
|-
|- bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
| ''[[Progress (Rx Bandits album)|Progress]]''
| ''[[Progress (RX Bandits album)|Progress]]''
| [[July 17]], [[2001]]
| July 17, 2001
| [[Drive-Thru Records]]
| Drive-Thru Records
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
|-
| ''[[The Resignation]]''
| ''[[The Resignation]]''
| [[July 15]], [[2003]]
| July 15, 2003
| [[Drive-Thru Records]]
| Drive-Thru Records
|-
|- bgcolor="#F0F8FF"
| ''[[...And the Battle Begun]]''
| ''[[...And the Battle Begun]]''
| [[October 10]], [[2006]]
| October 10, 2006
| MDB Records/[[Sargent House]]
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''[[Live from Bonnaroo 2007]]'' ([[iTunes]] Release)
| December 5, 2007
| MDB Records/[[Sargent House]]
|-
| ''[[Mandala (Rx Bandits album)|Mandala]]''
| July 21, 2009
| MDB Records/[[Sargent House]]
|-
| ''Live at Park Ave''
| April 12, 2010
| [[Verve Records|Verve]]
|-
| ''Covers EP''
| June 24, 2013
| Uppercut/Primary Wave
|-
| ''[[Gemini, Her Majesty]]''
| July 22, 2014
| MDB Records
| MDB Records
|}

===Compilations===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! Release date
! Label
! Songs contributed
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Hooked on Ska-nics''
| 1998
| Johnny Bravo Records
| "S.A.M."
|-
| ''Double Exposure''
| 1998
| Go Kart Records
| "Wrong with Me"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Punk Vs. Ska Round 2''
| February 10, 1998
| Skratch Ray Records
| "Saw Red"
|-
| ''Ska Sucks''
| May 1998
| Liberation Records
| "Teen Idol"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Hey Brother...Can You Spare Some Ska''
| January 19, 1999<ref name="hey-brother-amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: Hey Brother, Can You Spare Some Ska: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Hey-Brother-Can-Spare-Some/dp/B000005C0A/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231228033453/https://www.amazon.com/Hey-Brother-Can-Spare-Some/dp/B000005C0A/ |archive-date=2023-12-28 |access-date=2007-11-18 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
| Vegas Records
| "Teen Idol (Remix)"
|-
| ''You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again''
| November 9, 1999<ref name="Never-Eat-Fast-Food-again-amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again [EXPLICIT LYRICS]: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Fast-Food-Again/dp/B00002MYXO/ref=pd_bbs_11?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197072122&sr=8-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306033410/http://www.amazon.com/Youll-Never-Fast-Food-Again/dp/B00002MYXO |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=2007-11-18 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
| Drive-Thru
| "What If", "Wrong with Me", "All The Time (acoustic)"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Fatty's Favorites''
| 2000
| We The People Records
| "High Skool"
|-
| ''Punk Goes Metal''
| August 1, 2000<ref name="punk-goes-metal-amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: Punk Goes Metal: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Punk-Goes-Metal-Various-Artists/dp/B00004VWB2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197073009&sr=1-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306094511/http://www.amazon.com/Punk-Goes-Metal-Various-Artists/dp/B00004VWB2 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=2007-11-18 |website=Amazon |format=Wed}}</ref>
| Fearless Records
| "Holy Wars"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''For the Kids''
| December 22, 2000
| Together
| "What If"
|-
| ''[[Welcome to the Family (album)|Welcome to the Family]]''
| November 20, 2001
| Drive-Thru
| "Analog Boy", "Mastering the List"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Go Kart MP300 Raceway''
| October 28, 2003
| Go-Kart Records
| "Overcome (the Recapitulation)", "Sell You Beautiful"
|-
| ''[[Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1]]''
| April 20, 2004<ref name="Rock-Against-Bush-Amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: Rock Against Bush Vol. 1: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Rock-Against-Bush-Vol-1/dp/B0001WPSM2/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195902278&sr=8-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306041618/http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Against-Bush-Vol-1/dp/B0001WPSM2 |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=2007-11-18 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
| Fat Wreck Chords
| "Overcome (the Recapitulation)"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| Drive Thru / Rush More Records sampler
| 2005
| Drive-Thru/Rushmore
| "Decrescendo"
|-
| ''[[Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo]]''
| May 10, 2005<ref name="Dead-Bands-Party-amazon">{{cite web |date=May 24, 2005 |title=Amazon.com: Punk Goes Metal: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Bands-Party-Tribute-Boingo/dp/B0009FGWYO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197817683&sr=8-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306021647/http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Bands-Party-Boingo-Tribute/dp/B0009FGWYO |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |access-date=2007-12-16 |website=Amazon |format=Wed}}</ref>
| Indianola Records
| "Grey Matter"
|- style="background:#f0f8ff;"
| ''Listen To [[Bob Dylan]] - A Tribute''
| August 16, 2005<ref name="Listen-Bob-Dylan-Tribute-amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: Listen To Bob Dylan - A Tribute: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Bob-Dylan-Tribute-Album/dp/B000A6T2IK/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1197071105&sr=1-1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203330/http://www.amazon.com/Listen-Bob-Dylan-Tribute-Album/dp/B000A6T2IK |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=2007-11-18 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
| Drive-Thru
| "[[The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll]]"
|-
| ''[[Body of War]]: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran''
| March 18, 2008<ref name="Body-Of-War-amazon">{{cite web |date=November 18, 2007 |title=Amazon.com: Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran: Music: Various Artists |url=https://www.amazon.com/Body-War-Songs-Inspired-Veteran/dp/B0013D8JGU |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803183956/https://www.amazon.com/Body-War-Songs-Inspired-Veteran/dp/B0013D8JGU |archive-date=August 3, 2022 |access-date=2009-04-29 |website=Amazon}}</ref>
| Sire/Wea
| "Overcome (the Recapitulation)"
|}
|}


===DVD===
===DVD===
* ''Rx Bandits Live: Vol. 1'' (2004)
* ''RX Bandits Live: Vol. 1'' (2004)


==See also==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
*[[Drive-Thru Records]]
*[[List of bands from California]]
*[[The Sound of Animals Fighting]]


== External links ==
==External links==
* {{Official website|https://sargenthouse.com/rx-bandits}}
* [http://www.rxbandits.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rxbandits The band's MySpace page]
* [http://www.thegrixer.com/rxbandits.html RX exclusive interview with TheGrixer]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/rxbandits The band's Purevolume page]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/rxbandits Purevolume profile]
* [http://www.rx-bandits.com Fan website]
* [http://www.armedready.com/?p=49 RX Bandits interview at Armed&Ready]
* [http://www.mdbrecords.com/ Mash Down Babylon Records Page]
* [http://www.spin.com/features/band_of_the_day/2007/06/070611_rxbandits/ Spin.com: RX Bandits]
* [https://www.soundtalentmedia.com/show/the-musicians-guild-with-steve-choi/ The Musicians Guild with Steve Choi (Podcast)]


{{Rx bandits}}
[[Category:Punk rock groups]]
[[Category:Third-wave ska groups]]
[[Category:American musical groups]]
[[Category:California musical groups]]


{{Authority control}}
[[de:Rx Bandits]]

[[Category:Third-wave ska groups]]
[[Category:American ska punk musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups from Orange County, California]]
[[Category:Seal Beach, California]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1997]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:Progressive rock musical groups from California]]
[[Category:Punk rock groups from California]]
[[Category:Drive-Thru Records artists]]

Latest revision as of 00:14, 21 December 2024

Rx Bandits
The Rx Bandits performing on March 11, 2007 in Buffalo, New York.
The Rx Bandits performing on March 11, 2007 in Buffalo, New York.
Background information
Also known asThe Pharmaceutical Bandits
OriginSeal Beach, California, United States
Genres
Ska punk, progressive rock, post-hardcore, reggae, alternative rock
Years active1995-present
LabelsAntedote, Drive Thru, Mash Down Babylon, Sargent House
Members
Past members
  • Joseph Troy
  • Steve Borth
  • Chris Sheets
  • Johnny Tsagakis
  • James Salomone
  • Rich Zahniser
  • Franz J. Worth
  • Noah Gaffney
  • Neil Burdick
  • Rich Balling

Rx Bandits are a band based in Seal Beach, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and The Bamboozle. In the UK they have appeared at Reading/Leeds Festival & Slam Dunk Festival.

History

[edit]

Early years (1995-1999)

[edit]

Originally known as The Pharmaceutical Bandits, the band began their career by participating in the third wave ska revival of the 1990s. In 1996, they released their first studio album, the self-produced Demo(nstration). In 1997, they released Those Damn Bandits, which featured guest appearances by Jimmy the Robot of the Aquabats and Chris Colonnier of Jeffries Fan Club and The Forces of Evil. Noting the Bandits' potential, a Los Angeles Times review of the album said "Now comes a young, talented ska band, the Pharmaceutical Bandits. It would be OK with me if the Grinch spared them but swiped their ska records and left a shelf of Who, Clash, Bob Marley, Elvis Costello and Neil Young."[1] Matt Embree attended Los Alamitos High School, which was an incubator for other third wave ska bands such as Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, and The Scholars.

Drive-Thru years (1999-2006)

[edit]

In 1998, the band released Halfway Between Here and There. On this album, the band began to branch out beyond the third wave ska sound.

The album's success allowed them to tour with well-known acts such as The Bloodhound Gang, Goldfinger, and Reel Big Fish, and later to headline shows with up-and-comers such as New Found Glory and Freakdaddy frequently opening for them.

In 1999, the album was re-released with a new track list, 2 remastered songs, and new artwork. The '99 release was released under the band's new name—Rx Bandits.

In the time between Halfway Between Here and There and their next release, Progress, bassist Franz Worth and saxophonist Noah Gaffney left the band. Worth was replaced by James Salomone, formerly of My Superhero. Gaffney's position was left open. In June 2000, the band toured the US with Edna's Goldfish and the Gadjits.[2]

With 2001's Progress, the band continued to expand their sound. The album contained the song "Analog Boy", which was made into one of their three music videos. At this point, the band consisted of Embree, Tsagakis, Balling, and Salomone. The album included a number of guest performers, including former member Noah Gaffney.

Shortly after the release of the album, Chris Sheets joined the band on trombone as well as Steve Choi on guitar and keyboards. Choi had played keyboards on the demos for Progress, but when it came time to record, they decided instead to have Rich Zahniser of The Hippos, who was touring with the band, play on the album. Chris Colonnier also played with the band at times, filling the same role as Zahniser. Soon after they gained the new members, James Salomone and Rich Balling left the band. They had many temporary replacements for Salomone, most notably Johnny Tsagakis, Chris' younger brother, but eventually Joe Troy, a longtime friend of Embree, who helped to write the song "What If?" on Halfway Between Here and There, joined the band as their bass player. Balling was replaced by saxophonist Steve Borth, who had played formerly in the popular East Bay ska punk band Link 80. Their line-up of Embree, Tsagakis, Sheets, Choi, Troy and Borth would go on to create the next two albums, The Resignation and ...And the Battle Begun.

2003 saw the release of The Resignation, a CD/DVD combination. Guitars, bass, drums, and some keyboards were all recorded live in studio, and vocals, horns, percussion and additional keyboard parts were then overdubbed. The band allowed themselves a limited number of takes for each part, and once a take was recorded it was left as it was - no punch-ins were allowed. Embree shared songwriting duties with Steve Choi, whereas Embree had previously been responsible for all of the band's material. The Resignation became the first album to debut the Billboard 200. It was charted No. 5 on the Top Heatseekers chart.

Musically, the album continued to branch out beyond Progress into new musical territory, including experimentation with unconventional time signatures. The Resignation featured overtly political lyrics as the band evolved even further from their ska-punk days as the Pharmaceutical Bandits, a subject that drummer Chris Tsagakis commented on in an interview conducted by former member Rich Balling for Skratch Magazine:

A closed-minded person will definitely see a band with horns and think ska or ska-punk. I don't really stress on it, because I know what we are doing transcends genres. We make music, and we are a band that has horns. I would never classify this band under any label. We make music, and we have horns and keys and everything else.[3]

The album cover of The Resignation is an original composition called "Predictable" by Aaron Nagel, a Bay Area artist and member of both Link 80 and DESA.

In 2004, the band released a DVD of live performances that were filmed during their many live shows. It was one of the first released on Embree's Mash Down Babylon Record label (aka MDB Records). It contains two Easter Eggs: a performance of the song "Up to No Good", the only song recorded during the sessions for The Resignation that was not included on the album as well as studio footage of the band working on the album. During the DVD's slide show, the background music is performed by Apotheke, a side project run by several members of the band.

MDB/Sargent House

[edit]

...And the Battle Begun was initially released online on June 24, 2006, and was made available for purchase during the band's 2006 US Tour. The album's title refers to the poetry of Lord Byron, in which the phrase appears repeatedly.

The album was originally slated to be released in 2005 through Drive-Thru Records (with one album left on their contract), but for unspecified reasons, the band and label chose to part ways, causing lengthy delays in the release date. Finally free of any legal setbacks, the CD was made available via online order from MDB Records and on specified tour dates. Officially it debuted in retail stores in October 2006, after which the band performed a Northeastern CD release tour to promote the album.

On June 28, 2006, the band announced via their MySpace page that saxophone player and backup vocalist Steve Borth had left the Rx Bandits to pursue his own band, Satori. This announcement came in the midst of their 2006 US Summer Tour to the surprise of many fans. Borth played his final show with the Rx Bandits on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

In conjunction with Refused TV, the Bandits recorded a music video for the title track off ...And the Battle Begun. It is only their second music video since the making of a video for "Analog Boy" in 2001, and their first independently produced video for the song "I Will Live" on the Those Damn Bandits album. The "I Will Live" video was never officially released, although some bootleg copies still exist.

They released their live set from the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival 2007 exclusively on the iTunes Store. Live from Bonnaroo 2007 is currently only available for download from the U.S. iTunes Store.

During the summer of 2008 the band did a headlining tour with support from Portugal. The Man, Maps & Atlases, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground and Facing New York.

Cathy Pellow of Sargent House announced via the Rx Bandits fan site plans for a live DVD featuring their live performance at the Glasshouse in Pomona, CA on August 22, 2008, as well as interviews and footage from the writing and recording for the next album. That writing and rehearsing process saw the departure of Chris Sheets, leaving the band a four-piece and without horns for the first time in its history.

Mandala (2009-2011)

[edit]

Mandala was released as a digital download on July 14, 2009, and the CD was released on July 21, 2009, on Sargent House.[4] They then headed out on a co-headlining tour with Dredg with revolving support from Good Old War, Zechs Marquise and As Tall As Lions. This album peaked No. 117 on the Billboard 200.

On January 4, 2010, the band announced some U.S. tour dates starting in March with support from Zechs Marquise and The Builders And The Butchers. This tour featured a 3-night stand at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City, where they performed (in their entirety) The Resignation, ...And The Battle Begun, and Mandala on each respective night (an album per show). They recruited some close friends to play horns for these shows. In September 2010, they had a similar run of shows at The Troubador in Los Angeles. The full album shows from The Troubador were recorded live and the audio was released by the band via flashdrive.

Last Summer Tour (2011)

[edit]

On April 12, 2011, the band announced that their forthcoming summer U.S. tour would be their last.[5] A brief statement was given by the band:

We would like to express our love and appreciation for all that you've done for us and how much a part of our growth you have been. We have all mutually decided that this summer will be our last tour. We love each other and love you all and hope to see you at the shows.

The tour was composed of 36 shows spanning from May 4, 2011, to August 7, 2011.

Fans first believed the announcement to mean that the band was breaking up when, in fact, they are simply stopping their summer tours. Steve Choi has confirmed this in a Playmaker interview:[6]

To clarify, we’re not breaking up. We’re just doing our last tour. What we’re gonna do in the future, we’re not quite sure. That’s a big question because it involves what we’re going to do collectively and what we’re going to do individually. Despite popular belief, we don’t live together, sleep together or eat together. Those days have passed. We all have our own lives to tend to. When we’re not full time touring or playing shows, we gotta handle business…

Brazilian Tour (2012)

[edit]

On May 30, 2012, Rx Bandits announced that they would be performing a series of dates in Brazil during the summer, effectively ending their year-long hiatus.[7]

The Resignation Tenth Anniversary Tour and New EP (2013)

[edit]

Rx Bandits toured the United States during the summer of 2013 to mark the tenth anniversary of the release of The Resignation. The band released an EP featuring covers of The Police, Blonde Redhead, Weezer, Fugazi, and King Crimson.

Gemini, Her Majesty (2014)

[edit]

During their special acoustic performance in their hometown of Long Beach, California on December 14, 2013, Embree stated that a new album is halfway written and Rx Bandits will be together again.

The band released a demo recording on January 26, 2014, through PledgeMusic.[8] The track is tentatively titled, "Ready Eddie" . The official cut of the track has since been released, and is called "Stargazer", the first track recorded for the new album.

On June 6, 2014, the band announced via Twitter that their new album will be called Gemini, Her Majesty, and it was released on July 22, 2014.[9]

In December 2014 the band played two nights at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA. The first night was dedicated to playing through Gemini, Her Majesty in its entirety, followed by a six-song encore set with horn players. The second night was a fan-made setlist featuring the horn section again, including many older fan favorites from The Resignation.

In 2015, the band toured with Circa Survive for their "Juturna" 10-year anniversary tour. Drummer Chris Tsagakis was unable to tour during this time, and his role was filled by Javier Torres. The band played as a four piece on this tour, and no horn players were present.

In 2016, the band embarked on a 10-year anniversary tour of "And the Battle Begun", which featured Matt Embree and Steve Choi, but with Javier Torres on drums and Matt Fazzi on bass. Long-time bassist Joe Troy was absent from the tour. Chris Tsagakis stated that he was no longer touring with the band to focus on being a father. Andrew Bornstein also played trombone on this tour, as well as Dennis Passley on saxophone. Since this tour, the band has remained inactive and there seem to be no future plans to tour. Since then, Matt Embree has filled in on tours for numerous bands, and is currently touring with the band Dispatch. He also recorded/engineered the latest Dan P and the Bricks' album.

In 2019, the band announced they would be performing at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California on January 24, 2020, with support from Anthony Green and VIS.[10]

In 2022, the band toured with Nova Charisma.[11]

On November 10, 2023, Steve Choi, on the 'Football, Beer & Punk Rock Podcast', confirmed the band are working on a new album and are back with Sargent House.[12]

On November 15, 2023, the band announced via 'X' (formerly Twitter) that they would be performing a series of 8 shows across the U.S. in March 2024 for the 20-year anniversary of The Resignation.[13]

Side projects

[edit]

Over the years, several members found time for side projects.

Embree and Chris Tsagakis can also be found in The Sound of Animals Fighting as “Walrus” and “Lynx,” respectively. The group was founded by former Rx Bandits trombonist Rich Balling. Joe Troy, Chris Sheets, and Steve Choi have performed live with the band, which also includes Anthony Green (Saosin, Circa Survive) and Craig Owens (Chiodos vocalist) as well as members of Finch and Days Away.

Steve Borth played with the Northern California skacore band, Link 80, signed to Asian Man Records. He later started the reggae/rocksteady band Satori which has also featured Embree on bass, members of The Exit, and Chris Murray.

Steve Choi collaborated with Asian Man Records founder Mike Park in both The Chinkees and The Bruce Lee Band. The Rx Bandits were featured as Park's Bruce Lee Band during the recording of the Beautiful World EP. Choi is also a member of the band Machines, in which he plays the drums.

September 9, 2008 saw the release of Matt Embree's acoustic side project, entitled Love You Moon. The album consists solely of Matt on the acoustic guitar with the exception of 3 tracks where Chris Tsagakis assists on drums. This album was presold at the Rx Bandits' concurrent tour. He also released an EP of covers entitled "Maracay" during the last Rx tour. The album was recorded during a trip to Venezuela and all proceeds went to Doctors Without Borders.

Embree and Tsagakis have also played guitar and drums, respectively, with Lauren Coleman in her project, Pebaluna. The three met when she was recording in the Elizabethan in late 2005.

Matt Embree can also be heard on other projects such as those of the hip-hop group Seekret Socyetee, 2 Drunk'n Poets, and V.I.T.A.L. Emcee's solo album, "The Secret of the Invisible Man", all of which have been released on Embree's MDB Records.

Tsagakis is recording and performing solo material under the name C-Gak. He also released an album under the moniker of Technology.

Embree also started a new group with Lisa Papineau named ME & LP. They released their first EP Chez Raymond on August 9, 2011, and toured the West Coast.

Choi is currently producing bands, recently working with Silver Snakes, Gardening Not Architecture and The Velvet Teen.

Embree and Tsagakis released an album as Biceratops in November 2012.

Band members

[edit]
Current Members
  • Matt Embree – vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards (1995–present)
  • Steve Choi – guitar, keyboards, vocals, percussion (2001–present)
  • Christopher Tsagakis – drums (1995–present)
Former members
  • Joseph Troy – bass, vocals (2001–2022)
  • Christopher Sheets – trombone, vocals, percussion on The Resignation and ...And The Battle Begun (2001–2008)
  • Steven Borth II – saxophone, vocals, keyboard, percussion on The Resignation and ...And The Battle Begun (2002–2006)
  • John Tsagakis – bass (2001)
  • James Salomone – bass on Progress (2000–2001)
  • Franz J. Worth – bass on Those Damn Bandits and Halfway Between Here and There (1995–2000)
  • Noah Gaffney – saxophone, vocals on Those Damn Bandits and Halfway Between Here and There (1995–2000)
  • Neil Burdick – alto saxophone, vocals on Demo and Those Damn Bandits (1997)
  • Rich Balling – trombone, vocals on Those Damn Bandits, Halfway Between Here and There and Progress (1995–2001)
Touring members
  • Matthew Fazzi – bass, vocals (2016–present)
  • Andrew Borstein – trombone, vocals, keyboards (2006–present)
  • Dennis Passley – saxophone (2013–present)
  • Javier Torres – drums (occasionally between 2015–2021)
  • Rich Zahniser – keyboards, trombone, vocals (2001)
  • Chris Colonnier – keyboards, trombone, vocals (1997, 2001–2002)
  • Nat Love – saxophone (2010-2011)
Timeline

Discography

[edit]

Albums

[edit]
Title Release date Label
Demo(nstration) 1996 Self-produced
Those Damn Bandits 1997 Antedote Records; Drive-Thru Records
Halfway Between Here and There October 26, 1999 Drive-Thru Records
Progress July 17, 2001 Drive-Thru Records
The Resignation July 15, 2003 Drive-Thru Records
...And the Battle Begun October 10, 2006 MDB Records/Sargent House
Live from Bonnaroo 2007 (iTunes Release) December 5, 2007 MDB Records/Sargent House
Mandala July 21, 2009 MDB Records/Sargent House
Live at Park Ave April 12, 2010 Verve
Covers EP June 24, 2013 Uppercut/Primary Wave
Gemini, Her Majesty July 22, 2014 MDB Records

Compilations

[edit]
Title Release date Label Songs contributed
Hooked on Ska-nics 1998 Johnny Bravo Records "S.A.M."
Double Exposure 1998 Go Kart Records "Wrong with Me"
Punk Vs. Ska Round 2 February 10, 1998 Skratch Ray Records "Saw Red"
Ska Sucks May 1998 Liberation Records "Teen Idol"
Hey Brother...Can You Spare Some Ska January 19, 1999[14] Vegas Records "Teen Idol (Remix)"
You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again November 9, 1999[15] Drive-Thru "What If", "Wrong with Me", "All The Time (acoustic)"
Fatty's Favorites 2000 We The People Records "High Skool"
Punk Goes Metal August 1, 2000[16] Fearless Records "Holy Wars"
For the Kids December 22, 2000 Together "What If"
Welcome to the Family November 20, 2001 Drive-Thru "Analog Boy", "Mastering the List"
Go Kart MP300 Raceway October 28, 2003 Go-Kart Records "Overcome (the Recapitulation)", "Sell You Beautiful"
Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 April 20, 2004[17] Fat Wreck Chords "Overcome (the Recapitulation)"
Drive Thru / Rush More Records sampler 2005 Drive-Thru/Rushmore "Decrescendo"
Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo May 10, 2005[18] Indianola Records "Grey Matter"
Listen To Bob Dylan - A Tribute August 16, 2005[19] Drive-Thru "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"
Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran March 18, 2008[20] Sire/Wea "Overcome (the Recapitulation)"

DVD

[edit]
  • RX Bandits Live: Vol. 1 (2004)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Boehm, Mike (December 17, 1997). "Rx for Change Could Improve the Bandits' Chronic Ska". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 30, 2016. Retrieved 2009-05-22.
  2. ^ "Edna's Goldfish loose on the east coast". Punknews.org. May 21, 2000. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  3. ^ [1] Archived November 9, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Current.com. May 14, 2009". Current.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2009. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  5. ^ "Break-ups: Rx Bandits (1995-2011)". Punknews.org. Archived from the original on December 28, 2023. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  6. ^ "Exclusive Interview: RX Bandits' Steve Choi Discusses Farewell Tour". Playmakeronline.com. 2011-06-20. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved 2011-10-29.
  7. ^ [2] Archived April 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "The New Album!: Brand New Track for Pledgers!". PledgeMusic. 2014-01-26. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  9. ^ Mark Deming. "Gemini, Her Majesty - RX Bandits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
  10. ^ RX Bandits (2019-10-11). "RX Bandits on Twitter: "Tickets for our January 24th House Of Blues show with @AnthonyGreen on sale now! "". Twitter.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved 2020-03-31.
  11. ^ Sacher, Andrew (2022-03-16). "RX Bandits announce 2022 tour". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  12. ^ "Spotify". open.spotify.com. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  13. ^ RX Bandits (October 11, 2019). "Tickets for our January 24th House Of Blues show with @AnthonyGreen on sale now!". X (formerly Twitter). Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  14. ^ "Amazon.com: Hey Brother, Can You Spare Some Ska: Music: Various Artists". Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on 2023-12-28. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  15. ^ "Amazon.com: You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again [EXPLICIT LYRICS]: Music: Various Artists". Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  16. ^ "Amazon.com: Punk Goes Metal: Music: Various Artists" (Wed). Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  17. ^ "Amazon.com: Rock Against Bush Vol. 1: Music: Various Artists". Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  18. ^ "Amazon.com: Punk Goes Metal: Music: Various Artists" (Wed). Amazon. May 24, 2005. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  19. ^ "Amazon.com: Listen To Bob Dylan - A Tribute: Music: Various Artists". Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  20. ^ "Amazon.com: Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran: Music: Various Artists". Amazon. November 18, 2007. Archived from the original on August 3, 2022. Retrieved 2009-04-29.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Rx_Bandits&oldid=1264190551"