Reel Big Fish
_band
band_name = Reel Big Fish | image = | years_active = 1992 – Present | status = Active | country = Orange County, California, USA | music_genre = Ska Punk
Rock
Reggae | record_label = Mojo, Jive, currently not on label | Aaron Barrett
Scott Klopfenstein
Matt Wong
Dan Regan
Ryland Steen
John Christianson>}}
Reel Big Fish is a third wave ska band, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out." Reel Big Fish gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, following the success of fellow ska/ punk bands No Doubt and Sublime. Somewhat of a one-hit wonder, Reel Big Fish's album "Turn the Radio Off," which featured "Sell Out," has vastly outsold their subsequent releases. However, the band is also known for its songs "Beer," "She Has a Girlfriend Now," "Where Have You Been?," and their numerous cover songs, which include a-Ha's "Take On Me," Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York," and Tracy Chapman's "Talkin' Bout a Revolution."
Reel Big Fish first signed to Mojo Records in the 1996, which was then owned by Universal Records. Mojo was later sold to Jive Records. After several years of dissatisfaction, in 2006, Jive Records dropped Reel Big Fish from its roster, much to the band's delight. As an independent band, Reel Big Fish plans to pursue more projects, and has released its own live CD/ DVD set, and plans a split CD with their tour-mates Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer.*Aaron Barrett - vocals, guitar
*Dan Regan - trombone, vocals
*Matt Wong - bass guitar, vocals
*Scott Klopfenstein - trumpet, guitar, bass guitar, piano, and vocals
*John Christianson - trumpet, vocals
*Ryland Steen - drumsFormer members (listed in order of departure)* Ben Guzman - Vocals
* Robert Quimby - Trombone
* Adam Polakoff - Saxophone
* Andrew Gonzales - Drums
* Grant Barry - Trombone
* Tavis Werts - Trumpet
* Carlos de la Garza - Drums
* Tyler Jones - Trumpet
* Justin Ferreira - DrumsTheir debut album, Everything Sucks, was an underground hit and led to a deal with Mojo Records, an indie label. Turn the Radio Off established the band in the underground music scene, and they began touring throughout the US. After the single "Sell Out" began breaking into the mainstream, including MTV, the album made an appearance on the charts. The ska revival was short-lived, however, and Why Do They Rock So Hard? (1998) did not lead the group to the mainstream.
Why Do They Rock So Hard? was the last album for three members of RBF: trombonist Grant Barry and trumpet player Tavis Werts were either fired or left the band voluntarily, depending on the source, while drummer Andrew Gonzales left the band to spend more time with family. Electing to replace only Werts and Gonzales, RBF opened the door for a rotating cast of drummers and trumpets over the next six years.
In 2000, an article by Stephen Thanabalan in PC Gaming magazine also listed them as having the status of best marketing and post single release after sales for the year due to exposure on a PC game soundtrack with their song, "Sell Out". That game, the fourth installment of EA Sports' successful soccer gaming franchise, FIFA 2000, seemed to put the band in the spotlight of the game's global audience given it was the early stages and second time soundtrack attributions in the series was used in tandem with a concerted plan of promotion of budding musical artists like Robbie Williams, or Fatboy Slim.
By 2002 the group released Cheer Up!, which fared much better on the rock charts, particularly because of the horn-less single "Where Have You Been". Former Suburban Rhythm drummer Carlos de la Garza helmed the drum kit, while Tyler Jones took over lead trumpet duties (Jones actually played only two tracks on Cheer Up, as Werts had already done the majority of recording before his departure). De la Garza would leave the band to pursue other career paths, with his last show on June 20, 2003 at the House of Blues in Anaheim. That show was later released on DVD (The Show Must Go Off). Jones was then fired in August 2004. [1] After a succession of fill-ins (at one point, Barrett claimed online that Werts and Barry had rejoined the band and left again without playing a single show), the band settled on John Christianson (a.k.a John Evil) on trumpet and Ryland Steen on drums. On April 5, 2005, Reel Big Fish released their fourth album on Mojo Records, titled We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy.
Well-known for their cover songs, RBF have been known to cover such songs as the Cure's "Boys Don't Cry" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" live. They have even recorded a cover version of "It's Not Easy" from the Disney film "Pete's Dragon" and the theme song to the Main Street Electrical Parade for two Japanese Disney rock tribute albums called "Mosh Pit on Disney" and "Dive into Disney," respectively. They have appeared on many film soundtracks, most notably that of BASEketball with their cover of A-ha's 1985 hit single "Take on Me" (as well as performing their single "Beer" in the movie itself), and The Wild Thornberrys Movie soundtrack with a cover of Toots & the Maytals "Monkey Man". Covers they have included on full-length releases include Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York", Morrissey's "We Hate It When Our Friends Become Successful", Operation Ivy's "Unity", Social Distortion's "Story Of My Life", and Tracy Chapman's "Talkin' 'Bout A Revolution" and also Duran Duran's "Hungry Like The Wolf" from the "Sold Out EP" which also contained the cover of A-ha's "Take On Me". Reel Big Fish also recorded the American theme song "Rave-olution" for the anime show Rave Master.
Reel Big Fish is also known for doing a portion of their live shows where they play one of their songs in many various styles. This is usually their song Suburban Rhythm, known as 'S.R.' to many.
Their music is often comedic, with names like "She has a Girlfriend Now" and "Your Guts I Hate Them".
In early 2006, Reel Big Fish parted ways with Jive Records. Though currently unsigned, they hope to return to an independent label as well as their DIY roots. The band will soon be releasing a 3-disc live performance CD / DVD set entitled Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album. This package became available on July 18th, 2006 through the internet one places such as Rock Ridge Music and iTunes and will be available in retail stores on August 15th.DVD's* Episode 8 - The Show Must Go Off! Reel Big Fish - Live at the House of Blues(DVD) (2003)
* You're All In This Together (DVD) (2006)Albums* Everything Sucks (1995, reissued in 2000)
* Turn the Radio Off (1996)
* Why Do They Rock So Hard? (1998)
* Viva La Internet/ Blank CD (2001)
* Favorite Noise (2002) - Europe only
* Cheer Up! (2002)
* We're Not Happy 'Til You're Not Happy (2005)
* Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album (2006) (2 Disk, sold with You're All In This Together)EPs* Keep Your Receipt EP (1997)* "Vacationing In Palm Springs"
* "Teen Beef"Compilations* Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo - Track 5, "We Close Our Eyes" (2005)
* Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy - Track 2, "Unity"
* The Duran Duran Tribute Album - Track 6, "Hungry Like the Wolf"
* BASEketball Original Sountrack - Track 1, "Take on Me", Track 10 "Beer"
* Where is My Mind? - A Tribute to the Pixies - Track 9, "Gigantic" (1999)
* The Wild Thornberrys Soundtrack - Track 9, "Monkey Man"
* Metalliska - Track 3, "Kiss Me Deadly"
* Samba De Amigo - "Take On Me"Scott Klopfenstein and Dan Regan were also members of The Littlest Man Band (now defunct). Aaron Barrett and John Christianson were also members of The Forces of Evil (now defunct), along with former members of Jeffries Fan Club and other Orange County ska musicians. Before they were members of Reel Big Fish, Aaron Barrett, Scott Klopfenstein, and Grant Barry were members of a band called The Scholars. Scott Klopfenstein was also a member of a ska band called the Nuckle Brothers.* Official website
* The Unofficial UK Fansite and Forum
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