AM Radio (band)

Last updated
AM Radio
AMFLOAT.jpg
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Alternative rock, alternative metal
Years active2001–present
Labels PPBaba Music
Members Kevin Ridel
Jason Moore
Justin Fisher
Frank Reina
Past membersGuy Harrington
Adam Hurlbut
Joe Higgins
Rowan Robertson
Bryce Soderberg
Francesca Po
Dan Flutur
Juan Ramirez
Website Official Site

AM Radio is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California.

Contents

History

AM Radio, [1] [2] formed in Los Angeles in late 2001 and were formed by former Ridel High songwriter Kevin Ridel after his previous band Peel ended, he brought drummer Joe Higgins with him. The band released one album with major label Elektra Records and were once managed by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo

Debut Album and Major Label Release

After forming in 2001 the band quickly recorded and released a self-titled album on Kevin Ridels own label titled "AM Radio" featuring 10 tracks. The band were helped forming by Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo, Rivers also managed [3] the band for a short time until 2003.

In 2002, Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo [4] and invited AM Radio to open for Weezer's big summer tours Dusty West Tour, Japan World Cup Tour, and the Enlightenment Tour. After building serious road credibility with Weezer, Third Eye Blind, Eve 6 and The Psychedelic Furs, AM Radio was signed by Elektra Records and released their 2nd album Radioactive. [5] [6] [7]

The release of Radioactive was supported by singles "Taken for a Ride" and "I Just Wanna Be Loved." "I Just Wanna Be Loved" was featured on Smallville , a hit TV series on The WB and released on the show's soundtrack. Also in 2003, "Taken for a Ride" was featured on the videogame soundtrack for EA Sports’ Madden NFL 2004 . The band received more support from The WB when "Taken for a Ride" was featured on an episode of One Tree Hill . The song also appeared on a television trailer for the FOX feature film The Girl Next Door that same year.

3rd Album and Move To Japan

Following their major label release Radioactive the band recorded many demos for a planned 3rd album.

AM Radio redirected its musical efforts overseas and pursued a record label with Polydor Records in Japan. Many of the demos tracks recorded for the 3rd album would go on to appear on the rarities release Reactive. [8] It was around this time the band lost bassist Bryce Soderberg who joined Lifehouse. Ridel signed with Sony Publishing Japan and pursued other Japanese side projects as well.

During this time Ridel experimented with a more synth pop sound for the band and brought in new members Keyboardist Francesca Po, Dan Flutur on Guitar and Juan Ramirez on drums, songs rerecorded included tracks "Hush" from Radioactive and "Grapevine" from Reactive.

4th Album as a two piece

After a string of small club tours in Los Angeles and a handful of band rehearsals, Ridel and current AM Radio member Jason Moore began a project entitled "Jason Feat Kevin," commonly referred to by the band as "JFK." The duo then restarted AM Radio in mid/2008 and pursued both groups. In December of that same year, it was announced that AM Radio would record a new album. About a year later, in November, "Bigger Better Bolder Brighter" ("BBBB") was released without the help of a record label.

Ridel described their writing process for this album on the band's MySpace blog: [9]

"We're using a new songwriting formula for this one. First, Jason writes and records the music. Then he sends it over for me to sing and put lyrics to. It's really a fun and inspiring process. J's tracks make me stand up and shout, "Yea!"" In the same blog entry, Ridel called the album's title "ironic," because of their choice of producer.

He said: "The working title "Bigger Better Bolder Brighter" is ironic in that we are recording the entire album on our home computers, as opposed to using an expensive studio with a big budget producer."

Currently

AM Radio recently released their 5th album Shine which was produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Matt Corey, the album also featured longtime friend and former Nerf Herder Bassist Justin Fisher

Members

Discography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weezer</span> American rock band

Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson, Scott Shriner, and Brian Bell. They have sold 10 million albums in the US and more than 35 million worldwide.

<i>Weezer</i> (Green Album) 2001 album by Weezer

Weezer is the third studio album by American rock band Weezer. It was released on May 15, 2001, by Geffen Records. It was the second Weezer album produced by Ric Ocasek, who produced their debut album, and it is the only studio album to feature bassist Mikey Welsh, as he left the band a few months after the album's release.

<i>Maladroit</i> 2002 studio album by Weezer

Maladroit is the fourth studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on May 14, 2002, by Geffen Records. Produced by the band, it was their first album to feature bassist Scott Shriner, following the departure of former bassist Mikey Welsh in 2001. Musically, the album features heavy metal riffs uncommon to Weezer's previous releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rivers Cuomo</span> American rock musician (born 1970)

Rivers Cuomo is an American musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band Weezer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dope Nose</span> 2002 single by Weezer

"Dope Nose" is a song by American rock band Weezer. It is the first single off the band's fourth album, Maladroit. It was officially released in March 2002, though it had been performed live and in the studio during the band's 2000 summer tour comeback after hiatus.

<i>Songs from the Black Hole</i> Unfinished album by Weezer

Songs from the Black Hole is an unfinished album by the American rock band Weezer, recorded between 1994 and 1996. The songwriter, Rivers Cuomo, conceived it as a rock opera that would express his mixed feelings about the success of Weezer's 1994 self-titled debut album. Its characters were to be voiced by members of Weezer, plus the guest vocalists Rachel Haden and Joan Wasser.

The Kitchen Tape is a demo tape by the American rock band Weezer. It was recorded on August 1, 1992, prior to the band's signing with Geffen Records. Although the band had recorded some demos before, these were the band's most serious attempt at the time. According to Karl Koch, the band's webmaster and historian, the purpose of the tape was "...to get shows and also try to make an impression. There were no aspirations yet to try to generate real label interest, but the concept of 'creating a buzz' was being thrown around."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect Situation</span> 2005 single by Weezer

"Perfect Situation" is a song by American alternative rock band Weezer. It was released to radio on October 11, 2005 as the third single from the band's fifth album Make Believe, following "Beverly Hills" and "We Are All on Drugs".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pink Triangle (song)</span> 1997 single by Weezer

"Pink Triangle" is a song by American rock band Weezer. As the third and final single from the band's second studio album Pinkerton (1996), it was released to radio on May 20, 1997 by DGC Records. The song was written by Rivers Cuomo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Photograph (Weezer song)</span> 2001 single by Weezer

"Photograph" is a song by American alternative rock band Weezer. It is the third and final single from the band's self-titled third album, Weezer. "Photograph" was released as the first single off the album in Japan instead of "Hash Pipe". The song enjoyed only modest success on the radio, peaking at #17 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.

<i>Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo</i> 2007 compilation album by Rivers Cuomo

Alone: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo is a compilation album by American musician and Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. It was released on December 18, 2007 by Geffen Records. It is available as a digital release, CD release and 12" vinyl. The album features home demos that Cuomo has recorded from 1992–2007.

<i>Weezer</i> (Red Album) 2008 album by Weezer

Weezer is the sixth studio album and third self-titled album by the American rock band Weezer, released on June 3, 2008, by DGC and Interscope Records. Rick Rubin and Jacknife Lee both produced parts of the album, with the band producing a handful of tracks themselves. Like in the band's 1994 debut, all band members contributed to songwriting. This is the first and, so far, the only Weezer album to feature lead vocals from all four band members. The album also features more musical experimentation in comparison to their previous efforts, especially shown in such songs as "Dreamin'", "The Angel and The One", and "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Ridel</span> Musical artist

Kevin Ridel is an American musician and songwriter most notable for being the lead singer and primary songwriter of '90s power pop band Ridel High and 2000s alternative rock band AM Radio.

<i>Raditude</i> 2009 studio album by Weezer

Raditude is the seventh studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on October 30, 2009 and is their final album on DGC Records, Geffen Records and Interscope Records. The title of the album was suggested to Weezer vocalist Rivers Cuomo by actor Rainn Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rowan Robertson</span> English rock guitarist

Rowan Wingate Robertson is an English rock guitarist who currently performs in the Las Vegas production show Raiding the Rock Vault and plays for Bang Tango. He also plays for DC4. Robertson also played guitar for AM Radio, Dio, Vast, and Violet's Demise. Robertson has also done work as a film composer for director Amber Moelter's Dirty Step Upstage and has filmed numerous instructional guitar videos.

Scott & Rivers is an American Japanese-language musical project by Rivers Cuomo of the band Weezer and Scott Murphy of the band Allister.

Ridel High are a mid 1990s American power pop band formed in Los Angeles by lead singer and songwriter Kevin Ridel. Ridel was the lead singer for Avant Garde, which featured Rivers Cuomo of Weezer.

Justin Fisher is an American born bassist most well known for being the bassist in Nerf Herder, touring bassist for The Rentals and lead singer for Psoma. Fisher also co-founded Rivers Cuomo's first band Avant Garde.

<i>Weezer</i> (White Album) 2016 album by Weezer

Weezer is the tenth studio album by the American rock band Weezer, released on April 1, 2016. The album marks their first produced by Jake Sinclair. It is the first release through Crush Music and was distributed by Atlantic Records.

<i>OK Human</i> 2021 studio album by Weezer

OK Human is the fourteenth studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on January 29, 2021 by Crush Music and Atlantic Records. Featuring a baroque-pop influenced sound, inspired by albums such as Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Sings Newman (1970) and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966), the album was recorded entirely with analogue equipment and features a 38-piece orchestra. The album was preceded by the lead single "All My Favorite Songs", released on January 21, 2021. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. OK Human is the first of two Weezer albums to be released in 2021, followed only four months later by Van Weezer.

References

  1. Radio Friendly. CMJ New Music Report. 2003-03-10.
  2. "AM Radio Discogs". discogs.com.
  3. "Rivers Cuomo bio". riverscuomo.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  4. "Weezer's Rivers Cuomo Helps AM Radio Dress For Success". mtv.com.
  5. "AM Radio - Radioactive review". melodic.net. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
  6. "Radioactive Review". musictap.net.
  7. "AM Radio Radioactive Review". innereatmedia.
  8. "AM Radio Reactive Review". melodic.net. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04.
  9. "AM Radio myspace blog". myspace.