Calabrese (band)

Last updated
Calabrese
Calabrese Rock Band Live On Stage.jpg
Calabrese live in 2013
Background information
Origin Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Genres Gothic rock, punk rock, horror punk, alternative rock, hard rock
Years active2003–present
LabelsSpookshow Records
MembersBobby Calabrese
Davey Calabrese
Argyle Goolsby
Past membersJimmy Calabrese
Website www.calabreserock.com

Calabrese is an American rock band that is based out of Phoenix, Arizona. The band originally consisted of three faux brothers; bassist/vocalist Jimmy Calabrese, guitarist/vocalist Bobby Calabrese and drummer Davey Calabrese. In 2022 Jimmy left the band and was subsequently replaced by Argyle Goolsby, best known as the frontman of Blitzkid. Calabrese has been described as "Melodic, hook-laden, catchy, fun, Rock with a Punk attitude”. They have cited other bands such as the Damned, Alkaline Trio, Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Turbonegro, the Misfits, the Hives, White Zombie/Rob Zombie, AFI, Danzig, Type O Negative, and the Ramones as influences.

Contents

History

Origins

The three “brothers” were originally raised in the rural town of Antioch, Illinois in a large family of Italian American heritage. Jimmy Calabrese, the oldest of the trio, developed a fascination with horror and fictional monsters at an early age through a friend. Jimmy recalled in his blog how after the violent suicide of a local boy, paranormal activity was witnessed and investigated by him and a group of friends via the use of a ouija board. Afterward, their house was supposedly haunted, plagued by a foul smell, and had a demonic figure appear in a door. The hauntings reportedly stopped after the family moved to Arizona. [1] Through Jimmy, Bobby was introduced to punk rock, metal and rock and roll music.

The two brothers both played bass and were separately active in a handful of local bands. In 2002, after completing film school at Columbia College, Jimmy decided the two should form their own band. [2] Bobby switched to guitar and the two recruited the then sixteen-year-old Davey Calabrese, their youngest brother, to play drums. [3]

On May 13, 2022 an announcement from Jimmy Calabrese stated he had left the band to retire. On 14th of April 2024 the band announced that Argyle Goolsby was joining the band. [4]

Midnight Spookshow

In 2003, the band self-released the EP, "Midnight Spookshow". The EP received positive reviews from underground and indie publications from around the world. Michigan-area artist Tony O'Farell was hired to do the artwork. Aaron Carey (pipelineaudio) recorded the "Midnight Spookshow" EP at Studio Z in Phoenix Arizona. [5] The EP was mastered by Andrew Davenport at Edgeworth Studios, New Zealand, making this a truly international affair from the start.

13 Halloweens

Though retaining their original punk rock sound, "13 Halloweens" displayed a foray into a more professional quality for the band that includes catchy melodies, AFI-like wails, heavier bass and drums. Canadian artist Andrew Barr was hired for the album's artwork. A music video for "Backseat of my Hearse" was directed by local filmmaker J.D. Smith. [6] Subsequently, the band was approached by several indie labels, including an exclusive deal with Antidote Records. The band declined the offers and instead decided to again self-release their first full-length album through their recently created record label, Spookshow Records. [7] For the title, the band held a contest to name their next album. The winning title was "13 Halloweens," sent in by Tempe fan Kurt Havelock under the name Nil Failstorm.

The Traveling Vampire Show

One year later the band released their second full-length album, The Traveling Vampire Show. The album features the artwork of Tom Bagley (of the Canadian rock band, The Forbidden Dimension) and Andrew Barr. The Traveling Vampire Show continued the sound of 13 Halloweens in many ways and explored in more detail the topics of the paranormal, vampirism, and the occult.

The music videos Voices of the Dead and Vampires Don't Exist were directed by famed comic book writer and film director Brian Pulido. Voices of the Dead was shot at Collins College Studio in Tempe, AZ and premiered on March 1, 2007 at Chandler Cinemas after a live performance by the band. [8] The video for Vampires Don't Exist was used to promote Pulido's latest movie, The Graves which aired on the SyFy channel.

They Call Us Death

On "They Call Us Death," Calabrese's metal and punk rock roots shine bright. With faster tempos and harder vocals, Calabrese continues to grow as songwriters. [9] "They Call Us Death" is harder, heavier and darker than their previous albums. The Calabrese brothers have developed a much more mature style with this album. [10] Bobby Calabrese has stated that the band was influenced by THE DEAD BOYS, THE STOOGES, The Damned, The Cult and MOTÖRHEAD a lot on this album. [11] The album was released March 20, 2010 on Spookshow Records. [12]

Dayglo Necros

"Dayglo Necros" not only continues their legacy as one of the most consistently badass punk bands around, but it also manages to up their game, displaying their continued improvement – both upon the genre and as musicians. Following in the footsteps of their last album, "They Call Us Death," the music of "Dayglo Necros" is hard, fast, and furious, and yet manages, at times, to keep the spirit and the "whoa-oh-ohs" of their earlier efforts, "13 Halloweens" and "The Traveling Vampire Show." This melding of the earlier, poppier sounds of their first releases with the harder sound of their more recent work. [13] "Dayglo Necros" was released July 1, 2012 on Spookshow Records. [14] For the title, the band held a contest to name this album. The winning title was sent in by Eric Blair from the horror-punk band, Mummula. It was inspired by the vibrant colors of the album art.

Born With a Scorpion's Touch

Calabrese ups the ante and adds so much raw emotion into "Born With A Scorpion's Touch." Every piece of the album was strategic and fit perfectly together. The instrumentals were up-tempo and hard-hitting enough to make you feel like you're in a mosh pit. The vocals and the lyrics were catchy and meshed well with each song. They varied their rock styles across the whole album, from punk rock to metal to pure rock n' roll, with such finesse and without skipping a beat. [15] "Born With A Scorpion's Touch" was released October 1, 2013. [16]

Lust For Sacrilege

"Lust For Sacrilege" is Calabrese’s sixth full-length album, released under Spookshow Records. Containing elements of punk, blues, garage, goth, and straight-up rock and roll; Lust For Sacrilege doesn’t leave the familiar sounds of Calabrese. [17] This album enters new territory inspired by Danzig, Black Sabbath, and Mastodon [18] .Adding new instruments such as keyboards and synthesizers, Calabrese has been able to create a darker, heavier, and gritter sound enjoyed by old and new fans alike. "Lust For Sacrilege" was released on January 12, 2015.

Discography

Music compilations

Movie soundtracks

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misfits (band)</span> American punk band

The Misfits are an American punk rock band often recognized as the pioneers of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. The group was founded in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey, by vocalist, songwriter and keyboardist Glenn Danzig. Over the next six years, Danzig and bassist Jerry Only were the group's main members through numerous personnel changes. During this period, they released several EPs and singles, and with Only's brother Doyle as guitarist, the albums Walk Among Us (1982) and Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood (1983), both considered touchstones of the early-1980s hardcore punk movement. The band has gone through many lineup changes over the years, with bassist Jerry Only being the only constant member in the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samhain (band)</span> American rock band

Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from The Misfits. Glenn Danzig originally planned Samhain as a side project with Eerie Von. After the Misfits' contentious 1983 dissolution, Samhain became Danzig's full-time band.

<i>12 Hits from Hell</i> 2001 studio album by the Misfits

12 Hits from Hell is a cancelled studio album by American horror punk band the Misfits. It was recorded in 1980 but went unreleased. Caroline Records attempted to release it in 2001, but band members Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only called off production and the album was scrapped.

Necros was an early American hardcore punk band from Maumee, Ohio, although they are usually identified with the Detroit music scene. They were the first band to record for Touch and Go Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wednesday 13</span> American musician (born 1976)

Joseph Michael Poole, better known by his stage name Wednesday 13, is an American singer and musician. Apart from his solo career, he was the frontman of the horror punk/glam metal band Murderdolls and has also played in several other bands, including Maniac Spider Trash, Frankenstein Drag Queens from Planet 13, Bourbon Crow, and Gunfire 76.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Genitorturers</span> American industrial metal band

The Genitorturers are an American industrial metal band with influences extending into the 1990s hardcore punk and electronic music. They proclaim themselves to be "The World's Sexiest Rock Band".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halloween (Misfits song)</span> 1981 single by the Misfits

"Halloween" is the fifth single by the American punk rock band Misfits. It was released on October 31, 1981 on singer Glenn Danzig's label Plan 9 Records. 5,000 copies of the single were pressed on black 7-inch vinyl, some of which included a lyrics sheet. This was the first Misfits release to use their Famous Monsters of Filmland-inspired logo, as well as the first to refer to the band as simply "Misfits".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Steele</span> American punk rock musician (born 1956)

Bobby Steele is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, songwriter, and sole original member of the punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple other bands, most notably, as the second guitarist of The Misfits. He was replaced by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein. He married Diana Viar who joined The Undead in November 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Undead</span> American horror punk band

The Undead is an American horror punk band formed in 1980 in New York City's East Village by Bobby Steele, Chris "Jack" Natz (bass) and Patrick Blanck (drums). They were one of the pioneers in the New York hardcore scene.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piggy D.</span> Musical artist

Matthew Montgomery, also known as Piggy D., is an American musician most famous as a guitarist in horror punk band Wednesday 13 and bassist for Marilyn Manson and formerly Rob Zombie.

Fake Shark is a Canadian alternative rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia. Formed in 2005, their early musical style mainly combined elements of dance punk and IDM but have since shifted to a more commercial alternative rock sound. The band's original name, being is a reference to Lucio Fulci's 1979 horror film Zombi 2, where a real shark and a zombie engage in combat.

Zombie Girl is a Canadian electro-industrial/industrial rock project started in 2005. Initially composed of Renee Cooper and producer Sebastian Komor, the group now consists exclusively of Cooper, who uses live musicians. The band's lyrics and themes center on black humor and B movie horror films. Zombie Girl also uses rock and roll-style grooves with their mostly synthetic instruments. She has produced two EPs and two full-length albums on the Alfa Matrix record label. Her albums are sold in the United States under the Metropolis Records label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zombina and the Skeletones</span> English horror punk band

Zombina and the Skeletones are an English rock band from Liverpool, formed in 1998 around the nucleus of vocalist Zombina and songwriter Doc Horror. As of 2021, their last recording was a self-released EP in 2017, and their official website is dismantled.

The Hookers are an American hardcore punk band based in Louisville, Kentucky. Originally formed in Lexington in 1994 as the Fayette County Hookers, the name was shortened before their first independent release Kiss My Fuckin Ass 7-inch EP in 1996. Their first full length album, Satan's Highway, was released on Scooch Pooch records in 1998 and followed closely by the Listen Up, Baby! split LP with Electric Frankenstein in the same year. On various independent labels, The Hookers released two more full length albums: Black Visions of Crimson Wisdom in 1999 and Equinox Beyond Tomorrow Volume 1 in 2001. The band recorded the Blood Over Germany live album in 2001 on Century Media Records. After 2001, The Hookers were considered to be inactive as their heretofore intensive touring and release schedule was curtailed. Their song "The Legend of Black Thunder" was included on Tony Hawk's Underground videogame soundtrack in 2003. In 2008, the band put out an ersatz greatest hits record of live and unreleased tracks titled Ripped From The Crypt and once again became active with multiple EP and split EP releases. The Hookers toured in support of their fourth independent full length release, 2011's Horror Rises from the Tombs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits</span> American hip hop group

Bobby Joe Ebola and the Children MacNuggits is an American comedy folk rock duo from Pinole, California. Formed in 1995, the traditional incarnation of the band consists of vocalist Corbett Redford III and guitarist/vocalist Dan Abbott. The duo is often joined onstage and in the studio by numerous musicians and friends for full band stage performances and recordings. Early performances featured occasional backup vocals from John Geek, who also sings for Fleshies. Abbott, Redford and Geek were also founding members of the indie label S.P.A.M. Records, and co-organizers of Geekfest, a series of free all-ages music festivals held in the late 1990s. This began largely in response to the band's rejection from a then insular East Bay punk scene centered on 924 Gilman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haunted Garage</span> Horror punk/metal band from Los Angeles

Haunted Garage was a horror punk and heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1985. Fronted by singer and B-movie actor Dukey Flyswatter, the band were recognized for their campy horror and science fiction-inspired songs and outrageous shock rock live shows featuring macabre props and costumes, go-go dancers and copious amounts of stage blood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argyle Goolsby</span> American singer and bassist (born 1979)

Argyle Goolsby is an American musician, best known for being the lead vocalist, bassist and co-founder of horror punk band Blitzkid (1997–2012).

Stellar Corpses was a psychobilly horror punk band formed in Santa Cruz, California, in 2005. The first lineup included singer, guitarist and primary songwriter, Dustan Sheehan, known as Dusty Grave, upright bassist Dan Lamothe, drummer, Matt Macabre and lead guitarist, Mr Grim. Their sound and style combined elements of psychobilly, Horror punk, hardcore punk gothic rock and metal. Since their formation Stellar Corpses toured both in the US and internationally.

<i>The Evil One</i> 1980 album by Roky Erickson & The Aliens

The Evil One is a 1981 debut album by American psychedelic rock singer Roky Erickson with his band the Aliens, after his time with the band 13th Floor Elevators. The songs were recorded in 1979 with producer Stu Cook, former bass player of Creedence Clearwater Revival. Some material, such as the song Sputnik, was not released on the 1980 CBS Records U.K. release, but was included on the 1981 414 Records LP release in California, which was then included on the 1987 combined release by Restless Records in California. Cook played bass on two tracks, "Sputnik" and "Bloody Hammer."

References

  1. Jimmy Calabrese (2008-10-01). "Calabrese - The Official Blog: My Ghost Story!". Calabrese666.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  2. Brendan Joel Kelley (2004-06-10). "Blood Brothers - Page 1 - Music - Phoenix". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  3. Jimmy Calabrese (2008-12-01). "Calabrese - The Official Blog: "The Jerry Lee Lewis of Drumming" - Davey Calabrese". Calabrese666.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  4. @calabrese666 (14 April 2024). "Written with the sacred unholy sharpie, Goolsby is now one of us. 🔥 Let this orange sticky note be the scripture that binds us in rock and name" . Retrieved 14 May 2024 via Instagram.
  5. "Searching for "Bobby Calabrese" on Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  6. "CALABRESE - "Backseat Of My Hearse" [OFFICIAL VIDEO". YouTube. 2006-02-08. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  7. "Spookshow Records". Spookshow Records. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  8. Jimmy Calabrese (2008-04-18). "Calabrese - The Official Blog: "Hey man, nice video."". Calabrese666.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-03-29.
  9. rogerdiscoversherpes. "Calabrese III - They Call Us Death" . Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  10. Dark, Mathew. "Album Review: Calabrese III: They Call Us Death". horror-punks.com. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  11. Stöver, Frank. "calabrese". voices from the darkside. Archived from the original on 30 April 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  12. "Calabrese – III: They Call Us Death". Discogs. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  13. Nathan, Erdel. "Music Review: Calabrese – "Dayglo Necros" (2012)". into the dark. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  14. "Calabrese – Dayglo Necros". Discogs. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  15. Arca, Paul. "BORN WITH A SCORPION'S TOUCH". shakefire. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  16. "Calabrese – Born With A Scorpion's Touch". Discogs. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  17. Farkas, Steven (18 January 2015). "Calabrese- Lust for Sacrilege" . Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  18. Shrum, Tony. "Interview: Have a Lust For Sacrilege". New Noise. Retrieved 14 Feb 2022.