Hot Snakes are an American post-hardcore band led by Rick Froberg and John Reis, formed in 1999 in San Diego, California. Reis and Froberg had previously performed together in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu, after which Reis had found international success with Rocket from the Crypt. Hot Snakes disbanded in 2005 but reunited in 2011.
The Sultans were an American rock and roll band led by John Reis, formed in 2000 in San Diego, California and disbanded in January 2007. Over the course of the band's lifespan they released two full-length albums on Reis' Swami Records label. The band took pride in their "stripped down" rock and roll approach, using a simple guitar/bass/drum structure and recording quickly using pre-used equipment and borrowed instruments in order to maintain a loose, spontaneous feel.
Pitchfork was an American post-hardcore band formed in 1986 in San Diego, California and disbanded in 1990. They are most well known as the first "real" band of guitarist John Reis, who would later gain fame as the frontman in Rocket from the Crypt, and as the first collaboration between Reis and singer Rick Froberg. As an aspiring visual artist and illustrator, Froberg provided most of the band's artwork while Reis developed his studio skills by acting as producer on their records.
Circa: Now! is the second album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1992 by Cargo Music and Headhunter Records. It was the band's first album to include drummer Atom and saxophone player Apollo 9. Intense touring following the album's release gained the band acclaim in underground music circles, scoring them the first of many "minor hits" with the song "Hippy Dippy Do." The band also filmed music videos for the songs "Ditchdigger" and "Sturdy Wrist."
Automatic Midnight is the first studio album by the San Diego, California post-hardcore band Hot Snakes, released in 2000 by Swami Records. Both the band and the album began as a "side project" for John Reis in June 1999, during time off from his main band Rocket From the Crypt. Reis wrote and recorded a batch of songs in San Diego with Delta 72 drummer Jason Kourkounis. To provide vocals for the tracks Reis called in Rick Froberg, whom he had played with in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu from 1986 to 1995. Most of the material from these sessions was used to create Automatic Midnight, which became the first release for Reis' newly formed Swami Records label.
Suicide Invoice is the second studio album by the San Diego, California rock band Hot Snakes, released in 2002 by Swami Records. It was recorded in a similar manner to the band's previous album Automatic Midnight, with guitarist John Reis taking time off from his main band Rocket from the Crypt. As a visual artist and illustrator singer/guitarist Rick Froberg provided the album's artwork, while Reis released the album through his Swami Records label.
Audit in Progress is the third studio album by the San Diego, California rock band Hot Snakes, released in 2004 by Swami Records. It was recorded in a similar manner to the band's previous two albums, with guitarist John Reis taking time off from his main band Rocket From the Crypt. As a visual artist and illustrator singer/guitarist Rick Froberg provided the album's artwork, while Reis released the album through his Swami Records label. It was the first Hot Snakes release to feature drummer Mario Rubalcaba, brought in to fill the position left vacant by original drummer Jason Kourkounis.
Peel Sessions is an EP by the San Diego, California rock band Hot Snakes, released in 2005 by Swami Records. It was recorded in the Fall of 2004 while the band was on tour in the UK, for broadcast on BBC Radio 1's John Peel program. Hot Snakes would be one of the last groups to record such a session, as Peel died shortly afterwards. It is also the only Hot Snakes release not to feature artwork created by singer/guitarist Rick Froberg.
Thunder Down Under is the a live album by the San Diego, California rock band Hot Snakes, released in 2006 by Swami Records. It was recorded during the band's Spring 2005 tour of Australia. The entire album was recorded live on May 10, 2005 in the studios of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation for use on the radio station Triple J, and features songs from all three of the band's studio albums.
Ghost Ship is the first album by the San Diego, California, rock and roll band Sultans, released in 2000 by Swami Records. Both the band and the album began as "side projects" for John Reis during time off from his main band, Rocket from the Crypt. This was also the time at which Reis formed Hot Snakes. Reis collaborated with drummer Tony Di Prima, bringing in Rocket From the Crypt guitarist Andy Stamets while Reis himself played the bass guitar. The band chose the name Sultans for the project and recorded an introductory EP and Ghost Ship, both of which were released that year on Reis' newly formed Swami label. As Reis has a tradition of using different stage names or pseudonyms in his various projects, he chose to be known as "Slasher" in the Sultans, while Stamets chose the nickname "Black Flame".
Shipwrecked is the second and final album by the San Diego, California rock and roll band Sultans, released in 2004 by Swami Records. When the band reconvened to record the album in November 2003, original guitarist Andy Stamets chose not to rejoin the group. Singer/bassist John Reis took over the guitar position and his brother Dean Reis joined the band on bass, taking the stage name "Black Velvet."
Paint as a Fragrance is the first studio album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1991 by Cargo Records and Headhunter Records. It is the band's only recording featuring their original lineup, which included drummer Sean Flynn and backing vocalist Elaina Torres. Shortly after the release of Paint as a Fragrance Sean and Elaina moved away from San Diego and the group re-invented itself as a punk-inspired rock & roll band with a horn section.
Cut Carefully and Play Loud is an EP by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1999 by Flapping Jet Records. It was the band's last recording with drummer Atom, who left the group shortly thereafter due to disagreements over the professional direction of the band.
Group Sounds is an album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 2001 by Vagrant Records. It was the band's first album for the label and their first with new drummer Ruby Mars.
Hot Charity/Cut Carefully and Play Loud is an album by the San Diego rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 2002 by Swami Records. It combines two of the band's out-of-print vinyl releases, the 1995 LP Hot Charity and 1999 EP Cut Carefully and Play Loud, into a single release on CD. It includes liner notes by singer/guitarist John Reis detailing the recordings of both releases.
Sultans is the introductory EP by the San Diego, California rock and roll band Sultans, released in 2000 by Swami Records. It was the band's first release and contained one track that would also appear on their debut album Ghost Ship later that year.
Join Dan Sartain is the fourth album by the Birmingham, Alabama rock musician Dan Sartain, released in 2006 by Swami Records. Several additional musicians recorded on the album, including Swami Records owner John Reis.
See You in Magic is the debut album by the San Diego, California rock band The Night Marchers, released in 2008 by Vagrant Records and Swami Records. The Night Marchers are the latest musical project of singer/guitarist John Reis, previously of Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, the Hot Snakes, and the Sultans. Reis announced the group's formation in August 2007, after all of his previous acts had broken up by January of that year. The band also includes Beehive and the Barracudas guitarist Gar Wood, CPC Gangbangs bassist Tommy Kitsos, and former Delta 72 drummer Jason Kourkounis. Wood and Kourkounis had previously recorded and performed with Reis in the Hot Snakes. The band members are credited on the album using pseudonyms that they had used in their previous acts: Reis is credited as "Speedo", Wood as "Dner", Kitsos as "Skitsos", and Kourkounis as "Jsinclair".
The Night Marchers are an alternative rock band formed in 2007 in San Diego, California. The band is composed of singer/guitarist John Reis, guitarist Gar Wood, bassist Tommy Kitsos, and drummer Jason Kourkounis. Reis, Wood, and Kourkounis had previously performed together in the Hot Snakes, while Kitsos previously performed with CPC Gangbangs. The Night Marchers' debut album See You in Magic was released in 2008 through Vagrant Records.
