Fighting Gravity (band)

Last updated
Fighting Gravity
Origin Richmond, Virginia, Virginia, United States
Genres Ska, pop, rock
Years active1985–2007, 2017-present
LabelsBOB Records, Mercury Records, Q Records

Fighting Gravity is an American music group based out of Richmond, Virginia, United States. Originally a ska band called Boy O Boy, Fighting Gravity has incorporated a variety of music into their style, including reggae, rock, and pop. Fighting Gravity was formed while its original members were attending Virginia Tech. [1] In the late 1990s, Fighting Gravity was the subject of a seven-page article in Rolling Stone by senior editor David Wild and photographer Danny Clinch as part of the summer college issue. [2] The band has maintained a sizeable East Coast concert following. [3]

Contents

History

bOb started rehearsing and writing songs in the fall of 1986 in the Thomas Hall Dorm at VA Tech. The band played their first concert on May 16th 1987. South Main Café in Blacksburg was the center of the music scene and the band’s main venue in town for years. bOb recorded a couple demos at the “NOT HOUSE” in Blacksburg produced by George Wade from the band Not Shakespeare and engineered by Ric Gratz. The band moved to Richmond in 1989 and the band’s original singer, Tim Greening, did not continue with the group after the move to Richmond. Shortly after moving to Richmond, their guitarist was in a Sam Goodes record shop and heard an employee (Schiavone McGee) singing in the store while stocking the record bins and invited him to join the band.

In 1990 the group expanded its touring and recorded a demo produced by Loring Wiggins at Charlton Studio in Richmond. They recorded another demo at Niko studios in Richmond that same year.

bOb had good friends in a band from Harrisonburg, VA called the Tweed Sneakers and Jimmy Pennington was a member of that band until they split. The Tweed Sneakers recorded a CD at Cue Studios in Falls Church, VA with producer Jim Ebert. Jimmy Pennington, who had now joined bOb recommended the studio and producer to the group to record its first CD.


In 2007, Fighting Gravity, along with Dave Matthews Band, Barenaked Ladies, Guster, and O.A.R., took part in the IZStyle Winter Tour, a series of concerts aimed at raising awareness of alternative and renewable energy sources. [4] The band's last official shows were in the 2007 time frame and all members have continued to be active musicians. Since the breakup, Mike Boyd took the position as the Director of Performing Arts at the Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia. [5] Schiavone McGee toured in support of a solo CD released in October 2010 entitled My Only Secret, and then went on to perform as a vocalist for the band In Full. Rich Stine went on to form and play in Elevator to Space and toured with Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers for a short time before moving on to music production and engineering. [6] Philippe Herndon founded Caroline Guitar Company, an effects pedal company. Their first pedal, the Wave Cannon distortion, was released in 2010. [7] Dave Peterson is promoting concert series throughout Virginia with Seven Hills Presents. [8] Karl von Klein is currently the jazz and orchestra instructor at the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School. [9] Jim Pennington was the band director at Freeman High School and is now the band director at Deep Run High School. Eric Lawson continues to perform as keyboardist for Flat Elvis, a Richmond-based '80s band. He is a freelance music journalist and works for a tech company. Michael Sauri is one of the guitar players in Schiavone McGee's band and owns a home remodeling contracting company called Tri-Vista in Arlington. [10]

Fighting Gravity performed a few reunion shows in 2017, with the last of the year being performed as part of the 102.1 The X Miracle on Broad Street Tour at The National in Richmond on December 26 and 27, along with The NorVa on the 28th and a D.C. show in Spring 2019. [11]

Musical style

In late 2003 and early 2004, Fighting Gravity consciously decided to change their musical style. The band released the horn section and changed its songwriting style to a more guitar-driven rock. The change was welcome among most, but had a few skeptics.

Awards and accolades

Fighting Gravity has sold more than 300,000 albums and performed before more than one million people in the United States and abroad, including locales such as Tokyo and Honduras, [12] and has performed two USO tours overseas for United States troops. Fighting Gravity is supported by 25,000 email subscribers and 1,500 street team members. [13]

Band members

Originally while in Blacksburg, VA the band consisted of guitarist/Vocalist David "Tree" Triano, bassist/vocalist David Peterson, Vocalist Tim Greening, original drummer Jamie Bruce, then drummer Tom Brennan and next Mike Boyd, trumpet players Jane Roebuck and Tim Altman, Sax player John Edens and Keyboardist Dee Campbell. After moving to Richmond, VA from VA Tech....Lead singer Schiavone McGee, Keyboardist Eric Lawson, Trumpet dude Jim Pennington, trombonist Chris Leitch joined the band. In 1995, Pennington departed and was replaced by saxophonist Karl von Klein. In 1996, Chris Leitch departed and was replaced by trombonist/percussionist John Utley. In 1997, Karl von Klein departed, replaced by saxophonist Mike Ghegan. In 1999, Ghegan departed, replaced by trombonist/turntablist Stefan Demetriadis. Guitarist Michael Sauri replaced a departed Triano in 2000. In 2001, a rotation of horns brought saxophonist Kevin Tyser into the section. The horns were phased out in 2003-2004. [4] Other former members include guitarists Philippe Herndon, Sinakone Phrakhansa and Rich Stine. [14] As of 2007, the band had three core members: Schiavone McGee, David Peterson and Mike Boyd. Starting in 2017 the core band members have been playing a reunion concert each year. [4]

Discography

Studio albums

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References

  1. ↑ "VH1.com : Artists : A-Z : Fighting Gravity : Artist Main". www.vh1.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2002. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Fighting Gravity: The Frat Trap". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
  3. ↑ The Washington Post, December 15, 2006
  4. 1 2 3 "new millenium technologies". www.fightinggravity.com. Archived from the original on 30 April 1999. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Collegiate - VA ~ School Year Travel". www.collegiate-va.org. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  6. ↑ "Rich Stine: Producer/Mixer/Engineer". Richstine.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  7. ↑ "Home". Carolineguitar.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  8. ↑ "Fredericksburg.com - MUSIC ACTS COMING BACK". Archived from the original on 2012-07-08. Retrieved 2009-12-29.
  9. ↑ "Fine Art Faculty". www.gsgis.k12.va.us. Archived from the original on 4 March 2003. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  10. ↑ Sauri, Michael (28 March 2010). "First Person Singular: Home contractor Michael Sauri of TriVistaUSA". The Washington Post Magazine. The Washington Post. Co. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  11. ↑ "Fighting Gravity - Reunion". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-12-04.
  12. ↑ "Fighting Gravity (fightinggravity) on Myspace". Myspace.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  13. ↑ "TEG - Tiwary Entertainment Group - Entertainment, Production, Financing and Consultation". Tiwaryent.com. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  14. ↑ "Welcome to the All come out to play at Lake Taylor Music Festival". Archived from the original on 2007-02-06. Retrieved 2009-08-07.

Further reading

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