Bikeride
Encyclopedia
Bikeride was an American
indie rock
band fronted by Tony Carbone. Their record companies of the past have included is Hidden Agenda, a part of Parasol Records
, and Choclaty! Records. Bikeride's newest album, The Kiss, has been released on SHMAMM! Records, Bikeride's own imprint.
, vocals
), Bill Sipes (bass
), and Craig Hendricks (drums
) in Fountain Valley, CA. That lineup split by the end of the year. Ian Spalding joined up on bass and Greg Roberts took over drums. Both Ian and Greg had played with Carbone in high school as Catherine Wheel (before the British band of the same name
) and as Chelsea Hotel
. As a trio, they began work on Here Comes the Summer in the Fall of 1995. Half of Here Comes the Summer was recorded on 2-inch 24-track analog tape at Loyola Marymount University
as Carbone's Senior thesis project and half was recorded at home on a half-inch 8-track analog recorder. By the summer of 1996, Spalding and Roberts had moved away from Southern California and Sean How? joined as keyboardist. Here Comes the Summer was finished by Carbone, How?, and various other players and was released in June 1997 on Choclaty! Records, Bikeride's own imprint.
Here Comes the Summer caught the attention of Parasol Records who opted to release Bikeride's America's Favorite Omelettes EP
and second album, Thirty-Seven Secrets I Only Told America on their Hidden Agenda label. Joining Carbone and How? on rhythm were James Kochen on drums and Erick Hauser on bass. Recording of 37 Secrets... lasted throughout 1997 and 1998 and was finished in the spring of 1999. Upon its release, it became a college radio favorite. Soon after, Bikerde released two vinyl-only EPs of outtakes from their first two LP's- the Dogs EP (1999) and the Raspet EP (2000). Both EPs were released together with other tracks from B-sides as Summer Winners, Summer Losers in 2000 on Hidden Agenda.
By the end of 1999, Hauser and Kochen were replaced by Adam Deibert on bass and Chris Petrozzi on drums. Also joining the fold was Charles Gray
on lead guitar. Adam and Charles were both members of The Aquabats and Petrozzi was singer and bassist for The Moseleys. From 2000 to 2002, Bikeride recorded their fourth album, Morning Macumba, at various studios in LA and Orange County. Many of the songs were written abroad in South America while Charles and Tony were on vacation in Brazil and Peru. Upon Morning Macumba's release in the Summer of 2002, it was hailed as "a pop masterpiece" by allmusic, and favorably received by other publications but sales did not match the critics' appreciation.
Over the next four years Bikeride worked on their fifth album, The Kiss, released in March 2007.
Tony Carbone died from cancer March 6, 2008.
The theme song to the web-cartoon, "Julius and Friends" (based on the designs of Paul Frank
), titled "Julius", is a rewritten and remixed version of "Jennifer" from the album "Thirty-Seven Secrets I Only Told America". The song, "Fine and Dandy", off Summer Winners, Summer Losers, was used in a Mitsubushi Outlander commercial in 2004.
Bikeride were chosen by Mojo
magazine to cover "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
" for their 40th anniversary Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
tribute album, Sgt. Pepper...With A Little Help From His Friends". The disc was given away with the March 2007 issue.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band fronted by Tony Carbone. Their record companies of the past have included is Hidden Agenda, a part of Parasol Records
Parasol Records
Parasol Records is an American independent record label based out of Urbana, Illinois. The label was founded by Geoff Merritt as an outgrowth of the catalogue Parasol Mail Order ....
, and Choclaty! Records. Bikeride's newest album, The Kiss, has been released on SHMAMM! Records, Bikeride's own imprint.
History
Bikeride was formed in 1994 by Tony Carbone (guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), Bill Sipes (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Craig Hendricks (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) in Fountain Valley, CA. That lineup split by the end of the year. Ian Spalding joined up on bass and Greg Roberts took over drums. Both Ian and Greg had played with Carbone in high school as Catherine Wheel (before the British band of the same name
Catherine Wheel
Catherine Wheel were a four-piece alternative rock band from Great Yarmouth, England. The band was active from 1990 to 2000, experiencing fluctuating levels of commercial success, and embarking on many lengthy tours.-Biography:...
) and as Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel
Chelsea Hotel can refer to:*Hotel Chelsea in New York City*"Chelsea Hotel #2", a song from the 1974 Leonard Cohen album New Skin for the Old Ceremony*Chelsea Hotel, a book of photographs by Claudio Edinger, published in 1983See also...
. As a trio, they began work on Here Comes the Summer in the Fall of 1995. Half of Here Comes the Summer was recorded on 2-inch 24-track analog tape at Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
as Carbone's Senior thesis project and half was recorded at home on a half-inch 8-track analog recorder. By the summer of 1996, Spalding and Roberts had moved away from Southern California and Sean How? joined as keyboardist. Here Comes the Summer was finished by Carbone, How?, and various other players and was released in June 1997 on Choclaty! Records, Bikeride's own imprint.
Here Comes the Summer caught the attention of Parasol Records who opted to release Bikeride's America's Favorite Omelettes EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
and second album, Thirty-Seven Secrets I Only Told America on their Hidden Agenda label. Joining Carbone and How? on rhythm were James Kochen on drums and Erick Hauser on bass. Recording of 37 Secrets... lasted throughout 1997 and 1998 and was finished in the spring of 1999. Upon its release, it became a college radio favorite. Soon after, Bikerde released two vinyl-only EPs of outtakes from their first two LP's- the Dogs EP (1999) and the Raspet EP (2000). Both EPs were released together with other tracks from B-sides as Summer Winners, Summer Losers in 2000 on Hidden Agenda.
By the end of 1999, Hauser and Kochen were replaced by Adam Deibert on bass and Chris Petrozzi on drums. Also joining the fold was Charles Gray
Charles Gray (musician)
Charles Gray is an American musician, best known for his tenure as the guitarist for the Orange County rock band The Aquabats, of which he served as a member from 1994 to 2000 under the stage name of Ultra Kyu and later The Mysterious Kyu ....
on lead guitar. Adam and Charles were both members of The Aquabats and Petrozzi was singer and bassist for The Moseleys. From 2000 to 2002, Bikeride recorded their fourth album, Morning Macumba, at various studios in LA and Orange County. Many of the songs were written abroad in South America while Charles and Tony were on vacation in Brazil and Peru. Upon Morning Macumba's release in the Summer of 2002, it was hailed as "a pop masterpiece" by allmusic, and favorably received by other publications but sales did not match the critics' appreciation.
Over the next four years Bikeride worked on their fifth album, The Kiss, released in March 2007.
Tony Carbone died from cancer March 6, 2008.
Albums
- Here Comes The Summer (1997), Choclaty
- Thirty-Seven Secrets I Only Told America (1999), Hidden Agenda
- Summer Winners, Summer Losers (2000), Hidden Agenda
- Morning Macumba (2002), Hidden Agenda
- The Kiss (2007)
EPs
- America's Favorite Omelettes (1998), Hidden Agenda
- DOGS (2000), Hidden Agenda
- Raspet (2000), Hidden Agenda
The theme song to the web-cartoon, "Julius and Friends" (based on the designs of Paul Frank
Paul Frank
Paul Frank is an American cartoonist, artist and fashion designer. His creations adorn clothing, accessories, and many other products...
), titled "Julius", is a rewritten and remixed version of "Jennifer" from the album "Thirty-Seven Secrets I Only Told America". The song, "Fine and Dandy", off Summer Winners, Summer Losers, was used in a Mitsubushi Outlander commercial in 2004.
Bikeride were chosen by Mojo
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
magazine to cover "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
"Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" is a song from the 1967 album by The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It was composed by John Lennon...
" for their 40th anniversary Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released on 1 June 1967 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin...
tribute album, Sgt. Pepper...With A Little Help From His Friends". The disc was given away with the March 2007 issue.