Bleeker Ridge
Encyclopedia
Bleeker Ridge are a Canadian
rock
band from Orillia, Ontario
, consisting of vocalist Taylor Perkins, guitarist Cole Perkins, guitarist Dan Steinke and drummer Dustin Steinke. Mike Van Dyk serves as a session and live bassist, but is not a full member of the group.
, when Cole Perkins and Dan Steinke were 12 years old. They first started playing covers of Jimi Hendrix
and Joe Walsh
songs before releasing two independent CDs: Undertow (2004) and The Rain (2007). The band was scouted by various members of the music industry, but were often considered too young. Joe Kresta, an A&R
director, saw the band in 2005 when he was with Universal Music Canada. Kresta said he was "totally amazed at what these 14-year-olds were doing, they had their shirts off, long hair and it was almost odd, these voices and that sound coming out of these little guys. There were guitar licks that you see guys three times their age doing, but I wasn’t in A&R at the time, so I walked away thinking, ‘Hey, that was really something special,’ but they still hadn’t found their own identity."
According to Dan Steinke, the name Bleeker Ridge combines the streets where the two sets of brothers lived: the Perkins' lived on Bleeker St. and the Steinke's lived on Ridge Avenue.
The band later signed with Roadrunner Records
. In the Summer of 2010, the band toured Canada with Airbourne
as one of two opening acts, along with Social Code
. They released the album Small Town Dead, produced by Bob Marlette, on September 21, 2010 in Canada. The first single from the album was the title track "Small Town Dead". The song charted on the Canadian Active Rock Charts, reaching the top 10.
In Spring 2011, Bleeker Ridge performed on the Canadian leg of the Jagermiester Music tour alongside My Darkest Days
, Papa Roach
, and Buckcherry
.
They also released "You Would've Liked It" and "Sick of You" (current) as singles in 2011.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Orillia, Ontario
Orillia, Ontario
Orillia, pronounced ōrĭl'ēə, is a city located in Simcoe County in Southern Ontario, Canada, between Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe, 135 kilometres north of Toronto.Originally incorporated as a village in 1867, the history of...
, consisting of vocalist Taylor Perkins, guitarist Cole Perkins, guitarist Dan Steinke and drummer Dustin Steinke. Mike Van Dyk serves as a session and live bassist, but is not a full member of the group.
History
Bleeker Ridge consists of two sets of brothers: Taylor and Cole Perkins and Dan and Dustin Steinke. They came together in 2003 when all four met at a music shop in Orillia, OntarioRamara, Ontario
Ramara is a township municipality in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.Ramara was formed in 1994 through the amalgamation of the townships of Rama and Mara. The municipality stretches along the northeastern shore of Lake Simcoe from Gamebridge to Orillia, and along the entire eastern shore of Lake...
, when Cole Perkins and Dan Steinke were 12 years old. They first started playing covers of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh
Joseph Fidler "Joe" Walsh is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has been a member of three commercially successful bands, the James Gang, Barnstorm, and the Eagles, and has experienced notable success as a solo artist and prolific session musician, especially with B.B...
songs before releasing two independent CDs: Undertow (2004) and The Rain (2007). The band was scouted by various members of the music industry, but were often considered too young. Joe Kresta, an A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
director, saw the band in 2005 when he was with Universal Music Canada. Kresta said he was "totally amazed at what these 14-year-olds were doing, they had their shirts off, long hair and it was almost odd, these voices and that sound coming out of these little guys. There were guitar licks that you see guys three times their age doing, but I wasn’t in A&R at the time, so I walked away thinking, ‘Hey, that was really something special,’ but they still hadn’t found their own identity."
According to Dan Steinke, the name Bleeker Ridge combines the streets where the two sets of brothers lived: the Perkins' lived on Bleeker St. and the Steinke's lived on Ridge Avenue.
The band later signed with Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records
Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
. In the Summer of 2010, the band toured Canada with Airbourne
Airbourne (band)
Airbourne are an Australian hard rock band formed in Warrnambool in 2001. Mainstay members are Joel O'Keeffe on lead vocals and lead guitar, his brother, Ryan O'Keeffe on drums, and David Roads on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. They were later joined by Justin Street on bass guitar and backing...
as one of two opening acts, along with Social Code
Social Code
Social Code is a Canadian alternative rock group from St. Albert, Alberta, Canada.-Formation and early years :...
. They released the album Small Town Dead, produced by Bob Marlette, on September 21, 2010 in Canada. The first single from the album was the title track "Small Town Dead". The song charted on the Canadian Active Rock Charts, reaching the top 10.
In Spring 2011, Bleeker Ridge performed on the Canadian leg of the Jagermiester Music tour alongside My Darkest Days
My Darkest Days
My Darkest Days is a Canadian rock band based in Toronto, consisting of lead singer Matt Walst, lead guitarist Sal Costa, Bassist Brendan McMillan, Drummer Doug Oliver, and keyboardist Reid Henry...
, Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
, and Buckcherry
Buckcherry
Buckcherry is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California formed in 1995. The band released two albums, Buckcherry and Time Bomb , before partially dissolving in the summer of 2002. In 2005, lead vocalist Josh Todd and lead guitarist Keith Nelson reformed Buckcherry and released a new album...
.
They also released "You Would've Liked It" and "Sick of You" (current) as singles in 2011.
Independent
| Release date | Title |
|---|---|
| 2004 | Undertow |
| 2007 | The Rain |
Studio albums
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| September 21, 2010 | Small Town Dead | Roadrunner |