I Fight Dragons
Encyclopedia
I Fight Dragons is a rock band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...

. Their music combines pop/rock songs with original electronic sounds made using Nintendo Game Boys and Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...

s. They have released 2 EPs, 2009's Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number is the first EP recorded by I Fight Dragons. It was self-released in 2009, and later re-released on Photo-Fine Records in May 2010 with extra track 'Don't You'.-Track listing:All songs written by Brian Mazzaferri...

 and 2010's Welcome to the Breakdown
Welcome to the Breakdown
Welcome to the Breakdown is the second EP recorded by I Fight Dragons. It was released under Atlantic Records, both on iTunes and their website, the latter offering the IFD exclusive "She's Got Sorcery" with the digital download...

, and they released their first full-length album KABOOM!, on October 24, 2011. They are currently signed to Photo Finish
Photo Finish Records
Photo Finish Records is an independent record label located in New York, NY. The label was started in 2006 by booking agent Matt Galle. Photo Finish is known for its diverse roster including punk bands, indie rock bands, and hip hop artists....

 / Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

.

Accolades

I Fight Dragons was named one of Alternative Press's '100 Bands To Watch' in their 2011 '100 Bands To Watch' issue.

I Fight Dragons was named The Best Emerging Chicago Artist of 2009 by The Deli Chicago, the Chicago branch of the national music website, The Deli Magazine
The Deli Magazine
The Deli is an independently owned music magazine and online website/blog started by Paolo De Gregorio. The project is based out of Brooklyn, New York and currently covers multiples cities and multiples musical genres.- History and Function :...

. The award was based on three categories of votes: writers for the site, 6 independent jurors, and an online poll.

In May 2009, I Fight Dragons won the Chicago Metromix
Metromix
Metromix is a network of local entertainment websites backed by a joint venture between media companies Gannett and Tribune Co. A guide to local restaurants, bars and clubs, events, concerts and movies, Metromix is currently available in over 60 markets. In late 2009, the company launched 27 new...

 Rock 'n' Vote contest, Metromix's annual search for the best new Chicago band. The contest was based on three rounds: a curated first round by Metromix writers, an online voting round, and a live show with the final four bands. I Fight Dragons won the final round with over 50% of the audience votes.

Their self-released debut EP, “Cool Is Just A Number,” charted nationally at #169 on the CMJ
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...

 College Radio charts, and has been featured across Commercial Radio formats in Chicago, on Alternative Rock (Q101), Top 40 (101.9 The Mix), and Independent Rock (93 XRT). Also, their song "Heads Up Hearts Down" has been in rotation on alternative rock station KTCL
KTCL
KTCL is a commercial radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications that airs a modern rock music format. Licensed to Wheat Ridge, Colorado, it serves the Denver, Colorado area. The station uses the branding "Channel 93.3".-History:...

 in Denver since October, 2009, reaching the #5 spot as of February 1, 2010.

History

I Fight Dragons was formed in 2008, and released their debut EP, Cool Is Just A Number on February 6, 2009 to a capacity crowd at Chicago's Elbo Room. They played at various clubs around Chicago in early 2009, including a Local Anesthetic showcase for 93.1 WXRT Chicago at The Cubby Bear, a final four show for the Metromix Rock'N'Vote Competition at LaSalle Power Company (which they won), a MOBFest showcase at the Elbo Room, and the main stage of the I AM Fest at the Congress Theater
Congress Theater
The Congress Theater in Chicago, built by Fridstein and Company in 1926 for the movie theater chain of Lubliner and Trinz, is a surviving example of a movie palace. It features ornate exterior and interior design work, in a combination of the Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance styles.The...

, which the band went on WGN
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...

 National News on June 12 to play music and promote.

In June, 2009, Mike Mentzer left the band to pursue his own solo career and was replaced by Packy Lundholm, who had played drums on the band's first EP, and has since played lead guitar in the band.

On July 25, 2009, I Fight Dragons headlined the Metro
Metro Chicago
This page is about the concert hall; for the metro region surrounding Chicago, see Chicago metropolitan area.Metro is a concert hall at 3730 N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois that plays host to a variety of local, regional and national emerging bands and musicians. The Metro was first opened in...

 in Chicago for the first time. This show was captured as a Live DVD, and a limited run of 500 numbered and signed copies of the DVD, entitled "Dragon Fight!", were released in January 2010.

In August 2009, they played the Chicago date of the Vans Warped Tour. Official Warped Tour Pit Reporter Tiffany Mink favorably reviewed the band's set on the Warped Tour website.

In August 2009, Dave Midell left the band to pursue humanitarian causes. Chad Van Dahm was brought in as the new drummer, and is currently the only non-original member in the band.

In September 2009, the band signed with manager J.J. Italiano of Steel Giant Management, and with booking agent Gabriel Apodaca of The Agency Group.

In October 2009, I Fight Dragons went on their first National Tour with punk group Whole Wheat Bread
Whole Wheat Bread
Whole Wheat Bread is a punk band from Jacksonville, Florida. They formed in 2003 and have so far released two albums and one EP, under the Orlando based record label Fighting Records.-History:...

 and nerdcore-hiphop artist MC Chris
Mc chris
mc chris is an American rapper, voice actor, writer and improvisational comedian....

. They played 45 US shows from Oct. 1st to Nov. 24th.

In December 2009, I Fight Dragons was one of four bands that played at KTCL's "Not So Silent Night," at the Magness Arena
Magness Arena
Magness Arena is a 7,200-seat multi-purpose collegiate sports arena in Denver, Colorado. It was built from 1997 to 1999 as part of the Daniel L. Ritchie Center for Sports & Wellness, a $84 million, sports complex at the University of Denver. It is home to the University of Denver Pioneers ice...

 in Denver, along with AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...

, Say Anything
Say Anything (band)
Say Anything is an American indie-punk band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Max Bemis. The band was formed in 2000 with Bemis and four of his friends. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, Junior Varsity and In Your Dreams, and the full-length Baseball: An Album by Sayanything.In...

, and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida.-Early years :Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter, Thomas Amason, and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2003...

.

As of February 4, 2010, I Fight Dragons signed with Photo Finish
Photo Finish Records
Photo Finish Records is an independent record label located in New York, NY. The label was started in 2006 by booking agent Matt Galle. Photo Finish is known for its diverse roster including punk bands, indie rock bands, and hip hop artists....

 / Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...

, and went on to appear on the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

 "Too Fast For Love" tour, opening for 3OH!3
3OH!3
3OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...

, Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...

, and Travis McCoy from April–June 2010. In his June, 2010, concert review, Rick Florino described the band as "one of the most unique, uplifting and unforgettable new acts on the scene."

On June 21, 2010, World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...

 announced that their song "Money" from their 2009 album Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number is the first EP recorded by I Fight Dragons. It was self-released in 2009, and later re-released on Photo-Fine Records in May 2010 with extra track 'Don't You'.-Track listing:All songs written by Brian Mazzaferri...

 would be used as the theme song for the inaugural WWE Money In The Bank
WWE Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 18, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The concept of the event was based around the Money in the Bank ladder match, with two matches held at the...

 Pay Per View.

On October 11, 2010, I Fight Dragons announced via their Facebook page that Laura Trainor would be leaving the band due to personal differences.

On November 27, 2010, I Fight Dragons released their second EP, Welcome to the Breakdown
Welcome to the Breakdown
Welcome to the Breakdown is the second EP recorded by I Fight Dragons. It was released under Atlantic Records, both on iTunes and their website, the latter offering the IFD exclusive "She's Got Sorcery" with the digital download...

 at a CD Release show at The Metro
Metro Chicago
This page is about the concert hall; for the metro region surrounding Chicago, see Chicago metropolitan area.Metro is a concert hall at 3730 N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois that plays host to a variety of local, regional and national emerging bands and musicians. The Metro was first opened in...

 In Chicago, IL. They indicated that this EP consists of songs written for their Photo Finish / Atlantic Records debut album, but which ended up not having a place on the album and so were released as an EP instead.

Starting on January 17, 2011, I Fight Dragons began recording their debut full-length album in Nashville with producer Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and recording engineer best known for his band Self.-Personal:Matt grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee and was involved with music from a young age...

 (sElf
Self (band)
Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....

, Hellogoodbye
Hellogoodbye
Hellogoodbye is a power pop band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! in 2006, in addition to their previously released EP Hellogoodbye...

). According to their blog, the album is tentatively titled "Kaboom!" on August 1st, they released the Kaboom! Overture on their YouTube account, during which they announced it would be released in October. The album was released on the band's website and major online music retailers on October 24th.

Email list

I Fight Dragons started an email list in February 2009 that has since surpassed 25,000 fans from everywhere around the globe.

I Fight Dragons has often sent new songs to their fans free of charge via their email list. To date this includes over 20 additional tracks. These songs include covers of other bands' songs (such as a chiptune
Chiptune
A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...

 cover of John Mayer's
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...

 'Heart Of Life') and remixes
RemixeS
RemixeS is a compilation of French singer Mylène Farmer's singles by various famous DJ's, including JXL, Felix Da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.-Brackground, writing and release:...

 of their own music (such as the This Atlantic Remix of 'Welcome to the Breakdown'), as well as original pieces and an entry in Twestival's Imogen Heap
Imogen Heap
Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...

-sponsored The Song That Never Was experiment.

On May 5, 2010, they released Overcool, a collection of 4 remixes of songs from Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number
Cool Is Just a Number is the first EP recorded by I Fight Dragons. It was self-released in 2009, and later re-released on Photo-Fine Records in May 2010 with extra track 'Don't You'.-Track listing:All songs written by Brian Mazzaferri...

, over the e-mail list. This collection is currently available to new subscribers to the list.

Additional Tracks Released to the IFD E-Mail List:
The song "She's Got Sorcery", a preview from their latest EP, was sent out October 18, 2010.
On November 10, 2010 the title track from the new EP "Welcome to the Breakdown" was sent for free.
On January 10, 2011 they sent out a studio version of "I Fight Ganon," their rendition of the Zelda theme.
On April 28, 2011 they released a live version of "Money", which included a rap from Kool Moe Dee
Kool Moe Dee
Mohandas Dewese , better known as Kool Moe Dee, is an American Hip Hop MC prominent in the late 1970s through the early 1990s. He was born in Manhattan, New York...

's "I Go To Work" interwoven into the song.

IFD Amnesty2

  1. "Why Bother" (A cover of a Weezer
    Weezer
    Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

     song from their album Pinkerton
    Pinkerton
    Pinkerton may refer to:*Pinkerton , a 1996 album by Weezer*Pinkerton, Ontario*Pinkerton National Detective Agency, a detective agency founded in 1850 by Allan Pinkerton*Pinkerton Academy, a high school in Derry, New Hampshire...

    , done for Pterodactyl Records' 8-bit Weezer
    Weezer
    Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...

     tribute)
  2. "I Fight Dragons Overture 1.0" (an experiment at combining orchestral scoring and chiptune music)
  3. "The Process" (An Imogen Heap
    Imogen Heap
    Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...

     a cappella re-arranged and written and recorded with chiptune
    Chiptune
    A chiptune, also known as chip music, is synthesized electronic music often produced with the sound chips of vintage computers and video game consoles, as well as with other methods such as emulation. In the early 1980s, personal computers became cheaper and more accessible than they had previously...

     style music)
  4. "No One Likes Superman Anymore (LSDJ Version)" (A remake of their song "No One Likes Superman Anymore" from their EP Cool Is Just A Number done with Little Sound DJ
    Game Boy music
    Game Boy music is a type of chip music produced using a portable gaming console of the Game Boy line. To produce music of the genre, one needs a Game Boy and a cartridge containing appropriate tracking software, such as LSDJ.- Software :...

    )
  5. "The Faster The Treadmill... (Gameboy Version)" (A remake of their song "The Faster The Treadmill..." from their EP Cool Is Just A Number done with a gameboy)
  6. "The Heart of Life" (A cover John Mayer
    John Mayer
    John Clayton Mayer is an American pop rock and blues rock musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He moved to Atlanta in 1997, where he refined his...

    's Heart Of Life using Little Sound DJ
    Game Boy music
    Game Boy music is a type of chip music produced using a portable gaming console of the Game Boy line. To produce music of the genre, one needs a Game Boy and a cartridge containing appropriate tracking software, such as LSDJ.- Software :...

     and Pixelh8
    Pixelh8
    Pixelh8 is the stage name for Matthew Applegate, a British chiptune composer.-Biography:Pixelh8 combines the sounds of video games and electronic toys, often those that have been reverse enginereed to avoid either copyright infringement or plagiarism to form original compositions, usually...

     MusicTech)
  7. "Rickroll + Mario" (A remake of Rick Astley
    Rick Astley
    Richard Paul "Rick" Astley is an English singer-songwriter, musician, and radio personality. He is known for his 1987 song, "Never Gonna Give You Up", which was a #1 hit single in 25 countries...

    's Never Gonna Give You Up
    Never Gonna Give You Up
    A group of London dance producers, called The Rickrollerz made a house music cover version of "Never Gonna Give You Up" on that day, and in honor of that event....

     combined with elements of the Super Mario Bros.
    Super Mario Bros.
    is a 1985 platform video game developed by Nintendo, published for the Nintendo Entertainment System as a sequel to the 1983 game Mario Bros. In Super Mario Bros., the player controls Mario as he travels through the Mushroom Kingdom in order to rescue Princess Toadstool from the antagonist...

     Theme)
  8. "I Fight Ganon" (A cover of the Legend Of Zelda main theme)
  9. "No One Likes Superman Anymore (Evil Robo-Dragon Remix)" (A remix of their song "No One Likes Superman Anymore" from their EP Cool Is Just A Number done by Evil Robo-Dragon)
  10. "Chocolate Treadmill" (A Mashup
    Mashup (music)
    A mashup or bootleg is a song or composition created by blending two or more pre-recorded songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the instrumental track of another...

     of I Fight Dragons and Hidari
    Hidari
    Hidari is a rock band from Kobe, Japan, known for its combination of modern rock and retro electronic sounds.-Former members:*Hiroshi "Yoma" Aoki *Justin Bacon , mecha...

     done by Snake Eyes)
  11. "The Future Soon" (A cover of a song by Jonathan Coulton
    Jonathan Coulton
    Jonathan Coulton is an American singer-songwriter, known for his songs about geek culture and his use of the Internet to draw fans...

    )
  12. "Air Man from Mega Man 2 (Packy Lundholm version)" (A cover of the Air Man stage background music from Mega Man 2
    Mega Man 2
    Mega Man 2, known in Japan as , is a platform game developed and published by Capcom for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is the second installment in the original Mega Man series. The game was released in Japan in 1988, and in North America and PAL regions the following years. Mega Man 2...

     performed as an 'introduction video' by Packy Lundholm when he joined I Fight Dragons)
  13. "And Your Bird Can Sing
    And Your Bird Can Sing
    "And Your Bird Can Sing" is a song by The Beatles, released on their 1966 album Revolver in the United Kingdom and on Yesterday...and Today in the United States. The songwriting credit is Lennon–McCartney, though the song was written primarily by John Lennon, with contributions by George Harrison...

    " (A cover of a song by The Beatles
    The Beatles
    The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

     from the album Revolver
    Revolver (album)
    Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver are marked by an electric guitar-rock sound, in contrast with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber...

    )
  14. "I Will Wait For You If You Do For Me" (An original song by I Fight Dragons)
  15. "Don't You?" (An original song by I Fight Dragons)

The Advance Guard (Street Team)

The I Fight Dragons Street Team is known as the I Fight Dragons Advance Guard, which is a vital part of their touring and promotion, as well as its own internal social network.

Discography

  • Cool Is Just A Number (2009)
  • IFD Amnesty2 (2009)
  • Overcool (2010)
  • Welcome to the Breakdown (2010)
  • The Geeks Will Inherit the Earth (Single) (2011)
  • KABOOM!
    Kaboom!
    Kaboom! is an Atari 2600 game designed by Larry Kaplan and published by Activision in 1981. It was also released for the Atari 5200 and the Atari 8-bit family of computers. A 16-bit remake for the Super Nintendo was in the works at some point, but the game was never released...

    (2011)

Cultural references

Their song "Money" was the official theme song for WWE's July 2010 Pay-Per-View WWE Money in the Bank
WWE Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on July 18, 2010 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The concept of the event was based around the Money in the Bank ladder match, with two matches held at the...

.

Their song "Disaster Hearts" was used on the NCIS promo for the episode "Engaged: pt. 1"

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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