Laughing Colors
Encyclopedia
Laughing Colors is a rock band from Baltimore
/Washington DC.
For The Blink of An Ideal World, LC worked with acclaimed producer Anthony J. Resta (Collective Soul
, Megadeth
, Duran Duran
) and Baltimore’s favorite Steve Wright. The album exhibits LC’s emotive intensity. The band says they were more concerned with ‘exploring emotions and sound’ than with looking for that elusive ‘magic airplay formula’. Inspiration for this recording came while the band was in Greenland
performing for US troops. In the sub-zero Arctic that was dark 24 hours a day, LC was affected not only by the land’s beauty but by the men and women they met who serve their country.
In the Mid-Atlantic, LC’s songs and pure rock live performance have contributed to their reputation as one of the region’s most popular bands. An enthusiastic crowd is an integral part of the show, participating throughout and responding to the band and its music
Their trip to make playing music their lives has brought many highlights, including playing events such as the legendary WHFS
tival, DC101 Chili Cook-Off
, Raven Stadium
, and the Warped Tour
. LC has performed with bands including Good Charlotte
, Rage Against the Machine
, Live
, Eve 6
, and others. They have received airplay on over 41 stations and been featured in publications including Time
and Entertainment Weekly
.
Laughing Colors "final" concert was at the Recher Theatre in Towson
, Maryland
in March 2005. The final show was recorded and preserved on a live DVD, created by Jeff Geissler, and CD. To promote the release of this two-disc set, Keep the Shining Ones, Laughing Colors reunited for two concerts in November and December 2005. Frontman Dave Tieff has publicly indicated their desire to perform annual reunion shows for their fans.
On September 30, 2006, Laughing Colors played a well-attended reunion show at Rams Head Live in downtown Baltimore. The show was opened by The Mayan Factor and The Cheaters. On stage Tieff announced the band's intention to present a similar concert annually. He also suggested the possibility of an additional show over Thanksgiving weekend, 2006.
On July 28th, 2008, Laughing Colors reunited for a show at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD. Tieff appeared on the Mickey, Amelia & Spiegel
show on 98 Rock on July 18, and mentioned that the band would come out of 'semi-retirement' to record a full-band version of his new song, specifically made for the 98 Rock Morning Show.
On November 7th 2008 at Recher Theatre in Towson MD to a sold out crowd, did several encores of their favorite songs.
Laughing Colors played a New Year's Eve Party December 31st 2010 and are scheduled to play a second show in October 2011 for Island Bay Day on Maryland's Kent Island.
page, Tieff announced to the crowd on July 28 that the band about cease referring to their once-a-year jaunt as "Reunion Shows", and would begin putting out new material in 2008. This will mark the band's first studio album since 2004's "The Blink of an Ideal World". However, as of July 2011, this has yet to happen.
Meanwhile, Dave Tieff, the band's lead vocalist and guitarist, traveled to Missouri
in February 2009 to put the finishing touches on his second solo album, 'The Art of Peace'. The albums includes songs Tieff states 'didn't really fit' into Laughing Colors. The album is set for release on May 9, at The Whiskey, in Annapolis, Maryland
.
song. The song, which features the chorus, "Whatever happened to sex, drugs and rock & roll
? / Now we just have AIDS
, crack
and techno
," is in fact taken from the live album eleven/fifteen.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
/Washington DC.
Members
- Dave Tieff (lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
) - Will Dorsey, Jr. (drumsDrum kitA 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 ....
) - Dan Welsh (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and backup vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) - Corey Hall (lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and backup vocals)
Band history
When the current lineup of Laughing Colors (who now go by their fan denoted ‘LC’), came together in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area, the rock quartet said they just wanted to make their music their life. They have sold 50,000+ CDs, 15,000 T-shirts, and at times played 150+ shows per year.For The Blink of An Ideal World, LC worked with acclaimed producer Anthony J. Resta (Collective Soul
Collective Soul
Collective Soul is an American rock band originally formed in Stockbridge, Georgia. Collective Soul broke into mainstream popularity with their first hit single, "Shine", which came from their debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid, released in 1993...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
) and Baltimore’s favorite Steve Wright. The album exhibits LC’s emotive intensity. The band says they were more concerned with ‘exploring emotions and sound’ than with looking for that elusive ‘magic airplay formula’. Inspiration for this recording came while the band was in Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
performing for US troops. In the sub-zero Arctic that was dark 24 hours a day, LC was affected not only by the land’s beauty but by the men and women they met who serve their country.
In the Mid-Atlantic, LC’s songs and pure rock live performance have contributed to their reputation as one of the region’s most popular bands. An enthusiastic crowd is an integral part of the show, participating throughout and responding to the band and its music
Their trip to make playing music their lives has brought many highlights, including playing events such as the legendary WHFS
WHFS
WHFS was the call sign for three different FM stations in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland markets on various frequencies for nearly 50 years. The first and longest run was a progressive rock station and was usually, and affectionately, referred to as 'HFS...
tival, DC101 Chili Cook-Off
DC101 Chili Cook-Off
The DC101 Chili Cook-Off is an annual chili cookoff and rock concert sponsored by Washington, D.C. / Baltimore, Maryland radio station WWDC . Proceeds from the cookoff, traditionally held in Washington, D.C...
, Raven Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Served by the Hamburg Street station of...
, and the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
. LC has performed with bands including Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
, Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....
, Eve 6
Eve 6
Eve 6 is an American rock band from Southern California, who are most well known for their hit singles "Inside Out", "Leech", and the slow anthem "Here's to the Night". They disbanded in 2004, returned in 2007 with a new lineup, and finally reunited with all three original members in March 2011...
, and others. They have received airplay on over 41 stations and been featured in publications including Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
and Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
.
"Permanent vacation"
On November 11, 2004, Laughing Colors announced their decision "to take a permanent vacation." According to their press release, they felt that the band had run its course over the previous thirteen years, and they wanted to go out on their own terms. According to subsequent statements by the band, they were also frustrated with the increasing difficulty of booking shows at mid-Atlantic nightclubs. Their press release stated, "We also know that some people will ask 'will you ever play together again?' We will never say never, just goodbye for now."Laughing Colors "final" concert was at the Recher Theatre in Towson
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in March 2005. The final show was recorded and preserved on a live DVD, created by Jeff Geissler, and CD. To promote the release of this two-disc set, Keep the Shining Ones, Laughing Colors reunited for two concerts in November and December 2005. Frontman Dave Tieff has publicly indicated their desire to perform annual reunion shows for their fans.
On September 30, 2006, Laughing Colors played a well-attended reunion show at Rams Head Live in downtown Baltimore. The show was opened by The Mayan Factor and The Cheaters. On stage Tieff announced the band's intention to present a similar concert annually. He also suggested the possibility of an additional show over Thanksgiving weekend, 2006.
On July 28th, 2008, Laughing Colors reunited for a show at the Recher Theatre in Towson, MD. Tieff appeared on the Mickey, Amelia & Spiegel
Mickey and Amelia
Mickey, Amelia & Spiegel is a local radio show that broadcasts out of Baltimore, Maryland, on WIYY, 98Rock . The morning show runs Monday through Friday from 5:30AM-10AM, starring Mickey Cucchiella, Amelia Ryerse and Josh Spiegel with their producer Scott Reardon.-Personalities:*Mickey Cucchiella:...
show on 98 Rock on July 18, and mentioned that the band would come out of 'semi-retirement' to record a full-band version of his new song, specifically made for the 98 Rock Morning Show.
On November 7th 2008 at Recher Theatre in Towson MD to a sold out crowd, did several encores of their favorite songs.
Laughing Colors played a New Year's Eve Party December 31st 2010 and are scheduled to play a second show in October 2011 for Island Bay Day on Maryland's Kent Island.
New Material/Solo Ventures
As previously announced on the band's MySpaceMySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
page, Tieff announced to the crowd on July 28 that the band about cease referring to their once-a-year jaunt as "Reunion Shows", and would begin putting out new material in 2008. This will mark the band's first studio album since 2004's "The Blink of an Ideal World". However, as of July 2011, this has yet to happen.
Meanwhile, Dave Tieff, the band's lead vocalist and guitarist, traveled to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in February 2009 to put the finishing touches on his second solo album, 'The Art of Peace'. The albums includes songs Tieff states 'didn't really fit' into Laughing Colors. The album is set for release on May 9, at The Whiskey, in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
.
Trivia
The Laughing Colors song "War on Drugs" has been frequently mislabelled as a Guns N' RosesGuns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
song. The song, which features the chorus, "Whatever happened to sex, drugs and rock & roll
Wine, women and song
The cliché "wine, women, and song" is a rhetorical figure of a triad or hendiatris. It describes a lifestyle or set of behaviors which are indulgent or pleasure-seeking...
? / Now we just have AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
, crack
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
and techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
," is in fact taken from the live album eleven/fifteen.
Studio albums
- Laughing Colors (1993)
- What's So Funny? (1994)
- Depth (1995)
- The Pattern Seed (1998)
- Nothing But Sky (2001)
- The Blink of an Ideal World (2004)
Live albums
- eleven/fifteen (1997)
- The Night Electric Died (2000)
- Keep the Shining Ones (2005)