My Superhero
Encyclopedia
My Superhero was an American ska punk
band formed in Anaheim, California
, who were originally active from 1994 to 2003.
In 1998, My Superhero re-recorded SKAteboard Music, releasing it on Vegas Records, before signing to Risk Records to re-release Solid State 14, which helped them find success on the national commercial radio charts. The following year, the band worked with producer Thom Wilson
to release their third album entitled Station One under Risk Records. They spent the next 2 years touring nationally alongside bands including Reel Big Fish
, The Aquabats
, The Hippos
, Fenix TX and Frenzal Rhomb
, as well as touring as part of the 1999 and 2000 Warped Tour
. My Superhero received regular exposure on KUCI
s pioneering Ska Parade
radio show, managing to tie the record held by Long Beach's One Eye Open for the most on-air live performances.
In 2000, My Superhero attempted to reorganize the band and play as a power pop
trio. In 2002, they recruited a fourth member and recorded their final release, the Send Gas EP. The group quietly disbanded after front man Brian Gilmore got married. My Superhero's final performance was at Gilmore's wedding in 2004.
, headlining a concert organized by Tazy Phyllipz and the Ska Parade
. A while later on November 5, the band again reunited at The Glasshouse to open for The Aquabats, the first time the two groups have played together since 1998.
Despite the success of the recent reunion shows, there has been no official announcement as to whether or not My Superhero will continue touring or recording as a band.
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
band formed in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, who were originally active from 1994 to 2003.
Biography
My Superhero formed in 1994 and quickly released their debut album entitled SKAteboard Music in 1995 under their own independent label Sick Little Monkey Music. In 1997, the band released their most successful album, Solid State 14, which received positive reviews from such presitigious publications such as The Los Angeles Times and AllMusic, the latter having been quoted as saying "[i]t's unusual to find a debut effort from a punk-ska band that sounds this good".In 1998, My Superhero re-recorded SKAteboard Music, releasing it on Vegas Records, before signing to Risk Records to re-release Solid State 14, which helped them find success on the national commercial radio charts. The following year, the band worked with producer Thom Wilson
Thom Wilson
-Thom Wilson:Thom Wilson is a now-retired American punk rock record producer and engineer.-Career:Wilson began his musical career in the mid-1970s, engineering recordings by soft rock artits Burton Cummings and Seals & Crofts. He began working on punk rock albums in the early 1980s while producing...
to release their third album entitled Station One under Risk Records. They spent the next 2 years touring nationally alongside bands including Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, The Hippos
The Hippos
The Hippos were an American rock band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California, and disbanded in 2000. During the band's lifetime they released 3 full-length albums...
, Fenix TX and Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb
Frenzal Rhomb are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1992 with mainstay Jason Whalley on lead vocals and rhythm guitar. In 1996, Lindsay McDougall joined the line-up on lead guitar and backing vocals. Two of the group's albums have peaked into the top 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart, A...
, as well as touring as part of the 1999 and 2000 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...
. My Superhero received regular exposure on KUCI
KUCI
KUCI is a college radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Irvine, California, USA, the station serves the Orange County area...
s pioneering Ska Parade
Ska Parade
Ska Parade, now known as SP Radio One, is a southern California radio show whose goal is to promote up-and-coming ska artists, as well as other types of new bands. The show was created by Tazy Phyllipz and Albino Brown. The show was a part of the Orange County third-wave ska movement of the mid-1990s...
radio show, managing to tie the record held by Long Beach's One Eye Open for the most on-air live performances.
In 2000, My Superhero attempted to reorganize the band and play as a power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
trio. In 2002, they recruited a fourth member and recorded their final release, the Send Gas EP. The group quietly disbanded after front man Brian Gilmore got married. My Superhero's final performance was at Gilmore's wedding in 2004.
Reunion shows and beyond
On September 17, 2011, the four original members of My Superhero played a reunion show at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CaliforniaPomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
, headlining a concert organized by Tazy Phyllipz and the Ska Parade
Ska Parade
Ska Parade, now known as SP Radio One, is a southern California radio show whose goal is to promote up-and-coming ska artists, as well as other types of new bands. The show was created by Tazy Phyllipz and Albino Brown. The show was a part of the Orange County third-wave ska movement of the mid-1990s...
. A while later on November 5, the band again reunited at The Glasshouse to open for The Aquabats, the first time the two groups have played together since 1998.
Despite the success of the recent reunion shows, there has been no official announcement as to whether or not My Superhero will continue touring or recording as a band.
Discography
- SKAteboard Music (1995) (1999, re-recorded)
- Solid State 14 (1997) (1998, remastered)
- Station One (1999)
- Send Gas EP (1999)
Band members
- Brian Gilmore - vocals, guitar, bass (1994-2003, 2011)
- Chris Clawson - drums (1994-2003)
- Huey Huynh - guitar (1994-2003, 2011)
- Mike Berault - keyboards, accordion (1994-1999, 2003, 2011)
- Dan Park - bass (1994-1998, 2011)
- James Salomone - bass (1999)
- Ean Brown - guitar (2001-2003)
- Tim Bivens - drums (2011)