OPM (band)
Encyclopedia
OPM is a Southern California
based ska punk
band. OPM has a distinctive sound, combining hip hop
, rock music
, and pop
with laid-back reggae
.
Their debut single
"Heaven Is a Halfpipe" charted world wide. Both their debut single and album
, Menace to Sobriety
were released on Atlantic Records
in September 2000. In 2002, they signed to Suburban Noize Records
who released three album and two EPs
.
Their second album, ForThemAsses
, was released in June 2004. The album was produced
by OPM and Steve Gallagher. Their third album was California Poppy
, released in July 2006. OPM released their fourth album, Golden State of Mind in September 2008.
From ForThemAsses:
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
based ska punk
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. OPM has a distinctive sound, combining hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, rock music
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...
, and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
with laid-back reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
.
Band history
The name OPM, according to the band's frontman John E. Necro, is an abbreviation of the phrase "Open People's Minds". This was stated during an interview with MarijuanaRadio.com.Their debut single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Heaven Is a Halfpipe" charted world wide. Both their debut single and album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Menace to Sobriety
Menace to Sobriety (OPM album)
Menace to Sobriety is the debut album by California band OPM, released in September 2000. The most notable tracks are "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" and "Fish Out of Water" which is on many compilation albums including "Skate to Hell"...
were released on 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...
in September 2000. In 2002, they signed to Suburban Noize Records
Suburban Noize Records
Suburban Noize Records, also known as "Subnoize", is an independent record label based in Burbank, California that specializes in punk rock and underground hip hop...
who released three album and two EPs
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...
.
Their second album, ForThemAsses
ForThemAsses
ForThemAsses is the second album by California band OPM, released on June 1, 2004.-Track listing:# "Intro" – 0:34# "Bump" - 3:38# "Rollin" - 3:49# "Luffly" - 3:15# "Interlude: Dave Grohl" - 0:11# "Kali Kings" - 4:42...
, was released in June 2004. The album was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by OPM and Steve Gallagher. Their third album was California Poppy
California Poppy (album)
California Poppy is the third/junior album by California band OPM, released on July 18, 2006. It spawned three singles: "For Tonight" and "Rock Me Slow" in 2006 and "Lion's Pride" in 2007.-Track listing:# "Intro" - 0:30# "For Tonight" - 3:43...
, released in July 2006. OPM released their fourth album, Golden State of Mind in September 2008.
Members
- John E. Necro - vocals
- Geoff Turney aka Casper - guitars
- Jonathan Williams- keyboards
- Shane Mayo - drums
- Matt Rowe - bass
- Big BBig B (rapper)----Bryan Mahoney, real name and best known by his stage name Big B, is an American rapper currently signed with Suburban Noize Records as a solo artist. Along with John E. Necro, he performs vocals in the rap rock band OPM, which is also signed with Subnoize.-Early career:Big B was born, Bryan...
- vocals
Former members
- Matthew aka Shakey Lo the Creation Kid - vocals and programming (left 2001)
- AlfunctionAlfunctionAlfunction, born Alan Leonard James in Costa Mesa, California on June 9, 1972, is an American guitarist. His stage name was bestowed upon him in 1994, by future bandmate Lauren Boquette, in reference to his band at the time, "Malfunction"...
- guitar (live only) (left 2001) - Avram Brown - guitar & keyboards (live only) (left 2001)
- Gary P. Dean - drums (left 2002)
- Etienne Franc - bass (left 2002)
- Robert aka The Skatanic Mechanic Bradley - drums (left 2008)
- Carlos - drums (left 2009)
Albums
- Menace To SobrietyMenace to Sobriety (OPM album)Menace to Sobriety is the debut album by California band OPM, released in September 2000. The most notable tracks are "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" and "Fish Out of Water" which is on many compilation albums including "Skate to Hell"...
(September 2000) - UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#31 (2001 release) - ForThemAssesForThemAssesForThemAsses is the second album by California band OPM, released on June 1, 2004.-Track listing:# "Intro" – 0:34# "Bump" - 3:38# "Rollin" - 3:49# "Luffly" - 3:15# "Interlude: Dave Grohl" - 0:11# "Kali Kings" - 4:42...
(June 24, 2004) - California PoppyCalifornia Poppy (album)California Poppy is the third/junior album by California band OPM, released on July 18, 2006. It spawned three singles: "For Tonight" and "Rock Me Slow" in 2006 and "Lion's Pride" in 2007.-Track listing:# "Intro" - 0:30# "For Tonight" - 3:43...
(July 18, 2006) - Golden State Of MindGolden State Of Mind (album)Golden State of Mind is the fourth/senior album by California band OPM, released on September 2nd, 2008.-Track listing:# "Feel the Vibration" - 3:13# "Family and Friends" - 3:54# "Runaway" - 3:42...
(September 2, 2008)
Singles
From Menace to Sobriety:- "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (2001) - UKUK Singles ChartThe UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
#4 - "Stash Up" (2001)
- "El Capitan" (2001) - UK #20
From ForThemAsses:
- "Horny" (2004)
EPs
- Outlaws, Perverts, and Misfits (2000) (Re-released 2004)
- In the OPMDEN (June 18, 2006)