Robbers on High Street
Encyclopedia
Robbers on High Street are an American
rock
band from Brooklyn, New York.
. Ten years later Trokan returned to New York City for college and through mutual friends met and began playing with drummer Tomer Danan. In Poughkeepsie, Mercado reconnected with Jeremy Phillips, an old school friend. Robbers on High Street—the name came from a lyric of one of the band's early, discarded compositions—was officially born when the four began playing together.
The band was quickly signed by Scratchie
/New Line Records at the end of 2003. Fine Lines, the band's debut EP was released in March 2004 and was co-produced by Peter Katis (The National (band)
, Interpol
, Mercury Rev
), as was their first full-length album, Tree City, with additional production from Britt Myers (Dressy Bessy
, Chairlift
). Tree City was released in February 2005 and Phillips was replaced shortly thereafter by Florida
native Morgan King. In addition to playing bass, King is proficient in brass instruments and occasionally plays them on stage. The band toured for most of 2005 with Cake
, Hot Hot Heat
, Sloan
, and Brendan Benson
. The album met with strong reviews and several songs off Tree City (Love Underground, Big Winter, and Japanese Girls to name a few) landed in several films, TV shows and commercials; as well as two appearances on the Carson Daly Show.
In the summer of 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Tomer Danan and went in the studio as a trio with Trokan taking over drumming duties to record their follow up LP, Grand Animals. For this album the band connected with Italian film composer Daniele Luppi, known mostly for his string arrangements and orchestral work with Danger Mouse
(Gnarls Barkley
, Broken Bells
) and pop artists like John Legend
. The band recorded in New York and mixed with Jeff Peters (The Beach Boys
, Goldspot
) in Los Angeles
. The new collaboration allowed them to explore broader sonic landscapes-utilizing King's range of musicianship-with dynamic and varied sounding songs showcasing the bands' of obsession with 60s and 70s AM Radio. Grand Animals was released on July 24, 2007 and the band (now a quintet with the addition of drummer Mikey Post (Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, The Jay Vons) and keyboardist David Sherman (Goodbye Girl Friday, Grand Mal, The Silent League
)) did several tours with The Redwalls
, The Sea and Cake
, Fountains of Wayne
and Great Northern
.
Scratchie
/New Line Records folded shortly after the New Year. After an extended rest, Robbers on High Street returned to form in 2008 - playing shows (sometimes as ELO
), writing new songs and recording several covers - Emitt Rhodes
, The Style Council
, and even New Edition
- for various compilation releases. After purchasing a TASCAM
MS-16 1" 16 track, the band entered the studio in October 2009 to begin work on their third full-length album. Produced by Trokan with engineer Matt Shane (Flight of the Conchords
, Rosanne Cash
), they settled in at Tommy Brenneck’s (The Budos Band
, Menahan Street Band
) Dunham Studio for mixdown. Delving deeper into their Anglophilia a la The Pretty Things
and the blue-eyed power of Reg King
and The Action
, this was the current line-up’s first proper recording session, drawing little help from the outside save that of a horn section borrowed from Daptone Records
. In June 2010, the 7" single Electric Eye b/w Face In The Fog, two tracks from the yet unreleased upcoming album tentatively titled Hey There Golden Hair, was released on Engine Room Recordings
. Some brief Northeast tours in the Summer and Fall in support followed, as well as an appearance at this year's CMJ Music Marathon.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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 Brooklyn, New York.
History
Robbers on High Street began performing publicly during the summer of 2002, but the band's roots stretch back much further. Ben Trokan and Steve "Sparky" Mercado have been friends since their preteen years growing up in the upstate New York town of Poughkeepsie. Both Mercado and Trokan shared a recent familial relocation from the Bronx and Manhattan, respectively, and a love of Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
. Ten years later Trokan returned to New York City for college and through mutual friends met and began playing with drummer Tomer Danan. In Poughkeepsie, Mercado reconnected with Jeremy Phillips, an old school friend. Robbers on High Street—the name came from a lyric of one of the band's early, discarded compositions—was officially born when the four began playing together.
The band was quickly signed by Scratchie
Scratchie Records
Scratchie Records was an independent record label founded in 1995 by James Iha and D'arcy Wretzky , Adam Schlesinger , Kerry Brown and Jeremy Freeman....
/New Line Records at the end of 2003. Fine Lines, the band's debut EP was released in March 2004 and was co-produced by Peter Katis (The National (band)
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, Interpol
Interpol
Interpol, whose full name is the International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, is an organization facilitating international police cooperation...
, Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev
Mercury Rev is an American alternative rock group, that formed in the late 1980s in Buffalo, New York. Original personnel were David Baker , Jonathan Donahue , Sean Mackowiak, a.k.a...
), as was their first full-length album, Tree City, with additional production from Britt Myers (Dressy Bessy
Dressy Bessy
Dressy Bessy is an indie rock band from Denver, Colorado, associated with the Elephant Six Collective. Guitarist John Hill also plays with The Apples in Stereo. Lead vocalist/guitarist Tammy Ealom formed the band with drummer Darren Albert and guitarist turned bassist Rob Greene in 1996. The name...
, Chairlift
Chairlift
An elevated passenger ropeway, or chairlift, is a type of aerial lift, which consists of a continuously circulating steel cable loop strung between two end terminals and usually over intermediate towers, carrying a series of chairs...
). Tree City was released in February 2005 and Phillips was replaced shortly thereafter by Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
native Morgan King. In addition to playing bass, King is proficient in brass instruments and occasionally plays them on stage. The band toured for most of 2005 with Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
, Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1999 from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.-Career:Dustin Hawthorne and Steve Bays had been in many different bands together since 1995 and met Hawley in 1998. In 1999, Hawley bought a Juno 6 keyboard and asked Bays to try playing it, as no one...
, Sloan
Sloan
Sloan may refer to:*MIT Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, in Cambridge, Massachusetts*Sloan, a Canadian rock band*Sloan Digital Sky Survey, a major astronomical survey...
, and Brendan Benson
Brendan Benson
Brendan Benson is an American musician and songwriter. He sings and plays guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, and drums. He has released four solo albums and is a member of the band The Raconteurs....
. The album met with strong reviews and several songs off Tree City (Love Underground, Big Winter, and Japanese Girls to name a few) landed in several films, TV shows and commercials; as well as two appearances on the Carson Daly Show.
In the summer of 2006 the band parted ways with drummer Tomer Danan and went in the studio as a trio with Trokan taking over drumming duties to record their follow up LP, Grand Animals. For this album the band connected with Italian film composer Daniele Luppi, known mostly for his string arrangements and orchestral work with Danger Mouse
Danger Mouse
Brian Joseph Burton , better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from The Beatles' White Album.He...
(Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley
Gnarls Barkley is an American soul duo comprising Danger Mouse and Cee Lo Green. Their first studio album St. Elsewhere was released in 2006; along with its first single "Crazy". Both single and album were a major commercial success and have been noted for their large sales by download...
, Broken Bells
Broken Bells
Broken Bells is an American alternative rock band composed of artist-producer Brian Burton and James Mercer, the lead vocalist and guitarist for the indie rock band The Shins. Broken Bells compose and create as a duo, but are joined by a full band on tour...
) and pop artists like John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
. The band recorded in New York and mixed with Jeff Peters (The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, Goldspot
Goldspot
Goldspot is a Los Angeles-based band first introduced by tastemaker DJ Nic Harcourt on his morning show, KCRW's "Morning Becomes Eclectic". The Sunday Times UK hailed Goldspot as "the best band to come out of America in years"...
) in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The new collaboration allowed them to explore broader sonic landscapes-utilizing King's range of musicianship-with dynamic and varied sounding songs showcasing the bands' of obsession with 60s and 70s AM Radio. Grand Animals was released on July 24, 2007 and the band (now a quintet with the addition of drummer Mikey Post (Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, The Jay Vons) and keyboardist David Sherman (Goodbye Girl Friday, Grand Mal, The Silent League
The Silent League
The Silent League is a post-rock, chamber pop band from Brooklyn, New York founded by Justin Russo, formerly of Mercury Rev. Their 2004 debut, The Orchestra, Sadly, Has Refused, featuring Sam from Interpol,...
)) did several tours with The Redwalls
The Redwalls
The Redwalls are a two-member rock band from Deerfield, Illinois, in suburban Chicago.-History:Nearly two years after Universal Blues the band would release their second studio album , titled De Nova, on June 21, 2005...
, The Sea and Cake
The Sea and Cake
The Sea and Cake is an indie rock band with a pronounced jazz influence, which formed in the mid-1990s in Chicago out of the ashes of local bands The Coctails and Shrimp Boat. The group's name came from a willful reinterpretation of "The C in Cake", a song by Gastr del Sol...
, Fountains of Wayne
Fountains of Wayne
Fountains of Wayne is an American power pop band that formed in New York City in 1996. The band consists of members Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter and Brian Young.-Early years:...
and Great Northern
Great Northern
Great Northern may refer to:* Great Northern , led by former 30 Seconds to Mars member Solon Bixler*Great Northern , led by former Mission Mountain Wood Band member Rob Quist...
.
Scratchie
Scratchie Records
Scratchie Records was an independent record label founded in 1995 by James Iha and D'arcy Wretzky , Adam Schlesinger , Kerry Brown and Jeremy Freeman....
/New Line Records folded shortly after the New Year. After an extended rest, Robbers on High Street returned to form in 2008 - playing shows (sometimes as ELO
ELO
- Music :* Electric Light Orchestra, a British rock music group** The Electric Light Orchestra , the group's debut album** ELO 2, the group's second album* ELO Part II, an offshoot band of Electric Light Orchestra- Sports and games :...
), writing new songs and recording several covers - Emitt Rhodes
Emitt Rhodes
Emitt Lynn Rhodes is an American singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer born February 25, 1950 in Decatur, Illinois. When he was five his family moved to Hawthorne, California. Considered by many as "the one man Beatles," his solo recordings of the early 1970s show a clear...
, The Style Council
The Style Council
The Style Council were an English band, formed in 1983 by the ex-The Jam singer and guitarist Paul Weller, with keyboardist Mick Talbot. The permanent line-up grew to include drummer Steve White and Weller's then-wife, vocalist Dee C. Lee. Other artists such as Tracie Young and Tracey Thorn also...
, and even New Edition
New Edition
New Edition is an R&B group formed in Boston in 1978. The group reached its height of popularity during the 1980s. They were the progenitors of the boy band movement of the 1980s and 1990s and led the way for groups like New Kids on the Block, Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync...
- for various compilation releases. After purchasing a TASCAM
TASCAM
TASCAM is the professional audio division of TEAC Corporation, headquartered in Montebello, California. Tascam is credited as the inventor of the Portastudio, the first cassette-based multi-track home studio recorders. Tascam also introduced the first low-cost mass produced multitrack recorders...
MS-16 1" 16 track, the band entered the studio in October 2009 to begin work on their third full-length album. Produced by Trokan with engineer Matt Shane (Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords
Flight of the Conchords are a New Zealand-based comedy duo composed of Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement. The duo's comedy and music became the basis of a BBC radio series and then an American television series, which premiered in 2007 on HBO, also called Flight of the Conchords.They were named...
, Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash
Rosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
), they settled in at Tommy Brenneck’s (The Budos Band
The Budos Band
The Budos Band are an instrumental band recording on the Daptone Records label. The band has ten members who play instrumental music that is self-described as "Afro-Soul," a term and sound which - in a 2007 interview - baritone saxophone player Jared Tankel elucidates as, being drawn from...
, Menahan Street Band
Menahan Street Band
The Menahan Street Band is a musical ensemble featuring musicians from Antibalas, El Michels Affair, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and the Budos Band. The group was founded by Thomas Brenneck while living in an apartment on Menahan St. in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York...
) Dunham Studio for mixdown. Delving deeper into their Anglophilia a la The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things
The Pretty Things are an English rock and roll band from London, who originally formed in 1963. They took their name from Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Pretty Thing" and, in their early days, were dubbed by the British press the "uglier cousins of the Rolling Stones". Their most commercially successful...
and the blue-eyed power of Reg King
Reg King
Reg King was an English singer and songwriter, most famous for being the solo and lead singer with The Boys and The Action. He died of cancer, aged 65, in October 2010.-Albums:...
and The Action
The Action
The Action were an English band of the 1960s. They were part of the mod subculture, and played soul music-influenced pop music.-Career:The band were formed as The Boys in August 1963, in Kentish Town, North West London. After Peter Watson joined them as an additional guitarist in 1965, they changed...
, this was the current line-up’s first proper recording session, drawing little help from the outside save that of a horn section borrowed from Daptone Records
Daptone Records
Daptone Records is a funk and soul independent record label formed by Gabriel Roth and Neal Sugarman and based in Brooklyn, New York.After the demise of the Desco label Gabriel Roth teamed up with Neal Sugarman to create a new label, Daptone Records...
. In June 2010, the 7" single Electric Eye b/w Face In The Fog, two tracks from the yet unreleased upcoming album tentatively titled Hey There Golden Hair, was released on Engine Room Recordings
Engine Room Recordings
Engine Room Recordings is an independent record label with a roster of Indie rock and Alternative rock musicians. Beyond marketing and distribution for its artists, the label does booking and artist management....
. Some brief Northeast tours in the Summer and Fall in support followed, as well as an appearance at this year's CMJ Music Marathon.
Albums
- Tree City (2005, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) - Grand Animals (2007, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) - Hey There Golden Hair
Singles and EPs
- Love Underground (demo) b/w New Evil 7" (2003, Scratchie RecordsScratchie RecordsScratchie Records was an independent record label founded in 1995 by James Iha and D'arcy Wretzky , Adam Schlesinger , Kerry Brown and Jeremy Freeman....
) - Fine Lines EP (2004, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) - The Fatalist and Friends (2006, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) - Season's Greetings (cover) (Holiday song) (2008)
- Electric Eye b/w Face In The Fog 7" (2010, Engine Room RecordingsEngine Room RecordingsEngine Room Recordings is an independent record label with a roster of Indie rock and Alternative rock musicians. Beyond marketing and distribution for its artists, the label does booking and artist management....
)
Compilations
- Wedding CrashersWedding CrashersWedding Crashers is a 2005 American comedy film directed by David Dobkin. It stars Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, with Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Bradley Cooper, Diora Baird, Jane Seymour, and an uncredited Will Ferrell....
soundtrack (2005, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) song: "Love Underground" - Just Friends soundtrack (2005, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) song: "Big Winter" - Georgia RuleGeorgia RuleGeorgia Rule is a 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall and starring Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, Felicity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Garrett Hedlund, and Cary Elwes. The original music score was composed by John Debney.-Plot:...
soundtrack (2007, New Line RecordsNew Line RecordsWaterTower Music is an American record label owned by Time Warner and operates as a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment. Founded to release movie soundtracks, the label has grown beyond this initial purpose and has built a roster of indie rock acts such as The Sounds, OFFICE, Robbers on High...
) song: "The Fatalist" - Guilt By Association, Vol. 2 compilation (2008, Engine Room RecordingsEngine Room RecordingsEngine Room Recordings is an independent record label with a roster of Indie rock and Alternative rock musicians. Beyond marketing and distribution for its artists, the label does booking and artist management....
) song: "Cool It Now" (cover) - The Lifted Brow, No. 4: Fake Bookshelf book + dbl CD compilation (2009, The Lifted Brow) song: "The Duke's Dilemma"
- Buffet Libre Rewind 2 compilation (2009) song: "Shout to the Top" (cover)