The Berlin Project
Encyclopedia
The Berlin Project was an American rock band from just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; with influences from the punk
, and ska
(early years) music scenes that was active from 1995-2005. The band took its name from a computer program.
In those ten years the band managed to tour North America many times over with popular acts like The Matches
, Steel Train
, Punchline
, The Sloppy Meateaters
, The Unsung Zeros, The Juliana Theory
, Midtown
, River City High
, Catch 22 and Clearview Kills. The band also was a featured act on numerous of the side stages during the 2002 and 2003 Van's Warped Tour, being featured on the Ernie Ball, Kevin Says, and Punkrocks.net stages in numerous cities throughout the East Coast and Midwest United States. The Berlin Project was also a part of numerous Radio Festivals and the like such as 2000's X-Fest in Pittsburgh with The Stone Temple Pilots
and Everclear
, and 2002's Skate and Surf Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey with The Descendents, Finch
and more.
In 2004 The Berlin Project finished a two back to back North American tours as co headliners with Art Punkers, The Matches
and then as main support for fellow American Rock act Steel Train
in time to return home to Pittsburgh for 2004's X-Fest held at The Post Gazzette Pavilion where they shared the stage with The Offspring
, Switchfoot
and long time companions both at home and on tour Punchline
. Somewhere in here as well The Berlin Project found time to headline the farewell show to the band's home venue in Pittsburgh, Club Laga. This performance was joined by main support acts River City High
and Clearview Kills, complete with ceiling mounted cannons shooting ticker tape over the crowd as the band performed the final song to be played at the venue. This stretch of touring and performances in 2004 would be the band's final major activity.
The Berlin Project released two albums on US indie label Orange Peal records. The band's final full length, The Things We Say was released to some success on Trident Style Recordings in Japan.
To date, the bands most notable recording was an independent release. 1997's cover version of Snoop Dogg's Gin and Juice
went on to find massive success with the original spread of Napster and file sharing.
Members of The Berlin Project went on to play in Punchline (Fueled By Ramen / Modern Short Stories), Craig's Brother
(Takeover/Tooth and Nail), and Gene The Werewolf.
In August 2009 the band temporarily reformed with John Garrighan, Chuck Rocha, Paul Menotiades (Punchline, The Composure), Cory Muro (The Composure) to perform four concerts in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland. Some of these shows were headlining dates with support from The Composure and some were in support of also regrouped The Ataris
.
There are no plans of the band ever reuniting in its traditional form.
Former
Touring
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, and ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
(early years) music scenes that was active from 1995-2005. The band took its name from a computer program.
In those ten years the band managed to tour North America many times over with popular acts like The Matches
The Matches
The Matches are a United States-based band formed in 1997 in Oakland, California. It currently is composed of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jonathan Devoto, bassist and backup vocalist Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen...
, Steel Train
Steel Train
Steel Train is an indie rock band from New Jersey. They have toured with Tegan and Sara, Girl in a Coma, Ben Folds, The Fray, Silversun Pickups, Hanson, The Format, Gomez, O.A.R., Barenaked Ladies, Fun and others...
, Punchline
Punchline (band)
Punchline is an American rock band from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, that formed in 1998. The band released released their sixth full-length album Delightfully Pleased on August 10, 2010 on their own label, Modern Short Stories, and TDR Records....
, The Sloppy Meateaters
The Sloppy Meateaters
Sloppy Meateaters was an American band from Rome, Georgia on Orange Peel Records.-Early history:Prior to forming The Sloppy Meateaters Josh Chambers had a band named NoClass with whom he released a few 7" records and a split CD with Atlanta punk band the Tone Deaf Pig-Dogs...
, The Unsung Zeros, The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory
The Juliana Theory are an American rock quintet from Greensburg and Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Juliana Theory signed to Christian record label Tooth & Nail Records despite not being a Christian band. The group later signed to Epic Records for the release of the album Love. The Juliana Theory...
, Midtown
Midtown (band)
Midtown was an American pop punk band from Springfield, New Jersey. Midtown was formed in November 1998 by three Rutgers University students, but soon became a quartet. The band took advantage of the fertile New Jersey punk scene to develop a sound that combined elements of pop punk and punk rock...
, River City High
River City High
River City High is a punk rock band from Richmond, Virginia. Like many Richmond punk bands, they incorporate other influences into their music, specifically classic rock...
, Catch 22 and Clearview Kills. The band also was a featured act on numerous of the side stages during the 2002 and 2003 Van's Warped Tour, being featured on the Ernie Ball, Kevin Says, and Punkrocks.net stages in numerous cities throughout the East Coast and Midwest United States. The Berlin Project was also a part of numerous Radio Festivals and the like such as 2000's X-Fest in Pittsburgh with The Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
and Everclear
Everclear (band)
Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...
, and 2002's Skate and Surf Festival in Asbury Park, New Jersey with The Descendents, Finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
and more.
In 2004 The Berlin Project finished a two back to back North American tours as co headliners with Art Punkers, The Matches
The Matches
The Matches are a United States-based band formed in 1997 in Oakland, California. It currently is composed of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jonathan Devoto, bassist and backup vocalist Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen...
and then as main support for fellow American Rock act Steel Train
Steel Train
Steel Train is an indie rock band from New Jersey. They have toured with Tegan and Sara, Girl in a Coma, Ben Folds, The Fray, Silversun Pickups, Hanson, The Format, Gomez, O.A.R., Barenaked Ladies, Fun and others...
in time to return home to Pittsburgh for 2004's X-Fest held at The Post Gazzette Pavilion where they shared the stage with The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
and long time companions both at home and on tour Punchline
Punchline (band)
Punchline is an American rock band from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, that formed in 1998. The band released released their sixth full-length album Delightfully Pleased on August 10, 2010 on their own label, Modern Short Stories, and TDR Records....
. Somewhere in here as well The Berlin Project found time to headline the farewell show to the band's home venue in Pittsburgh, Club Laga. This performance was joined by main support acts River City High
River City High
River City High is a punk rock band from Richmond, Virginia. Like many Richmond punk bands, they incorporate other influences into their music, specifically classic rock...
and Clearview Kills, complete with ceiling mounted cannons shooting ticker tape over the crowd as the band performed the final song to be played at the venue. This stretch of touring and performances in 2004 would be the band's final major activity.
The Berlin Project released two albums on US indie label Orange Peal records. The band's final full length, The Things We Say was released to some success on Trident Style Recordings in Japan.
To date, the bands most notable recording was an independent release. 1997's cover version of Snoop Dogg's Gin and Juice
Gin and Juice
"Gin and Juice" is the second single by rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg from his debut album Doggystyle. A top 10 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, peaking at number eight, "Gin and Juice" was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance...
went on to find massive success with the original spread of Napster and file sharing.
Members of The Berlin Project went on to play in Punchline (Fueled By Ramen / Modern Short Stories), Craig's Brother
Craig's Brother
Craig's Brother is an American punk rock band founded by Andy Snyder, Scott Hrapoff and Heath Konkel, later joined by Ted Bond and Adam Nigh. They have released three full length recordings internationally, two on Tooth & Nail Records and one self-released through digital distribution.-Foundation...
(Takeover/Tooth and Nail), and Gene The Werewolf.
In August 2009 the band temporarily reformed with John Garrighan, Chuck Rocha, Paul Menotiades (Punchline, The Composure), Cory Muro (The Composure) to perform four concerts in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland. Some of these shows were headlining dates with support from The Composure and some were in support of also regrouped The Ataris
The Ataris
The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
.
There are no plans of the band ever reuniting in its traditional form.
Running For the Border : 1998
The first official release from The Berlin Project with small circulation on Sour Records. Due to a ska/punk cover of Snoop Dog's Gin and Juice the album was never picked up by a major label, nor had heavy circulation. Today used copies can found carrying a high price on large used music resellers due to the popularity of the track on napster after its release.Culture Clash : August 10, 1999
- Faded Memories
- Carried Me Away
- Run Away
- Individuality
- Driving School Dropout
- Those Days
- Boil
- Vagrant
- Woo-Ha!
- Rocktown
- Taco Bell World
- Mall Cop
- Thank You
- Fight Song
The Transitions Radio EP : December 26, 2000
- Crashing Down
- Someday Forever
- Stay Gold
- Runaway
- Aberdeen 3:06
The Things We Say : April 20, 2004
- In Your Head
- Running in Circles
- Walking Papers
- The Things We Say
- You're Gone
- Daydream
- Not Another Game
- Celebrity
- All You Wanted Was a Crowd
- Pleasure to Burn
- I Won't Wait for You
10 Years From Berlin Project: The Best of Berlin Project : 2005
- Running in Circles
- Hey Jude (Unreleased Cover)
- Look At Me
- The Things We Say
- Crashing Down
- Someday Forever
- I Won't Wait For You
Band members
Current- John Garrighan (lead vocals, lead guitar): 1995-2005 †
- Jon Belan (lead vocals, rhythm guitar): 2002-2005
- Nick Revak (Drums): 1999-2005
- Aaron Mediate (Keys, Analog, Saxophone): 1997-2005
- Tim Schultz (bass, backing vocals): 2003-2005
Former
- Chuck Rocha (Bass/Vocals) : 2002-2003
- Brad Evanovich (Bass/Vocals) : 1995-2002
- Jim Ogg (percussion) : 1999-2003
- Brian Camp (Guitar/Vocals) : 1995-2002
- Joe Rothwell (Drums) : 1995-1999
- Eric Porado (Trumpet) : 1997-2000
- Michael "Nacho" Crosby (Alto Sax/Vocals) : 1998-2000
- Brian Coles (Trumpet) : 1998-2000
- Joe Culig (Trombone) : 1998-2000
- Sean McAfee (Analog Keys/Trombone) : 1998-2000
Touring
- Paul Menotiades (Guitar/Vocals) : 2009
- Cory Muro (Drums) : 2009