Whatever Happened To...#8: Romantic Rebel

 In 2015, I attended 50 concerts. Romantic Rebel was the first group I saw live in concert that year. They were on the same bill as 3 Years Hollow, Islander, and Red at Pov's in Spring Lake Park, MN. I would see them twice more in MN and WI before they disbanded. I got to know the band members reasonably well due to those shows and social media. Romantic Rebel was another fun band that was gone way too soon.

The band formed in Chicago in 2012. Brother and sister Alex and KT Paige were the group's guitarist and singer, respectively. KT initially went by the stage name Cherry Bomb. Dan Pascowicz joined them on bass guitar and former Morrisey band member Matt Walker rounded out the ensemble on drums. The quartet released a self-titled four-song EP that year and toured regionally to support the release.

Romantic Rebel released a full-length self-titled album in 2014 on Pavement Records and continued touring regularly as their schedules allowed. They joined bands such as Tantric, Seasons After, and other well-known and up-and-coming artists as they pursued their rock and roll dreams.

The group put out an independent EP called Begin Again in 2016. However, by the time I could track down this release online, Romantic Rebel had already broken up. I can't imagine how difficult it can be to continue to be an independent rock band without any major label support. KT and Alex were the core members of the band, with several other musicians filling the drum and bass guitar spots during their tenure. I know that the brother-sister duo isn't involved in making music anymore, but I wish them and all of their former musical collaborators the best of luck in their new ventures. 

I got a photo with Romantic Rebel after seeing them at Pov's for the first time (took me a while to find it in my social media photo archives). Please forgive the look on my face, I was tired after a long day and battling a head cold. 

That's all for this weekend. Next week, I'll resume this series with Vyces and Stereomud.  Until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to be kind to one another.

Whatever Happened To...#7: Wilson

 Wilson was a hard rock band that didn't take themselves too seriously. Several years ago, I saw them open for Trivium and Tremonti at a defunct club in Minneapolis. I remember their energetic performance and walked away with good memories and a Wilson guitar pick and a band poster. That poster is still on my rock wall in my guest room.

The group got started in 2010 and released its debut EP Standing on the Reel that year. Their first full-length album, Full Blast Fuckery, was issued by New Damage Records in Canada and Easy Killer Records in the United States. Wilson began to grow in popularity as radio stations started playing "If You Ever Leave Me...Better Off," "Strictly Doods (Better Off)" and "College Gangbang" from that album. 

The band's comical nature and energetic sets left fans wanting more. Drummer Matt Puhy, bassist James Lascu, singer Chad Nicefield and guitarists Kyle Landry and Jason Spencer returned to the studio in 2015 to record their follow-up effort. Right to Rise was released that year on the Razor and Tie record label, and Wilson continued their frenetic tour schedule.  Wilson even had their first headlining tour in Europe in 2016.

A third album, Tasty Nasty, came out in 2018 on the group's third different record label. Wilson distributed this disc via Sony RED not long after the single "Like A Baller" was released. "Fuck Up My High" and "Dump Truck" were other singles from the album that were promoted as the band embarked on tours with Steel Panther and Theory of a Deadman. 

The beginning of the end started in June 2019, when Landry announced that he was leaving Wilson to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests. The group announced in November 2019 would be on December 28th of that year. 

Even though Wilson isn't around anymore, they're still very fondly remembered. They were five guys from Michigan who loved making music and sharing their creations with anyone who would listen to them. I'm hopeful for an eventual reunion, but I think that several years will elapse before that happens if it ever does.

Well, that's all for now. Next up is Romantic Rebel, another personal favorite of mine. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#6: Seasons After

 Seasons After was an Upper Midwest band that I got to know pretty well over the years. I saw several of their shows in Minnesota and Wisconsin and formed friendships with the band members over the years. They aren't around any longer, but the memories will still live on for me and many of my fellow concertgoers.

The group originated in 2006 in Wichita, Kansas. Seasons After was founded by rhythm guitarist Chris Dawson, drummer Tim Rails, guitarist Steve Frank, bassist Michael Byers and singer Chris Schlichting. They recorded their debut album Through Tomorrow by themselves in 2008. The album was re-released by ILG/Warner in 2010, who signed Seasons After in 2009. 

Seasons After toured regularly, including the Taste of Chaos and Vans Warped Tour festivals. Schlichting left the band in August 2010 and was replaced by Tony Housh. The band went through a lengthy dispute with their record label before releasing their sophomore disc Calamity Scars & Memoirs independently in 2014. Album tracks "So Long Goodbye," "Weathered and Worn," "Lights Out" and "Wake Me" were distributed as singles as the group continued to tour and self-promote.

Their third album Manifesto debuted in November 2016. "Fighter" was the only single from that record, and the band continued to tour regionally. Seasons After split up in 2017, as the members decided to pursue other interests. Guitarist Chris Dawson continues to record and produce for other bands, sometimes with his former bandmate Jimmy Beattie becoming involved in the process. 

Before my last Seasons After concert in Wisconsin, I sat in the band's tour bus with a buddy as we watched the rough cut for the "Fighter" music video that my friend and I were in. They asked their fans to contribute short video clips explaining why they're fighters. The video is still available on YouTube and can be found easily. I still love the song for its positive message. It definitely motivates me when I'm feeling down. 

I was glad to participate in the video and do my part to support my friends in the band. I still encourage them in their new ventures whenever I see them on social media. I'm very appreciative for the friendships and the memories that I've made because of Seasons After. Can't thank them all enough. 

Well, that's all for now. Next weekend, I'll resume this series with the band Wilson. Until then, have a great holiday weekend and keep rocking!

Whatever Happened To...#5: Default

 I saw the Canadian band Default perform live in concert at St. Cloud State's Halenbeck Hall back in 2004 with Atomship when both groups opened for Evanescence. Neither opening act was on the concert's original bill. The show had been postponed a couple of months after founding guitarist Ben Moody abruptly departed. I had already known about Default after their debut album The Fallout was released, but I haven't seen them since.

Default formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1999 by drummer Danny Craig, vocalist Dallas Smith, bass guitarist Dave Benedict and lead guitarist Jeremy Hora. Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger co-produced the band's first two albums after they were signed to TVT Records. The Fallout sold more than one million copies in both Canada and the United States.

The group toured regularly before taking a break in 2013. They got back together in 2018, but haven't released any new music since their fourth studio album Comes and Goes was released in September 2009. Default has not been active since 2020. 

I don't know if Default will reform, but they were definitely an act to remember. I still have copies of The Fallout, their third release One Thing Remains and a Best Buy exclusive CD with an acoustic version of their single "Count on Me." Time will only tell if they return to concert stages again.

That's all for Default. Next up is Seasons After, a personal favorite of mine. Until then, have a great weekend, everyone!

Whatever Happened To...#4: Atomship

 Atomship is a concept band that I saw perform live twice in 2004. They opened for Evanescence at St. Cloud State University's Halenbeck Hall and opened for Sevendust at the Del-Win Ballroom in St. Joseph. I remember thinking that they were different but very good. I learned quite a bit about their backstory by researching the group for this article.

The band was initially known as Watership Down and was founded by drummer Chad Kent, guitarist Nathan Slade, and bassist/singer Derek Pardoe. Pardoe eventually stepped away from recording their debut album due to anxiety. Session vocalist Joey Culver was brought in to sing on the album. Atomship's members were fascinated with aliens, which explains why their album was named The Crash of '47, a nod to the supposed extraterrestrial incident in Roswell, New Mexico. The group went on tour after hiring Roy Williams to play bass for them on the road. Wind-Up Records dropped Atomship late in 2004, and the band broke up after disagreements with Culver raised tensions.

The group resurfaced as AtomshipDown in 2007 after reuniting with Pardoe. They announced plans to release a pair of albums at the same time, which have yet to see the light of day. Slade passed away in 2009 because of an accidental prescription medication overdose. The band changed its name back to Watership Down in 2010 and added guitarist Jesse Duncan. 

Watership Down was largely silent until 2017 when Pardoe announced that he was leaving the group. Williams, Kent, and Culver were reuniting as Atomship and had added Nathan Slade's brother Jared as their guitarist. No news has been released on the group since the unexpected death of Culver on December 31, 2020.

Whether or not Atomship releases albums or tours again remains to be seen. I liked their commitment to their concepts and thought they were a fun band that was very well worth seeing. If any updates are posted, I'll be sure to amend this article accordingly.

That's all I have about Atomship for now. Next up in this series is Default next weekend. As always, please feel free to leave any comments, questions or feedback. I appreciate it all. Until next time, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another. Have a great holiday weekend too!

Whatever Happened To...#3: Apartment 26

 Apartment 26 was a memorable nu-metal band. I remember seeing them live in concert at the old Del-Win Ballroom in St. Joseph, MN back in 2004 when they opened for Sevendust. I liked the band's energy but didn't realize at the time that they wouldn't be around for very much longer.

The group was formed by bass guitarist Louis Cruden, guitarist Jon Greasley, keyboardist Andy Huckvale and Geezer Butler's son Terence on lead vocals in 1998. They took their band name from the 1977 David Lynch film Eraserhead. They developed a demo that year, which eventually made its way to Gravity Kills programmer/keyboardist Doug Firley. He offered to produce Apartment 26's debut EP Within.

Apartment 26 joined the 1999 Ozzfest lineup shortly after adding drummer Kevin Temple to their ensemble. They embarked on tours with Sevendust, Staind, Powerman 5000 and other well-established artists and were signed to Hollywood Records that year. Their debut full-length album Hallucinating was released in May 2000.

Singles "Backwards" and "Basic Breakdown" were released from the record and were featured on the 2000 Playstation game Gekido: Urban Fighters. The band was in the 2000 Ozzfest lineup and promoted Hallucinating by touring with Disturbed. Temple left Apartment 26 in late 2000 and was replaced by Jeremy Colson a few months later.

Apartment 26 signed with Atlantic Records in the spring of 2002, not long after Colson left the group. Brad Booker took his place in July of that year and the band started working on songs for their second album. Music for the Massive debuted in February 2004. Album tracks "Give Me More" and "88" were released from their sophomore effort, which wasn't promoted as much as it probably could have been. Atlantic dropped Apartment 26 in May 2004 and the band announced their breakup a few months later. 

It's a shame that this group was only around for a few years because they definitely had some potential. I remember watching the crowd actively engage in their performance, mainly when they played the riff from a well-known Black Sabbath song in honor of their frontman's lineage. I still have a promotional CD that included "Give Me More" somewhere in my collection.

Well, article #3 in this series is in the books! Next up is Atomship. Please feel free to provide feedback or let me know about any artists you'd like to see covered. Until then, have a great weekend, and don't forget to be kind to one another. 

Whatever Happened To...#2: Cinder

The band Cinder from Florida was another group that I saw perform at my first Sevendust show back in November 2002. I was already familiar with their song "Soul Creation." The single was featured on Fuse TV in regular rotation and I still have a version of the song on a compilation CD somewhere. It was also included in the NHL 2004 and MX Unleashed Playstation 2 games. What I didn't know at the time was that the single was on an album that would never be released.

Cinder began in 1999 with guitarist Kenny Craig and vocalist Roger Young. The group started performing and working on songs for an album that was originally called Soapy Tune when drummer Brian Colbert and bassist Pat McGuire joined. The group then recorded an album that was only distributed at their concerts and went by the moniker Jesus Gun at the time.

In 2001, the group was signed to Geffen Records. Work on their debut disc "Break Your Silence" started, with assistance from producers John Kurzweg and Jay Baumgartner. Stone Temple Pilots/Velvet Revolver lead singer Scott Weiland also took the producer reins, producing 9 of the album's 11 tracks. They also changed their band name to Cinder and started touring with established acts like Creed and Sevendust. 

Unfortunately, Geffen Records would be bought out by another company and "Break Your Silence" was not released. However, a promotional copy of "Break Your Silence" could be found on the Internet for a while in 2002. Cinder was able to get out of their contract in 2004 and signed with Rock Ridge Records in 2006.

Pat McGuire was replaced by Steve Reich before their second album was recorded. "House Full of No Trust" debuted on August 8th, 2006, but the group was soon cut by their record label after a planned tour fell through because of a lack of funding. Cinder released their third album entitled "You" in 2010. This album featured 2 new versions of songs from their Geffen Records album and 4 original tracks. Some radio markets received the Gangsta Stereo single from that album, but it didn't make much of a mark nationally.

2 other artists have also used the band name Cinder. One is a deejay in France, and the other was a metal band from Spain that released one album and a few other songs during their existence from 2001 to 2010. Not much more information is available online about the Cinder band that originated in Florida.

Article #2 is in the books! I'll try to write one or two of these a weekend as time permits. Hope you enjoy them. Until next time, have a great weekend and don't forget to be kind to one another.