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Andre Comeau, born 1971 in Detroit, MI, is a musician, vocalist, and music business executive, who first came into the public eye as a recurring cast member of the first season (New York) of The Real World (TV series)[1].

Reigndance/The Real World

Comeau was vocalist of New York/New Jersey based hard-rock band Reigndance, who made frequent appearances through the first season, including being interviewed by Matt Pinfield. After several demo releases, the band, which also featured future Queens of the Stone Age/The Dead Weather guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Dean Fertita, released their debut LP Problem Factory in 1993 on Interference Records. [2] [3] [4][5][6]

A 2019 The New York Times style article titled This Gen X Mess states, "It’s easy to forget that “The Real World” started out as a documentary — if not an artsy one, at least vaguely art adjacent, with its initial cast members being a dancer, two singers, a rapper, a filmmaker, a poet and, um, Eric Nies. By modern reality TV standards it’s incredibly boring and poorly constructed, but as a document of hot youngs in 1992, it’s remarkable. TV may have never seen a better embodiment of Gen X slackerdom than Andre, whose band was called, with utter seriousness, Reigndance."[7]

After forming in Michigan in the late 80s, the band relocated to New Jersey, when Comeau was tapped to appear on the first season of MTV's reality series The Real World. Reigndance received massive exposure from their appearances on the show, but Comeau would later state in interviews that it did not attract the right audience for the band's Grunge-oriented sound.[8] Reigndance released 3 full length albums before disbanding in 1997, when Comeau relocated to Los Angeles and began working in music licensing, while continuing to perform in several folk-based projects through the 2000s, including the successful LA folk/rock/americana outfit River Rouge, before returning to his Hard Rock roots in 2015. Guitarist Dean Fertita went on to play keyboards and guitar for The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather, and Queens of the Stone Age, performing on the #1 Billboard album ...Like Clockwork. [6] [5]

Says Comeau, “Reigndance was really a great band, and we took it up the mountain,” he said. “And I’m extremely proud of everything we did. ‘The Real World’ thing, for a long time, was something I disconnected with, and at the time, it was really its own thing. For a long time, I didn’t even talk about it."[6]

Wrong Within

In 2020, after reconnecting with his friend, music producer, manager, and label executive Thom Hazaert, and his partner David Ellefson of Megadeth, Comeau released the Wrong Within EP via their EMP Label Group, which has achieved success at Rock Radio with the singles "Firebird" and "Son Of A Gun". Comeau has announced several upcoming singles, and a full-length album, also releasing via EMP Label Group in 2021[9] [8][6] “I have always been a fan of Andre’s music, which, of course, I discovered through ‘The Real World,’” Hazaert says. “Reigndance was a great rock band, and, from a distance, I have perpetually kept up with his musical endeavors over the years. While we had discussed briefly working together during the early 2000s, which ultimately never came to fruition as he transitioned away from rock for a season, i’m extremely excited that it has come together now the way it has. Andre has always been an extremely gifted songwriter and a true entertainer.”[4][10]

On the transition from Rock to folk and back, Comeau states, ""The song is just what it is to me and I don't really write in any particular character or voice. It really, it all depends on the song and whatever that song is calling for. Lately the hard rock has been my direction, so I'm thrilled to be back in that genre." [11]

In April 2020, Comeau performed live on Ellefson and Hazaert's Oh Say Can You Stream fundraiser, to benefit their Ellefson Youth Music Foundation, in conjunction with the Grammy Music Education Coalition, alongside guests including Alice Cooper, Rhett & Link, Nita Strauss, Chris Kael of Five Finger Death Punch, Charlie Benante of Anthrax, Troy Sanders, Rob Caggiano of Volbeat, DMC, and more[12][13]. Comeau also appeared as a guest on the May follow-up broadcast, celebrating legendary Rock photographer Mark "Weissguy" Weiss, and the release of his book The Decade that Rocked, with guests including Zakk Wylde, Nuno Bettencourt, Rudy Sarzo, Dee Snider, and more[14].

In October 2020, Comeau appeared on the Kiss (band) podcast Three Sides Of The Coin to talk about Wrong Within, being a KISS fan, and his time performing in a Detroit KISS tribute. [15]

Andre is also a notable music supervisor, working for San Francisco based music licensing agency Seven Seas Music, founded by Brooke Wentz and Maryam Battaglia, who have a combined 100+ film credits, and founded Rights Workshop; a music supervision, licensing and creative clearance company. Comeau also contributed to Wentz and Battaglia's book American Film Market Presents: Music Rights Unveiled: A Filmmaker's Guide to Music Rights and Licensing.[16][17]

References

  1. ^ "Real World: New York Cast Reuniting 22 Years Later: Original Housemates to Return to SoHo Loft". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  2. ^ Bush, John. "Reigndance". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  3. ^ "Andre Comeau". IMDB. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "That 'Rocker Guy': Andre Comeau pushes 'The Real World' behind him with new EP". The Entertainer. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b "The Dead Weather: Anarchy + Chaos + Melody = Rock 'n' Roll". Premier Guitar. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d "Andre Comeau pushes 'The Real World' behind him with new EP". Downtown LA News. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. ^ Anya, Strzemien. "This Gen X Mess". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b "What These Stars Of The Real World Season 1 Look Like Today". Nicki Swift. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  9. ^ "A look back at 'The Real World New York' cast". CNN. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Former Reigndance vocalist Andre Comeau to release "Wrong Within" EP". The Rockpit. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  11. ^ "'Wrong Within' Andre Comeau goes from 'Real World' to real rocker". NJ 101.5. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Megadeth, Anthrax, Mastodon, Testament Members and More Taking Part in Nine-Hour Livestream Fundraiser". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Members of Megadeth, FFDP + 40 More Artists to Live Stream Music Fundraiser Read More: Megadeth, FFDP Members + 40 More Artists to Livestream Fundraiser". Loudwire. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Megadeth's David Ellefson to Host Streamed Broadcast with Legendary Photographer Mark "Weissguy" Weiss". Grammy Music Education Coalition. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Three Sides of the Coin Ep 402 Andre Comeau". Three Sides Of The Coin. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Seven Seas Music - About US". Seven Seas Music. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Music Rights Unveiled: A Filmmaker's Guide to Music Rights and Licensing". Retrieved 2 February 2021.
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