The Hippos
The Hippos |
|---|
The Hippos were an American ska band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California and disbanded in 2003. During the band's lifetime they released 3 full-length albums. Their early work is best classified as part of the third wave of ska music or as ska punk, though in the later years of their career the band transitioned to a more pop-based sound utilizing synthesizers.
Band History
Formation
The Hippos formed in Los Angeles, California in 1995 with a lineup of Ariel Rechtshaid on vocals and guitar, James Bairian on bass, Louis Castle on trumpet, Rich Zahniser and Danny Rukasin on trombones, and Kyle Briggs on drums. This lineup would remain virtually unchanged throughout the band's career. They self-released a cassette demo entitled Attack of the Killer Cheese and began playing shows around southern California, establishing themselves amongst a prolific ska scene including bands such as No Doubt, Buck-O-Nine, Dance Hall Crashers, Link 80, Save Ferris, and The Aquabats.
Forget the World
By 1996 the band had attracted the attention of Fueled by Ramen Records and entered the studio to record their first album, Forget the World. Jointly released the following year through Fueled by Ramen and Vagrant Records, the album was essentially a traditional ska punk effort focusing on upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. It afforded the band their first national tours at a time when ska and punk rock were gaining national attention. The band toured on and off in support of Forget the World for over a year.
Heads Are Gonna Roll
By 1999 the band had signed to major label Interscope Records and released their second album, Heads Are Gonna Roll. Musically the album found the band transitioning to a more pop-rock sound, using fewer ska rhythms and instead incorporating synthesizers. It was the band's most successful album and their only major-label release. The song "Wasting My Life" recieved airplay on some indpendent radio stations. The band toured the United States in support of the album.
Demise
Following tours in support of Heads Are Gonna Roll drummer Kyle Briggs left the group. Over the next few years the band rehearsed and recorded new songs with other drummers, expanding their use of keyboards, synthesizers, and programming. However, the members drifted into other projects and it became apparent that the band would not continue on as they once had. They quietly broke up, but released a posthumous self-titled album in 2003 through Olympic Records. The product of several years of recording, the album completed their transition from traditional ska punk to synthpop, almost completely severing ties to the southern California ska scene from which the band had spawned.
Following the band's breakup the members moved on to other musical projects. Castle and Bairian formed the band Dirty Little Secret. Rechtshaid played with them for a time before forming his own group Foreign Born, and also became a producer, working with bands such as Taking Back Sunday and We Are Scientists. Rukasin became a band manager, while Zahniser formed the band Southbase.
Band members
| (1995 - 2000) Forget the World Heads Are Gonna Roll |
|
|---|---|
| (2000 - 2003) The Hippos |
|
- Ariel Rechtshaid – vocals, guitar, keyboards, programming
- James Bairian - bass, vocals
- Louis Castle - trumpet, vocals, keyboards, programming
- Rich Zahniser - trombone, vocals, keyboards, programming
- Danny Rukasin - trombone
- Kyle Briggs - drums (1995 - 2000)
- Blair Singa - drums on The Hippos
- Nate Morton - drums on The Hippos
- Garrett Ray - drums on The Hippos
Discography
Albums
| Album Cover | Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Forget the World | Fueled by Ramen Records/Vagrant Records | CD | First album. | |
| 1999 | Heads Are Gonna Roll | Interscope Records | CD | Last album with drummer Kyle Briggs. | |
| 2003 | The Hippos | Olympic Records | CD | Final album. |
Singles
| Album Cover | Year | Song | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Wasting My Life" | Interscope Records | CD | Out of print. |
Non-album tracks
| Album Cover | Year | Album Title | Label | Song(s) | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | California Ska Quake 2 | Caroline Records | "So What?" | ||
| 1997 | Take Warning: The Songs of Operation Ivy | Glue Factory Records | "Freeze Up" | Originally performed by Operation Ivy. | |
| 1998 | Five Years on the Streets | Vagrant Records | "Lost It (Live)" | ||
| 1998 | The Radiolistener Remixes | Vegas Records | "Asleep at the Wheel (The Boom Shaka remix)" | ||
| 1999 | Before You Were Punk 2 | Vagrant Records | "Our Lips Are Sealed" | Originally performed by The Go-Go's. | |
| 1999 | no album | no label | "1999" | Was available as a download from the band's official website. |
Demos
| Album Cover | Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Attack of the Killer Cheese | Self Released | Cassette | 4-song demo. Out of print. | |
| 1998 | Heads Are Gonna Roll demo | self-released, no label | Demos for 1999 album incuding early versions of "Thinking" and "Pollution." |