The Riverdales: Difference between revisions

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'''The Riverdales''' were a short-lived group formed by [[Ben Foster]] and [[Dan Sullivan]], both formerly of [[Screeching Weasel]], in [[1995]].  The Riverdales displayed a heavy Ramones-influence musically, lyrically, and visually.  Originally described by Ben as being a "golden oldies-type band with some Ramones touches", the duo first set out to find a female bassist/singer.  Unable to find anyone who would fit the bill, former Screeching Weasel bassist [[Dan Schafer]] entered the picture.  Schafer and Foster would split both the singing and songwriting duties for the band.  The trio hit vinyl in mid 1995, releasing 2 singles and an LP on Lookout Records.  The group followed that with a 3 month tour supporting Green Day (the Riverdales were one of several Lookout bands that Green Day brought on the road after they signed to a major label).  The decision to do a long tour was ironic considering that Ben had developed a strong dislike of touring while in Screeching Weasel.  Unlike Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales were run as a democracy and the band had agreed as a group to do the tour (Ben would later claim that although he was intially in favor of the tour, he would later voice his dissent but was outvoted by the other members).  The tour, however, would exacerbate tensions within the group and prove to be it's undoing.  At the same time, the band members had become embroiled in a dispute with Lookout Records over royalties from Screeching Weasel and Riverdales album sales, resulting in the Riverdales finding a new home for their 2nd LP.  Following the release of the record in [[1997]], the band effectively split.  In [[2003]], Ben and Dan Schafer resurrected the Riverdales with new drummer Dan Lumley (ex-[[Screeching Weasel]]/[[The Mopes]]/Squirtgun) and recorded a new LP, ''Phase 3''.  There has been no activity from the band since then.  The following year, Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales would be the first in a wave of bands to pull their albums from the Lookout Records' catalog over lack of royalty payments (The Queers, Green Day, Avail, Pansy Division, and Operation Ivy, some of Lookout's biggest acts, would all follow suit).  The first Riverdales' album was reissued by Asian Man Records in [[2006]].  ''Phase 3'' is expected to follow, at some point
'''The Riverdales''' were a short-lived group formed by [[Ben Foster]] and [[Dan Sullivan]], both formerly of [[Screeching Weasel]], in [[1995]].  The Riverdales displayed a heavy Ramones-influence musically, lyrically, and visually.  Originally described by Ben as being a "golden oldies-type band with some Ramones touches", the duo first set out to find a female bassist/singer.  Unable to find anyone who would fit the bill, former Screeching Weasel bassist [[Dan Schafer]] entered the picture.  Schafer and Foster would split both the singing and songwriting duties for the band.  The trio hit vinyl in mid 1995, releasing 2 singles and an LP on Lookout Records.  The group followed that with a 3 month tour supporting Green Day (the Riverdales were one of several Lookout bands that Green Day brought on the road after they signed to a major label).  The decision to do a long tour was ironic considering that Ben had developed a strong dislike of touring while in Screeching Weasel.  Unlike Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales were run as a democracy and the band had agreed as a group to do the tour (Ben would later claim that although he was intially in favor of the tour, he would later voice his dissent but was outvoted by the other members).  The tour, however, would exacerbate tensions within the group and prove to be it's undoing.  At the same time, the band members had become embroiled in a dispute with Lookout Records over royalties from Screeching Weasel and Riverdales album sales, resulting in the Riverdales finding a new home for their 2nd LP.  Following the release of the record in [[1997]], the band effectively split.  In [[2003]], Ben and Dan Schafer resurrected the Riverdales with new drummer Dan Lumley (ex-[[Screeching Weasel]]/[[The Mopes]]/Squirtgun) and recorded a new LP, ''Phase 3''.  There has been no activity from the band since then.  The following year, Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales would be the first in a wave of bands to pull their albums from the Lookout Records' catalog over lack of royalty payments (The Queers, Green Day, Avail, Pansy Division, and Operation Ivy, some of Lookout's biggest acts, would all follow suit).  The first Riverdales' album was reissued by Asian Man Records in [[2006]].  ''Phase 3'' followed at the end of 2008.  Recently, it was announced that Foster and Schafer have resurrected The Riverdales with new drummer Adam Cargin and will be releasing a new album in 2009.


==Members==
==Members==
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*[[Dan Sullivan]] - Drums ([[1995]] - [[1997]])
*[[Dan Sullivan]] - Drums ([[1995]] - [[1997]])
* Dan Lumley - Drums ([[2003]])
* Dan Lumley - Drums ([[2003]])
* Adam Cargin - Drums ([[2009]] - Present)


==Discography==
==Discography==
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# I Am Not A Freak
# I Am Not A Freak


*'''Phase 3''' (145 Records, [[2003]])
*'''Phase 3''' (145 Records, [[2003]]/Asian Man, [[2008]]))
# Homesick
# Homesick
# A.W.O.M.
# A.W.O.M.
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# Party At The Beach
# Party At The Beach
# Last Stop Tokyo
# Last Stop Tokyo
*'''Invasion U.S.A.''' (Asian Man Records, [[2009]])


==Trivia==
==Trivia==

Revision as of 19:26, 13 January 2009

The Riverdales were a short-lived group formed by Ben Foster and Dan Sullivan, both formerly of Screeching Weasel, in 1995. The Riverdales displayed a heavy Ramones-influence musically, lyrically, and visually. Originally described by Ben as being a "golden oldies-type band with some Ramones touches", the duo first set out to find a female bassist/singer. Unable to find anyone who would fit the bill, former Screeching Weasel bassist Dan Schafer entered the picture. Schafer and Foster would split both the singing and songwriting duties for the band. The trio hit vinyl in mid 1995, releasing 2 singles and an LP on Lookout Records. The group followed that with a 3 month tour supporting Green Day (the Riverdales were one of several Lookout bands that Green Day brought on the road after they signed to a major label). The decision to do a long tour was ironic considering that Ben had developed a strong dislike of touring while in Screeching Weasel. Unlike Screeching Weasel, the Riverdales were run as a democracy and the band had agreed as a group to do the tour (Ben would later claim that although he was intially in favor of the tour, he would later voice his dissent but was outvoted by the other members). The tour, however, would exacerbate tensions within the group and prove to be it's undoing. At the same time, the band members had become embroiled in a dispute with Lookout Records over royalties from Screeching Weasel and Riverdales album sales, resulting in the Riverdales finding a new home for their 2nd LP. Following the release of the record in 1997, the band effectively split. In 2003, Ben and Dan Schafer resurrected the Riverdales with new drummer Dan Lumley (ex-Screeching Weasel/The Mopes/Squirtgun) and recorded a new LP, Phase 3. There has been no activity from the band since then. The following year, Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales would be the first in a wave of bands to pull their albums from the Lookout Records' catalog over lack of royalty payments (The Queers, Green Day, Avail, Pansy Division, and Operation Ivy, some of Lookout's biggest acts, would all follow suit). The first Riverdales' album was reissued by Asian Man Records in 2006. Phase 3 followed at the end of 2008. Recently, it was announced that Foster and Schafer have resurrected The Riverdales with new drummer Adam Cargin and will be releasing a new album in 2009.

Members

Discography

  • "Fun Tonight" b/w "I'm A Vegetable" (Lookout Records, 1995)
  • "Back To You" b/w "I Can't Pretend" (Lookout Records, 1995)
    • "I Can't Pretend" is a cover song and has never seen reissue
    • "Back To You" appeared in the movie Angus
  • Riverdales LP/CD (Lookout Records, 1995/Asian Man Records 2006)
    • The Asian Man reissue contains 12 bonus tracks (tracks 13 - 24) including 2 b-sides, 2 unreleased studio tracks, and 8 live tracks. It also features all new artwork because Ben did not know how to contact the person who took the original cover photo about the rights to the picture.
  1. Fun Tonight
  2. Judy Go Home
  3. Wanna Be Alright
  4. Back To You
  5. Not Over Me
  6. She's Gonna Break Your Heart
  7. I Think About You During the Commercials
  8. Rehabilitated
  9. Plan 13
  10. Outta Sight
  11. In Your Dreams
  12. Hampton Beach
  13. I'm A Vegetable
  14. Two-Headed Girl
  15. I Won't Forget You
  16. No Sense
  17. She's Gonna Break Your Heart (live)
  18. I Think About You During The Commercials (live)
  19. Judy Go Home (live)
  20. Wanna Be Alright (live)
  21. Back To You (live)
  22. Rehabilitated (live)
  23. Give It Up (live)
  24. Hampton Beach (live)
  • "Blood On The Ice" b/w "No Sense" (Honest Don's, 1997)
  • Storm The Streets LP/CD (Honest Don's, 1997)
  1. Make Way
  2. Mental Retard
  3. Don't Let Them Beat My Baby
  4. Cementhead
  5. Riverdale Stomp
  6. Dyna-Mole
  7. I Will Make It Up To You
  8. Blood On The Ice
  9. I Don't Wanna Go To The Party
  10. Kick Your Head In
  11. I Accuse My Parents
  12. Boy In The Plastic Bubble
  13. Give It Up
  14. I Am Not A Freak
  • Phase 3 (145 Records, 2003/Asian Man, 2008))
  1. Homesick
  2. A.W.O.M.
  3. Sniper
  4. Lead The Way
  5. Out Of My Heart
  6. Look Me Up
  7. Wait It Out
  8. Getaway
  9. Tick Tick Tick
  10. I Believe In You And Me
  11. Party At The Beach
  12. Last Stop Tokyo
  • Invasion U.S.A. (Asian Man Records, 2009)

Trivia

  • The Riverdales are named after the town that the characters in the Archie comics lived in and not the town located in the south suburbs. Ben claimed to only learn of Riverdale, IL, after the formation of the band.
  • The Riverdales never included a lyric sheet in their records and stated that asking for one would be "pointless".

Links

The Official Riverdales My Space page