Hot Snakes
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224881335
2008-07-10T20:44:14Z
IllaZilla
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 224860884 by [[Special:Contributions/Bharder9|Bharder9]] ([[User talk:Bharder9|talk]]) improper english grammar. the name is plural, ergo the sentence context is plural
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| Name = Hot Snakes
| Img =
| Img_capt =
| Img_size =
| Background = group_or_band
| Origin = [[San Diego, California]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| Genre = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[Post punk]]
| Years_active = 1999–2005
| Label = [[Swami Records|Swami]]
| Associated_acts = [[Pitchfork (band)|Pitchfork]], [[Drive Like Jehu]], [[Rocket from the Crypt]], [[Back Off Cupids]], [[Sultans (band)|Sultans]], [[The Night Marchers]]
| URL = [http://www.hotsnakes.com/ Hotsnakes.com]
| Current_members =
| Past_members = [[Rick Froberg]]<br />[[John Reis]]<br />Gar Wood<br />Jason Kourkounis<br />[[Mario Rubalcaba]]
}}
The '''Hot Snakes''' were an American [[Rock (music)|rock]] band led by [[Rick Froberg]] and [[John Reis]], formed in 1999 in [[San Diego, California]] and disbanded in 2005. Reis and Froberg had previously performed together in [[Pitchfork (band)|Pitchfork]] and [[Drive Like Jehu]], after which Reis had found international success with [[Rocket from the Crypt]].
Although they share sonic similarities with bands its members had previously been involved with, Hot Snakes' sound is much more primal than that of Pitchfork, Drive Like Jehu or even Rocket from the Crypt. Reis and Froberg were also heavily influenced by bands such as [[The Wipers]], [[Suicide (band)|Suicide]], and [[Michael Yonkers Band]], and these influences gave Hot Snakes a distinctive sound that has been described by one critic as "hardcore garage punk" <ref>[http://www.punknews.org/review/6299 Thunder Down Under review]</ref>
. The band's recordings and merchandise were conducted in a "Do it Yourself" manner, with Froberg providing all of the artwork and Reis releasing the material via his record label [[Swami Records]], through which they are still available.
== Band History ==
=== Pre-history ===
As youths growing up in San Diego, Reis and Froberg had played together in the [[post hardcore]] band Pitchfork from 1986 to 1990. Following that they formed Drive Like Jehu, which gained the attention of major labels and resulted in a record contract with [[Interscope Records]]. By this time, however, Reis had become seriously involved with his other band, Rocket from the Crypt, and in 1995 Drive Like Jehu stopped playing together. Reis would continue to work with Rocket From the Crypt until 2005, while Froberg moved to [[New York City|New York]] to start a career as visual artist and illustrator.
=== Formation ===
Hot Snakes essentially began as a "[[side project]]" in 1999 while Reis was taking time off from Rocket from the Crypt, who were in between record labels and had lost their longtime drummer [[Atom Willard]]. While searching for a new record label and drummer, Reis started his own label [[Swami Records]] and experimented with other musicians, resulting in the formation of both Hot Snakes and the [[Sultans (band)|Sultans]]. Hot Snakes originated when Reis recorded a batch of songs with [[Delta 72]] drummer [[Jason Kourkounis]], then contacted former bandmate Froberg to contribute vocals to the tracks. Most of this recording session was released in 2000 as Hot Snakes' first album ''[[Automatic Midnight]]'', which was the first release by the Swami label.
Although Reis and Froberg had previously collaborated in bands, Hot Snakes represented a new challenge logistically: Reis lived in San Diego, Froberg in New York, and Kourkounis in [[Philadelphia]]. This resulted in sporadic and intense touring and recording schedules. When a full touring band was needed, Gar Wood ([[Beehive and the Baracudas]], [[Tanner]], [[Fishwife]]) was called in to play the [[bass guitar]]. After some touring Reis returned to work full-time with Rocket from the Crypt.
=== Lineup change ===
In 2002 Hot Snakes reconvened to record the album ''[[Suicide Invoice]]'' and tour the [[United States]]. The following year Kourkounis left the band to play full-time with [[Burning Brides]], and Reis once again returned to work with Rocket from the Crypt. When Hot Snakes again returned to the recording studio in 2004, Rocket from the Crypt drummer [[Mario Rubalcaba]] (also of [[The Black Heart Procession]], [[Clikatat Ikatowi]], 411, and Chicanochrist) was brought in to play the drums. The album ''[[Audit in Progress]]'' was released and the band extensively toured the USA, as well as [[Europe]] and [[Australia]].
While on tour in the [[United Kingdom|UK]] that Fall, the band recorded several songs for [[BBC]] radio at British DJ [[John Peel]]'s recording studio. Their performance would be one of the last for Peel's program, as he died shortly afterwards. This session was released as the ''[[Peel Sessions (Hot Snakes EP)|Peel Sessions]]'' EP, which replaced a planned single for the song "Braintrust" in the UK market.
=== Demise ===
In May of 2005, while on tour in Australia, Hot Snakes recorded a live in-studio performance at [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]] studios for Australian radio station [[Triple J|JJJ]]. On their return to the US, Reis announced that the band was breaking up. ''Audit in Progress'' was named "best punk album" at the 2005 [[San Diego Music Awards]], and shortly after Reis announced that Rocket from the Crypt would also be breaking up. That Fall, Hot Snakes contributed a cover of the [[Government Issue]] song "Time to Escape" to the soundtrack to the ''[[Tony Hawk's American Wasteland]]'' video game. This was the last song recorded by the band. Their live Australian radio session was released posthumously in 2006 as ''[[Thunder Down Under]]''.
Following the breakup of both Hot Snakes and Rocket from the Crypt, Reis focused his energy on running the Swami Records label. He continued to perform occasionally with Rubalcaba in the [[Sultans (band)|Sultans]] until that band's breakup in January 2007. Rubalcaba also plays in the [[San Diego]] band [[Earthless]] and is part owner of an independent record store called Thirsty Moon Records. Wood continues to record music and play in [[Beehive and the Barracudas]], while Froberg resides in New York and works as a visual artist and illustrator. In early 2008 Froberg debuted a new musical act called [[Obits]], while Reis, Wood, and Kourkounis reunited in [[The Night Marchers]].
== Band Members ==
{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="float: right; width: 375px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #E2E2E2;"
|+ <big>'''Hot Snakes lineups'''</big><br />(only official members listed)
|-
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" | (1999 - 2003)<br />''[[Automatic Midnight]]''<br />''[[Suicide Invoice]]''
|
* [[Rick Froberg]] - [[guitar]], [[vocals]]
* [[John Reis]] - guitar
* Gar Wood - [[bass guitar|bass]]
* Jason Kourkounis - [[drums]]
|-
! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" | (2003 - 2005)<br />''[[Audit in Progress]]''<br />''[[Peel Sessions (Hot Snakes EP)|Peel Sessions]]''<br />''[[Thunder Down Under]]''
|
* Rick Froberg - guitar, vocals
* John Reis - guitar
* Gar Wood - bass
* [[Mario Rubalcaba]] - drums
|-
|}
* [[Rick Froberg]] - [[guitar]], lead vocals
* [[John Reis]] - guitar, backing vocals
* Gar Wood]- [[bass guitar|bass]], backing vocals
* Jason Kourkounis - [[drums]] ([[1999]]-[[2003]])
* [[Mario Rubalcaba]] - drums ([[2003]]-[[2005]])
<br clear="all"/>
== Discography ==
=== Albums ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Label
!Other information
|-
|2000
|''[[Automatic Midnight]]''
|[[Swami Records|Swami]]
|First album.
|-
|2002
|''[[Suicide Invoice]]''
|Swami
|
|-
|2004
|''[[Audit in Progress]]''
|Swami
|Named "Best Punk Album" at the [[2005]] [[San Diego Music Awards]].
|-
|2006
|''[[Thunder Down Under]]''
|Swami
|Live-in-the-studio recording from 2005 Australian tour.
|-
|}
=== EPs & singles ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Label
!Other information
|-
|2004
|''[[This Mystic Decade]]''
|Swami
|Out of print.
|-
|2005
|''[[Peel Sessions (Hot Snakes EP)|Peel Sessions]]''
|Swami
|Live-in-the-studio recording for [[BBC]] radio from 2004 [[United Kingdom|UK]] tour.
|-
|}
=== Non-Album Tracks ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Album/Source
!Label
!Song(s)
!Other information
|-
|2003
|''[[Swami Sound System Vol. 1]]''
|[[Swami Records|Swami]]
|"U.S. Mint"
|
|-
|2004
|unreleased
|none
|"DNR (Do Not Resuscitate)"
|Has not yet been released. Was originally intended as a b-side for a UK single release of the song "Braintrust," but this single was abandoned after "Braintrust" was released internationally on the ''[[Peel Sessions (Hot Snakes EP)|Peel Sessions]]'' EP.
|-
|}
== Videography ==
=== Music Videos ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Title
!Album
!Other information
|-
|2004
|"Braintrust"
|''[[Audit in Progress]]''
|
|-
|}
== References ==
<references/>
== External links ==
* [http://www.hotsnakes.com/ Official Website]
* [http://www.swamirecords.com/hotsnakes.html Swami Records band profile]
* [http://www.swamirecords.com Swami Records]
[[Category:American rock music groups]]
[[Category:John Reis groups]]
[[Category:San Diego musical groups]]
[[Category:Swami Records artists]]