H2O (American band)

H2O
Toby Morse, singer of H2O
Background information
Origin	New York City, New York, USA
Genres	Punk rock Hardcore punk Melodic Hardcore
Years active	1995–present
Labels	Blackout Records (1996) Epitaph Records (1997–1999) MCA Records (2001–2002) Bridge 9 (2008–present)
Associated acts	The Operation M.D., Hazen Street, Juliette and the Licks, The Offspring
Website	Official website
Members
Todd Morse Toby Morse Rusty Pistachio Adam Blake Todd Friend
Past members
Eric Thrice

H₂O is a punk rock band formed in New York in 1995.

History

Prologue

Prior to the formation of H₂O, in the early-mid-1980s, Todd Morse and Rusty Pistachio were part of the speed punk band "Roadside Petz". This band featured Wayne Williams on drums. Outcrowd and Images were bands that followed Roadside Petz before H2O.

Formation and the Epitaph years (1995–2000)

While touring as a roadie for Sick of It All, Toby Morse would sometimes sing with the band during encores. In 1995 Morse decided to start his own band and formed H₂O in the Lower East Side of Manhattan . The band toured relentlessly through most of 1995 and 1996, opening up for almost every hardcore band that hit the east coast, including an opening slot on a Rancid bill, at the Roseland Ballroom. Another huge show was when the band opened for No Doubt at Tramps (NYC) on Easter in 1996. In January 1996 they would record their self titled CD at Brielle Studios-NYC and would release it in May. The CD was basically all the songs they had and would play out at the time. They would tour that whole summer with Shelter and Murphys Law. H₂O performed at CBGB's in October of that year and recorded a video for "Family Tree". They also toured with Social Distortion in October '96.

In June 1997 H₂O quickly recorded and released "Thicker Than Water" in October. They toured all over the world until the end of the year and through 1998. In the year 1997 they would open for Misfits, Pennywise, Sick of It All, CIV and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Warped Tour 98 and 99. They would tour Japan for the 1st time in 1997 & return in 1998. They received MTV play with "Everready".

In 1999, they recorded and released F.T.T.W. in May and made a video for "One Life One Chance" and again toured year around (in Europe, Japan & U.S.) and into 2000. They also toured on the 1999 Warped Tour (sharing a bus with 7 Seconds!). In 1999 and 2000 they would tour with NOFX, The Bouncing Souls, 7 Seconds and Saves the Day. That summer of 2000, H2O would record a cover of the Ice Cube song It Was a Good Day and shoot a video around New York City in the middle of the night.

Go (2001–2003)

In November and December 2000 they recorded their first major label CD on MCA Records titled Go. They recorded Go at Rumbo Studios, owned at the time by 1970s pop stars Captain and Tennille!, in Canoga Park, California.

Go was released in May 2001 and produced by Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Replacements, Maroon 5) and toured extensively (over 150 to 200 shows in a year) H₂O made a video for "Role Model" and performed "Memory Lane" on the Conan O'Brien show in May of that year. They toured Warped Tour with Blink-182, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory and Face to Face and a full Canada tour in 2001. In 2002 H₂O recorded & released the EP All We Want, 3 new songs with 2 live tracks and the "Role Model" video. They also toured in Japan, Europe and U.S. extensively. They would later tour U.S. & Canada with Sum 41 and Box Car Racer.

2004 to 2007

In 2005, H₂O toured Europe with Madball and toured the U.S. with The Used, Pennywise and Dropkick Murphys. In 2006, H₂O toured South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Columbia) for the first time. They toured U.S. with Rancid. H₂O also toured Japan in May/June 2007.

Nothing to Prove - 2008 to Present

H₂O returned to the studio in January 2008 to begin working on their fifth studio album and had posted new songs on their MySpace page. On January 14, 2008, the band announced they signed to Bridge 9 Records, and the new album was released on May 27, 2008. Titled Nothing to Prove, it was their first album of new material in seven years.^[1][2] The band proceeded to support the album's release by opening for Rancid on a series of U.S. tour dates at various House of Blues venues. The band would go on to tour Europe extensively that summer.

In March 2008, it was announced H₂O would play at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in The United Kingdom.

H₂O recently released a DVD titled One Life One Chance. The band also opened for the Dropkick Murphys during their St. Paddy's Day Tour in winter of 2009.

H₂O shot videos for "What Happened" and "Nothing to Prove" from the 'Nothing to Prove' cd.

They celebrated their 15th Anniversary with tour dates in U.S., Europe, South America, Japan and all over the world in 2010.

In August 2010, H₂O played on a boat around Manhattan.

During 2010 South American Tour (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela) Mitts (Madball guitar player) filled in for Todd Morse because he was on tour with The Offspring.

In February through May 2011, they returned to the studio to begin recording a covers CD of some of their favorite punk bands. They also toured Australia on the Soundwave 2011 tour in late February/March and Europe in April and May 2011. In August 2011 they will be touring the UK, and will be playing in Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland for the first time.

Discography

Albums

• H₂O (1996)
• Thicker Than Water (1997)
• F.T.T.W. (1999)
• Go (2001)
• Nothing to Prove (2008)
• Don't Forget Your Roots (2011) ^[3]

EPs

• This Is The East Coast...! Not LA ! (split with Dropkick Murphys) (2000)
• Live EP (H2O) (2000)
• All We Want (2002)
• California (2011)
• New York City (2011)

7"

• 94-95 Four Song Demo (1994)
• Seveninch (1995)
• Can't Get Off The Phone (1996)
• Everready (1998)
• Old School Recess (1999)
• It Was A Good Day/I Want More (2001)
• Still The Same Fellas (2008)

Compilation tracks

• The World Still Won't Listen (1996) "Heaven Knows I Am Miserable Now"
• Show & Tell (A Stormy Remembrance of TV Themes) (1997) "Cops (TV Show Theme)"
• Anti Racist Action Benefit CD (1997) "Nazi Punks #### Off!"
• Creepy Crawl Live (1997) "5 Year Plan (Live) – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Live)"
• Punk-O-Rama Vol. 2.1 (1997) "Family Tree"
• Punk-O-Rama Vol. 3 (1998) "Everready"
• Punk-O-Rama Vol. 4, Straight Outta The Pit (1999) "Faster than the world"
• Fight The World, Not Each Other – A Tribute To 7 Seconds (1999) "Not Just Boys Fun"
• Short Music For Short People (1999) "Mr. Brett, Please Put Down Your Gun"
• A Compilation of Warped Music II by Side One Dummy (1999) "Old Skool Recess"
• Punk-O-Rama Vol. 5 (2000) "Guilty By Association"
• World Warped, Vol.3: Live (2000) "Faster Than The World (Live)"
• Punk Uprisings Vol. 2 (2000) "Universal Language (Live)"
• Rebirth of the Loud (2000) "It Was a Good Day"
• Warped Tour 2001 Tour Compilation (2001) "Unwind"
• Punk Rock Jukebox (2002) "Friend (alternate take)"
• New Found Glory "Sticks and Stones" Bonus CD (2002) "Static" (later released as "Mitts" on Nothing To Prove (2008))
• Dive into Disney (2002) "It's A Small World"
• Live At Continental Best of NYC Vol. 1 (2005) "Liberate (Continental Best of NYC Vol I.)
• Punk Rock is Your Friend: Kung Fu Records Sampler No. 6 (2005) "Guilty By Association (Live)"
• Scream For Help! (2006) "Family Tree"

Movies

• Shooting Vegetarians (1999)

DVDs

• One Life One Chance (2005)

Band members

Current members

• Toby Morse – lead vocals (1995–present)
• Todd Morse – guitar, vocals (1995–present)
• Rusty Pistachio – guitar, vocals (1995–present)
• Adam Blake – bass guitar (1996–present)
• Todd Friend – drums, percussion (1995–present)

Former members

• Eric Rice – bass (1995 & 1996)
• Max Capshaw – drums, percussion (1995)

Related bands

• Hazen Street (Toby Morse)
• Juliette and the Licks (Todd Morse)
• 9 Lives (Rusty Pistachio)
• Images (Rusty Pistachio)
• Alston (Adam Blake)
• Shelter (Adam Blake)
• Outcrowd (Todd Morse & Todd Friend)
• The Operation M.D. (Todd Morse)
• And A Pizza Place (Rusty Pistachio)

References

1. ^ Punknews.org | H₂O signs to Bridge 9
2. ^ Punknews.org | H₂O (Record Release)
3. ^ H2O Go! | H₂O new 2011 album

External links

• Official website
• Singer Toby Morse's site promoting a clean lifestyle
• Interview with Adam and Rusty (2009)
• Interview with Toby on Late Night Wallflower (2008)
• The band talks about their tattoos with Inked Magazine
• ChangeTheRecord.net interview – 14/08/09
• PMAKid.com interview