Rock Kills Kid

Infobox musical artist
Name = Rock Kills Kid


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Origin = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genre = Art punk
Alternative rock Electronica
Years_active = 2001–present
Label = Fearless
Reprise
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Current_members = Jeff Tucker
Shawn Dailey
Mike Balboa
Sam Kearney
Past_members = Sean Stopnik
Reed Calhoun
Ian Hendrickson
Devin Kelly
Kirk Huffman
Chris Poulson
Danny Extravaganza

Rock Kills Kid is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California that consists of Jeff Tucker (guitar and vocals), Shawn Dailey (bass), Sean Stopnik (guitar), Reed Calhoun (keyboards/vocals), and Mike Balboa (drums). Their music often draws comparison to The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen and U2, as well as new bands such as The Killers and Franz Ferdinand.Fact|date=May 2008 They were named one of Rolling Stone magazine's "10 Artists to Watch in 2006".Fact|date=May 2008

History

Although there was a period when Jeff Tucker, Kirk Huffman, and Danny "Extravaganza" played under the moniker [http://www.garageband.com/artist/the_jeff_tucker_extravaganza "The Jeff Tucker Extravaganza"] , The initial incarnation of "Rock Kills Kid" consisted of Jeff Tucker (vocals, guitar, song-writing), Kirk Huffman (bass), Devin Kelly (guitar, vocals, piano), and Chris Poulson (drums). This version of Rock Kills Kid toured moderately across the United States in support of the debut [http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Kills-Kid/dp/B00007MB4J/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1221498331&sr=1-3 self-titled 5-song EP] released in early 2003 by Fearless Records.

During the end of the self-titled EP tour, the band also recorded two songs with producer/engineer Ariel Rechtshaid (formerly of "The Hippos"). The songs were titled "Still Standing" and "Farewell." The former appeared on a Fearless Records Promotional CD: "2003 And Beyond..." and was remade later on the album "Are You Nervous?" and retitled "Hope Song". The latter was included with a bonus disc inside select copies of the Fearless Records "Punk Goes Acoustic" compilation.

Following this period, with no money and no place to live, Tucker began sleeping at the recording studio Fearless was paying for in Los Angeles while writing songs for the forthcoming full-length album.

Tucker later regrouped with a new line-up of Rock Kills Kid, which included Dailey, Stopnik, Calhoun, and Hendrickson. They signed to Reprise Records and toured extensively in support of their debut album, "Are You Nervous" (with drums played by Kenny Livingston and production/engineering tasks given to Mark Trombino). A tour in fall 2005 and early 2006 with Electric Six and She Wants Revenge further boosted their profile, as did the use of "Hide Away" on an episode of Fox television drama The O.C.

"Hide Away" was an iTunes free download in April 2006. "Paralyzed" is the first single off "Are You Nervous" and was sent to radio that same month. "Paralyzed" was played during the credits of the 2008 feature film Prom Night.

Rock Kills Kid are currently recording their follow-up to "Are You Nervous?"

Trivia

*Lead singer Jeff Tucker is engaged to Natasha Melnick (Cindy Sanders in Freaks And Geeks)
*On the album , they cover the Spoon song "I Turn My Camera On."

Interviews

* [http://www.thoughtworthy.com/contact.cgim?partner=TWM&tab=PODCAST&contact_id=12720 ThoughtWorthy Media Interview with Reed Calhoun (01:03:32)]

Albums

* "Rock Kills Kid EP" - Fearless Records - 2003
* "Are You Nervous?" - Reprise Records - 2006
* "Untitled 2nd Album - Reprise Records - 2009

They also appear on a Fearless Records Promotional CD: "2003 And Beyond..." with "Be There" from their first EP and "Still Standing" which was remade on the album "Are You Nervous?" and retitled "Hope Song".

Singles

* "Paralyzed" (2006) US Modern Rock #12

External links

* [http://www.rockkillskid.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rockkillskid Rock Kills Kid] on MySpace
* [http://www.purevolume.com/rockkillskid Rock Kills Kid] on Purevolume
* [http://www.soundclick.com/rockkillskid Rock Kills Kid] on Soundclick
* [http://www.fearlessrecords.com/viewband.php?band_id=15 Rock Kills Kid] on the Fearless Records website