The Insyderz

Infobox musical artist |
Name = The Insyderz


Img_capt = Cover of "Skalleluia"
Landscape = no
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin =
Genre = Ska, Punk, Ska-core
Years_active = 1996 – 2005
Label = Squint Entertainment KMG Records Floodgate Records
Associated_acts =
Past_members = Joe Yerke Beau McCarthy Bram Roberts Pedro Zapata Hernandez Michael Lloyd Nate Sjogren Alan Brown Kyle Wasil Sang Kim Mike Rowland Todd Miesch

The Insyderz were a Christian ska band from Detroit, Michigan. They formed in 1996 and disbanded in 2005.

Band history

The Insyderz began from Joe Yerke and Nate Sjogren who led worship together at their church.(4/23/99). Interview with [http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/interviews/Insyderz.asp Bram Roberts] at "Jesus Freak Hideout".] The band found their break at the 1996 Cornerstone Festival.cite journal |quotes= |last=Bumgarner |first=David |year=1997 |month=May/June |title=The Insyderz |journal=7ball Magazine |volume= |issue= |pages= |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000415044507/www.theinsyderz.com/press/i_7ball_1997_05.html |format=reprint |accessdate=2007-02-01 ] They began playing on their campsite, and wound up garnering the attention of Michael Sean Black and Gene Eugene, who signed them to his label Brainstorm Artists International. While that label folded soon after, the band's first album, "Motor City Ska" (1997), effectively established a presence in the Christian music marketplace and garnered the attention of Steve Taylor's Squint Entertainment." [http://www.sockheaven.net/press/squint/pr_19980103.html SQUINT ENTERTAINMENT REACHES AGREEMENT WITH THE INSYDERZ] ". Squint Entertainment press release, archived at [http://www.sockheaven.net sockheaven.net] .]

Their subsequent release, "Skalleluia", would become their most successful album and ranked the highest in record sales for the band. The album consisted of contemporary praise and worship songs in ska and ska-punk renditions. Guest performance included Gene Eugene, Terry Scott Taylor, and Steve Taylor.cite journal |quotes= |last=Mendonca |first=Joe |year=1998 |month=March/April |title=The Insyderz |journal=HM Magazine |volume= |issue= |pages= |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20000415114356/www.theinsyderz.com/press/i_hm_1998_03.html |format=reprint |accessdate=2007-02-01 ] Despite the fact that their initial formation centered around turning praise and worship songs into ska the album faced criticism for "jumping on the bandwagon" on praise and worship music's growing commercial appeal.cite journal |last=Urbanski |first=Dave |year=1999 |month=November |title=Sequel Act |journal=CCM Magazine |id=ISSN|1524-7848 |volume=22 |issue=5 |pages=46-47 |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20001017115009/www.theinsyderz.com/press/r_ska2_ccm.html |format=reprint |accessdate=2007-02-01 ] Beyond charting on Billboard's "Hot 200" and "Heatseekers" charts and spending six months on their "Top Contemporary Christian" chart,cite journal |last=Brown |first=Bruce A. |year=2000 |month=January |title=Reviews / "Skalleluia Too!" |journal=CCM Magazine |id=ISSN|1524-7848 |volume=22 |issue=7 |pages=50 ] their rendition of Rich Mullins' song "Awesome God" won the band a Dove Award for "Hard Music Recorded Song Of The Year" in 1999." [http://www.doveawards.com/history/browse.cfm?year=1999 Dove Award Recipients for 1999] ". Published by the Gospel Music Association. Retrieved November 15, 2006.] Some commercial success for the album was due in part to the use of recently written and widely known contemporary worship songs.cite book |last=Powell |first=Mark Allan |title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music |year=2002 |publisher=Hendrickson Publishers |location=Peabody, Massachusetts |isbn=1-56563-679-1 |edition=First printing |pages=435-436] Covers on the album included Twila Paris's "We will Glorfiy" and Keith Green's "Oh, Lord, You're Beautiful".

"Skalleluia" became an unexpected hit for the band but differed from the sound Insyderz had displayed on their own original material.cite journal |quotes= |last=Zhito |first=Lisa |year=1999 |month=January/February |title=Going Outside |journal=7ball Magazine |volume= |issue= |pages= |url=http://web.archive.org/web/20001013002258/www.theinsyderz.com/press/i_7ball_1999_01.html |format=reprint |accessdate=2007-02-01 ] In mid 1998 trombonist Mike Rowland got married and left the band; he was replaced by Sang Kim, who apeared on their next release.cite journal |last=Arneson |first=Erik |year=1998 |month=May |title=On The Beat: Insyde Track |journal=CCM Magazine |id=ISSN|1524-7848 |volume=20 |issue=11 |pages=29 ] Later the same year they released their third album, "Fight of My Life", which contained original songs and returned the sound of their debut release.

In 1999 they made an appearance on "The 700 Club"cite journal |last=Fernandez |first=Mike |year=1999 |month=October |title=Rock N Roll World |journal=CCM Magazine |id=ISSN|1524-7848 |volume=22 |issue=4 |pages=22 ] and embarked on an all-ska with the Skeletones and Jeffries Fan Club. On this tour the band held daily Bible studies where two members of the Skeletones converted to Christianity. Also following this tour Jeffries Fan Club guitarist Sonnie Johnston left to join Five Iron Frenzy. Late that year they were a part of the "Holy Roller Tour", which was held in roller skating rinks across the nation. Other bands involved included Five Iron, The W's, and Justin McRoberts.cite journal |last=Mackle |first=David |year=1999 |month=December |title=In Concert: Five Iron / The W's / The Insyderz / Justin McRoberts, The Crush, Birmingham, Alabama |journal=CCM Magazine |id=ISSN|1524-7848 |volume=22 |issue=6 |pages=61 ]

In 2000 "Skalleluia Too!" was released. Within the next few years the band's website featured rare updates and touring seemed to halt which led to rumors of the band's demise. However, The Insyderz had become tired of record label politics and until business had been sorted out continued to perform on a much smaller scale. Many of the members of the band married including Nate Sjogren (drums), Bram Roberts (Trumpet), Beau McCarthy (Bass), Kyle Wasil (Guitar), and Joe Yerke (vocals). The band decided to spend more time working and ministering through other projects while never fully disbanding.

In 2001 a compilation CD entitled "The Greatest & The Rarest" (or alternately "Tails of a Comet") was released, which consisted fifteen popular songs from their first four albums and six rare songs.

In 2003 they re-activated, appearing at Cornerstonecite journal |last=Wilkinson |first=Aaron |year=2003 |month= |title=Cornerstone FL 2003 |journal=HM Magazine |volume= |issue= |pages= |url=http://www.hmmagazine.com/oe/archives/000180.php |format= |accessdate=2007-02-01] , and releasing an album entitled "Soundtrack to a Revolution". After the release the Insyderz went through another lineup change adding Royce Nunley (Suicide Machines) and Dan Powers(Blueprint 76) on bass.

In the first half of 2005, the band announced on their website that they would be playing their last three shows in August and September of that year, which lead to confusion on whether they were the band's last three shows or the tour's last three. Later, in August of the same year, the site was updated to announce that the band would be breaking up after their final show on September 24,2005, as a part of the I'll Fight Fest presented by The Salvation Army. The show was performed with The O.C. Supertones who were also in the midst of a final tour.

Post break up

Nate Sjogren has played drums in several other projects including "Dead By Sunday", "The Paper Sound", and the singer/songwriter " [http://www.james-stephen.com James Stephen] ".

Joe Yerke continues to work on a side project called "The Bulldog Spirit" as well as a solo project entitled "Joe Insyder" in 2006.

Todd Miesch went on to become a substitute teacher for Rochester Community Schools for the 2006-2007 school year, where he had a year-long substituting job for Robert Moore, who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and has since passed away on July 17th 2007. He taught Freshman and Junior English, and was the Rochester High's Yearbook advisor. Mr. Miesch recently had an interview for a full time teaching position at RHS, which he did not receive.

In December 2007, Todd, along with wife Sarah, welcomed their first child, a girl named Harper Rose Miesch. Both mother and baby are doing fine.

In January 2008 Todd Miesch received his first official teaching job teaching for Stoney Creek High School in Rochester, Michigan.

Michael Lloyd now lives with his wife Coco in Los Angeles, and is currently working in the film business.

Members

*Joe Yerke - vocals
*Beau McCarthy - bass guitar
*Bram Roberts - trumpet
*Pedro Zapata Hernandez - trombone
*Michael Lloyd - guitar
*Nate Sjogren - drums
*Alan Brown - cornet
*Kyle Wasil - guitar (until 2000)
*Sang Kim - trombone (until 2004)
*Mike Rowland - trombone (until 1998)
*Todd Miesch - drums (until 1997)

Discography

*1997: "Motor City Ska"
*1998: "Skalleluia!"
*1998: "Paradise CD Single"
*1998: "Fight of My Life"
*1999: "Skalleluia Too!"
*2001: "The Greatest & The Rarest"
*2003: "Soundtrack to a Revolution"

Charts

Billboard (North America) [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:c2oibkg9jakb~T5]

References

Further reading

*cite journal |last= |first= |title=the Insyderz |month=May / June |year=1997 |issue=12 |journal=7ball Magazine
*cite journal |last= |first= |title=the Insyderz |month=March / April |year=1998 |issue=17 |journal=7ball Magazine
*cite journal |last= |first= |title=the Insyderz |month=January / February |year=1999 |issue=22 |journal=7ball Magazine

External links

Official
* [http://www.theinsyderz.com/ The Insyderz's website] Interviews
* [http://mihaven.com/modules.php?name=interviews&show=yes&id_cat=6 Mihaven.com Interview]
* [http://www.ska4christ.com/interview.html Ska4Christ.com Interview] Other
* [http://illfightfest.com/ I'll Fight Festival]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesstephen/sets/263773/ Pictures of The Insyderz at Icthus Festival (2005)]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesstephen/sets/1018837/ Pictures of The Insyderz's final show (2005)]