Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine

Infobox musical artist
Name = Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine


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Background = group_or_band
Birth_name =
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Origin = Los Angeles, California, United States
Instrument =
Genre = Comedy
Lounge
Occupation =
Years_active = 2000 - present
Label = Coverage Records
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.richardcheese.com
Current_members = Richard Cheese (Mark Jonathan Davis)
Bobby Ricotta (Noel Melanio)
Frank Feta (Brian Fishler)
Rotating_members = Ron Belcher
Charles Byler
David Adler
Christopher Monaco
Louis Allen
Jeff Novack
John Hatton
Pablo Motta
Todd LeValley
Notable_instruments =

Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine is a cover band and comedy act based in Los Angeles, California. Lounge singer Richard Cheese performs popular rock, rap, heavy metal, and pop songs in a swanky lounge music swing band style reminiscent of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Tony Bennett. The band's name Lounge Against The Machine is a parody of the band name Rage Against the Machine.

tyle

The band specializes in playing lounge-style covers of recent popular rock, metal, rap and hip hop songs, sung in a croony traditional pop vocal style, contrasting an elegant jazz treatment of the music with often profane and ribald lyrics to create a humorous dissonance.

History

Since 2000, the band has released seven albums, and played hundreds of concerts around the United States, two concerts in Europe, and has made numerous television appearances, including performances on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", "Fox & Friends" on Fox News Channel, "Anderson Cooper 360°" on CNN, NBC's "Las Vegas" series, NBC's "Passions" soap opera, and as the house band on NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly" and MTV's "Say What? Karaoke" series. Richard Cheese has also been featured on radio morning shows and syndicated radio programs such as Opie and Anthony, Howard Stern, Kevin and Bean, Bob and Sheri, and Adam Carolla. The band also performed at events for singer Brian Setzer, drummer Travis Barker, director Zack Snyder, and the Creative Arts Daytime Emmy Awards.

The band is currently in the midst of their 2008/2009 "United We Lounge" farewell tour, after the conclusion of which they have announced they will no longer tour outside of Las Vegas.cite news|url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/aug/21/meet-richard-cheese-hell-grate-you-make-you-laugh-/|title=Meet Richard Cheese: He’ll grate on you, make you laugh and sing along|date=2008-08-21|author=Joe Brown|accessdate=2008-08-25|publisher=Las Vegas Sun] Cheese has indicated that the decision to suspend extensive touring with his Lounge Against The Machine band was based on health concerns relating to the condition of his vocal cords, his desire to spend more time in the recording studio, and because he is looking forward to new live performances of new material (from his forthcoming albums) with new musicians and band configurations. According to the band's website, Cheese will be occasionally performing with a band of Hawaiian musicians in support of his forthcoming exotica album "Lavapalooza" in 2009.

New Recordings

According to the band's website, Richard Cheese will release three new albums in 2008-2009.

*Viva La Vodka - an album of all-new swing covers of contemporary rock and rap songs
*Lavapalooza - an album of tiki-style exotica lounge versions of rock and rap hits
*OK Bartender - a live album covering 8 years of Cheese's concert tours

The albums can be pre-ordered now at the band's website, but Cheese has announced that the CDs will not be distributed to buyers or to traditional retail stores or to digital outlets until at least 2000 CDs are first sold to his fanclub members.

Members

The present line-up of the band consists of:

*Richard Cheese: vocals
*Bobby Ricotta: piano and keyboards
*Frank Feta: drums and percussion (2004 - present)

and a rotating roster of bassists, including Gordon Brie, Chazz American, Nacho, and Wayne String.

The names are all pseudonyms, and new band members either adopt the pseudonym of the player they replace, or new names are developed.

The role of pianist and musical director Bobby Ricotta is currently played by Noel Melanio, but was previously played by David Adler. When the drummer Buddy Gouda (Charles Byler) left the band in 2004, he was replaced by Brian Fishler and the stage name was changed to Frank Feta. The role of bass player Gordon Brie was played by Louis Allen and was previously portrayed by Christopher Monaco. The band currently has no permanent bass player. The band has also worked with numerous session musicians and performers, including horn players Eric Jorgensen, Terry Landry and Lee Thornburg, theremin player Pamelia Kurstin, vocalist Joshua Path, and singer Weird Al Yankovic. The only constant band member is Cheese himself, who is in reality a Los Angeles-based comedian and entrepreneur named Mark Jonathan Davis.

Cheese's pseudonym is a slang reference to smegma, as Richard can be shortened to Dick, making his name "dick cheese". Davis has stated that he did not want to call the character "Richard Cheese," but was encouraged to do so by a record executive. Davis has stated that this sophomoric pun name has unfortunately stigmatized the band as "lowbrow" and "too controversial" for many mainstream opportunities.Fact|date=August 2008

Discography

tudio albums

*"Lounge Against the Machine (album)" (2000)
*"Tuxicity" (2002)
*"I'd Like a Virgin" (2004)
*"Aperitif for Destruction" (2005)
*"" (2006)
*"Silent Nightclub" (2006)
*"Dick at Nite" (2007)
*"Viva La Vodka" (2009)
*"Lavapalooza" (2009)
*"OKBartender" (2009)
*"Back in Black Tie" (2009)

ingles

*"Indiana Jones Theme" (2008)

Unreleased Songs

*"Hash Pipe" (Weezer) (live)
*"Just Like Heaven" (The Cure) (live)
*"Renegades of Funk" (Rage Against the Machine) (live)
*"Shitdick" (People Haters) (live on Opie & Anthony Show)
*"Come Dancing" (The Kinks) (live)
*"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" (Pat Benatar) (live at Brian Setzer's house)
*"One" (Harry Nilsson) (live)

Appearances

Television

*CNN Showbiz Today - Richard Cheese interview (summer 2007)
*Last Call with Carson Daly (summer 2002) (performed "Rape Me")
*Fox News Channel - Fox & Friends Morning Show (fall 2002) (performed "Baby Got Back" live on the streets of New York City)
*VH1's Rock & Roll Jeopardy! (2001-2002) ("Nookie", "Suck My Kiss", "Only Happy When It Rains", "The Rockafeller Skank", "Wrong Way" & "What's My Age Again?")
*Last Call with Carson Daly (summer 2003) (Performed "Hot In Here")
*Jimmy Kimmel Live (April 2004) (performed "Baby Got Back" and "Personal Jesus")
*NBC's Las Vegas (December 2006) ("Christmas In Las Vegas")
*CNN Anderson Cooper 360 - Richard Cheese performance in Las Vegas (New Year's Eve 2007)

Radio

*December 13th, 2007 - KFMA Tucson, Arizona and KDOT Reno, Nevada. It was a simulcast on The Frank Show.
*KROQ Kevin & Bean Show (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) (Live)
*Dr. Demento Show (1997-2006) ("Last Resort", "Rape Me", "Guerrilla Radio", "Used to Love Her", "Baby Got Back", "Hey Ya!", "Yellow", "American Idiot", "Been Caught Stealing", "Enter Sandman", "Christmas Time Is Here" & "Me So Horny")
*The Howard Stern Show (March 13, 2003) ("Hot for Teacher" & "Insane in the Brain")
*The Premiere Radio Networks Rock Comedy Channel
*Opie & Anthony Show (June 17, 2005) (Performs "Shitdick" and others) (Live)
*Tommy & Rumble Show (March 9, 2006) ("Down with the Sickness")
*Johnny Dare Morning Show (Various dates) (Various songs)
*KTBZ-FM The Rod Ryan Show (Various dates) (Various songs)
*Rick Emerson Show (2003, 2004) Live, (2007) Via Telephone
*The Woody Show 2007
*The Adam Carolla Show July 31st, 2008

Film

*"Dawn of the Dead" ("Down with the Sickness")Director Zack Snyder also wrote an article about Richard Cheese for mtv.com. The article is at richardcheese.com in the "Library" section.

Podcasts

*Coverville (April 5, 2006) Richard Cheese interview
*Club 301 (November 30, 2006) Richard Cheese interview and music selections from "Silent Nightclub"

References

ee also

*The Mike Flowers Pops
*Frank Bennett
*Bill Murray

External links

* [http://www.richardcheese.com/ Official website]
*
* [http://www.upbeetmusic.com/reviews/468 Richard Cheese - "The Sunny Side of the Moon" Review (UpBeetMusic)]