Bullets and Octane
Encyclopedia
Bullets and Octane are a punk
/hard rock
band originally from St. Louis, Missouri
and now based in Southern California
(as referenced in the song "Cancer California"). They originate from the band Ultrafink (which released one album titled Carbotrolly, currently out of print). The band has been touring in Europe and North America since December 31, 1998, playing as a support band for Avenged Sevenfold
, Stone Sour
, Social Distortion
, Bad Religion
, Eagles of Death Metal
and Flogging Molly
amongst others, as well as headlining their own shows in 2006.
, called One Night Stand Rock N' Roll Band on Criterion Records which is owned by their long-time hometown friend, and Sex N Violence
front man, Jeremy Miller, In 2003 they released their first and only DVD The Revelry also on Criterion Records. In 2004, they released their second EP
, Bullets 'N' Octane on Criterion before later in the year releasing their first album which was also titled The Revelry on Criterion Records, (Later Re-Released on Ares Records), which featured some remastered/re-recorded tracks off their EPs. Their second album, In the Mouth of the Young
, was released in April 2006 on the bands first Major Record label, Sony BMG/RCA Records
.
The band also released a cover of Billy Idol
's "Rebel Yell
" for a local So-Cal
Sampler, which also featured as a hidden track at the end of their self titled EP, and an unreleased original B-Side "Mannequin", which is from the "One Night Stand Rock'n'Roll Band" days, has since leaked onto the Internet. The band toured with the Family Values Tour
2006, along with such bands as Dir En Grey
, Korn
, Flyleaf
, Stone Sour
and Deftones
. While this marked the first time opening up to such a large audience. They were previously support to Avenged Sevenfold
on Avenged's City Of Evil
Tour.
Bullets and Octane have a steady growing fan base, most notably in California, and also a large portion in Europe due to touring and distribution.
Recently, the band left their record label, RCA, and are now back on ARES records.
Their new album, Song for the Underdog
, became available in June 2007 on their tour with Unwritten Law
. The CD became available on iTunes after June.
Recently, guitarist James Daniel decided to leave the band. For the current tour, Steve Morris (lead guitarist of Unwritten Law) has taken James's place.
In 2008 James was replaced with Kevin Tapia, who was then replaced by Kevin Besignano, also the guitarist for Sex n violence
.
Gene has given himself the task of writing and recording one song every week of 2008, he posts the new song on his Myspace (January–March's song are now available to buy as an album)
They undertook a UK tour throughout October 2007 With The Knives.
Most recently Ty Smith has left the band to be a full time member in the band Godhead as well as filling in on the drums for the bands Guttermouth and The Knives. Ty's place in Bullets & Octane has been filled by Brian Totten. Original guitarist Jack Tankersley rejoined the band as well for work on their fourth album.
Bullets and Octane
was released on iTunes in April 2009, returning to a sound more reminiscent of their older material than Song for the Underdog.
On July 10, 2009, the band announced that their upcoming release, Laughing In The Face Of Failure would be available from October 6, 2009. The release is made up of their two previous albums (Song for the Underdog and the self-titled album) as well as 3 B-sides: a new version of Pirates and two previously unreleased tracks: Murder Maria and Chemicals. This is a physical release as opposed to Bullets' last release which was available only as a download.
November 2009 saw Bullets heading out on a US/UK tour with Wednesday 13's new band Gunfire 76 as well as a number of unsigned bands around the UK.
With Gene and Kevin focusing on The Brave Ones, 2010 proved to be a quiet year for Bullets. The summer of 2011, however, saw the release of a B-sides and Live EP (rumoured to be recorded around the release of In The Mouth Of The Young) and the announcement of a reunion of the "classic" Bullets' line-up (Louis, Vaughan-Jayne, Tankersley, Clawson, Smith) for a show at The Viper Room, LA in September.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
/hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band originally from St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and now based in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
(as referenced in the song "Cancer California"). They originate from the band Ultrafink (which released one album titled Carbotrolly, currently out of print). The band has been touring in Europe and North America since December 31, 1998, playing as a support band for Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
, Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
, Social Distortion
Social Distortion
Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness , Jonny Wickersham , Brent Harding and David Hidalgo, Jr...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Despite their band name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band. Hughes stated that a friend was introducing Josh Homme to the death metal genre...
and Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly is a seven-piece Irish-descendant band from Los Angeles, California, that is currently signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records.-Early years:...
amongst others, as well as headlining their own shows in 2006.
History
In 2003 Bullets and Octane released an EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, called One Night Stand Rock N' Roll Band on Criterion Records which is owned by their long-time hometown friend, and Sex N Violence
Sex N Violence
Sex N Violence is a Los Angeles, California based punk rock band comprising members of Bullets and Octane and Unwritten Law.-History:The idea to come together and start Sex N Violence came about in the summer of 2007 while Bullets and Octane and Unwritten Law were touring together...
front man, Jeremy Miller, In 2003 they released their first and only DVD The Revelry also on Criterion Records. In 2004, they released their second EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Bullets 'N' Octane on Criterion before later in the year releasing their first album which was also titled The Revelry on Criterion Records, (Later Re-Released on Ares Records), which featured some remastered/re-recorded tracks off their EPs. Their second album, In the Mouth of the Young
In the Mouth of the Young
In the Mouth of the Young is the second full-length and first major label album by the band Bullets and Octane. The album was released on April 11, 2006 on RCA and produced by Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton. It was the band's first and only release for RCA....
, was released in April 2006 on the bands first Major Record label, Sony BMG/RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
.
The band also released a cover of Billy Idol
Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad , better known by his stage name Billy Idol, is an English rock musician. A member of the Bromley Contingent of Sex Pistols fans, Idol first achieved fame in the punk rock era as a member of the band Generation X...
's "Rebel Yell
Rebel yell
The rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers would use the yell during charges to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had other uses. The exact sound of the yell is unknown and the subject of much...
" for a local So-Cal
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
Sampler, which also featured as a hidden track at the end of their self titled EP, and an unreleased original B-Side "Mannequin", which is from the "One Night Stand Rock'n'Roll Band" days, has since leaked onto the Internet. The band toured with the Family Values Tour
Family Values Tour
The Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
2006, along with such bands as Dir En Grey
Dir en grey
Dir En Grey is a Japanese metal band formed in 1997 and currently signed to Firewall Div., a sub-division of Free-Will. As of 2011, they have recorded eight full-length records...
, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Flyleaf
Flyleaf
Flyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
, Stone Sour
Stone Sour
Stone Sour is an American rock band from Des Moines, Iowa. Since 2006, the group has been composed of Corey Taylor , Jim Root , Josh Rand, , Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga . Original drummer Joel Ekman left the group in 2006...
and Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
. While this marked the first time opening up to such a large audience. They were previously support to Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California. Formed in 1999, the group consists of vocalist M. Shadows, lead guitarist Synyster Gates, rhythm guitarist Zacky Vengeance, bassist Johnny Christ....
on Avenged's City Of Evil
City of Evil
City of Evil is the third studio album and first major label release by American metal band Avenged Sevenfold. The album was released on June 7, 2005 under the Warner Bros. Records label. Co-produced by Andrew Murdock, City of Evil contains a more hard rock and classic heavy metal sound than...
Tour.
Bullets and Octane have a steady growing fan base, most notably in California, and also a large portion in Europe due to touring and distribution.
Recently, the band left their record label, RCA, and are now back on ARES records.
Their new album, Song for the Underdog
Song for the Underdog
Song for the Underdog is the third full-length album by Bullets and Octane. The album was released on June 04, 2007 under Ares Records while on tour. It was then released online after June...
, became available in June 2007 on their tour with Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
. The CD became available on iTunes after June.
Recently, guitarist James Daniel decided to leave the band. For the current tour, Steve Morris (lead guitarist of Unwritten Law) has taken James's place.
In 2008 James was replaced with Kevin Tapia, who was then replaced by Kevin Besignano, also the guitarist for Sex n violence
Sex N Violence
Sex N Violence is a Los Angeles, California based punk rock band comprising members of Bullets and Octane and Unwritten Law.-History:The idea to come together and start Sex N Violence came about in the summer of 2007 while Bullets and Octane and Unwritten Law were touring together...
.
Gene has given himself the task of writing and recording one song every week of 2008, he posts the new song on his Myspace (January–March's song are now available to buy as an album)
They undertook a UK tour throughout October 2007 With The Knives.
Most recently Ty Smith has left the band to be a full time member in the band Godhead as well as filling in on the drums for the bands Guttermouth and The Knives. Ty's place in Bullets & Octane has been filled by Brian Totten. Original guitarist Jack Tankersley rejoined the band as well for work on their fourth album.
Bullets and Octane
Bullets and Octane (album)
Bullets and Octane is the fourth studio album by Bullets and Octane. It was released on April 14, 2009.-Track listing:# "Never Going Down" - 2:41# "Bang" - 2:17# "Alive" - 2:40# "Thumb" - 2:00# "Dark Hour" - 2:37# "Devil on the Radio" - 2:17...
was released on iTunes in April 2009, returning to a sound more reminiscent of their older material than Song for the Underdog.
On July 10, 2009, the band announced that their upcoming release, Laughing In The Face Of Failure would be available from October 6, 2009. The release is made up of their two previous albums (Song for the Underdog and the self-titled album) as well as 3 B-sides: a new version of Pirates and two previously unreleased tracks: Murder Maria and Chemicals. This is a physical release as opposed to Bullets' last release which was available only as a download.
November 2009 saw Bullets heading out on a US/UK tour with Wednesday 13's new band Gunfire 76 as well as a number of unsigned bands around the UK.
With Gene and Kevin focusing on The Brave Ones, 2010 proved to be a quiet year for Bullets. The summer of 2011, however, saw the release of a B-sides and Live EP (rumoured to be recorded around the release of In The Mouth Of The Young) and the announcement of a reunion of the "classic" Bullets' line-up (Louis, Vaughan-Jayne, Tankersley, Clawson, Smith) for a show at The Viper Room, LA in September.
Current
- Gene Louis - lead vocals
- Brent Clawson - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ty Smith - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jack Tankersley - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Skye Vaughan-Jayne - guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
Former
- James Daniel - guitar
- Nate Large - guitar
- Matt Rainwater - drums
- Kevin Tapia - guitar
- Brian Totten - Drum kit|drum
- Kevin Besignano - rhythm guitar
Albums and EPs
- One Night Stand Rock N' Roll Band (EP) (2003)
- Bullets 'N' Octane (EP) (2004)
- The RevelryThe Revelry (album)-Track listing:#"Save Me Sorrow" - 3:30#"Sweet Dreams" - 2:19#"Fallen" - 3:02#"Pirates" - 2:17#"Bring the House Down" - 2:39#"Professional Victim" - 2:12#"Places" - 4:00#"Bad Things to Bad People" - 2:26#"Holdin' On" - 3:07#"Waste Away" - 2:48...
(2004) - In the Mouth of the YoungIn the Mouth of the YoungIn the Mouth of the Young is the second full-length and first major label album by the band Bullets and Octane. The album was released on April 11, 2006 on RCA and produced by Helmet guitarist Page Hamilton. It was the band's first and only release for RCA....
(2006) - Song for the UnderdogSong for the UnderdogSong for the Underdog is the third full-length album by Bullets and Octane. The album was released on June 04, 2007 under Ares Records while on tour. It was then released online after June...
(2007) - Bullets and OctaneBullets and Octane (album)Bullets and Octane is the fourth studio album by Bullets and Octane. It was released on April 14, 2009.-Track listing:# "Never Going Down" - 2:41# "Bang" - 2:17# "Alive" - 2:40# "Thumb" - 2:00# "Dark Hour" - 2:37# "Devil on the Radio" - 2:17...
(2009) - Laughing In The Face Of Failure (2009)
External links
- Bullets and Octane at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Burning Stars interview with Gene and James - 2006