LeperKhanz
Encyclopedia
The LeperKhanz are an experimental troupe of musicians that mix ancient sea shantys, Irish fiddle, reggae
, classical, hip-hop
, disco
and rock
. They originally formed in 2003.
Their 2005 studio album "Tiocfaidh Ar La" (Irish for "Our day will come" which has been known as an Irish Republican Army
slogan, though they claim no affiliation) has been played on radio stations in both the US and Ireland (FM94.9 San Diego, KCXX-FM X103.9 San Bernardino, KRBD-FM 105.9 Ketchikan, others), is popular on "Paddy Rock Radio" in Chicago, and has sold thousands of copies on iTunes and was also nominated for a San Diego Music Award. They are reportedly working on a new studio album, due for release in late 2010 or early 2011.
The LeperKhanz have also had many television appearances and video dubs, particularly around the St. Patrick's Day holiday. (KUSI, Telemundo)
The LeperKhanz have endorsement deals with Dean Markley Strings
, BarFly Clothing, and 186 Mafia Clothing.
Irish bands "The Hooliganz", "Rolling Down The Hill", "The Green Jacket", "The Whiskey Rebellion", and "The Bleeding Irish". Thornton was once arrested at a "Hooliganz" show by riot police, around the time of the Tyisha Miller police killing and subsequent Jesse Jackson
march in Riverside, Ca. Rhy went with "The Bleeding Irish" on the Vans Warped Tour
in 2008. Guitarist Colin Kohl left the band in late 2007 to join "The Burning of Rome" on the "Surfdog Records" label, and Alejandro Padilla, who had also taught at the Encinitas School of Music with Rhy and JP joined the band as the new guitarist. Conrad Lund was once in the "Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
". In mid 2010 Al left the band and Rhy's cousin Chad joined as the new guitarist. Anthony Nino, the original bassist rejoined the band in late 2010. Aaron and Don also tour often with the San Diego reggae band "Stranger". Nino also plays bass for the Orange County band "Robots Rise".
at many shows. Allegedly O'Drinnan briefly met Dick Dale
at the NAMM show in Anaheim. James Hetfield
, George Clinton
and Matt Hensley (Flogging Molly
) have all been seen at LeperKhanz shows. They performed with Nickel Creek
at a tsunami victim benefit in 2005, and Rhy and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek
) have shared violin students. O'Drinnan's sister May Jacob also runs a popular night club in San Diego called "Club Fashion Whore", and is the singer in "Maystar", a band that has opened for such acts as The Dresden Dolls
. "The Burning of Rome" has opened for The LeperKhanz at clubs in Downtown San Diego. "Suffer the Heat" were good friends of the LeperKhanz and shared many shows, and several members of "Suffer the Heat" played with rhY and Colin in the band "Rolling Down the Hill" and also in "The Whiskey Rebellion". JP has performed with Sheila E.
as part of the Mira Costa Latin Jazz program. As I Lay Dying
lives in San Diego and frequent LeperKhanz shows at Churchill's in San Marcos. "Those guys are awesome! On Warped Tour
we had a real crappy bus, and they had a real sweet bus, so they let me chill (literally) in their A/C!" The LeperKhanz once owned "The Grizzly Rose" a tour bus that had been previously owned by Willie Nelson
. Fletcher Dragge
, from Pennywise (band)
once changed the carburetor for the "Grizzly Rose" when Rhy took the bus with "The Bleeding Irish" in San Francisco. O'Drinnan also played in "The Green Jacket" with Byron Blocker, also formerly of "The Bleeding Irish".
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
, classical, hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
. They originally formed in 2003.
Their 2005 studio album "Tiocfaidh Ar La" (Irish for "Our day will come" which has been known as an Irish Republican Army
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
slogan, though they claim no affiliation) has been played on radio stations in both the US and Ireland (FM94.9 San Diego, KCXX-FM X103.9 San Bernardino, KRBD-FM 105.9 Ketchikan, others), is popular on "Paddy Rock Radio" in Chicago, and has sold thousands of copies on iTunes and was also nominated for a San Diego Music Award. They are reportedly working on a new studio album, due for release in late 2010 or early 2011.
The LeperKhanz have also had many television appearances and video dubs, particularly around the St. Patrick's Day holiday. (KUSI, Telemundo)
The LeperKhanz have endorsement deals with Dean Markley Strings
Dean Markley Strings
Dean Markley Strings is a company that manufactures musical instrument related products, primarily strings for acoustic and electric guitars, classical guitars and bass guitars. The company also produces pick ups, amplifiers, and tuners, with instrument strings being their feature product....
, BarFly Clothing, and 186 Mafia Clothing.
History
JP, Nino, and Rhy were previously in the rock band "The Clydzdale Jockeyz". JP and Colin were previously in the heavy metal band "Scohltrick". JP and Rhy both were instructors at "The Encinitas School of Music" before leaving to tour full time with "The LeperKhanz". Rhy has also played fiddle in the Southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Irish bands "The Hooliganz", "Rolling Down The Hill", "The Green Jacket", "The Whiskey Rebellion", and "The Bleeding Irish". Thornton was once arrested at a "Hooliganz" show by riot police, around the time of the Tyisha Miller police killing and subsequent Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
march in Riverside, Ca. Rhy went with "The Bleeding Irish" on the Vans Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in 2008. Guitarist Colin Kohl left the band in late 2007 to join "The Burning of Rome" on the "Surfdog Records" label, and Alejandro Padilla, who had also taught at the Encinitas School of Music with Rhy and JP joined the band as the new guitarist. Conrad Lund was once in the "Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps
The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps is a World Class drum and bugle corps based in Concord, California and founded in 1957 as a Drum and Bell corps, and is a member corps of Drum Corps International...
". In mid 2010 Al left the band and Rhy's cousin Chad joined as the new guitarist. Anthony Nino, the original bassist rejoined the band in late 2010. Aaron and Don also tour often with the San Diego reggae band "Stranger". Nino also plays bass for the Orange County band "Robots Rise".
LeperKhanz trivia
The LeperKhanz perform "Miserlou" by Dick DaleDick Dale
Dick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
at many shows. Allegedly O'Drinnan briefly met Dick Dale
Dick Dale
Dick Dale is an American surf rock guitarist, known as The King of the Surf Guitar. He experimented with reverberation and made use of custom made Fender amplifiers, including the first-ever 100-watt guitar amplifier.-Early life:Dale was born in South Boston, Massachusetts and lived in nearby...
at the NAMM show in Anaheim. James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
, George Clinton
George Clinton (funk musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
and Matt Hensley (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:...
) have all been seen at LeperKhanz shows. They performed with Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile , Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins . The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006...
at a tsunami victim benefit in 2005, and Rhy and Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek
Nickel Creek was an American progressive acoustic music trio consisting of Chris Thile , Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins . The band was founded in 1989 and released 6 albums between 1993 and 2006...
) have shared violin students. O'Drinnan's sister May Jacob also runs a popular night club in San Diego called "Club Fashion Whore", and is the singer in "Maystar", a band that has opened for such acts as The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls
The Dresden Dolls are an American musical duo from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 2000, the group consists of Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione...
. "The Burning of Rome" has opened for The LeperKhanz at clubs in Downtown San Diego. "Suffer the Heat" were good friends of the LeperKhanz and shared many shows, and several members of "Suffer the Heat" played with rhY and Colin in the band "Rolling Down the Hill" and also in "The Whiskey Rebellion". JP has performed with Sheila E.
Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
as part of the Mira Costa Latin Jazz program. As I Lay Dying
As I Lay Dying (band)
As I Lay Dying is an American metalcore band from San Diego, California. Founded in 2000 by Tim Lambesis and having completed their first Line-up in 2001, the band consists of vocalist Tim Lambesis, drummer Jordan Mancino, lead guitarist Nick Hipa, rhythm guitarist Phil Sgrosso, and bassist Josh...
lives in San Diego and frequent LeperKhanz shows at Churchill's in San Marcos. "Those guys are awesome! On Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
we had a real crappy bus, and they had a real sweet bus, so they let me chill (literally) in their A/C!" The LeperKhanz once owned "The Grizzly Rose" a tour bus that had been previously owned by Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
. Fletcher Dragge
Fletcher Dragge
Fletcher Dragge is the lead guitar player of the punk rock band Pennywise, which was formed in 1988.Before he joined Pennywise, he was also in the local punk rock band CON/800...
, from Pennywise (band)
Pennywise (band)
Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
once changed the carburetor for the "Grizzly Rose" when Rhy took the bus with "The Bleeding Irish" in San Francisco. O'Drinnan also played in "The Green Jacket" with Byron Blocker, also formerly of "The Bleeding Irish".
Published articles
- The Press Enterprise (March 2010)
- Let's Go Ireland (13th edition)
- Core (March 2007)
- Locale (March 2007)
- SurfShot Magazine (December 2006)
- Hour Glass Magazine (Second Edition)
- Jane Magazine (November 2006)
- Today's Local News (San Diego)
- The Irish Herald (August 2005)
External links
- leperKhanz.com
- YouTube
- MySpace
- sdmusicawards.com The San Diego Music Awards.