Linus Of Hollywood
Encyclopedia
Kevin Dotson better known by his stage name
Linus of Hollywood, is an American
rock and pop singer-songwriter
, multi-instrumentalist
, and record producer
. The stage name comes from his early days in Los Angeles
, where he would frequently wear striped shirts similar to the Peanuts
character Linus van Pelt
.
, Nebraska
, but spent his formative years in Florida
. At age five, he learned to play guitar
. He would later learn to play drums
, bass
, and piano
as well. At age 21, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. In 1997 Dotson started his professional career as the leader of punk
/pop
band Size 14
, named after his shoe size. The band broke up and Dotson began playing and producing on other people's recordings.
vocalist/songwriter Kay Hanley
.
Artists Dotson has worked with: Bowling for Soup
, The Charlatans, Darling Thieves, Gabriel Mann (of The Rescues
), Gush, Jarinus, Jennifer Lopez
, Jennifer Love Hewitt
, Kaela Kimura
, Kiera Chaplin
, Kim Fox, Kool Keith
, Kylee, Laura Dawn
, Lil' Kim
, The Leftovers
, Margo Guryan
, MC Lars
, Mello Cads, Mis-Teeq
, Nerf Herder
, Ol' Dirty Bastard
, OPM
, Parry Gripp
, Paul Gilbert
, People on Vacation, Pintsize, Probyn Gregory
(of The Wondermints
), Puffy AmiYumi
, P. Hux, Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., Rx Bandits
, Sean Combs
, Shaun Escofferey, The Smashing Pumpkins
, Tim Burgess, Troup, and Wisely.
Dotson is also the co-owner of pop/punk label Crappy Records. with Bowling for Soup frontman Jaret Reddick
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Linus of Hollywood, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock and pop singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
, and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. The stage name comes from his early days in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he would frequently wear striped shirts similar to the Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
character Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt
Linus van Pelt is a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. The best friend of Charlie Brown, Linus is also the younger brother of Lucy van Pelt and older brother of Rerun van Pelt. He first appeared on September 19, 1952; however, he was not mentioned by name until three days later....
.
Size 14
Dotson was born in OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, but spent his formative years in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. At age five, he learned to play guitar
Guitar
The 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...
. He would later learn to play drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
as well. At age 21, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music. In 1997 Dotson started his professional career as the leader of punk
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...
/pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band Size 14
Size 14
Size 14 was a pop punk band in the late 90's based out of Hollywood that gained some notoriety with the novelty song "Claire Danes Poster". They released one self titled album on Volcano Entertainment in 1997 and influenced later bands such as Nerf Herder, Bowling for Soup and others...
, named after his shoe size. The band broke up and Dotson began playing and producing on other people's recordings.
Solo career
In 1999, Dotson released his first solo album Your Favorite Record on his own label called Franklin Castle Recordings (Franklin Castle being a reference to his bedroom). He performed nearly everything on the album, both instrumentally and vocally. He has since released four more albums: Let Yourself Be Happy (2001), Triangle (2006), Attractive Singles (2008), and Reheat & Serve (2008). A new single "A Girl That I Like" was released in 2011.Work with other artists
In 2010 he formed the band Palmdale with former Letters to CleoLetters to Cleo
Letters to Cleo was an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts perhaps best known for the 1993 single "Here & Now" from their full-length debut album Aurora Gory Alice...
vocalist/songwriter Kay Hanley
Kay Hanley
Kathleen Marie Hanley is an American alternative rock musician. She is best known as the vocalist for the band Letters to Cleo.-Life and career:...
.
Artists Dotson has worked with: Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...
, The Charlatans, Darling Thieves, Gabriel Mann (of The Rescues
The Rescues
The band released their first record - a four song, self titled EP - in March 2010. In June of that year they've released the LP "Let Loose The Horses", which has garnered notability and acclaim among various online blogs and music review websites, and has been featured on Best Buy's "Find Them...
), Gush, Jarinus, Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt is an American actress, producer, television director and former singer-songwriter. Hewitt began her acting career as a child by appearing in television commercials and the Disney Channel series Kids Incorporated...
, Kaela Kimura
Kaela Kimura
, born , is a Japanese pop rock singer, songwriter, model, and TV presenter.- Career :Born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan to a British father and Japanese mother, Kaela started working as a model in 2002 for the Japanese magazine Seventeen...
, Kiera Chaplin
Kiera Chaplin
Kiera Chaplin is a Northern Irish-born British actress and model, a granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin and a great-granddaughter of Eugene O'Neill.-Biography:...
, Kim Fox, Kool Keith
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
, Kylee, Laura Dawn
Laura Dawn
Laura Dawn is an American political activist and singer/songwriter. She has been the Cultural Director for MoveOn.org since March 2004 and was named the organization's National Creative Director in 2007.-Musical work:...
, Lil' Kim
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones , better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and actress who was a member of the group Junior M.A.F.I.A.....
, The Leftovers
The Leftovers
The Leftovers are an American pop punk band from Portland, Maine, made up of Kurt Baker , Andrew Rice , Matt Anderson , and Adam Woronoff .-History:...
, Margo Guryan
Margo Guryan
Margo Guryan is a singer/songwriter who blends elements of pop, folk, and jazz. She is best known for her 1968 album Take A Picture. Her songs were recorded by Cass Elliot, Glen Campbell and Astrud Gilberto, among others.-History:Margo Guryan grew up in the suburbs of New York City, and took an...
, MC Lars
MC Lars
Andrew Robert MacFarlane Nielsen is an American rapper, known by his stage name MC Lars. He is the self-proclaimed originator of "post-punk laptop rap". He was one of the first underground rappers to sample and reference post-punk and emo bands...
, Mello Cads, Mis-Teeq
Mis-Teeq
Mis-Teeq are a British R&B girl group, comprising singers Alesha Dixon, Su-Elise Nash and Sabrina Washington. Originally a quartet which included Zena McNally, the group was formed in 1999 and released three major studio albums and seven consecutive UK top ten singles, including international hits...
, Nerf Herder
Nerf Herder
Nerf Herder is a punk rock band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp , Charlie Dennis and Steve Sherlock . They describe themselves as a "geek rock" band, and are known for simplistic modern punk-style songs with frequently humorous, juvenile and pop-culture-referencing lyrics...
, Ol' Dirty Bastard
Ol' Dirty Bastard
Russell Tyrone Jones was an American rapper and occasional producer, who went by the stage name Ol' Dirty Bastard or simply ODB...
, OPM
OPM (band)
OPM is a Southern California based ska punk band. OPM has a distinctive sound, combining hip hop, rock music, and pop with laid-back reggae.-Band history:...
, Parry Gripp
Parry Gripp
Parry Gripp is a singer-songwriter as well as lead vocalist and guitarist for the pop punk band Nerf Herder.As a songwriter, Gripp is best known for fake jingles, as in his 2005 solo album For Those About to Shop, We Salute You - a 51-track concept album mimicking various musical styles as product...
, Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
, People on Vacation, Pintsize, Probyn Gregory
Probyn Gregory
Probyn Gregory is a composer and musician who was raised in the disparate climates of New Hampshire and California, and is now based in Los Angeles...
(of The Wondermints
The Wondermints
Wondermints is a band from Los Angeles, California, United States. The main members are Darian Sahanaja , Nick Walusko and Mike D'Amico...
), Puffy AmiYumi
Puffy AmiYumi
or Puffy AmiYumi is a Japanese rock duo that is currently signed with Sony Music Japan. The group continues to go by the moniker of PUFFY in Japan, but in order to avoid legal naming conflicts with Sean Combs, it has adopted the name Puffy AmiYumi outside of Japan...
, P. Hux, Roger Joseph Manning, Jr., Rx Bandits
Rx Bandits
RX Bandits is a four-piece band based in Seal Beach, California. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and at The Bamboozle.-Early years :Originally known as...
, Sean Combs
Sean Combs
Sean John Combs , also known by his stage names Diddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur. He has won three Grammy Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards, and his clothing line earned a Council of Fashion Designers of America award. He was originally...
, Shaun Escofferey, The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins are an American alternative rock band that formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1988. Formed by Billy Corgan frontman and James Iha , the band has included Jimmy Chamberlin , D'arcy Wretzky , and currently includes Jeff Schroeder Mike Byrne , and Nicole Fiorentino The Smashing...
, Tim Burgess, Troup, and Wisely.
Dotson is also the co-owner of pop/punk label Crappy Records. with Bowling for Soup frontman Jaret Reddick
Jaret Reddick
Jaret Ray Reddick is an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and lead songwriter for the Grammy Award-nominated pop punk band Bowling for Soup. He plays a Music Man Axis that has a flag of Texas design on...
.
Bands
| Band | Position | Years Active |
|---|---|---|
| Size 14 Size 14 Size 14 was a pop punk band in the late 90's based out of Hollywood that gained some notoriety with the novelty song "Claire Danes Poster". They released one self titled album on Volcano Entertainment in 1997 and influenced later bands such as Nerf Herder, Bowling for Soup and others... |
Lead vocals Lead vocalist The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... , guitar Guitar The 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... |
1996–1998 |
| Nerf Herder Nerf Herder Nerf Herder is a punk rock band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp , Charlie Dennis and Steve Sherlock . They describe themselves as a "geek rock" band, and are known for simplistic modern punk-style songs with frequently humorous, juvenile and pop-culture-referencing lyrics... |
Guitar, keyboard Musical keyboard A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the... s |
2008–present |
| Jarinus | Guitar, keyboards, vocals, percussion Percussion instrument A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... |
2009–present |
| Palmdale | Guitar, bass Bass guitar The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... , keyboards, vocals |
2009–present |
| People on Vacation People on Vacation People on Vacation is a supergroup composed of Ryan Hamilton from the indie rock band Smile Smile and Jaret Reddick from the pop punk band Bowling for Soup... |
Keyboards, guitar | 2011 - present |
Solo albums
- Your Favorite Record (1999)
- Let Yourself Be Happy (2001)
- Triangle (2006)
- Attractive Singles (2008)
- Reheat & Serve (2008)
Jarinus
- Bowling for Soup - Sorry for Partyin'Sorry for Partyin'-B-sides:-Singles and videos:According to frontman Jaret Reddick in his ninth Bowling for Soup podcast, "No Hablo Inglés" was supposed to be released to radio stations in January 2010 as the album's first single...
(2009) - Parry GrippParry GrippParry Gripp is a singer-songwriter as well as lead vocalist and guitarist for the pop punk band Nerf Herder.As a songwriter, Gripp is best known for fake jingles, as in his 2005 solo album For Those About to Shop, We Salute You - a 51-track concept album mimicking various musical styles as product...
Birthday Song (2010) - Bowling for Soup - Fishing for Woos (2011)
- Debut studio album (2011)
Other appearances
- Margo GuryanMargo GuryanMargo Guryan is a singer/songwriter who blends elements of pop, folk, and jazz. She is best known for her 1968 album Take A Picture. Her songs were recorded by Cass Elliot, Glen Campbell and Astrud Gilberto, among others.-History:Margo Guryan grew up in the suburbs of New York City, and took an...
- "Shine" (2000) - Margo GuryanMargo GuryanMargo Guryan is a singer/songwriter who blends elements of pop, folk, and jazz. She is best known for her 1968 album Take A Picture. Her songs were recorded by Cass Elliot, Glen Campbell and Astrud Gilberto, among others.-History:Margo Guryan grew up in the suburbs of New York City, and took an...
- "Sunday Morning" - Paul GilbertPaul GilbertPaul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
- Burning OrganBurning OrganBurning Organ is an album released in 2002 by American rock musician Paul Gilbert, also a guitarist for the heavy metal band Racer X and formerly of the hard rock band Mr...
(2002) - KeyboardMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
s, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Paul GilbertPaul GilbertPaul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
- "Time to Let You Go" - Gilbert HotelGilbert HotelGilbert Hotel is a 2003 solo album by Paul Gilbert formerly of the heavy metal band Racer X and the hard rock band Mr. Big. It was initially released as a bonus CD with his compilation album Paul the Young Dude/The Best of Paul Gilbert.-Track listing:...
(2003) - 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...
s and vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Mis-TeeqMis-TeeqMis-Teeq are a British R&B girl group, comprising singers Alesha Dixon, Su-Elise Nash and Sabrina Washington. Originally a quartet which included Zena McNally, the group was formed in 1999 and released three major studio albums and seven consecutive UK top ten singles, including international hits...
- "StyleStyle (song)"Style" is a song by Mis-Teeq, which was the third and final single from the re-released edition their second album, Eye Candy. The song debuted and peaked at #13 and became the group's only single that didn't enter the top 10 in UK...
" (Linus of Hollywood's Rock Mix) - Eye Candy (2003) - Paul GilbertPaul GilbertPaul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
- Space Ship OneSpace Ship One (album)Space Ship One is a studio album by Paul Gilbert formerly of the heavy metal band Racer X and the hard rock band Mr. Big. It was released in 2005.-Track listing:#"Space Ship One"#"Every Hot Girl Is a Rockstar"#"On the Way to Hell"#"SVT"#"Jackhammer"...
(2005) - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Darling Thieves - Embrace the Curse (2007) - ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
- Kaela KimuraKaela Kimura, born , is a Japanese pop rock singer, songwriter, model, and TV presenter.- Career :Born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan to a British father and Japanese mother, Kaela started working as a model in 2002 for the Japanese magazine Seventeen...
- "Magic MusicMagic Music"Magic Music" is the sixth single from Japanese pop singer Kaela Kimura. Released as the first single from her third album, Scratch, on June 28, 2006, it reached number seven on the Japan Oricon singles chart.- Track listing :#"Magic Music"...
" - ScratchScratch (album)Scratch is the third album by Japanese pop singer Kaela Kimura, released on February 7, 2007. It reached number one on the Japanese Oricon albums chart.-Track listing:...
(2007) - Writing credits - MC LarsMC LarsAndrew Robert MacFarlane Nielsen is an American rapper, known by his stage name MC Lars. He is the self-proclaimed originator of "post-punk laptop rap". He was one of the first underground rappers to sample and reference post-punk and emo bands...
- This Gigantic Robot KillsThis Gigantic Robot KillsThis Gigantic Robot Kills is the sixth album by nerdcore musician MC Lars.Lars has stated that he worked with "Weird Al" Yankovic, the Rondo Brothers, Nick Rowe and Mike Kennedy of Bloodsimple, James Bourne of Busted, Daniel Dart of Time Again, Donal Finn of Flash Bastard, Pierre Bouvier of Simple...
(2009) - Kaela KimuraKaela Kimura, born , is a Japanese pop rock singer, songwriter, model, and TV presenter.- Career :Born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan to a British father and Japanese mother, Kaela started working as a model in 2002 for the Japanese magazine Seventeen...
- "Magic Music" - 5 Years5 Years5 Years is the first best album by Japanese pop singer Kaela Kimura, released on February 3, 2010. Limited edition has two pieces of cd.-Track listing:...
(2010) - Writing credits