Papa Vegas
Encyclopedia
Papa Vegas is a rock band from the 1990s. They released two studio albums and were signed to RCA Records
.
Papa Vegas was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan
, where vocalist Joel Ferguson and guitarist Pete Dunning first began playing together. Dunning and Ferguson collaborated for three years before parting ways for individual projects, and Ferguson played under the name "Papa Vegas" with a variety of other musicians. After playing with Papa Vegas at a battle of the bands competition, they were heard by Brian Vander Ark
, then lead singer of The Verve Pipe
, who signed them to his Sid Flips label and produced their debut album, Grounded, with Pete Dunning back on lead guitar, Scott Stefanski on drums, and original bassist Mick Force. Sid Flips was folded into RCA, and the group was set up with Don Gilmore to produce their next album. Tom Lord-Alge
mixed; the result was released as Hello Vertigo in April 1999. All songs on the album were written by Joel Ferguson with the exception of "Sermon Underground", which was co-written by Joel Ferguson and Pete Dunning. Their biggest hit single was "Bombshell", which peaked at #17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1999. Following the album's release, they toured with the Verve Pipe and also Kent
, a critically acclaimed band from Stockholm then touring the US under RCA's European label, and had a lesser hit with the release of "Something Wrong" but the full-length did not sell as well as hoped, and no further hit singles followed. The group was dropped from the RCA label in March 2000 and split up shortly afterward. In December 2004, the band reunited to play a large venue show with The Verve Pipe
. The show was a success, and they repeated it in December 2005. Ferguson, Stefanski and Dunning re-grouped for various projects on and off in the years that followed, most notably Miles to Mars. In January 2009 Papa Vegas re-grouped as a five piece with John Connors replacing Force on bass, and adding Randy Tate on keyboards. The band is currently playing shows in their home state of Michigan and is working on a forthcoming album to be released in early 2010 on their own Shiver Music label.
1 New members since band reformed in 2009.
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...
.
Papa Vegas was founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
, where vocalist Joel Ferguson and guitarist Pete Dunning first began playing together. Dunning and Ferguson collaborated for three years before parting ways for individual projects, and Ferguson played under the name "Papa Vegas" with a variety of other musicians. After playing with Papa Vegas at a battle of the bands competition, they were heard by Brian Vander Ark
Brian Vander Ark
Brian Vander Ark is an American Singer-songwriter best known as lead singer for the band The Verve Pipe. Born in Holland, Michigan, Vander Ark began playing guitar at age 8. At age 18, he was married to then girlfriend Michelle Marthens and had a son named Joshua Vander Ark. Soon after he joined...
, then lead singer of The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.-History:...
, who signed them to his Sid Flips label and produced their debut album, Grounded, with Pete Dunning back on lead guitar, Scott Stefanski on drums, and original bassist Mick Force. Sid Flips was folded into RCA, and the group was set up with Don Gilmore to produce their next album. Tom Lord-Alge
Tom Lord-Alge
Tom Lord-Alge is a four-time Grammy Award–winning record producer and mixer. He is the youngest of Vivian Lord's five children, Mark Lord-Alge, Lisa Lord-Alge, Chris Lord-Alge, Jeff Lord-Alge and Tom Lord-Alge...
mixed; the result was released as Hello Vertigo in April 1999. All songs on the album were written by Joel Ferguson with the exception of "Sermon Underground", which was co-written by Joel Ferguson and Pete Dunning. Their biggest hit single was "Bombshell", which peaked at #17 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1999. Following the album's release, they toured with the Verve Pipe and also Kent
Kent (band)
Kent is a Swedish alternative rock band founded in Eskilstuna in 1990, with the name Coca-Cola Kids, later Jones & Giftet , and Havsänglar...
, a critically acclaimed band from Stockholm then touring the US under RCA's European label, and had a lesser hit with the release of "Something Wrong" but the full-length did not sell as well as hoped, and no further hit singles followed. The group was dropped from the RCA label in March 2000 and split up shortly afterward. In December 2004, the band reunited to play a large venue show with The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe
The Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.-History:...
. The show was a success, and they repeated it in December 2005. Ferguson, Stefanski and Dunning re-grouped for various projects on and off in the years that followed, most notably Miles to Mars. In January 2009 Papa Vegas re-grouped as a five piece with John Connors replacing Force on bass, and adding Randy Tate on keyboards. The band is currently playing shows in their home state of Michigan and is working on a forthcoming album to be released in early 2010 on their own Shiver Music label.
Personnel
- Joel Ferguson - Vocals, Guitars
- Pete Dunning - Backup Vocals, Guitars
- Mick Force - Bass Guitar
- Scott Stefanski - Drums, Backing Vocals
- Randy Tate1 - Keyboards, Vocals
- John Conners1 - Bass Guitar, Vocals
1 New members since band reformed in 2009.
Discography
- Grounded - 1997, Sid Flips
- Bombshell - 3:48
- Never - 3:26
- Long Days - 3:34
- Little Kisses (early version of "Something Wrong") - 2:52
- Mesmerized - 3:35
- Hello Vertigo - 1999, RCA RecordsRCA RecordsRCA 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...
- Something Wrong - 3:00
- Bombshell - 3:59
- Super Telepathy - 3:37
- Mesmerized - 3:46
- Long Days - 4:17
- Reason Without Meaning - 4:37
- No Destination - 3:51
- Beautiful Animal - 2:58
- Through To You - 3:07
- Sermon Underground - 3:53
- On Your Own - 3:53
- Resolve - 4:13
- Gravity Wars - 2011
- Comfort - 3:49
- Find Another Way - 3:16
- She's Made of Stone - 3:54
- Before Our Eyes - 3:28
- Battle Hymn of the Fearless Yard Gnome - 2:27
- Drained - 3:33
- One I Left Behind - 3:38
- Shoes - 3:42