Pressure 4-5
Encyclopedia
Pressure 4-5 was an alternative rock
/metal
group hailing from Santa Barbara, California
. The band released one studio album
, Burning the Process
, in October 2001 and toured into the following year. They soon after broke up upon many of the band members leaving for alternate lifestyles not relating to music.
Although often categorized under the alternative
and nu metal
genres popular at the time, Pressure 4-5, not wanting to be pigeonholed with current trends, insisted they were not metal
but rather a "heavy rock band with introspective and somewhat intelligent lyrics" and "not chanting the next rap rock
tech phrases in our songs."
. Jake Folwer joined after seeing an ad at a local drum shop; Schmidt later recruited his brother, Tom, to replace Fowler.
The band's moniker comes from Joe Schmidt's unwillingness to be the group's DJ. He rarely came for practices with the band, which left the remaining members wondering if they'd have 4 or 5 members, hence the name "Pressure 4-5."
In 1999, the band released an independently-released EP, entitled Antechnology
. They continued performing throughout California and, with the help of music websites and fanzine
s, quickly built a following. After a warm welcoming from the rock community and a large outpouring of support, Pressure 4-5 was quickly signed to Dreamworks Records
in 2000, where they released their only full-length album, Burning The Process
, in autumn the following year. Amidst the alternative metal
craze, 2001 would prove to be Pressure 4-5's most successful year; they acquired a spot on the Second Stage of Ozzfest 2001 before touring with groups like Dredg
, The Used
, and Lit. A live October performance in Colorado would also be taped for an MTV
special in November. However, of the band's most memorable concert experiences include a sold-out show with Alien Ant Farm
at The World
following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Unfortunately, the band's success was short lived after the promotion of two single
s, "Beat The World," with a music video
directed by Marc Webb
, and "Melt Me Down." The former performed quite well on modern rock mainstays such as MTV2
during 2001, and Pressure 4-5 started working on new material the following year with new blue graphics draping their website. By spring, their headlining spot on the MTV2 Presents Tour with Apex Theory and Lostprophets
also allowed the band to preview their new music to audiences. Further exposure was gained through radio shows with the likes of Blink 182 and 311
. After finishing up touring in December, Pressure 4-5 was scheduled to enter the studio to record some new songs in January 2003; however, during this time, numerous band members left (namely Tom Schmidt and Lyle McKeany). The band abruptly called it quits after gathering replacement musicians and recording a few demos that were never released.
Joe Schmidt would later join Primal Tribe with former Implant front man Ben Ofstead and bassist Rob Cantrell. Vocalist Adam Rich is now the Vice Principal of Paradise High School in Paradise, California
.
Previous members
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
/metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
group hailing from Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
. The band released one studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Burning the Process
Burning The Process
Burning the Process is the major label debut album of alternative metal band Pressure 4-5, released on Dreamworks Records in 2001. It features 11 tracks, three of which were featured on a prior three-song sampler release and were re-recorded for this album...
, in October 2001 and toured into the following year. They soon after broke up upon many of the band members leaving for alternate lifestyles not relating to music.
Although often categorized under the alternative
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
and nu metal
Nu metal
Nu metal is a subgenre of heavy metal. It is a fusion genre which combines elements of heavy metal with other genres, including grunge and hip hop...
genres popular at the time, Pressure 4-5, not wanting to be pigeonholed with current trends, insisted they were not metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
but rather a "heavy rock band with introspective and somewhat intelligent lyrics" and "not chanting the next rap rock
Rap rock
Rap rock is a cross-genre fusing vocal and instrumental elements of hip hop with various forms of rock. Rap rock is often confused with rap metal and rapcore, subgenres that include heavy metal-oriented and hardcore punk-oriented bands, respectively....
tech phrases in our songs."
Band history
Formed in January 1998 by vocalist Adam Rich and guitarist Mark Barry, Pressure 4-5 started simply enough, as two college friends forming a band together. Things quickly picked up when another friend from college, Lyle McKeany, joined the group as bassist. Joe Schmidt later joined the band as DJ before switching to rhythm guitarRhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
. Jake Folwer joined after seeing an ad at a local drum shop; Schmidt later recruited his brother, Tom, to replace Fowler.
The band's moniker comes from Joe Schmidt's unwillingness to be the group's DJ. He rarely came for practices with the band, which left the remaining members wondering if they'd have 4 or 5 members, hence the name "Pressure 4-5."
In 1999, the band released an independently-released EP, entitled Antechnology
Antechnology
Antechnology is an EP released by alternative metal band Pressure 4-5. It was released independently on Dripping Records in 1999. After the success of this EP, the band was picked up by DreamWorks Records to go on to release their first and final full-length album....
. They continued performing throughout California and, with the help of music websites and fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s, quickly built a following. After a warm welcoming from the rock community and a large outpouring of support, Pressure 4-5 was quickly signed to Dreamworks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
in 2000, where they released their only full-length album, Burning The Process
Burning The Process
Burning the Process is the major label debut album of alternative metal band Pressure 4-5, released on Dreamworks Records in 2001. It features 11 tracks, three of which were featured on a prior three-song sampler release and were re-recorded for this album...
, in autumn the following year. Amidst the alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
craze, 2001 would prove to be Pressure 4-5's most successful year; they acquired a spot on the Second Stage of Ozzfest 2001 before touring with groups like Dredg
Dredg
Dredg is an American rock group formed in 1993 in Los Gatos, California. The band consists of vocalist Gavin Hayes, guitarist Mark Engles, bassist Drew Roulette and drummer Dino Campanella....
, The Used
The Used
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third...
, and Lit. A live October performance in Colorado would also be taped for an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
special in November. However, of the band's most memorable concert experiences include a sold-out show with Alien Ant Farm
Alien Ant Farm
Alien Ant Farm is an American alternative rock band that formed in Riverside, California, in 1995. Their name comes from an idea original guitarist Terry Corso had about aliens and the earth: "I was daydreaming at my dull desk job with my feet up, and I thought to myself, 'Wouldn't it be cool if...
at The World
The World (WWE)
The World was a WWE-themed restaurant/nightclub in Times Square in New York City, in the Paramount Theater building on the corner of Broadway and 43rd Street...
following the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Unfortunately, the band's success was short lived after the promotion of two single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s, "Beat The World," with a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
directed by Marc Webb
Marc Webb
Marc Preston Webb is an American music video, short film and major motion picture director. He directed the 2009 romantic comedy-drama Days of Summer and is currently directing the 2012 Spider-Man reboot The Amazing Spider-Man.-Life and career:Webb was born in Bloomington, Indiana, the son of...
, and "Melt Me Down." The former performed quite well on modern rock mainstays such as MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
during 2001, and Pressure 4-5 started working on new material the following year with new blue graphics draping their website. By spring, their headlining spot on the MTV2 Presents Tour with Apex Theory and Lostprophets
Lostprophets
Lostprophets is a Welsh rock band from Pontypridd, formed in 1997. Founded by vocalist Ian Watkins, bassist Mike Lewis, drummer Mike Chiplin and guitarist Lee Gaze, they were originally a side-project to hardcore punk band Public Disturbance. To date, Lostprophets have released four studio...
also allowed the band to preview their new music to audiences. Further exposure was gained through radio shows with the likes of Blink 182 and 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
. After finishing up touring in December, Pressure 4-5 was scheduled to enter the studio to record some new songs in January 2003; however, during this time, numerous band members left (namely Tom Schmidt and Lyle McKeany). The band abruptly called it quits after gathering replacement musicians and recording a few demos that were never released.
Joe Schmidt would later join Primal Tribe with former Implant front man Ben Ofstead and bassist Rob Cantrell. Vocalist Adam Rich is now the Vice Principal of Paradise High School in Paradise, California
Paradise, California
Paradise is an incorporated town in Butte County, in the northwest foothills of California's Central Valley, in the Sierra. The town is considered part of the Chico Metropolitan Area. The population was 26,218 at the 2010 census, down from 26,408 at the 2000 census...
.
Band members
Final line-up- Adam Rich – vocals
- Joe Schmidt – rhythm guitar, turntables
- Mark Barry – lead guitar
- John Miller – bass guitar
- Andrew Bogert – drums
Previous members
- Lyle McKeany – bass guitar
- Jake Folwer – drums
External links
- MTV's Pressure 4-5 Site
- VH1's Pressure 4-5 Site
- Pressure 4-5 at MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- Pressure 4-5 at iLikeILikeiLike is an online service that allows users to download and share music. The website makes use of a sidebar that is used with Apple's iTunes or Microsoft's Windows Media Player. The program and sidebar are not required in order to use the site but allow for ease in discovering new artists....
- [ Pressure 4-5] at Allmusic