Roses Are Red (band)
Encyclopedia
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...
band formed in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The band was signed to Trustkill Records
Trustkill Records
Trustkill Records was an American record label that started as a hardcore punk fanzine in April 1993. It started releasing hardcore, metal and rock records and merchandise in 1994...
.
Biography
Roses Are Red formed in the summer of 2002 from the ashes of numerous other bands around the Western New YorkWestern New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
area. It originally featured Vincent Minervino on vocals, Brian and Matthew Gordner on guitars, Kevin Mahoney on bass, and Michael Lasaponara on drums. Just 2 months after forming, the band recorded a 4-song demo and hit the road for weekend tours throughout the fall and winter of 2002. Their first full-length, Handshakes and Heartbreaks
Handshakes and Heartbreaks
Handshakes and Heartbreaks is the first album from alternative rock band Roses Are Red.-Track listing:# "Hello, Cruel World" # "When Late Becomes Early" # "Handshakes and Heartbreaks" # "The Legend" # "Angela"...
, was released in June 2003. The band toured the United States in July and August 2003 under their own steam. The band was named "The Next Big Thing" by Absolutepunk.net, and label interest soon followed. In the spring of 2004, Roses Are Red signed with New Jersey-based indie label Trustkill Records
Trustkill Records
Trustkill Records was an American record label that started as a hardcore punk fanzine in April 1993. It started releasing hardcore, metal and rock records and merchandise in 1994...
.
Playing select dates of the 2004 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...
on the Smartpunk stage, the band built great anticipation for their Trustkill debut, Conversations, which was released in the fall of 2004. The album was produced by Chris Badami (The Early November
The Early November
The Early November is an American rock band from Hammonton, New Jersey. The group formed in 1999 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. , they have released two EPs , as well as two full-length albums...
, The Starting Line
The Starting Line
The Starting Line is an American pop punk band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that formed in 1999.- Formation and history :In 1999, the band that would become The Starting Line was initiated in Churchville, Pennsylvania via an e-mail from guitarist Matt Watts to vocalist/bassist Kenny Vasoli...
). The band toured relentlessly in support of Conversations, supporting The Plain White T's, Underoath
Underoath
Underoath is an American Christian metalcore band from Tampa, Florida. Founded by Dallas Taylor and Luke Morton on November 30, 1997 in Ocala, Florida, subsequently its additional members were from Tampa, Florida...
, Silverstein
Silverstein (band)
Silverstein is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, whom the band had admired and read the stories of as children. They have released a total of five studio albums, three EP's, a...
, Matchbook Romance
Matchbook Romance
Matchbook Romance was an American rock band from Poughkeepsie, New York and was formed in 1997.were signed to Epitaph Records. They released two full length albums and one EP...
, Chiodos
Chiodos
Chiodos is an American post hardcore band from Davison, Michigan. Formed in 2001, the group was originally known as "The Chiodos Bros," the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Chiodos released their...
, Hawthorne Heights
Hawthorne Heights
Hawthorne Heights is an American rock band from Dayton, Ohio, formed in 2001. Their line-up currently consists of lead-singer and rhythm guitarist JT Woodruff, lead-guitarist and vocalist Micah Carli, bassist and backing vocalist Matt Ridenour, and drummer Eron Bucciarelli...
, and more. RAR returned to the Warped Tour in 2005, playing the Smartpunk Stage yet again alongside Boys Night Out
Boys Night Out (band)
Boys Night Out is a Canadian emo/post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario.-Career:The band formed in a 2001 when lead vocalist Connor Lovat-Fraser and current guitarist Jeff Davis started collaborating on . The work eventually led to the four-song You Are My Canvas demo, an EP influenced by...
, Armor For Sleep
Armor for Sleep
Armor for Sleep was an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2009. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen....
, From First To Last
From First to Last
From First to Last was an American rock band based out of Los Angeles, originally hailing from Valdosta, Georgia and Tampa, Florida. The band released their first EP titled Aesthetic in 2003 with vocalist Phillip Reardon, followed by Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count in 2004 and Heroine in...
, Emery
Emery (band)
Emery is an American four-piece post-hardcore band from Rock Hill, South Carolina currently signed to both Tooth & Nail Records and Solid State Records and based in Seattle, Washington. Emery was founded in Rock Hill, South Carolina with the original lineup consisting of Toby Morrell, Devin...
, and more.
In March 2005, while touring with A Thorn For Every Heart
A Thorn for Every Heart
A Thorn for Every Heart was an alternative rock quintet from Chino Hills, California.-History:The band was originally formed in early 2003 by former members Joel Holt and Aaron Peck...
, Kevin Mahoney left the band and was replaced by Brad Gilboe, from Detroit. Mahoney began playing guitar for Polar Bear Club
Polar Bear Club
Polar Bear Club is an American post-hardcore/indie rock band from Rochester and Syracuse, upstate New York. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer Tyler...
. In 2006, he would re-join the band to record and release their second album, but left shortly after and was replaced by Andy Champion. Both Matthew and Brian Gordner left the band in October 2005, forcing the band to cancel their November dates. Shaun Murphy joined the band shortly after and was followed by Tom Zenns.
In June 2006, Roses Are Red released their second album, What Became Of Me
What Became of Me
What Became Of Me is the third and final album from alternative rock band Roses Are Red.-Track listing:# "These Days" # "Failing" # "Giving It All Tonight" # "Show Your Eyes" # "The Last Time" # "Bring Me Down"...
, one of Alternative Press Magazine's 'Most Anticipated Albums Of 2006'. The album was produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
, Circa Survive
Circa Survive
Circa Survive is an American alternative rock band from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburb of Doylestown, formed in 2004. The band consists of vocalist Anthony Green, former singer of Saosin and members of the now-defunct This Day Forward....
, Senses Fail
Senses Fail
Senses Fail is an American post-hardcore band from Ridgewood, New Jersey. Formed in 2002, the line up initially consisted of vocalist Buddy Nielsen, drummer Dan Trapp, guitarists Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki and being completed by bassist Mike Glita. The band quickly issued their debut EP, From...
).
After the departure of Michael Lasaponara and Shaun Murphy in February 2007, just after the conclusion of the Glitz 'N Glamour tour (which they headlined and featured Rookie of the Year
Rookie of the Year (band)
Rookie of the Year is an indie rock/acoustic band from Fayetteville, North Carolina . They were signed to One Eleven Records, though the fourth release of their latest EP fulfilled their contractual obligation to 111 and allow them to sign with a new label. The band is fronted by lead...
, Scenes From A Movie
Scenes from a Movie
-History:Scenes from a Movie members Tony Bush and Jon Ewing were friends in high school, but Ewing attended the University of Charleston while Bush went to college at Bowling Green. Ewing, together with guitarist Luke Del Papa, then convinced Bush to drop out of school, and the group expanded to a...
, and Four Letter Lie
Four Letter Lie
-History:The group formed in 2004 and quickly released an EP entitled Her Escape in May 2005. They followed the release with a heavy tour schedule, which included dates on the Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos tours. The group won an online vote to open the Taste of Chaos date in St. Paul, Minnesota...
), the band went on hiatus and ultimately disbanded.
Tom Zenns joined the band Time & Distance, but left shortly after. Andy Champion also joined T&D around the same time, playing bass, before leaving to join Zenns in his new project, Love or Lust. Champion eventually left LOL and briefly played in the Buffalo, NY-based band The Boy And His Machine. Michael Lasaponara played drums in the California based-band William Tell
William Tell (musician)
William Tell is the former rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist for the Piano rock band Something Corporate. After leaving the band in 2004 for a solo career, William Tell was signed as a New Door Records solo artist...
for a short while. He then began doing drum tech work for bands such as 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...
, The Academy Is...
The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
, Armor For Sleep
Armor for Sleep
Armor for Sleep was an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001 and disbanded in 2009. The final lineup consisted of lead vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Ben Jorgensen, lead guitarist PJ DeCicco, bassist Anthony DiIonno and drummer Nash Breen....
, Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
and Chiodos
Chiodos
Chiodos is an American post hardcore band from Davison, Michigan. Formed in 2001, the group was originally known as "The Chiodos Bros," the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Chiodos released their...
before playing drums in Cute Is What We Aim For until their break-up in 2009. He is now with the New York band Nocturnal Me. Kevin Mahoney now plays guitar in Hit The Lights, Tom Zenns is with the Rochester band The Ones That You Like, and Vincent Minervino has two new bands called My Island and The Brigatines. Original guitarist Brian Gordner is now a tour manager and has worked with Straylight Run
Straylight Run
Straylight Run was an indie rock band based in Baldwin, New York. Two of the members, Nolan and Cooper, had been members of Taking Back Sunday and have now rejoined that band. Their final releases are the EPs About Time and Un Mas Dos, preceded by the full-length album entitled The Needles The...
and Augustana
Augustana (band)
Augustana is an American rock band from San Diego, California who are signed to the Epic Records record label. They are best known for their singles, "Boston" and "Sweet and Low."-Beginning years:...
.
Final Line-Up
- Vincent Minervino - vocals/guitar/piano
- Michael Lasaponara - drums
- Shaun Murphy - guitar/vocals
- Tom Zenns - guitar
- Andy Champion - bass guitar
Past members
- Kevin Mahoney - bass guitar/vocals
- Matthew Gordner - guitar
- Brian Gordner - guitar
- Brad Gilboe - bass guitar/vocals
Albums
- Handshakes and HeartbreaksHandshakes and HeartbreaksHandshakes and Heartbreaks is the first album from alternative rock band Roses Are Red.-Track listing:# "Hello, Cruel World" # "When Late Becomes Early" # "Handshakes and Heartbreaks" # "The Legend" # "Angela"...
- 2003 - Conversations - 2004
- What Became of MeWhat Became of MeWhat Became Of Me is the third and final album from alternative rock band Roses Are Red.-Track listing:# "These Days" # "Failing" # "Giving It All Tonight" # "Show Your Eyes" # "The Last Time" # "Bring Me Down"...
- 2006
Other songs
- 'Last Christmas' from Taste of Christmas compilation CD - 2005
- 'Cherub Rock' from The Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing PumpkinsThe Killer in You: A Tribute to Smashing PumpkinsThe Killer In You: A Tribute to Smashing Pumpkins is a 2005 tribute album, featuring a variety of artists covering songs from the American alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins.-Track listing:#"Cherub Rock" by Roses Are Red - 5:04...
- 2005 - 'We Never Knew' Trustkill Takeover Vol.2 - 2006