Square (band)
Encyclopedia
Square was a musical trio from Lincoln, Nebraska
who moved to Southern California
in early 2000. It was composed of Sean Beste on vocals
and keyboard
s, James Valentine
on guitar
, and Ryland Steen
on drums
. Their sound has been described as including elements of rock
, pop
, and jazz fusion
.
The band moved to Orange County
after entering an Ernie Ball
-sponsored band competition. They won the grand prize, besting 600 other entrants. Shortly after winning the competition, they released their only full length album, This Magnificent , on indie label Lucy Smith Music. The band starting playing many gigs in the area, including some with local band Kara's Flowers.
In 2001, the members of Kara's Flowers asked Valentine to join their group, an invitation that he accepted, effectively dissolving Square. Kara's Flowers changed its name to Maroon 5
and became one of the most commercially successful acts of the mid-2000s. Steen later joined established ska band Reel Big Fish
. Beste, who was initially upset at Valentine's decision to leave Square but says he no longer harbors any ill will, started a band called The Excuse and moved to Portland, Oregon
for several years. Beste has since returned to the Los Angeles
area and has done some work with the band Maxeen
.
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
who moved to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
in early 2000. It was composed of Sean Beste on vocals
Singing
Singing 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...
and keyboard
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
s, James Valentine
James Valentine (musician)
James Valentine is an American musician. He is best known as the lead guitarist for the pop rock group Maroon 5.-Early life:...
on 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...
, and Ryland Steen
Ryland Steen
Ryland David-Burton Steen is the current drummer for the California-USA-based ska punk band, Reel Big Fish....
on 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 ....
. Their sound has been described as including elements of 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...
, 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...
, and jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
.
The band moved to Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
after entering an Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
-sponsored band competition. They won the grand prize, besting 600 other entrants. Shortly after winning the competition, they released their only full length album, This Magnificent , on indie label Lucy Smith Music. The band starting playing many gigs in the area, including some with local band Kara's Flowers.
In 2001, the members of Kara's Flowers asked Valentine to join their group, an invitation that he accepted, effectively dissolving Square. Kara's Flowers changed its name to Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
and became one of the most commercially successful acts of the mid-2000s. Steen later joined established ska band Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
. Beste, who was initially upset at Valentine's decision to leave Square but says he no longer harbors any ill will, started a band called The Excuse and moved to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
for several years. Beste has since returned to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area and has done some work with the band Maxeen
Maxeen
Maxeen was a three-piece rock band based out of Long Beach, California.Signed to SideOneDummy Records in 2003, Maxeen released their debut eponymous album which was on an enhanced CD containing a photo slideshow with images by Leah Klinge and Jay Matsueda. In 2004, they signed to Warner Bros...
.