The Pink Spiders
Encyclopedia
The Pink Spiders are an American rock band, formed in Nashville, Tennessee
in 2003. The band currently consists of Matt Friction
(lead vocals/guitar
), Bob Ferrari
(drums), and Brandon Jazz (bass guitar
).
In the beginning, the band consisted of Matt Friction
(guitar and vocals), Jon Decious (bass), and Bob Ferrari (drums). Together, they achieved their highest commercial success with the 2006 album Teenage Graffiti
and the single Little Razorblade.
Shortly after the release of their third studio album, Sweat It Out, Decious and Ferrari left the band and Friction temporarily continued with new members. In August 2009, Friction announced on the social networking site MySpace that the Pink Spiders was going on an extended hiatus and that he was excited to embark on a new project entitled Matt Friction & the Cheap Shots. He went on to release material under the Cheap Shots and a second band, The Dozen Dimes.
On June 20, 2010, Friction, Decious, and Ferrari reunited for a concert at The Viper Room in West Hollywood. That same month he announced that the three would be playing together again.
In March 2011, the Pink Spiders announced dates for the "2 Legit 2 Quit Tour", their first tour since 2009. They released the Cherry Chapstick/Sad Style single soon after, on March 21.
. Matt Friction's record label, Mean Buzz Records, at one time announced plans to re-release The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over! in Summer 2008.
, was released by CI Records
on January 4, 2005. The album contained 11 original songs which according to reviewers showed heavy 50's rock influence. Several of the songs on this album were eventually re-recorded and included in their second studio album. A vinyl version of the album is available through Nashville based independent label Spat! Records, www.spatrecords.net. This LP version contains the bonus track "The Chase" which is also available as a digital download on iTunes, emusic.com and other digital download sites.
The band toured nonstop on the record, battling the chaos offered by life on the road; one show included their trailer catching on fire in Buffalo, and the band slept in New York City subways when they had nowhere to sleep until The band even donated plasma to fund their tour.
, on August 1, 2006 on Geffen Records. Five of the songs from Hot Pink
were re-recorded and included along with new songs. Little Razorblade was released as the first single off the album, along with a video. A video for Modern Swinger was also released in 2007. The Pink Spiders were since named one of Alternative Press
"100 Bands you need to know in 2006."
The Pink Spiders toured with many popular bands such as 30 Seconds to Mars
, Good Charlotte
, Yellowcard
, Meg & Dia
, All Time Low
, Sugarcult
, Damone, Kill Hannah
and Fall Out Boy
in support of this album, and also played on the Vans Warped Tour 2006.
On February 6, 2007, SPAT! Records released The Pink Spiders single The Chase. This included distribution throughout digital services.
's Total Request Live
on April 11, 2006. The video eventually peaked at #12. The song was featured on the hit MTV show "The Hills" and was often played in the popular clothing store Hollister
.
The Pink Spiders were also in competition with Angels & Airwaves
, Blue October
, Ima Robot
and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
to appear for their first possible television performance at Fashion Rocks '06, but 30 Seconds to Mars
garnered the votes necessary to win.
In March 2008, the Pink Spiders announced that on March 13, 2008, somewhere between Nashville and Atlanta, the school bus they had just bought for the tour burned to the ground along with everything they carried along. They lost everything from, "clothes, laptops, passports, id's, ipods, cameras, receipts, cash, song lyrics, everything". The Pink Spiders welcomed any donations. Furthermore, they also missed the shows at Atlanta and New Orleans, but announced they would finish the rest of the tour.
The Pink Spiders continued touring, and in Summer 2008, the band went through a line-up change after Jon Decious and Bob Ferrari left the band. The Pink Spiders temporarily continued with Matt Friction and new members . Sweat It Out, however, was recorded when the band was still in its original state.
In May 2008, the Pink Spiders played for a Sweet 16
party featured in Episode 6 of the Fourth Season
of Hell's Kitchen
.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
in 2003. The band currently consists of Matt Friction
Matt Friction
Matthew Bell, better known as Matt Friction, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter.Friction's music career began in 1998 as lead singer and songwriter of the band Silent Friction. He later moved on to establish power pop band The Pink Spiders with Bob Ferrari and Jon Decious...
(lead vocals/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...
), Bob Ferrari
Bob Ferrari
Bob Ferrari is the drummer for the band Dixie Whiskey and formerly the drummer for The Pink Spiders. He also had a one man band called Basemaster Bob. He was born on July 27 1982 in East Nashville, Tennessee...
(drums), and Brandon Jazz (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).
In the beginning, the band consisted of Matt Friction
Matt Friction
Matthew Bell, better known as Matt Friction, is an American musician, singer, and songwriter.Friction's music career began in 1998 as lead singer and songwriter of the band Silent Friction. He later moved on to establish power pop band The Pink Spiders with Bob Ferrari and Jon Decious...
(guitar and vocals), Jon Decious (bass), and Bob Ferrari (drums). Together, they achieved their highest commercial success with the 2006 album Teenage Graffiti
Teenage Graffiti
Teenage Graffiti is the third release by the band The Pink Spiders and the band's major label debut. The album was released on August 1, 2006. Soft Smoke, Modern Swinger, Hollywood Fix, Little Razorblade, and Teenage Graffiti, were carried over from Hot Pink...
and the single Little Razorblade.
Shortly after the release of their third studio album, Sweat It Out, Decious and Ferrari left the band and Friction temporarily continued with new members. In August 2009, Friction announced on the social networking site MySpace that the Pink Spiders was going on an extended hiatus and that he was excited to embark on a new project entitled Matt Friction & the Cheap Shots. He went on to release material under the Cheap Shots and a second band, The Dozen Dimes.
On June 20, 2010, Friction, Decious, and Ferrari reunited for a concert at The Viper Room in West Hollywood. That same month he announced that the three would be playing together again.
In March 2011, the Pink Spiders announced dates for the "2 Legit 2 Quit Tour", their first tour since 2009. They released the Cherry Chapstick/Sad Style single soon after, on March 21.
The Pink Spiders are Taking Over!
By January 2004, the band recorded an EP, The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over!, which contained seven songs, and was released through SPAT! Records. The Pink Spiders were later signed with CI RecordsCI Records
CI Records is an independent record label from Lancaster, Pennsylvania owned by Jeremy Weiss. Originally created to distribute the releases of his band, Stand Up, an early 1990s melodic hardcore band, CI expanded releases from bands such as Submachine, Vision, Violent Society, Serpico, and...
. Matt Friction's record label, Mean Buzz Records, at one time announced plans to re-release The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over! in Summer 2008.
Hot Pink
Their debut album, Hot PinkHot Pink
-Graphic Design:The CD casing is designed to look like it's a vinyl record, reminding the listener to replace the needle, and breaking the track listing into sides. The design of the CD is even reminiscent of a vinyl single, for it is labeled as 33 RPM, and has the lines of the tracks on the...
, was released by CI Records
CI Records
CI Records is an independent record label from Lancaster, Pennsylvania owned by Jeremy Weiss. Originally created to distribute the releases of his band, Stand Up, an early 1990s melodic hardcore band, CI expanded releases from bands such as Submachine, Vision, Violent Society, Serpico, and...
on January 4, 2005. The album contained 11 original songs which according to reviewers showed heavy 50's rock influence. Several of the songs on this album were eventually re-recorded and included in their second studio album. A vinyl version of the album is available through Nashville based independent label Spat! Records, www.spatrecords.net. This LP version contains the bonus track "The Chase" which is also available as a digital download on iTunes, emusic.com and other digital download sites.
The band toured nonstop on the record, battling the chaos offered by life on the road; one show included their trailer catching on fire in Buffalo, and the band slept in New York City subways when they had nowhere to sleep until The band even donated plasma to fund their tour.
Teenage Graffiti
The Pink Spiders released their major label debut, Teenage GraffitiTeenage Graffiti
Teenage Graffiti is the third release by the band The Pink Spiders and the band's major label debut. The album was released on August 1, 2006. Soft Smoke, Modern Swinger, Hollywood Fix, Little Razorblade, and Teenage Graffiti, were carried over from Hot Pink...
, on August 1, 2006 on Geffen Records. Five of the songs from Hot Pink
Hot Pink
-Graphic Design:The CD casing is designed to look like it's a vinyl record, reminding the listener to replace the needle, and breaking the track listing into sides. The design of the CD is even reminiscent of a vinyl single, for it is labeled as 33 RPM, and has the lines of the tracks on the...
were re-recorded and included along with new songs. Little Razorblade was released as the first single off the album, along with a video. A video for Modern Swinger was also released in 2007. The Pink Spiders were since named one of Alternative Press
Alternative Press (music magazine)
Alternative Press is an American music magazine based in Cleveland, Ohio. It generally provides readers with band interviews, photos, information on upcoming releases, and music charts. It was founded in 1985 by Mike Shea, who is the current president....
"100 Bands you need to know in 2006."
The Pink Spiders toured with many popular bands such as 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
, Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
, Yellowcard
Yellowcard
Yellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
, Meg & Dia
Meg & Dia
Meg & Dia is an American rock band formed in 2004. It was founded by sisters Meg and Dia Frampton, and is now a five-piece act with additional members Nicholas Price, Jonathan Snyder and Carlo Gimenez....
, All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
, Sugarcult
Sugarcult
Sugarcult is an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California formed in 1998. The band currently consists of Tim Pagnotta , Airin Older , Marko DeSantis , and Kenny Livingston .-Formation :Tim Pagnotta met ex-drummer Ben Davis during a cigarette break at school...
, Damone, Kill Hannah
Kill Hannah
Kill Hannah is a rock band formed in 1993 in Chicago. The band has released six studio albums, seven EPs, and two compilation albums as well as three DVDs.-History:...
and Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
in support of this album, and also played on the Vans Warped Tour 2006.
On February 6, 2007, SPAT! Records released The Pink Spiders single The Chase. This included distribution throughout digital services.
Mainstream Transition
After being signed to major label Geffen, The Pink Spiders' first single, "Little Razorblade", debuted on MTVMTV
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....
's Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
on April 11, 2006. The video eventually peaked at #12. The song was featured on the hit MTV show "The Hills" and was often played in the popular clothing store Hollister
Hollister Co.
Hollister Co., sometimes advertised as Hollister or HCo., is an American lifestyle brand by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. The concept was originally designed to attract consumers aged 14–18 through its SoCal-inspired image and casual wear. Goods are available in-store and through the company's online store...
.
The Pink Spiders were also in competition with Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves
Angels & Airwaves is an American alternative rock supergroup led by Blink-182 guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge, also including guitarist David Kennedy from Over My Dead Body, Hazen Street and Box Car Racer, bass guitarist Matt Wachter from 30 Seconds to Mars and former Lostprophets and Nine Inch...
, Blue October
Blue October
Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas. The band was formed in 1995 and currently consists of Justin Furstenfeld , Jeremy Furstenfeld , Ryan Delahoussaye , Matt Noveskey , and Julian Mandrake .-History:Blue October was formed by lead...
, Ima Robot
Ima Robot
-Band history:Ima Robot formed in the late 1990s, after vocalist Alex Ebert's band The Lucky 13's broke up, and became successful in the early 2000s after signing with Virgin Records. The band's other original members were Timmy "the Terror" Anderson, Oligee, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, and the prolific...
and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American rock band that formed in Middleburg, Florida.-Early years :Originating in Florida, childhood friends Ronnie Winter, Thomas Amason, and Duke Kitchens started the band while attending an AP music theory class, in 2003...
to appear for their first possible television performance at Fashion Rocks '06, but 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
garnered the votes necessary to win.
Sweat It Out
Beginning in late 2007/early 2008, the Pink Spiders announced that Sweat It Out would be released soon. Initially, it was expected to be released in Spring 2008, according to their official MySpace. However, after long waiting, the release date was finally moved to September 23, 2008. The album was released on the independent label, Mean Buzz, in partnership with Adrenaline Music. The first single off the album, Gimme Chemicals, was released on August 2008.In March 2008, the Pink Spiders announced that on March 13, 2008, somewhere between Nashville and Atlanta, the school bus they had just bought for the tour burned to the ground along with everything they carried along. They lost everything from, "clothes, laptops, passports, id's, ipods, cameras, receipts, cash, song lyrics, everything". The Pink Spiders welcomed any donations. Furthermore, they also missed the shows at Atlanta and New Orleans, but announced they would finish the rest of the tour.
The Pink Spiders continued touring, and in Summer 2008, the band went through a line-up change after Jon Decious and Bob Ferrari left the band. The Pink Spiders temporarily continued with Matt Friction and new members . Sweat It Out, however, was recorded when the band was still in its original state.
Subterranean EP
On their Summer 2008 Tapped Kegs, Spread Legs & Fertilized Eggs tour, The Pink Spiders released the tour-only exclusive Subterranean EP, which included previously unreleased versions of "Teenage Graffiti" and "Knock Knock", "Gimme Chemicals", and "Sleeping On the Floor" from Sweat It Out, as well as the b-sides "Typical Danger" and "We Do It All The Time." This was the last release before the beginning of their extended hiatus.Sad Style/Cherry Chapstick
On March 21, 2011, The Pink Spiders released new music for the first time in three years. The two singles were released in time for a Spring 2011 tour and signaled the beginning of a new album cycle for the band. As of Summer 2011, the band was still working on new songs for a new full length album.T.V. Appearances
Between 2006-2008, The Pink Spiders appeared on MTV's TRL, Discover and Download and You Hear It First. As well as FUSE's Daily Download, Tattoo Stories, and Steven's Untitled Rock Show.In May 2008, the Pink Spiders played for a Sweet 16
Sweet sixteen (birthday)
A sweet sixteen party is a type of birthday party in the United States celebrating a sixteenth birthday, Sweet sixteen parties mark a coming of age.- Types of sweet sixteen party :...
party featured in Episode 6 of the Fourth Season
Hell's Kitchen (U.S. season 4)
Season 4 of the American competitive reality television series Hell's Kitchen began airing on the Fox Network starting on April 1, 2008. The show was originally planned to air later in the season, but instead was aired as a replacement for shows that were affected by the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of...
of Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen (U.S.)
Hell's Kitchen is an American reality-television cooking competition broadcast on Fox...
.
Albums
- Hot PinkHot Pink-Graphic Design:The CD casing is designed to look like it's a vinyl record, reminding the listener to replace the needle, and breaking the track listing into sides. The design of the CD is even reminiscent of a vinyl single, for it is labeled as 33 RPM, and has the lines of the tracks on the...
(2005) - Teenage GraffitiTeenage GraffitiTeenage Graffiti is the third release by the band The Pink Spiders and the band's major label debut. The album was released on August 1, 2006. Soft Smoke, Modern Swinger, Hollywood Fix, Little Razorblade, and Teenage Graffiti, were carried over from Hot Pink...
(2006) - Sweat It Out (2008)
Singles
- Little Razorblade (2006)
- Gimme Chemicals (2008)
- Cherry Chapstick/Sad Style (2011)
External links
- The Pink Spiders Official Site
- The Pink Spiders at Geffen RecordsGeffen RecordsGeffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
- FR*A Interview with The Pink Spiders
- Pink Spiders Interview May '08