The Piper Downs
Encyclopedia
The Piper Downs are a four piece rock band from Los Angeles
, California
.
, and then moved to Los Angeles. Bobby Bognar was the frontman for the Richmond, Virginia
band Hanover Fiske. Upon the breakup of Hanover Fiske, Bognar decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a solo music career. In 1994, Bognar returned home for the holidays and spent time with Knutson and Yell, who were the guitarists of Richmond band The Distractions
. Excited by the musical chemistry, the two Distractions moved to Los Angeles with Bognar to form Bobby Bognar and the Distractions. After releasing 1995's First Time and 1997's Heed, the band changed their name to The Piper Downs (a reference from the movie So I Married an Axe Murderer
).
EP, which showcased, among other things, the magnificent and swirling bass solos for which Yell has become known.
2002, saw the release of their most recent album, Varying Degrees of Failure and Tunelessness, which introduced their most popular song to date, "Louder", and three music videos.
The band has a guitar as part of the Hard Rock Cafe
permanent memorabilia collection, have twice been named the "Best Unsigned Band in Los Angeles," appeared on radio, movies, and television shows, headlined the local stage at the Vans Warped Tour, and opened for Sammy Hagar
in Cabo San Lucas
, Mexico
. The Downs were named the "Best New Band in America" by the Global Battle of the Bands GBOB, and came in fourth in the world competition held in London, England.
The Piper Downs have toured all across the US, in England, Mexico, and Australia.
Their single "Louder" is featured on the Zoey 101
soundtrack, Zoey 101: Music Mix
, released by Sony Records.
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...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Band history
The band met while students at Virginia Commonwealth UniversityVirginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
, and then moved to Los Angeles. Bobby Bognar was the frontman for the Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
band Hanover Fiske. Upon the breakup of Hanover Fiske, Bognar decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a solo music career. In 1994, Bognar returned home for the holidays and spent time with Knutson and Yell, who were the guitarists of Richmond band The Distractions
The Distractions
The Distractions are a British punk rock/new wave band from Manchester, England.-History:The band was originally formed in 1975 by college friends Mike Finney and Steve Perrin , alongside Lawrence Tickle and Tony Trap...
. Excited by the musical chemistry, the two Distractions moved to Los Angeles with Bognar to form Bobby Bognar and the Distractions. After releasing 1995's First Time and 1997's Heed, the band changed their name to The Piper Downs (a reference from the movie So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer
So I Married an Axe Murderer is a 1993 American comedy-horror film starring Mike Myers and Nancy Travis. Myers plays Charlie McKenzie, a man afraid of commitment until he meets Harriet , who works at a butcher shop and may be a serial killer...
).
Music career
In 1999, the band released the Rock JuiceRock Juice
Rock Juice was the first album by Los Angeles rock band The Piper Downs. It was released in 1995 by Bill and Bob's Excellent Records.The album was recorded at Jabbz studio in Long Beach, California...
EP, which showcased, among other things, the magnificent and swirling bass solos for which Yell has become known.
2002, saw the release of their most recent album, Varying Degrees of Failure and Tunelessness, which introduced their most popular song to date, "Louder", and three music videos.
The band has a guitar as part of the Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
permanent memorabilia collection, have twice been named the "Best Unsigned Band in Los Angeles," appeared on radio, movies, and television shows, headlined the local stage at the Vans Warped Tour, and opened for Sammy Hagar
Sammy Hagar
Sam Roy "Sammy" Hagar , also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Also sings Country Music....
in Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The Downs were named the "Best New Band in America" by the Global Battle of the Bands GBOB, and came in fourth in the world competition held in London, England.
The Piper Downs have toured all across the US, in England, Mexico, and Australia.
Their single "Louder" is featured on the Zoey 101
Zoey 101
Zoey 101 is an American television series that ran from January 9, 2005 to May 2, 2008 starring Jamie Lynn Spears as teenager Zoey Brooks, produced for Nickelodeon and syndicated worldwide. The show was initially filmed at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, then at stages in Valencia,...
soundtrack, Zoey 101: Music Mix
Zoey 101: Music Mix
Zoey 101: Music Mix is the soundtrack album for the Nickelodeon television series, Zoey 101, it was released on March 7, 2006. The album features music of the pop and rock genres.-Track listing:...
, released by Sony Records.