The Upbeat was formed in 1985, in the small beach-side community of Carpinteria, CA. Heavily influenced by the 2 Tone

2 Tone

2 Tone is a music genre created in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s by fusing elements of ska, punk rock, rocksteady, reggae, and New Wave. It was called 2 Tone because most of the bands were signed to 2 Tone Records at some point. Other labels associated with the 2 Tone sound were Stiff...

 Ska of the late 70s and early 80s, the group was formed by rhythm guitar player, Eric "Scaric" Vallen, bass guitar player Brandon "Hossinn" Seider, lead singer Mike "Oreo" Organista, and saxaphone player Grant "Saxpa" Cox. Shortly thereafter Mike "Pussard" Honeyman and Chaska "The Weasel" Slawson joined the band as trumpet player and drummer.

Immediately after the band started, they began to play local parties in the nearby college town of Isla Vista, CA (University of California at Santa Barbara), as well as accepting opportunities to play gigs at more famous clubs such as The Country Club

The Country Club

The Country Club, located in Brookline, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest country club in the United States. It holds an important place in golf history, as it is one of the five charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association, and has hosted numerous USGA tournaments including the...

 and Fenders Ballroom in Los Angeles and The Stone

The Stone

The Stone is a not-for-profit experimental music performance space located in the Alphabet City neighborhood in New York City. It was founded in April 2005 by musician John Zorn, who serves as the artistic director.-Location:...

 and Slims in San Francisco. After being exposed to the many iterations of the ska genre, the band began to be known for playing a unique blend of ska

Ska

Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...

, roots reggae

Roots reggae

Roots reggae is a subgenre of reggae that deals with the everyday lives and aspirations of the artists concerned, including the spiritual side of Rastafari and with the honoring of God, called Jah by rastafarians. It also is identified with the life of the ghetto sufferer, and the rural poor...

, and rock steady

Rock Steady

Rock Steady is the fifth album by American rock band No Doubt. It was released on December 11, 2001 on Interscope Records. The band began writing the album with initial recording sessions in Los Angeles and San Francisco, then traveled to London and Jamaica to work with various performers,...

, with politically and environmentally conscious lyrics. In 1993, driven by their desire to promote the music they loved, The Upbeat released their debut 5 track demo under the moniker “Upbeat Recordings”. This stark freshman effort garnered them airplay across the country and a series of compilation offers from the likes of Epitaph

Epitaph

An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person, strictly speaking that is inscribed on their tombstone or plaque, but also used figuratively. Some are specified by the dead person beforehand, others chosen by those responsible for the burial...

/Hellcat Records

Hellcat Records

Hellcat Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label, an off-shoot of Epitaph Records, was started as a partnership between Brett Gurewitz carp Bad Religion, the owner of Epitaph, and Tim Armstrong of Rancid, the latter of whom is generally responsible for...

, Moon Records

Moon Records

Moon Records may refer to:*Moon Records Ukraine, a Ukrainian record label*Moon Ska Records, a former American record label*Moon Records , a former Canadian record label mainly for Rush...

, and SRH Presents: Supporting Radical Habits

SRH Presents: Supporting Radical Habits

SRH Presents: Supporting Radical Habits is the fifth official compilation album by Suburban Noize Records released on October 25, 2005. This album is a CD/DVD set that includes popular names of the label, such as the Kottonmouth Kings, Judge D, and Big B along with others...

.

In 1995, the band released their first full length album which sold 5,000+ units with virtually no promotional support or distribution. By this time their live reputation preceded them, sending them into a series of surf, skate and snowboard videos including Transworld

Transworld

Trans World or Transworld may refer to:* Trans World , business simulation* Transworld , a publishing company in the United Kingdom-Companies:* Trans World Airlines...

 Video Magazine and Fox Sports Net

Fox Sports Net

The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...

, which brought the band even further praise, securing them a world-wide fan base and setting the stage for the band’s subsequent, prolific west coast touring. During this time, The Upbeat shared the stage with the likes of such varied artists as The Skatalites

The Skatalites

The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including "Guns of Navarone". They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many other Jamaican artists who recorded during that period...

, Burning Spear

Burning Spear

Winston Rodney, OD , also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.-History:...

, Sublime

Sublime

Sublime may refer to:* Sublime ** Their third album, Sublime ** Sublime with Rome, a reunited version of the above band* Sublime * Sublime * Sublime , the DV8 superhero...

, Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray

Sugar Ray is a band from Orange County, California. The band, starting off more as an alternative metal band, first gained fame in 1997 with their release of the song "Fly". This song's success, coupled with its pop rock sound that was quite different from the rest of their material at the time,...

, No Doubt

No Doubt

No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...

, Bad Manners

Bad Manners

Bad Manners are an English 2 Tone ska band. They quickly became the novelty favourites of the UK pop scene through their bald outsized frontman's on-stage antics, earning early exposure through their Top of The Pops exploits and an appearance in the live film documentary, Dance Craze.They were at...

, The Specials

The Specials

The Specials are an English 2 Tone ska revival band formed in 1977 in Coventry, England. Their music combines a "danceable ska and rocksteady beat with punk's energy and attitude", and had a "more focused and informed political and social stance" than other ska groups...

, The Wailers, Fishbone

Fishbone

Fishbone is a U.S. alternative rock band formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California, which plays a fusion of ska, punk rock, funk, hard rock and soul. Critics have noted of the band: "Fishbone was one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the late '80s...

, Steel Pulse

Steel Pulse

Steel Pulse is a roots reggae musical band. They originally formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, in Birmingham, England, composed of David Hinds , Basil Gabbidon , and Ronald McQueen .-History:...

, and The Twinkle Brothers, just to name a few.

"Backyard Knowledge," The Upbeat's second album, was released in 2000, and ten years later (2010), a host of new songs were released on their new album, "Shuku".

Previous Members of The Upbeat (in order of past appearance):
Jon Wilcox - Trumpet, Chaska Slawson - Drums, Eric Lundy - Lead Guitar, Nathan Dowdall - Organ/Keys, Alfredo Peralta - Vocs, Rodney Teague - Trombone, David Lombera - Organ/Keys, Gabe Cheshire - Baritone Sax, Brett Keller - Trombone, Paul Torres - Vocals, JJ - Drums, David Granada - Drums, Eric Herzogg - Drums, Collin - Drums, George Manuras - Drums