Wynona Riders
Encyclopedia
The Wynona Riders are an East Bay
pop punk
band formed in 1988 as Miss Conduct by Jim Tyler (drums), Eric Matson (guitar), Ron Murphy (bass) and Mike Lipari (vocals). In 1989 Ron Greer (Skip) joined the band as the lead singer, changing their name with their first 924 Gilman Street
performance. It was named after the actress, Winona Ryder
.
Jack Cheeze left the band over creative differences. Replaced by Richie Bucher, they recorded an EP
called "Send in the clowns". In 1992, a tour across the U.S. was planned, when Erick suddenly quit the band without an explanation. Skip and Richie started the band "Here Kitty Kitty" with Joe Selby and Kreig White, and recorded some demos. As "Here Kitty Kitty" they did a tour across the U.S. in 1994.
Meanwhile, Skip asked their record company, Lookout! Records
, if they would be interested to release the Wynona Riders demos on CD, as he didn't want the music of that band to fade into history. When he asked Dave for his opinion on the release of these demos, he suggested that re-recording the tracks might be a better idea.
Skip, Dave and Richie got together, auditioned for a new guitar player, but eventually winded up working with Erick again. The recording sessions resulted in the album J.D. Salinger, containing a cover of Kim Wilde
's Kids in America
.
After the release of this album, Erick joined the band "Jack Killed Jill" and announced that he couldn't tour with the Wynona Riders. Upon hearing this, the other three members kicked him out of the band for good. After auditioning Patrick Hynes (one of the three owners of Lookout! Records at the time) and Joe Selby the band chose Joe to fill the guitar role for their 1995 US tour in support of the "J.D. Salinger" LP/CD.
After a successful tour that saw the Wynona Riders play over 40 shows around the country in six weeks the band decided to try to stick it out with the touring line-up and began writing new material for a follow-up record. An interim release under the name The Nation of Wenonah was released on What Else? records out of Indiana as a split EP with band Lynrd's Innards. The EP was a send-up/tribute of the Washington D.C. band the Nation of Ulysses. As more new songs were written the style of the band was veering towards the agitpop styles of other D.C. bands from the early 1990s and Richie and Dave found themselves less than enthusiastic about the direction the band was headed.
Time was booked into Andy Ernst
's Art of Ears studio, where "J.D. Salinger" had been recorded to record an EP, Artificial Intelligence(LKOUT 162) for Lookout!, but before the band entered the studio they broke up after performing onstage at 924 Gilman St. in Berkeley, ironically while opening for Fifteen's farewell show.
Skip and Joe formed the band "Toyboat" with former Red # and Hi-Fives
drummer Julie Rose and bassist Adam Turk, E.C. joined the band "Three Years Down", and Richie went to work at a bakery. A short year later toyboat would disband and Joe Selby would join Three Years Down as their bass player with Skip moving to New York to pursue a career in information technology.
Joe Selby: Guitar
Richie Bucher: Bass
Dave Henwood: Drums
"Some Enchanted Evening" 7" EP (Lookout! Records) (1992)
"J.D. Salinger" CD/LP (Lookout! Records) (1995)
Various Artists - "Winter Compilation" CD (Lookout! Records) (1996)
Various Artists - "Heide Sez" CD (Lookout! Records) (1996)
Nation of Wenonah - "We Must Confront These Heresies" EP (What Else? Records) (1996)
"Artificial Intelligence" CD/LP (Lookout! Records) (1997)
"How to Make an American Quit" CD (Coldfront) (2001)
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
band formed in 1988 as Miss Conduct by Jim Tyler (drums), Eric Matson (guitar), Ron Murphy (bass) and Mike Lipari (vocals). In 1989 Ron Greer (Skip) joined the band as the lead singer, changing their name with their first 924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street
924 Gilman Street is an all-ages, not for profit, collectively organized music club usually referred to by its fans simply as "The Gilman." It is located in the West Berkeley area of Berkeley, California about a mile and a half west of the North Berkeley BART station and a quarter-mile west of San...
performance. It was named after the actress, Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
.
Personnel changes
Jim Tyler did not get along with his bandmates very well due to his renewed Christian values, so he left the band in 1990 for college. Jim went on to play drums for Flaccid and HOSS, based in Fort Collins, Co. Ron Murphy originally took over drumming duties, but continuing creative differences led to his split from the band. Bass playing then went to Jack Cheeze (Paul Naginis), while Rico Martinez filled in on drums. In this line-up they recorded the track "Break" for a compilation album called "Can of Pork" (LKOUT 44). Subsequently, Rico was thrown in jail and replaced by Dave "E.C." Henwood of FILTH and The Vagrants..Jack Cheeze left the band over creative differences. Replaced by Richie Bucher, they recorded an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
called "Send in the clowns". In 1992, a tour across the U.S. was planned, when Erick suddenly quit the band without an explanation. Skip and Richie started the band "Here Kitty Kitty" with Joe Selby and Kreig White, and recorded some demos. As "Here Kitty Kitty" they did a tour across the U.S. in 1994.
Meanwhile, Skip asked their record company, Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
, if they would be interested to release the Wynona Riders demos on CD, as he didn't want the music of that band to fade into history. When he asked Dave for his opinion on the release of these demos, he suggested that re-recording the tracks might be a better idea.
Skip, Dave and Richie got together, auditioned for a new guitar player, but eventually winded up working with Erick again. The recording sessions resulted in the album J.D. Salinger, containing a cover of Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
's Kids in America
Kids in America (song)
"Kids in America" is a New Wave song by British singer Kim Wilde, released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the US in 1982. It has famously been covered by many artists from different genres.-Background:...
.
After the release of this album, Erick joined the band "Jack Killed Jill" and announced that he couldn't tour with the Wynona Riders. Upon hearing this, the other three members kicked him out of the band for good. After auditioning Patrick Hynes (one of the three owners of Lookout! Records at the time) and Joe Selby the band chose Joe to fill the guitar role for their 1995 US tour in support of the "J.D. Salinger" LP/CD.
After a successful tour that saw the Wynona Riders play over 40 shows around the country in six weeks the band decided to try to stick it out with the touring line-up and began writing new material for a follow-up record. An interim release under the name The Nation of Wenonah was released on What Else? records out of Indiana as a split EP with band Lynrd's Innards. The EP was a send-up/tribute of the Washington D.C. band the Nation of Ulysses. As more new songs were written the style of the band was veering towards the agitpop styles of other D.C. bands from the early 1990s and Richie and Dave found themselves less than enthusiastic about the direction the band was headed.
Time was booked into Andy Ernst
Andy Ernst
Andy Ernst aka Andro Ernst, is a music producer, engineer, musician, songwriter, from San Francisco. Artist’s he's worked with include: Green Day, AFI, Sway & King Tech, Rancid, Tiger Army, The Nerve Agents, Malo, Link 80, Screeching Weasel, Swingin' Utters, Screw 32, Good Riddance, Fury 66,...
's Art of Ears studio, where "J.D. Salinger" had been recorded to record an EP, Artificial Intelligence(LKOUT 162) for Lookout!, but before the band entered the studio they broke up after performing onstage at 924 Gilman St. in Berkeley, ironically while opening for Fifteen's farewell show.
Skip and Joe formed the band "Toyboat" with former Red # and Hi-Fives
Hi-Fives
-History:The band was formed in 1994 after drummer Al Sobrante left the previous incarnations, The Ne'er Do Wells and Thee Shatners. Sobrante was replaced by drummer Julie, formerly of Red #9. Julie remained with the band through the recording of the first Lookout! Records album Welcome To My Mind...
drummer Julie Rose and bassist Adam Turk, E.C. joined the band "Three Years Down", and Richie went to work at a bakery. A short year later toyboat would disband and Joe Selby would join Three Years Down as their bass player with Skip moving to New York to pursue a career in information technology.
Current members
Ron "Skip" Greer: VocalsJoe Selby: Guitar
Richie Bucher: Bass
Dave Henwood: Drums
Discography
Various Artists - "Can of Pork" CD/2LP (Lookout! Records) (1992)"Some Enchanted Evening" 7" EP (Lookout! Records) (1992)
"J.D. Salinger" CD/LP (Lookout! Records) (1995)
Various Artists - "Winter Compilation" CD (Lookout! Records) (1996)
Various Artists - "Heide Sez" CD (Lookout! Records) (1996)
Nation of Wenonah - "We Must Confront These Heresies" EP (What Else? Records) (1996)
"Artificial Intelligence" CD/LP (Lookout! Records) (1997)
"How to Make an American Quit" CD (Coldfront) (2001)