Zebrahead
Encyclopedia
Zebrahead is an American
punk rock
band from Orange County, California
, which fuses elements of Rapcore
, Pop Punk
, Alternative Rock
, Alternative Metal
, and Funk Metal
.
, California
in 1996 by guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus (both formerly of the band 409), bassist Ben Osmundson (formerly of 3-Ply
) and singer/rhythm guitarist Justin Mauriello
(formerly of Once There). All four musicians, whose bands at the time shared the same practice space, found themselves experimenting with different sounds together and soon became friends. After deciding that they wanted to explore their musical options further, the foursome left their bands all together and formed Zebrahead.
The group, who were inspired by acts including Fugazi and Descendents
, found themselves uninspired by the local musical trends of ska-punk and instead began incorporating elements of hip-hop into their sound, eventually recruiting rapper Ali Tabatabaee
to join them as a co-vocalist.
(more widely known as Yellow due to the color of the cover) from the indie label Doctor Dream Records
in May 1998, Zebrahead were signed to major record label Columbia Records
and released their full-length debut Waste of Mind
later that same year. The album contained newly re-recorded songs from their previous release along with new tracks, including the minor radio hit "Get Back
", which gained some popularity in the U.S and charted at #32 on the U.S Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. In addition in the year 1999 as part of a street team initiative, the band managed to release a highly coveted and rare cassette tape. They became widely known as an "it" band at James Madison University. Many people in the region were shocked to find out how much reach the band managed thanks to their local street team member.
The band's follow-up album Playmate of the Year
was released in the summer of 2000, and was followed up by the EP Stupid Fat Americans
, released just over a year later in October 2001 exclusively in Japan
.
Zebrahead began touring in Europe in late 2000 with Green Day
to help promote their albums and played at various festivals. Throughout their career leading to the early 2000s, the band shared gigs with many other bands, including Less Than Jake
, Kottonmouth Kings
, 311
, MxPx
, Reel Big Fish
, Unwritten Law
and Goldfinger
.
Three years after the release of Playmate of the Year, the band published their fourth studio album MFZB
(abbreviation of Mother Fucking Zebrahead Bitch, named after the Zebrahead fanclub) in late 2003, which introduced a new heavier punk rock sound from the band, rather than hip-hop funk
from their previous releases. Zebrahead spent the majority of their time promoting the album overseas in Japan, where it went to gold
in sales and charted at #9 on the Japanese Charts
. During this time, Zebrahead performed at various festivals in Japan including the Summer Sonic festival, Punkspring, and many other headlining concerts.
In July 2004, Zebrahead released a fifth studio album exclusively in Japan under the title Waste of MFZB
. As the title suggests, the album is made up of songs that never made the final cut of MFZB.
left the band due to creative differences, the news was later made public on the band's website. The news of Mauriello's departure distressed fans, as the singing/rapping dynamic between him and co-vocalist Ali Tabatabaee
was crucial to Zebrahead's sound.
Later that month, Matty Lewis
of the former Nebraska-based punk band Jank 1000, strapped for cash and occupying himself as a teacher, got a phone call from his ex-band's manager (also the manager of Zebrahead) saying they were looking for a new co-vocalist/rhythm guitarist. After flying to California to try out for the role, Zebrahead were heavily impressed by Lewis's musical skills, and named him the new co-lead singer of the band. Zebrahead officially introduced Lewis at a "secret" concert at the Anaheim House of Blues on March 8, 2005. Mauriello, by then, had moved on in music and founded the band I Hate Kate, later renamed to Darling Thieves.
, which later debuted in other countries throughout the year. After touring Europe in June that same year, including a gig at the annual UK Download Festival
, Zebrahead spent the rest of the summer in the U.S travelling and performing as part of the Warped Tour
festival. In the fall of 2006, the band went back and forth to Europe and the U.S for the rest of their tour promoting Broadcast to the World.
After taking a two month hiatus to begin writing for their upcoming seventh studio album, Zebrahead returned to Europe in May 2007 on a co-headline tour with MxPx
, as well as a headline UK tour. After this, the band continued writing for their next album. Later that year, the band began posting video updates on their website due to fan demand of an update from the studio, talking about the status of their next album as well as sneak peeks of new songs.
Zebrahead returned to the UK in October 2007 as part of the annual Get Happy Tour where they shared the stage with bands Army of Freshmen
, The Bloodhound Gang
and Bowling For Soup
and made a comeback to the Download Festival
later that month. The band later continued writing new songs for their next album, demos were recorded and received input from Jason Freese
of Green Day
. Zebrahead soon began recording for the album in March 2008, with the first two songs produced with Howard Benson
, and the latter set of tracks with Cameron Webb.
Zebrahead later announced the title of their new album as Phoenix
and that it would be released in the summer of 2008. They released the Not the New Album EP
a day before the album's first release in Japan, it was re-issued in 2010 containing two new songs, which also serve as the bonus tracks on the Japanese edition of Phoenix. In June, Zebrahead returned to the UK once again and toured and performed at the festivals Download, Leeds Slam Dunk and Greenfield, before touring through Europe and Japan for the remainder of the year. A tour through the U.S was planned, but was cancelled due to co-vocalist Matty Lewis becoming ill.
and that it would be released in the late fall of that same year. The band later confirmed the tracklisting and release dates for the album, along with the announcement that a covered version of "Girlfriend
" by Avril Lavigne
would serve as the album's lead single. The band promised covered versions of songs such as "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse
, "Jenny from the Block
" by Jennifer Lopez
, "Survivor" by Destiny's Child
and a handful of others would feature on the album. Zebrahead began the Less Than Jake tour to help promote the album in late 2009 through Europe, Japan and the U.S, it concluded in spring 2010.
In August 2010, Zebrahead announced they had began work on a new studio album and that they would start recording before the end of the year. The band later confirmed in the spring of 2011 the tracklisting and release dates of their new album, which would be titled Get Nice!
, they later released the songs "Ricky Bobby" and the title track "Get Nice!" as the lead singles prior to the album's release in June and July 2011.
To help promote Get Nice!, Zebrahead began and are currently on the Get Nice! or Die Trying tour. The band is performing in venues and festivals throughout Europe, Japan and Australia, and plan to start a U.S. tour in early 2012.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Orange County, California
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...
, which fuses elements of Rapcore
Rapcore
Rapcore is a subgenre of rap rock fusing vocal and sometimes instrumental elements of hip hop with punk rock .-History:...
, 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...
, Alternative Rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, Alternative Metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
, and Funk Metal
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
.
1996–98: Formation
Zebrahead was formed in La HabraLa Habra, California
La Habra is a city in the northwestern corner of Orange County, California. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,239. Its related city, La Habra Heights is located to the north of La Habra, and is in Los Angeles County.-Origin of name:...
, 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...
in 1996 by guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus (both formerly of the band 409), bassist Ben Osmundson (formerly of 3-Ply
3-Ply
3-Ply was a pop punk band from La Habra, California. The band originally formed in early 1995 and consisted of lead vocalist/guitarist Chris DiCarlo, drummer Karl Touzard and Ben Osmundson on bass guitar. The trio quickly gained a small following after their first 7" release Image Is...
) and singer/rhythm guitarist Justin Mauriello
Justin Mauriello
Justin Mauriello is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock band Darling Thieves.-Zebrahead :Mauriello was a founding member of the band Zebrahead, with lead guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus , and bassist Ben Osmundson ; they began collaboration through sharing the same...
(formerly of Once There). All four musicians, whose bands at the time shared the same practice space, found themselves experimenting with different sounds together and soon became friends. After deciding that they wanted to explore their musical options further, the foursome left their bands all together and formed Zebrahead.
The group, who were inspired by acts including Fugazi and Descendents
Descendents
The Descendents are an American punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, three live albums, three compilation albums and three EPs. The Descendents broke up and reformed several times over the years, sometimes with different musicians...
, found themselves uninspired by the local musical trends of ska-punk and instead began incorporating elements of hip-hop into their sound, eventually recruiting rapper Ali Tabatabaee
Ali Tabatabaee
Ali Tabatabaee is one of two main vocalists in the band Zebrahead. He is from California. He attended high school in La Habra, California, where he met the other members of Zebrahead...
to join them as a co-vocalist.
1998–2004: Waste of Mind, Playmate of the Year and MFZB
After issuing the self-titled demo album ZebraheadZebrahead (album)
-Singles:*"Check" - the only known single from the album, a music video accompanied its release. The song was re-recorded for the band's follow-up/ mainstream debut album Waste of Mind.-Personnel:*Ali Tabatabaee - Lead vocals...
(more widely known as Yellow due to the color of the cover) from the indie label Doctor Dream Records
Doctor Dream Records
Doctor Dream Records is an independent record label founded in 1982 by Dave Hayes and originating from Orange, CA. During its time as an independent the company released over 100 records, from punkrock, alternative rock, comedy to heavy metal music. Their more well-known performers are Rich Little,...
in May 1998, Zebrahead were signed to major record label Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and released their full-length debut Waste of Mind
Waste of Mind
-Singles:*"Get Back" - released as the lead single from the album in late 1998, it sold over 150,000 copies alone in the United States and is currently the band's highest charting song yet, peaking at #32 on the U.S Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts...
later that same year. The album contained newly re-recorded songs from their previous release along with new tracks, including the minor radio hit "Get Back
Get Back (Zebrahead song)
Get Back is a song by American punk rock band Zebrahead from their second and major label debut album Waste of Mind which was released on 1998. When the song was released it became a minor-hit on the radio and charted #32 on the US Modern Rock Tracks...
", which gained some popularity in the U.S and charted at #32 on the U.S Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts. In addition in the year 1999 as part of a street team initiative, the band managed to release a highly coveted and rare cassette tape. They became widely known as an "it" band at James Madison University. Many people in the region were shocked to find out how much reach the band managed thanks to their local street team member.
The band's follow-up album Playmate of the Year
Playmate of the Year (album)
Playmate of the Year is the third studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead, it is also their final album released via Columbia Records....
was released in the summer of 2000, and was followed up by the EP Stupid Fat Americans
Stupid Fat Americans
-Personnel:*Ali Tabatabaee - Lead vocals*Justin Mauriello - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Greg Bergdorf - Lead guitar*Ben Osmundson - Bass guitar*Ed Udhus - Drums-Charting positions:...
, released just over a year later in October 2001 exclusively in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Zebrahead began touring in Europe in late 2000 with Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
to help promote their albums and played at various festivals. Throughout their career leading to the early 2000s, the band shared gigs with many other bands, including Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
, Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings is an American rap rock group from Placentia, Orange County, California. Kottonmouth Kings officially formed in 1994, and describe themselves as "psychedelic hip-hop punk rock"...
, 311
311 (band)
311 is an American rock band from Omaha, Nebraska. The band was formed in 1988 by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Nick Hexum, lead guitarist Jim Watson , bassist Aaron "P-Nut" Wills and drummer Chad Sexton...
, MxPx
MxPx
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
, 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...
, Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law
Unwritten Law is an American rock band formed in 1990 in Poway, California and currently recording for Suburban Noize Records. They have released seven full-length studio albums and have toured internationally, including performances on the Warped Tour...
and Goldfinger
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
.
Three years after the release of Playmate of the Year, the band published their fourth studio album MFZB
MFZB
-Singles:*"Into You" - released as the first single from the album in Japan in late 2003, its accompanied music video is a combination of tour and concert footage from band while on tour....
(abbreviation of Mother Fucking Zebrahead Bitch, named after the Zebrahead fanclub) in late 2003, which introduced a new heavier punk rock sound from the band, rather than hip-hop funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
from their previous releases. Zebrahead spent the majority of their time promoting the album overseas in Japan, where it went to gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in sales and charted at #9 on the Japanese Charts
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
. During this time, Zebrahead performed at various festivals in Japan including the Summer Sonic festival, Punkspring, and many other headlining concerts.
In July 2004, Zebrahead released a fifth studio album exclusively in Japan under the title Waste of MFZB
Waste of MFZB
Waste of MFZB is the fifth studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead exclusively in Japan, it is also their final album with band member Justin Mauriello, who left the group shortly afterwards....
. As the title suggests, the album is made up of songs that never made the final cut of MFZB.
2004–05: Justin Mauriello's departure
In late 2004, shortly after Zebrahead's tour through Japan, co-lead singer/rhythm guitarist Justin MaurielloJustin Mauriello
Justin Mauriello is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock band Darling Thieves.-Zebrahead :Mauriello was a founding member of the band Zebrahead, with lead guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus , and bassist Ben Osmundson ; they began collaboration through sharing the same...
left the band due to creative differences, the news was later made public on the band's website. The news of Mauriello's departure distressed fans, as the singing/rapping dynamic between him and co-vocalist Ali Tabatabaee
Ali Tabatabaee
Ali Tabatabaee is one of two main vocalists in the band Zebrahead. He is from California. He attended high school in La Habra, California, where he met the other members of Zebrahead...
was crucial to Zebrahead's sound.
Later that month, Matty Lewis
Matty Lewis
Matty Lewis is the rhythm guitarist and co-lead singer of Zebrahead, and is a native of Papillion, Nebraska. Lewis took up playing the guitar and writing songs at age 12.-Jank 1000:...
of the former Nebraska-based punk band Jank 1000, strapped for cash and occupying himself as a teacher, got a phone call from his ex-band's manager (also the manager of Zebrahead) saying they were looking for a new co-vocalist/rhythm guitarist. After flying to California to try out for the role, Zebrahead were heavily impressed by Lewis's musical skills, and named him the new co-lead singer of the band. Zebrahead officially introduced Lewis at a "secret" concert at the Anaheim House of Blues on March 8, 2005. Mauriello, by then, had moved on in music and founded the band I Hate Kate, later renamed to Darling Thieves.
2006–08: Broadcast to the World and Phoenix
Zebrahead, with new co-vocalist Matty Lewis, returned to the music scene in early 2006 with their sixth studio album Broadcast to the WorldBroadcast to the World
-Singles:*"Anthem" - released in early 2006 as the lead single from the album, a music video accompanied its release.*"Broadcast to the World" - The album's title track was released as the second single in the summer of 2006, a music video accompanied its release.*"Postcards From Hell" - released...
, which later debuted in other countries throughout the year. After touring Europe in June that same year, including a gig at the annual UK Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
, Zebrahead spent the rest of the summer in the U.S travelling and performing as part of the Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
festival. In the fall of 2006, the band went back and forth to Europe and the U.S for the rest of their tour promoting Broadcast to the World.
After taking a two month hiatus to begin writing for their upcoming seventh studio album, Zebrahead returned to Europe in May 2007 on a co-headline tour with MxPx
MxPx
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
, as well as a headline UK tour. After this, the band continued writing for their next album. Later that year, the band began posting video updates on their website due to fan demand of an update from the studio, talking about the status of their next album as well as sneak peeks of new songs.
Zebrahead returned to the UK in October 2007 as part of the annual Get Happy Tour where they shared the stage with bands Army of Freshmen
Army of Freshmen
Army of Freshmen is an independent 6 piece rock band based out of Ventura, California that has played over 1,000 shows in 43 states and 11 countries.-Early Years :...
, The Bloodhound Gang
The Bloodhound Gang
The Bloodhound Gang may be a reference to:*The Bloodhound Gang , a segment on the program 3-2-1 Contact*The Bloodhound Gang, a band that took its name from the TV show segment...
and Bowling For Soup
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...
and made a comeback to the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
later that month. The band later continued writing new songs for their next album, demos were recorded and received input from Jason Freese
Jason Freese
Jason Freese is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and recording engineer. As a professional studio musician he has performed on over 50 albums by more than 35 different artists, including multiple albums by the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Jewel, NOFX, and Zebrahead...
of Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
. Zebrahead soon began recording for the album in March 2008, with the first two songs produced with Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
, and the latter set of tracks with Cameron Webb.
Zebrahead later announced the title of their new album as Phoenix
Phoenix (Zebrahead album)
-Singles:*"Mental Health" - released as the lead single from the album in June 2008. It peaked at #16 on the Japanese charts, a music video accompanied its release....
and that it would be released in the summer of 2008. They released the Not the New Album EP
Not the New Album EP
-Personnel:*Ali Tabatabaee - Lead vocals*Matty Lewis - Lead vocals, rhythm guitar*Greg Bergdorf - Lead guitar*Ben Osmundson - Bass guitar*Ed Udhus - Drums, percussion...
a day before the album's first release in Japan, it was re-issued in 2010 containing two new songs, which also serve as the bonus tracks on the Japanese edition of Phoenix. In June, Zebrahead returned to the UK once again and toured and performed at the festivals Download, Leeds Slam Dunk and Greenfield, before touring through Europe and Japan for the remainder of the year. A tour through the U.S was planned, but was cancelled due to co-vocalist Matty Lewis becoming ill.
2009–present: Panty Raid and Get Nice!
In spring 2009, Zebrahead announced that they had begun recording a covers album featuring songs performed exclusively by female musicians from the 1990s and 2000s. They confirmed that the album would be titled Panty RaidPanty Raid (album)
Panty Raid is the eighth studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead.The album consists entirely of cover songs by female pop artists, including singers such as Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani.-Track listing:...
and that it would be released in the late fall of that same year. The band later confirmed the tracklisting and release dates for the album, along with the announcement that a covered version of "Girlfriend
Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne song)
"Girlfriend" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The song was written by Lavigne with her producer Dr. Luke for Lavigne's third studio album, The Best Damn Thing . "Girlfriend" was released as the lead single from The Best Damn Thing on 27 February 2007...
" by Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
would serve as the album's lead single. The band promised covered versions of songs such as "Rehab" by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
, "Jenny from the Block
Jenny from the Block
"Jenny from the Block" is a song by American singer Jennifer Lopez, featuring American rappers Styles P and Jadakiss. Written by Lopez, Troy Oliver, Mr. Deyo, Samuel Barnes, and Jean-Claude Olivier and produced by Cory Rooney, Oliver, and Poke & Tone, it was released to radio in late September 2002...
" by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
, "Survivor" by Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
and a handful of others would feature on the album. Zebrahead began the Less Than Jake tour to help promote the album in late 2009 through Europe, Japan and the U.S, it concluded in spring 2010.
In August 2010, Zebrahead announced they had began work on a new studio album and that they would start recording before the end of the year. The band later confirmed in the spring of 2011 the tracklisting and release dates of their new album, which would be titled Get Nice!
Get Nice! (album)
-Singles:*"Ricky Bobby" - released in June 10, 2011 as the lead single from the album, a music video accompanied its release.*"Get Nice!" - the album's title track was released in July 9, 2011 as its second single, a music video accompanied its release in two versions; "clean" and "1970s", with the...
, they later released the songs "Ricky Bobby" and the title track "Get Nice!" as the lead singles prior to the album's release in June and July 2011.
To help promote Get Nice!, Zebrahead began and are currently on the Get Nice! or Die Trying tour. The band is performing in venues and festivals throughout Europe, Japan and Australia, and plan to start a U.S. tour in early 2012.
Current members
- Ali TabatabaeeAli TabatabaeeAli Tabatabaee is one of two main vocalists in the band Zebrahead. He is from California. He attended high school in La Habra, California, where he met the other members of Zebrahead...
- Lead vocals (1996–present) - Matty LewisMatty LewisMatty Lewis is the rhythm guitarist and co-lead singer of Zebrahead, and is a native of Papillion, Nebraska. Lewis took up playing the guitar and writing songs at age 12.-Jank 1000:...
- Lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(2005–present) - Greg Bergdorf - Lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals (1996–present) - Ben Osmundson - Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (1996–present) - Ed Udhus - DrumsDrum kitA 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 ....
, percussion (1996–present)
Former members
- Justin MaurielloJustin MaurielloJustin Mauriello is the lead singer and guitarist for the alternative rock band Darling Thieves.-Zebrahead :Mauriello was a founding member of the band Zebrahead, with lead guitarist Greg Bergdorf and drummer Ed Udhus , and bassist Ben Osmundson ; they began collaboration through sharing the same...
- Lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(1996–2004)
Touring and session members
- Howard BensonHoward BensonHoward Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
- Keyboards (1998–2000, 2008) - Jason FreeseJason FreeseJason Freese is an American musician, songwriter, record producer, and recording engineer. As a professional studio musician he has performed on over 50 albums by more than 35 different artists, including multiple albums by the Goo Goo Dolls, Green Day, Jewel, NOFX, and Zebrahead...
- Keyboards, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(2006–present) - Chris DalleyChris DalleyChris Dalley is an American drummer for the punk/ska band Voodoo Glow Skulls. He was born is Covina, California on June 10, 1977. Dalley played with several bands before he joined Ten Foot Pole in October 2004...
- Drums (filled in for Ed Udhus on 2008 summer UK tour) (2008) - Dan ReganDan ReganDan Regan is the trombone player for the Southern California-based ska punk band Reel Big Fish. Regan has also played trombone in The Littlest Man Band with Scott Klopfenstein and currently has a hip-hop side project under the alias Black Casper.- External links :...
of Reel Big FishReel Big FishReel 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...
- TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
(occasional live appearances performing "Anthem") (2006-present) - John ChristiansonJohn ChristiansonJohn Aaron Christianson Born November 23, 1923 in Langruth, Manitoba, Canada-Died December 15, 2010 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba as a Progressive Conservative from 1959 to 1962 and was a cabinet minister in the government of Dufferin...
of Reel Big Fish - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
(occasional live appearances performing "Anthem") (2006-present) - Dan Palmer of Death by StereoDeath by StereoDeath by Stereo is a hardcore punk band formed in Orange County, California circa 1996 by frontman Efrem Schulz. They are well known for their energetic performances and intricate guitar work...
- Lead guitar (filled in for Greg Bergdorf on 2010 fall Less Than Jake tour) (2010)
In popular culture
Throughout the years, Zebrahead has had their work featured in popular culture. Some notable appearances include the following, in chronological order:- In 1998, the band provided uncredited instrumentation for Lemmy on the Grammy-nominated MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
cover, "Enter Sandman" (ECW: Extreme MusicECW: Extreme MusicECW: Extreme Music is a compilation album of songs related to Extreme Championship Wrestling during the late 1990s. The album was released in 1998 through CMC International Records...
).http://www.encycmet.com/newsletter/Detailed/49.shtml) - Due to Zebrahead's growing popularity in Japan, vocalists Matty Lewis and Ali Tabatabaee were asked by SegaSega, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
to record vocals for a new theme song, entitled "His World", which appears in the game Sonic The HedgehogSonic the Hedgehog (2006 game)Sonic the Hedgehog is a 2006 platform video game for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 that was made to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise...
for the Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and the PlayStation 3PlayStation 3The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. Ali and Matty both recorded their vocals on August 29, 2006. Shortly after, on September 19, 2006, the entire band recorded an alternate version of the song (known as "His World (Zebrahead Version)" to fans for the game's vocal soundtrack CD. This version uses Zebrahead's traditional instrumentation and resembles their other songs. Both tracks feature in the compilation album True Blue: The Best of Sonic the HedgehogTrue Blue: The Best of Sonic the HedgehogTrue Blue: The Best of Sonic the Hedgehog is a compilation album of various songs from the Sonic the Hedgehog gaming franchise. Its sequel is True Colors: The Best of Sonic The Hedgehog Part 2. It was released by Wave Master Entertainment on January 23, 2008, in Japan only.- Album information :This...
. Also the WiiWiiThe Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
game Super Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. BrawlSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
has an instrumental version of 'His World' as an unlockable background music.
Discography
- ZebraheadZebrahead (album)-Singles:*"Check" - the only known single from the album, a music video accompanied its release. The song was re-recorded for the band's follow-up/ mainstream debut album Waste of Mind.-Personnel:*Ali Tabatabaee - Lead vocals...
(1998) - Waste of MindWaste of Mind-Singles:*"Get Back" - released as the lead single from the album in late 1998, it sold over 150,000 copies alone in the United States and is currently the band's highest charting song yet, peaking at #32 on the U.S Hot Modern Rock Tracks charts...
(1998) - Playmate of the YearPlaymate of the Year (album)Playmate of the Year is the third studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead, it is also their final album released via Columbia Records....
(2000) - MFZBMFZB-Singles:*"Into You" - released as the first single from the album in Japan in late 2003, its accompanied music video is a combination of tour and concert footage from band while on tour....
(2003) - Waste of MFZBWaste of MFZBWaste of MFZB is the fifth studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead exclusively in Japan, it is also their final album with band member Justin Mauriello, who left the group shortly afterwards....
(2004) - Broadcast to the WorldBroadcast to the World-Singles:*"Anthem" - released in early 2006 as the lead single from the album, a music video accompanied its release.*"Broadcast to the World" - The album's title track was released as the second single in the summer of 2006, a music video accompanied its release.*"Postcards From Hell" - released...
(2006) - PhoenixPhoenix (Zebrahead album)-Singles:*"Mental Health" - released as the lead single from the album in June 2008. It peaked at #16 on the Japanese charts, a music video accompanied its release....
(2008) - Panty RaidPanty Raid (album)Panty Raid is the eighth studio album released by American punk rock band Zebrahead.The album consists entirely of cover songs by female pop artists, including singers such as Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani.-Track listing:...
(2009) - Get Nice!Get Nice! (album)-Singles:*"Ricky Bobby" - released in June 10, 2011 as the lead single from the album, a music video accompanied its release.*"Get Nice!" - the album's title track was released in July 9, 2011 as its second single, a music video accompanied its release in two versions; "clean" and "1970s", with the...
(2011)
External links
- Official Zebrahead site
- MFZB.com - Official Zebrahead Online Community
- Postcards From @#!*% - A Zebrahead Blog
- French official Zebrahead site
- First Russian fan site
- Interview on Up Load UK 2009
- Full UK Tour Coverage 2010 On Up Load UK
- Interview on More Than The Music 2011 (Tess Askew)