Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights
Encyclopedia
Dance Like Nobody's Watching is a six-track EP
released by American
ska/pop band Suburban Legends
, released on May 12, 2006. The EP signaled a drastic change in the band's sound, which also followed major lineup changes following the departure of lead vocalist Tim Maurer
and trumpet player Aaron Bertram
, and the untimely death of trombonist Ryan Dallas Cook. The band's previous release, Rump Shaker, was a poppy ska punk
release, whereas Dance Like Nobody's Watching largely abandoned the ska influence in favor of a funk/disco
-influenced sound, which would feature heavily in their following release, Infectious
in 2007, and somewhat on 2008's Let's Be Friends
, which featured a few ska tracks. The sudden genre change alienated some of the band's fanbase.
The EP's first five tracks are all-new, funk/disco-influenced pop rock, with a soft, melancholy piano rock version of "Bright Spring Morning," a track from the group's 2003 album, Rump Shaker. This version of the song was first performed at the band's October 28, 2005, performance at iMusicast
in Oakland, the first show after trombonist Ryan Dallas Cook's death.
-only album released by Suburban Legends
, and was released on March 21, 2007. It contains the original EP (with slightly re-ordered track listing), a cover song, two new songs (which later appeared on the band's full length album Infectious
) and songs from the album Rump Shaker, remixed and complete with a new vocal track from Vince Walker
, as well as new horn and synthesizer tracks. The album is Japan exclusive but trombone player and webmaster Brian Robertson
has hinted the album may be available on iTunes for download in the future.
A cover of Katteni-Shindobatto by Southern All Stars
was recorded for the album, but did not make it onto the final release due to publishing issues. It was sung entirely in Japanese by Vince Walker
.
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...
released by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ska/pop band Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are a third wave ska/pop band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998, and are currently based out of Santa Ana, California.- History :...
, released on May 12, 2006. The EP signaled a drastic change in the band's sound, which also followed major lineup changes following the departure of lead vocalist Tim Maurer
Tim Maurer
Timothy Robert "Tim" Maurer is an American singer, best known as the former lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He has left the band on two separate occasions. The first was in 2000 after the recording of Origin Edition. He rejoined the band in early 2002 after his replacement...
and trumpet player Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram
Aaron Bertram is a trumpet player for third wave ska band Suburban Legends, and member of the children's group Kids Imagine Nation and is currently teaching music and movement to preschool students in Orange County, CA...
, and the untimely death of trombonist Ryan Dallas Cook. The band's previous release, Rump Shaker, was a poppy ska punk
Ska punk
Ska punk is a fusion music genre that combines ska and punk rock. It achieved its highest level of commercial success in the United States in the late 1990s. Ska-core is a subgenre of ska punk, blending ska with hardcore punk.The characteristics of ska punk vary, due to the fusion of contrasting...
release, whereas Dance Like Nobody's Watching largely abandoned the ska influence in favor of a funk/disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
-influenced sound, which would feature heavily in their following release, Infectious
Infectious (album)
Infectious is the fourth album of the third wave ska/funk/pop band Suburban Legends. It was released on July 29, 2007 at the House of Blues at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California and is made available for sale at the band's ....
in 2007, and somewhat on 2008's Let's Be Friends
Let's Be Friends and Slay the Dragon Together
Let's Be Friends... and Slay the Dragon Together, commonly referred to as Let's Be Friends, is Suburban Legends' fourth album, released on July 10, 2008...
, which featured a few ska tracks. The sudden genre change alienated some of the band's fanbase.
The EP's first five tracks are all-new, funk/disco-influenced pop rock, with a soft, melancholy piano rock version of "Bright Spring Morning," a track from the group's 2003 album, Rump Shaker. This version of the song was first performed at the band's October 28, 2005, performance at iMusicast
IMusicast
iMusicast was a music venue in Oakland, California. Established in August 1999, It was among the first venues of any sort to offer exclusive live streaming video performances of headlining music acts on the internet. The business formally ceased operation on October 29th, 2005...
in Oakland, the first show after trombonist Ryan Dallas Cook's death.
Track listing
- "Come Back Home" – 3:46
- "This Cherry" – 3:55
- "Hey DJ" – 3:30
- "Mean Girl" – 3:19
- "Golden Touch" – 3:31
- "Bright Spring Morning" – 5:13
Personnel
- Vincent Walker - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Brian KlemmBrian KlemmBrian Wayne Klemm is the guitarist for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined Suburban Legends in 1999, shortly before the release of Origin Edition, although he did not play guitar on the album. Klemm also briefly joined Big D and the Kids Table in 2009 as their...
- 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... - Derek Lee RockDerek Lee RockDerek Lee Smith , more commonly known as Derek Rock, is the drummer of alternative pop/rock band Mêlée and ska band Suburban Legends. Derek’s drumming styles include rock, pop, electronic, and hip hop...
- 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 .... - Mike Hachey - Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Brian RobertsonBrian Robertson (Suburban Legends)Brian Robertson is the trombone player for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends and, along with Vincent Walker, is one of the two members to have played with the band since its origin as Bomb Squad...
- 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... - Luis BezaLuis BezaLuis Beza was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis started a hip-hop side-project called Lyricle Miracle with fellow Suburban Legends band member Derek Lee...
- 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... - Phillip InzerilloPhillip InzerilloPhillip Inzerillo was a trombone player for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends...
- 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...
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights
Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights is a full-length JapanJapan
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...
-only album released by Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends
Suburban Legends are a third wave ska/pop band that formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1998, and are currently based out of Santa Ana, California.- History :...
, and was released on March 21, 2007. It contains the original EP (with slightly re-ordered track listing), a cover song, two new songs (which later appeared on the band's full length album Infectious
Infectious (album)
Infectious is the fourth album of the third wave ska/funk/pop band Suburban Legends. It was released on July 29, 2007 at the House of Blues at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California and is made available for sale at the band's ....
) and songs from the album Rump Shaker, remixed and complete with a new vocal track from Vince Walker
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker , better known as Vince Walker, is the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends...
, as well as new horn and synthesizer tracks. The album is Japan exclusive but trombone player and webmaster Brian Robertson
Brian Robertson (Suburban Legends)
Brian Robertson is the trombone player for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends and, along with Vincent Walker, is one of the two members to have played with the band since its origin as Bomb Squad...
has hinted the album may be available on iTunes for download in the future.
A cover of Katteni-Shindobatto by Southern All Stars
Southern All Stars
, also known by the abbreviations or SAS, is a Japanese pop/rock band that formed in the mid 1970s.The band is composed of Keisuke Kuwata , Yuko Hara , Kazuyuki Sekiguchi , Hiroshi Matsuda and Hideyuki "Kegani" Nozawa...
was recorded for the album, but did not make it onto the final release due to publishing issues. It was sung entirely in Japanese by Vince Walker
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker , better known as Vince Walker, is the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends...
.
Track listing
- "This Cherry"
- "Hey DJ"
- "Come Back Home"
- "Mean Girl"
- "Golden Touch"
- "Dancing MachineDancing Machine"Dancing Machine" is a 1973 song recorded by The Jackson 5, released as a single in 1974. The group's first US Top Ten hit since 1971's "Sugar Daddy", "Dancing Machine" reached number two on the Billboard pop music charts in May 1974, and number one on the R&B charts...
" - "You Told Me That"
- "Bed of Roses"
- "Up All Night"
- "Powerful Game"
- "Bright Spring Morning"
Personnel
- Vincent Walker - vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Brian KlemmBrian KlemmBrian Wayne Klemm is the guitarist for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined Suburban Legends in 1999, shortly before the release of Origin Edition, although he did not play guitar on the album. Klemm also briefly joined Big D and the Kids Table in 2009 as their...
- 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... - Derek Lee RockDerek Lee RockDerek Lee Smith , more commonly known as Derek Rock, is the drummer of alternative pop/rock band Mêlée and ska band Suburban Legends. Derek’s drumming styles include rock, pop, electronic, and hip hop...
- 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 .... - Mike Hachey - Bass GuitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Brian RobertsonBrian Robertson (Suburban Legends)Brian Robertson is the trombone player for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends and, along with Vincent Walker, is one of the two members to have played with the band since its origin as Bomb Squad...
- 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... - Luis BezaLuis BezaLuis Beza was the trumpet player for third-wave ska band Suburban Legends. He joined the band in Summer 2005 after the departure of Aaron Bertram, replacing him on trumpet. In July 2005 Luis started a hip-hop side-project called Lyricle Miracle with fellow Suburban Legends band member Derek Lee...
- 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... - Dallas KruseDallas KruseDallas Preston Kruse is the producer of Suburban Legends' 2007 Japan-only album Dance Like Nobody's Watching: Tokyo Nights, an extended version of their 2006 EP release; their 2007 album, Infectious, and their 2008 album, Let's Be Friends... and Slay the Dragon Together...
- KeyboardElectronic keyboardAn electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
, KeytarKeytarA keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stands... - Phillip InzerilloPhillip InzerilloPhillip Inzerillo was a trombone player for the Orange County-based third-wave ska band Suburban Legends...
- 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...
(only on tracks 1-5)