Face to Face (punk band)
Encyclopedia
Face to Face is an American pop punk
band from Victorville, California
formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith
. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange Records and were then signed to Fat Wreck Chords
. Face to Face rose to fame with their 1994 second album Big Choice
, featuring their radio hit "Disconnected", which was first played by KROQ
and appeared in the movies Tank Girl
and National Lampoon's Senior Trip
.
Face to Face officially split up in September 2004, because of musical differences. Since then, all the members of the band had played in a number of post-Face to Face projects, including Legion of Doom
, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
, The Offspring
and Saves the Day
. In April 2008, Face to Face performed together for the first time in four years at The Glasshouse in Pomona, California. The band has continued to perform numerous live venues since, and released a seventh studio album, Laugh Now, Laugh Later
, on May 17, 2011.
During their initial twelve year run, Face to Face became one of the seminal and influential punk rock
bands to come out of California
, along with Blink-182
, Green Day
, Bad Religion
, The Offspring
, Rancid
, NOFX
, Pennywise
, No Use for a Name
, Lagwagon
, The Vandals
, Guttermouth
, Good Riddance
, and many others.
(bass), who had been friends since high school during this time, formed a local metal band named "Zero Tolerance". After they found Rob Kurth, as their drummer, through mutual friends, Zero Tolerance started writing and rehearsing songs. Kurth's friend Mark Haake joined the group as an additional guitarist for a couple of months before getting orders to the Middle East with the Air Force. Although no Zero Tolerance records exist, they recorded a demo tape in 1989 with this line-up. As a three-piece, the band played a show at Spanky's in Riverside, California
, and a couple of other local shows. When Haake left, the band continued as a three-piece and changed their name to Face to Face in 1991.
The band continued to play frequently throughout the Inland Empire
and Orange County
and quickly became a local favorite alongside bands like The Offspring
, Guttermouth
, Voodoo Glow Skulls
, and others. At one of the local concerts, the band met Bill Plaster of Dr. Strange Records. Face to Face entered the studio at Westbeach Recorders
in Hollywood, California to record songs for their first album, Don't Turn Away
(1992). Once the recording was finished (in 2 weekends) there was trouble getting it released; in the interim the band met Jim Goodwin
. Goodwin offered to record the band's new songs for free, and they entered the studio to record songs such as, "Nothing New," "Pastel," and "Disconnected", which also ended up being on the Don't Turn Away
album.
supporting Lagwagon
, Face to Face added Chad Yaro as an additional guitarist to fill out the sound of the band. Before the band would work on their second album, they made a decision to go with a then-new label that had major-label distribution. The label, Victory Music, signed them and then they entered the studio with producer Thom Wilson
(of The Offspring
fame) and began recording their second album, entitled Big Choice
.
The label was nervous about their distribution deal and wanted a test release to run through the system, and the band put together an EP of songs from 7"s and other rarities called Over It (EP)
. The EP was released weeks before Big Choice and the label had a remixed version of the song "Disconnected" on the play list at KROQ
in Los Angeles, California
. Because of the success of the single on radio, the label convinced the band to add "Disconnected" to Big Choice as a bonus track (a third recording of the song); additionally, a cover of The Descendents
' "Bikeage" is included as a bonus track. After touring with bands such as NOFX
, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
, and The Offspring
during 1995, Riddle left Face to Face and went on to play in 22 Jacks
and Pulley
before settling on No Use for a Name
. The band replaced him with a then-unknown bassist, Scott Shiflett
.
In 1996, Face to Face began writing and recording their third album, which is self-titled and was another moderate success. This being the first record without Riddle, who had been Keith's songwriting collaborator, Keith wrote the majority of the songs with some help from Shiflett and Yaro. They recruited Jim Goodwin
again to record and produce the record. Following the release of the album, they headlined the 1997 SnoCore Tour
before joining the Warped Tour
.
, who was out with them on a co-headlining US tour with the Reverend Horton Heat band, before taking a break to write and record their next album. After Pete Parada
joined the band as Kurth's replacement, the band recorded and released two more albums (with producer Chad Blinman), Ignorance is Bliss
(1999) and Reactionary
(2000), before Yaro left the band in 2001.
Following Yaro's departure, Face to Face decided to stay a three-piece again and began writing material for what would be their sixth and final studio album, How to Ruin Everything
. After getting out of a less than desirable deal with Beyond Music, How to Ruin Everything was released on Vagrant Records
in 2002. Following that, the band headlined and joined The Warped Tour
for the first time since 1997.
Before a seventh album could be recorded, Face to Face decided to break up in the fall of 2003. In the following year, after announcing their breakup, it was announced that Face to Face's hiatus would be permanent as their official website displayed "Don't call it a come back". They gave most of their fans a proper farewell with "The Only Goodbye Tour" of 2004 with supporting acts My Chemical Romance
and Seconds to Go, which followed the raucous Warped Tour finale in Boston. Orlando fans had their farewell show cancelled due to Hurricane Charlie. It was rescheduled as the last date on the tour, but that show was also cancelled.
, among other bands such as Shiflett's brainchild Viva Death
and a solo project. Yaro had not been part of the music business after he quit Face to Face in 2001. After leaving Saves the Day
, Parada joined The Offspring
in 2007, replacing Atom Willard, who had been busy working on The Offspring
's new studio album at the time.
On January 29, 2008, Face to Face announced on their official website that the band — featuring the Ignorance is Bliss
line-up (though refusing to play any material from the album itself according to an interview on the Face to Face Myspace page) — would be reuniting for select shows in the US
and internationally. It was also announced the band would perform together for the first time since the 2004 farewell tour at The Bamboozle Left on April 5.
Face to Face did a short U.S. tour that kicked off in November 2008. For this tour, former Uprising drummer Danny Thompson filled in for Pete Parada
during the reunion dates, due to his touring commitments with The Offspring
.
On 28 May 2008 it was announced on The Offspring
's website that Scott Shiflett
would be filling in for Greg K.
on tour due to a "scheduled family matter". As of mid-June 2008, Shiflett is no longer filling in for him. In late August 2008, Scott Shifflet filled in for Chris Flippin on Lagwagon's Canadian leg of their 2008 tour. Chris dropped out due to legal troubles that prevented him from making the trip to Canada
. As of September 14, Lagwagon
lead singer Joey Cape's close friend Scott Shifflet is no longer filling in for Chris "Big Bitch" Flippin'.
Asked about the future of the band, Keith mentioned in an interview that a new Face to Face album as well as more touring could be possible. A video clip of that interview is also available on KROQ
's website. Face to Face performed at Australia's Soundwave in February and March 2009. At the Brisbane gig, bassist Roger Manganelli
from Less Than Jake
had to fill in for Scott Shifflet as he did not make it in time for the show.
"Disconnected" appears in the video game Guitar Hero 5
.
According to a 2008 posting on Keith's Twitter account, Face to Face had been writing new material for a new album scheduled to be released in 2010. It will be their first release with current drummer Danny Thompson and their first with guitarist Chad Yaro since 2000's Reactionary.
The band will release a split album with Rise Against
, though no release date is set.
Face to Face played the entire 2010 Warped Tour
.
Face to Face's new album Laugh Now, Laugh Later
was released on May 17, 2011.
Face to Face is scheduled to play at The Kroq Weeine Roast, and Soundwave Counter Revolution in Australia in September.
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 from Victorville, California
Victorville, California
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
formed in 1991 by frontman Trever Keith
Trever Keith
Trever Keith is an American musician, producer and record label owner from Victorville, CA. He was a founding member of the So-Cal punk group Face to Face. He has been the singer and guitarist of the band from their original formation in 1991 to their initial break up in 2004, and again since they...
. Originally known as "Zero Tolerance", Keith had been the only constant member of the band during their years of touring and recording albums. The group was initially signed by Dr. Strange Records and were then signed to Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords
Fat Wreck Chords is a San Francisco, California based independent record label, focused on punk rock. It was started by Fat Mike and his ex-wife, Erin, in 1990....
. Face to Face rose to fame with their 1994 second album Big Choice
Big Choice
Big Choice is the second full-length album by the California punk band Face to Face in 1994. The original version of the album was released on Victory Music and re-released on A&M Records in 1995.-Track listing:...
, featuring their radio hit "Disconnected", which was first played by KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
and appeared in the movies Tank Girl
Tank Girl
Tank Girl is a British comic created by Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin. Originally drawn by Jamie Hewlett, it has also been drawn by Rufus Dayglo, Ashley Wood, and Mike McMahon.The eponymous character Tank Girl drives a tank, which is also her home...
and National Lampoon's Senior Trip
National Lampoon's Senior Trip
National Lampoon's Senior Trip is a 1995 teen movie directed by Kelly Makin.- Plot :The film follows the story of a group of rude and obnoxious seniors from Fairmont High, an Ohio high school. After a typing class, the seniors cut school and throw a party at the home of Principal Moss...
.
Face to Face officially split up in September 2004, because of musical differences. Since then, all the members of the band had played in a number of post-Face to Face projects, including Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (mash up group)
The Legion of Doom is an electronica group, famous for their download-only mash up album, Incorporated, and original scores for horror soundtracks.-History:...
, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes is a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in 1995. The Gimmes work exclusively as a cover band. The band is named after a children's book of the same name by Gerald G. Jampolsky and Diane V. Cirincione...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
and Saves the Day
Saves the Day
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1994. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, and drummer Claudio Rivera....
. In April 2008, Face to Face performed together for the first time in four years at The Glasshouse in Pomona, California. The band has continued to perform numerous live venues since, and released a seventh studio album, Laugh Now, Laugh Later
Laugh Now, Laugh Later
Laugh Now, Laugh Later is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band Face to Face, which was released on May 17, 2011 through Antagonist Records, a label run by the band's lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith. It marks 9 years since the release of Face to Face's previous studio album How...
, on May 17, 2011.
During their initial twelve year run, Face to Face became one of the seminal and influential 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...
bands to come out of 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...
, along with Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, 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...
, Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
, The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
, NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Pennywise
Pennywise (band)
Pennywise is a Californian punk rock band from Hermosa Beach, California, formed in 1988. The name is derived from the monster, It, from the Stephen King novel of the same title....
, No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
, Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
, The Vandals
The Vandals
The Vandals are an American rock band established in 1980 in Huntington Beach, California. They have released ten full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured the world extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, Guttermouth
Guttermouth
Guttermouth is an American punk rock band formed in 1988 in Huntington Beach, California and currently recording for Hopeless Records. They have released nine full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, Good Riddance
Good Riddance
Good Riddance was a punk rock band from Santa Cruz, California. They released seven full-length studio albums on Fat Wreck Chords, and their final album was a live recording of their farewell concert in 2007. Led by vocalist Russ Rankin, the band's longtime lineup included guitarist Luke Pabich,...
, and many others.
Beginnings (pre-1992)
Face to Face can trace its beginnings to 1988 where Keith (guitars, vocals) and Matt RiddleMatt Riddle
Matt Riddle is an American punk rock bassist. He was the original bass player for Face to Face, which was founded in Victorville, California, in the early 1990s. After the band's major-label debut "Big Choice" was released in 1995, Riddle parted ways with Face to Face due to personal conflicts...
(bass), who had been friends since high school during this time, formed a local metal band named "Zero Tolerance". After they found Rob Kurth, as their drummer, through mutual friends, Zero Tolerance started writing and rehearsing songs. Kurth's friend Mark Haake joined the group as an additional guitarist for a couple of months before getting orders to the Middle East with the Air Force. Although no Zero Tolerance records exist, they recorded a demo tape in 1989 with this line-up. As a three-piece, the band played a show at Spanky's in Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, and a couple of other local shows. When Haake left, the band continued as a three-piece and changed their name to Face to Face in 1991.
The band continued to play frequently throughout the Inland Empire
Inland Empire (California)
The Inland Empire is a region in Southern California. The region sits directly east of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Inland Empire most commonly is used in reference to the U.S. Census Bureau's federally-defined Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area, which covers more than...
and Orange County
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...
and quickly became a local favorite alongside bands like The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Guttermouth
Guttermouth
Guttermouth is an American punk rock band formed in 1988 in Huntington Beach, California and currently recording for Hopeless Records. They have released nine full-length studio albums and two live albums and have toured extensively, including performances on the Vans Warped Tour...
, Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls
Voodoo Glow Skulls are an American ska punk band formed in 1988 in Riverside, California by brothers Frank, Eddie and Jorge Casillas and their longtime friend Jerry O'Neill...
, and others. At one of the local concerts, the band met Bill Plaster of Dr. Strange Records. Face to Face entered the studio at Westbeach Recorders
Westbeach Recorders
Westbeach Recorders is a recording studio in Hollywood, California famous for recording punk rock groups, such as Bad Religion, NOFX, Rancid, The Offspring and Pennywise. It was established in 1985 by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz and re-located to Hollywood, California in February 1987 and...
in Hollywood, California to record songs for their first album, Don't Turn Away
Don't Turn Away
Don't Turn Away is the first album by the band Face to Face. It was released in 1992 under the label Dr. Strange Records, and was considered a strong debut for the band. It was re-released a year later on Fat Wreck Chords....
(1992). Once the recording was finished (in 2 weekends) there was trouble getting it released; in the interim the band met Jim Goodwin
Jim Goodwin
James "Jim" Goodwin is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League side St. Mirren.-Early career:...
. Goodwin offered to record the band's new songs for free, and they entered the studio to record songs such as, "Nothing New," "Pastel," and "Disconnected", which also ended up being on the Don't Turn Away
Don't Turn Away
Don't Turn Away is the first album by the band Face to Face. It was released in 1992 under the label Dr. Strange Records, and was considered a strong debut for the band. It was re-released a year later on Fat Wreck Chords....
album.
Mainstream success (1993-1997)
In 1993, just after a three-week tour in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
supporting Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
, Face to Face added Chad Yaro as an additional guitarist to fill out the sound of the band. Before the band would work on their second album, they made a decision to go with a then-new label that had major-label distribution. The label, Victory Music, signed them and then they entered the studio with producer Thom Wilson
Thom Wilson
-Thom Wilson:Thom Wilson is a now-retired American punk rock record producer and engineer.-Career:Wilson began his musical career in the mid-1970s, engineering recordings by soft rock artits Burton Cummings and Seals & Crofts. He began working on punk rock albums in the early 1980s while producing...
(of The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
fame) and began recording their second album, entitled Big Choice
Big Choice
Big Choice is the second full-length album by the California punk band Face to Face in 1994. The original version of the album was released on Victory Music and re-released on A&M Records in 1995.-Track listing:...
.
The label was nervous about their distribution deal and wanted a test release to run through the system, and the band put together an EP of songs from 7"s and other rarities called Over It (EP)
Over it (EP)
Over It is an EP by the punk rock group Face to Face, released in 1994 on Victory Music, a subsidiary of a major label, not the similarly named Chicago based Victory Records. It contains remixes of songs released on 1992's Don't Turn Away as well as original material...
. The EP was released weeks before Big Choice and the label had a remixed version of the song "Disconnected" on the play list at KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Because of the success of the single on radio, the label convinced the band to add "Disconnected" to Big Choice as a bonus track (a third recording of the song); additionally, a cover of The Descendents
Descendents (band)
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...
' "Bikeage" is included as a bonus track. After touring with bands such as NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. Since the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky Barrett, bassist Joe Gittleman, tenor saxophonist Tim "Johnny Vegas" Burton and dancer Ben Carr have remained constant members...
, and The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
during 1995, Riddle left Face to Face and went on to play in 22 Jacks
22 Jacks
22 Jacks is an American punk rock supergroup, consisting of members of Wax, The Breeders, The Adolescents and Royal Crown Revue. They were active from 1995 to 2001, and again from 2007 on.-Career :...
and Pulley
Pulley
A pulley, also called a sheave or a drum, is a mechanism composed of a wheel on an axle or shaft that may have a groove between two flanges around its circumference. A rope, cable, belt, or chain usually runs over the wheel and inside the groove, if present...
before settling on No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
. The band replaced him with a then-unknown bassist, Scott Shiflett
Scott Shiflett
Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
.
In 1996, Face to Face began writing and recording their third album, which is self-titled and was another moderate success. This being the first record without Riddle, who had been Keith's songwriting collaborator, Keith wrote the majority of the songs with some help from Shiflett and Yaro. They recruited Jim Goodwin
Jim Goodwin
James "Jim" Goodwin is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Scottish Premier League side St. Mirren.-Early career:...
again to record and produce the record. Following the release of the album, they headlined the 1997 SnoCore Tour
SnoCore Tour
The SnoCore Tour, occasionally typeset as Sno-Core, is an annual festival tour of the United States. It features performances by some of the most popular groups largely of the alternative rock and metal spectrum...
before joining 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...
.
Later years (1998-2004)
After the release of their self-titled album, Kurth left Face to Face in early 1998. To finish out the touring cycle for their self-titled record, the band replaced Kurth with Jose MedelesJose Medeles
Jose Medeles is an American musician. He is the drummer for The Breeders, and in 1998 played drums for Face to Face as a touring member. He also played drums in 22 Jacks, appearing on Overserved and their final album Going North....
, who was out with them on a co-headlining US tour with the Reverend Horton Heat band, before taking a break to write and record their next album. After Pete Parada
Pete Parada
Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...
joined the band as Kurth's replacement, the band recorded and released two more albums (with producer Chad Blinman), Ignorance is Bliss
Ignorance Is Bliss (album)
Ignorance is Bliss is an album by the punk rock group Face to Face, released in 1999 . The album was a musical and lyrical departure from the pop-punk or skate-punk influenced music found on previous albums and EPs. Though an 'EconoLive 2' tour was done in promotion of the album, the band does...
(1999) and Reactionary
Reactionary (album)
Reactionary is an album by the band Face to Face, released in 2000 . This was their last release with second guitarist Chad Yaro, who left the band in 2001 but would rejoin seven years later.-Track listing:...
(2000), before Yaro left the band in 2001.
Following Yaro's departure, Face to Face decided to stay a three-piece again and began writing material for what would be their sixth and final studio album, How to Ruin Everything
How to Ruin Everything
How to Ruin Everything is the sixth studio album by the punk rock band Face to Face, released in 2002 . This was their last album before their 4-year hiatus from September 2004 to January 2008....
. After getting out of a less than desirable deal with Beyond Music, How to Ruin Everything was released on Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an indie rock label based in Los Angeles, California and is home to such artists as The Hold Steady, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Active Child, PJ Harvey, Reptar, School of Seven Bells, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Thrice, James Vincent McMorrow, Placebo, and many...
in 2002. Following that, the band headlined and joined 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...
for the first time since 1997.
Before a seventh album could be recorded, Face to Face decided to break up in the fall of 2003. In the following year, after announcing their breakup, it was announced that Face to Face's hiatus would be permanent as their official website displayed "Don't call it a come back". They gave most of their fans a proper farewell with "The Only Goodbye Tour" of 2004 with supporting acts My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
and Seconds to Go, which followed the raucous Warped Tour finale in Boston. Orlando fans had their farewell show cancelled due to Hurricane Charlie. It was rescheduled as the last date on the tour, but that show was also cancelled.
Post-breakup (2005-2007)
Following the band's breakup, Keith had been active in the mashup group Legion of DoomLegion of Doom (mash up group)
The Legion of Doom is an electronica group, famous for their download-only mash up album, Incorporated, and original scores for horror soundtracks.-History:...
, among other bands such as Shiflett's brainchild Viva Death
Viva death
Viva Death are an American rock band formed from members of the bands Face to Face, Foo Fighters and The Vandals. They have released three albums to date and also have numerous unreleased tracks on their website...
and a solo project. Yaro had not been part of the music business after he quit Face to Face in 2001. After leaving Saves the Day
Saves the Day
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1994. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, and drummer Claudio Rivera....
, Parada joined The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
in 2007, replacing Atom Willard, who had been busy working on The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's new studio album at the time.
Reunion and beyond (2008-present)
Since the band's 2003-2004 hiatus, there had been a rumored Face to Face reunion. When asked in January 2006 if a reunion was planned anytime in the future, Keith responded: "There aren't any plans for a reunion, nor do I think the idea is very appealing to any of us."On January 29, 2008, Face to Face announced on their official website that the band — featuring the Ignorance is Bliss
Ignorance Is Bliss (album)
Ignorance is Bliss is an album by the punk rock group Face to Face, released in 1999 . The album was a musical and lyrical departure from the pop-punk or skate-punk influenced music found on previous albums and EPs. Though an 'EconoLive 2' tour was done in promotion of the album, the band does...
line-up (though refusing to play any material from the album itself according to an interview on the Face to Face Myspace page) — would be reuniting for select shows in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and internationally. It was also announced the band would perform together for the first time since the 2004 farewell tour at The Bamboozle Left on April 5.
Face to Face did a short U.S. tour that kicked off in November 2008. For this tour, former Uprising drummer Danny Thompson filled in for Pete Parada
Pete Parada
Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new...
during the reunion dates, due to his touring commitments with The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
.
On 28 May 2008 it was announced on The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
's website that Scott Shiflett
Scott Shiflett
Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob...
would be filling in for Greg K.
Greg Kriesel
Gregory David Kriesel , best known by his stage name Greg K., is an American bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the punk band, The Offspring.-Biography:...
on tour due to a "scheduled family matter". As of mid-June 2008, Shiflett is no longer filling in for him. In late August 2008, Scott Shifflet filled in for Chris Flippin on Lagwagon's Canadian leg of their 2008 tour. Chris dropped out due to legal troubles that prevented him from making the trip to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. As of September 14, Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
lead singer Joey Cape's close friend Scott Shifflet is no longer filling in for Chris "Big Bitch" Flippin'.
Asked about the future of the band, Keith mentioned in an interview that a new Face to Face album as well as more touring could be possible. A video clip of that interview is also available on KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
's website. Face to Face performed at Australia's Soundwave in February and March 2009. At the Brisbane gig, bassist Roger Manganelli
Roger Manganelli
Roger Manganelli is the bassist and one of the two lead vocalists for ska-punk band Less Than Jake. He is also the lead vocalist and guitarist for Rehasher, and drummer for Greenhorn...
from 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...
had to fill in for Scott Shifflet as he did not make it in time for the show.
"Disconnected" appears in the video game Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
.
According to a 2008 posting on Keith's Twitter account, Face to Face had been writing new material for a new album scheduled to be released in 2010. It will be their first release with current drummer Danny Thompson and their first with guitarist Chad Yaro since 2000's Reactionary.
The band will release a split album with Rise Against
Rise Against
Rise Against is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 1999. The band currently consists of Tim McIlrath , Zach Blair , Joe Principe and Brandon Barnes .Rise Against spent its first five years signed to the independent record label Fat Wreck Chords, on which it...
, though no release date is set.
Face to Face played the entire 2010 Warped Tour
Warped Tour 2010
Warped Tour 2010 is the 16th installment of the annual Summer Warped Tour festival. Vans Shoes was again the tour's primary sponsor. The first bands were announced on December 18. The 43-date tour kicks off on June 25, 2010 in Carson, California and ends August 15, 2010 in Hillsboro, Oregon.On...
.
Face to Face's new album Laugh Now, Laugh Later
Laugh Now, Laugh Later
Laugh Now, Laugh Later is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band Face to Face, which was released on May 17, 2011 through Antagonist Records, a label run by the band's lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith. It marks 9 years since the release of Face to Face's previous studio album How...
was released on May 17, 2011.
Face to Face is scheduled to play at The Kroq Weeine Roast, and Soundwave Counter Revolution in Australia in September.
Members
| Dates & releases | Members & prominent instruments | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988-1989 (as Zero Tolerance) |
|
|
| 1989-1991 (as Zero Tolerance) |
|
|
| 1991-1993 Don't Turn Away Don't Turn Away Don't Turn Away is the first album by the band Face to Face. It was released in 1992 under the label Dr. Strange Records, and was considered a strong debut for the band. It was re-released a year later on Fat Wreck Chords.... |
|
|
| 1993-1995 Big Choice Big Choice Big Choice is the second full-length album by the California punk band Face to Face in 1994. The original version of the album was released on Victory Music and re-released on A&M Records in 1995.-Track listing:... |
|
|
| 1995-1998 Face to Face |
Scott Shiflett Scott David Shiflett is a bassist. He plays with the band Face to Face and is also associated with the bands Viva Death, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United . He also played on 22 Jacks debut album Uncle Bob... – bass, vocals |
|
| 1998 live concerts only |
Jose Medeles Jose Medeles is an American musician. He is the drummer for The Breeders, and in 1998 played drums for Face to Face as a touring member. He also played drums in 22 Jacks, appearing on Overserved and their final album Going North.... – drums |
|
| 1998-2001 Ignorance is Bliss Ignorance Is Bliss (album) Ignorance is Bliss is an album by the punk rock group Face to Face, released in 1999 . The album was a musical and lyrical departure from the pop-punk or skate-punk influenced music found on previous albums and EPs. Though an 'EconoLive 2' tour was done in promotion of the album, the band does... and Reactionary Reactionary (album) Reactionary is an album by the band Face to Face, released in 2000 . This was their last release with second guitarist Chad Yaro, who left the band in 2001 but would rejoin seven years later.-Track listing:... |
Pete Parada Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new... – drums |
|
| 2001-2004 How to Ruin Everything How to Ruin Everything How to Ruin Everything is the sixth studio album by the punk rock band Face to Face, released in 2002 . This was their last album before their 4-year hiatus from September 2004 to January 2008.... |
Pete Parada Peter "Pete" Parada is an American drummer who has been a member of several notable musical acts. Parada's drumming career began in 1996 when he joined Steel Prophet and recorded one album with them a year later. Subsequently he joined Face to Face and Saves the Day, and in 2007 became the new... – drums |
|
| 2004–2008 |
SPLIT |
|
| 2008–present Laugh Now, Laugh Later Laugh Now, Laugh Later Laugh Now, Laugh Later is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band Face to Face, which was released on May 17, 2011 through Antagonist Records, a label run by the band's lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith. It marks 9 years since the release of Face to Face's previous studio album How... |
|
Discography
- For all releases, see Face to Face discographyFace to Face discographyThis is a comprehensive discography of Face to Face, a Southern California-based punk rock band. The band has released seven full-length studio albums , two EPs, two split albums, one live recording, one compilation album, four music videos, seven singles...
.
- Don't Turn AwayDon't Turn AwayDon't Turn Away is the first album by the band Face to Face. It was released in 1992 under the label Dr. Strange Records, and was considered a strong debut for the band. It was re-released a year later on Fat Wreck Chords....
(1992) - Big ChoiceBig ChoiceBig Choice is the second full-length album by the California punk band Face to Face in 1994. The original version of the album was released on Victory Music and re-released on A&M Records in 1995.-Track listing:...
(1994) - Face to Face (1996)
- Ignorance is BlissIgnorance Is Bliss (album)Ignorance is Bliss is an album by the punk rock group Face to Face, released in 1999 . The album was a musical and lyrical departure from the pop-punk or skate-punk influenced music found on previous albums and EPs. Though an 'EconoLive 2' tour was done in promotion of the album, the band does...
(1999) - ReactionaryReactionary (album)Reactionary is an album by the band Face to Face, released in 2000 . This was their last release with second guitarist Chad Yaro, who left the band in 2001 but would rejoin seven years later.-Track listing:...
(2000) - Standards & PracticesStandards & Practices (album)Standards and Practices is a cover album by the American punk rock band Face to Face. It was released in 1999 under the label Lady Luck, Face To Face's imprint through Vagrant Records. It was re-released two years later on Vagrant Records...
(2001) - How to Ruin EverythingHow to Ruin EverythingHow to Ruin Everything is the sixth studio album by the punk rock band Face to Face, released in 2002 . This was their last album before their 4-year hiatus from September 2004 to January 2008....
(2002) - Laugh Now, Laugh LaterLaugh Now, Laugh LaterLaugh Now, Laugh Later is the seventh studio album by American punk rock band Face to Face, which was released on May 17, 2011 through Antagonist Records, a label run by the band's lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith. It marks 9 years since the release of Face to Face's previous studio album How...
(2011)