Hidden in Plain View
Encyclopedia
Hidden in Plain View was a five-piece Pop Punk
band from northern New Jersey
. They formed in 2000 and disbanded in 2007. During their six and a half year run, the group released records with four different record labels (most notably the independent record label
Drive-Thru Records
), including two full-length album
s and three EPs
. Hidden in Plain View played numerous concert tours such as the Warped Tour
and the Drive-Thru Records Invasion Tours in the United States
, Europe
and Japan
.
, Hidden in Plain View formed in August 2000, when former 8 over Par members Joe Reo (vocals) and Rob Freeman
(guitar
/backing vocals
) merged with former Jersey Nonsense members Kenny Ryan (guitar) and Chris Amato (bass
), as well as Derek Reilly (drums
). The name "Hidden in Plain View" refers to a situation at singer Reo's day job in a supermarket, where a customer used the expression after needing help finding a blatantly visible item. With this original line-up, the band recorded a three-track demo and soon got in touch with the local record label DAB Records, who released their now sought after, Chris Badami produced, debut Find
in March 2001.
With the label facing bankruptcy
and the band substituting Jay Snyder for Reilly (who went on to form Red Light Green Light), Hidden in Plain View were picked up by Note to Self Records in early 2002. For their second EP
titled Operation: Cut-Throat
, the band exchanged their heavy distortion guitars and genre-typical fast-paced drums for a lighter, more uplifting sound, yet they still maintained a degree of melancholy, especially in the lyrics and vocal melodies. The CD was released on June 11, 2002. Before the end of the year, Ryan left to co-form Rushmore Records
(now Drive-Thru Records
) signing Houston Calls
, while he was replaced by Mike Saffert.
Even though a full-length had been announced by Note to Self, who had since been licensed by LLR Recordings, Hidden in Plain View signed with southern California pop punk label Drive-Thru Records
in June 2003. Simultaneously with the announcement of their signing, LLR re-printed Operation: Cut-Throat. The band went on and recorded four songs for their self-titled Drive-Thru debut. After the recording of the EP, Snyder left the band to start John Connor (Negative Progression Records). Hidden in Plain View
was released in November 2003, featuring the liner notes
picturing his replacement, Newnan, Georgia
resident Spencer Peterson, born in Oil City, Pennsylvania
. Peterson was a student at the Atlanta Institute of Music when he joined the band at the age of 19.
Release-wise, the following year was somewhat less busy for the band, with appearing only on the Counting Crows
tribute album
Dead and Dreaming: An Indie Tribute to Counting Crows and the Drive-Thru Christmas compilation Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records
, though the band toured extensively in both the United States
and the United Kingdom
and recorded their first full-length album. Life in Dreaming
, which dropped in early 2005, showcased a much more mature, yet edgier and at times darker sound than the band's previous EPs, thanks to the latest two additions to their line-up, Saffert and Peterson.
The majority of 2005 was spent touring domestically and internationally, as the band played 24 dates of the Warped Tour
, visited Japan
for the first time and co-headlined the European Drive-Thru Invasion Tour 2005, which hit a total of sixteen cities in seven different countries across Europe. On October 16, 2005, Hidden in Plain View participated in MTV2
's Dew Circuit Breakout (a television battle of the bands
), competing in the New York City
finals against Pete Miser
.
On January 29, 2007, the band announced that they have broken up due to personal and creative differences. The follow-up record previously recorded, titled Resolution
, was released on Drive-Thru Records on July 24, 2007. The CD leaked onto file-sharing networks on July 15, 2007.
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 northern New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. They formed in 2000 and disbanded in 2007. During their six and a half year run, the group released records with four different record labels (most notably the independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records, established in 1996, was a California-based record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. It has produced various pop punk bands, many with a distinct SoCal sound....
), including two full-length album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s and three EPs
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...
. Hidden in Plain View played numerous concert tours such as 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...
and the Drive-Thru Records Invasion Tours in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and 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...
.
History
Hailing from different towns around Hopatcong, New JerseyHopatcong, New Jersey
Hopatcong is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 15,147.The area had been called "Brookland" in the 19th century and the lake that was expanded to become Lake Hopatcong had been known as "Great Pond" or "Brookland...
, Hidden in Plain View formed in August 2000, when former 8 over Par members Joe Reo (vocals) and Rob Freeman
Rob Freeman
Robert Andrew Freeman is the former guitarist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter for the pop punk/post-hardcore group Hidden in Plain View...
(guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
/backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
) merged with former Jersey Nonsense members Kenny Ryan (guitar) and Chris Amato (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), as well as Derek Reilly (drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
). The name "Hidden in Plain View" refers to a situation at singer Reo's day job in a supermarket, where a customer used the expression after needing help finding a blatantly visible item. With this original line-up, the band recorded a three-track demo and soon got in touch with the local record label DAB Records, who released their now sought after, Chris Badami produced, debut Find
Find (EP)
Find is Hidden in Plain View's debut EP. It was released by the now defunct independent record label DAB Records on March 24, 2001.-Track listing:# "Burned" – 2:30# "Traffic Jams and Train Cars" – 3:17# "Find" – 2:22...
in March 2001.
With the label facing bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
and the band substituting Jay Snyder for Reilly (who went on to form Red Light Green Light), Hidden in Plain View were picked up by Note to Self Records in early 2002. For their second EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
titled Operation: Cut-Throat
Operation: Cut-Throat
Operation: Cut-Throat is Hidden in Plain View's second EP. It was originally released on Note to Self Records in 2002 and re-issued by LLR Recordings in 2003.-Track listing:# "An American Classic" – 3:26...
, the band exchanged their heavy distortion guitars and genre-typical fast-paced drums for a lighter, more uplifting sound, yet they still maintained a degree of melancholy, especially in the lyrics and vocal melodies. The CD was released on June 11, 2002. Before the end of the year, Ryan left to co-form Rushmore Records
Rushmore Records
Rushmore Records was formerly a subsidiary of Drive-Thru Records. As of September, 2006, Rushmore became an Imprint label due to the project being largely unsuccessful.-History:...
(now Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records, established in 1996, was a California-based record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. It has produced various pop punk bands, many with a distinct SoCal sound....
) signing Houston Calls
Houston Calls
Houston Calls was an American power pop/punk band, based in Rockaway, New Jersey. They formed in 2003 and were signed to Drive-Thru Records. On June 9, 2009 they announced their official breakup.-Formation :...
, while he was replaced by Mike Saffert.
Even though a full-length had been announced by Note to Self, who had since been licensed by LLR Recordings, Hidden in Plain View signed with southern California pop punk label Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records
Drive-Thru Records, established in 1996, was a California-based record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. It has produced various pop punk bands, many with a distinct SoCal sound....
in June 2003. Simultaneously with the announcement of their signing, LLR re-printed Operation: Cut-Throat. The band went on and recorded four songs for their self-titled Drive-Thru debut. After the recording of the EP, Snyder left the band to start John Connor (Negative Progression Records). Hidden in Plain View
Hidden in Plain View (EP)
Hidden in Plain View is Hidden in Plain View's eponymous Drive-Thru Records debut. The CD was issued on November 11, 2003 and marks the band's third release, after their first two EPs Find and Operation: Cut-Throat .-Track listing:...
was released in November 2003, featuring the liner notes
Liner notes
Liner notes are the writings found in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes.-Origin:...
picturing his replacement, Newnan, Georgia
Newnan, Georgia
Newnan is a city in Coweta County, Georgia, about 30 miles southwest of Atlanta. The population was 16,242 at the 2000 Census. Newnan is one of the fastest growing cities in Georgia, with an estimated population of 27,097 in 2006 and 33,293 in July 2008...
resident Spencer Peterson, born in Oil City, Pennsylvania
Oil City, Pennsylvania
Oil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
. Peterson was a student at the Atlanta Institute of Music when he joined the band at the age of 19.
Release-wise, the following year was somewhat less busy for the band, with appearing only on the Counting Crows
Counting Crows
Counting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Dead and Dreaming: An Indie Tribute to Counting Crows and the Drive-Thru Christmas compilation Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records
Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records
Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records is a compilation album, released on December 14, 2004, carrying solely Christmas-themed songs by Drive-Thru Records and Rushmore Records artists. All the recordings were previously unreleased, though five of the eight songs were cover versions of famous...
, though the band toured extensively in both the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and recorded their first full-length album. Life in Dreaming
Life in Dreaming
Life in Dreaming is Hidden in Plain View's first full-length album, released on February 22, 2005 by Drive-Thru Records. It was originally scheduled for an August 2004 release, but postponed to gain time for promotion...
, which dropped in early 2005, showcased a much more mature, yet edgier and at times darker sound than the band's previous EPs, thanks to the latest two additions to their line-up, Saffert and Peterson.
The majority of 2005 was spent touring domestically and internationally, as the band played 24 dates 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...
, visited 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...
for the first time and co-headlined the European Drive-Thru Invasion Tour 2005, which hit a total of sixteen cities in seven different countries across Europe. On October 16, 2005, Hidden in Plain View participated in MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's Dew Circuit Breakout (a television battle of the bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
), competing in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
finals against Pete Miser
Pete Miser
Peter Ho is an Asian American Hip Hop rapper and producer living in New York City who performs under the name Pete Miser.- Biography :Originally from Portland, Oregon, Pete Miser is involved in the hip-hop scene in the Northwest United States...
.
On January 29, 2007, the band announced that they have broken up due to personal and creative differences. The follow-up record previously recorded, titled Resolution
Resolution (Hidden in Plain View album)
Resolution is Hidden in Plain View's second and final full-length album, released on July 24, 2007 through Drive-Thru Records. This album was released after the band had already broken up.-Track listing:# Bendy - 3:24# I Don't Wanna Hear It - 2:51...
, was released on Drive-Thru Records on July 24, 2007. The CD leaked onto file-sharing networks on July 15, 2007.
Members
- Joe Reo – vocals
- Rob FreemanRob FreemanRobert Andrew Freeman is the former guitarist, backing vocalist and primary songwriter for the pop punk/post-hardcore group Hidden in Plain View...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Mike Saffert – guitar
- Chris Amato – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Spencer Peterson – 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 ....
Former members
- Derek Reilly – drums
- Kenny Ryan – guitar
- Jay Snyder – drums
- Will Garlick – guitar
Albums
- Life in DreamingLife in DreamingLife in Dreaming is Hidden in Plain View's first full-length album, released on February 22, 2005 by Drive-Thru Records. It was originally scheduled for an August 2004 release, but postponed to gain time for promotion...
(2005) - ResolutionResolution (Hidden in Plain View album)Resolution is Hidden in Plain View's second and final full-length album, released on July 24, 2007 through Drive-Thru Records. This album was released after the band had already broken up.-Track listing:# Bendy - 3:24# I Don't Wanna Hear It - 2:51...
(2007)
EPs
- FindFind (EP)Find is Hidden in Plain View's debut EP. It was released by the now defunct independent record label DAB Records on March 24, 2001.-Track listing:# "Burned" – 2:30# "Traffic Jams and Train Cars" – 3:17# "Find" – 2:22...
(2001) - Operation: Cut-ThroatOperation: Cut-ThroatOperation: Cut-Throat is Hidden in Plain View's second EP. It was originally released on Note to Self Records in 2002 and re-issued by LLR Recordings in 2003.-Track listing:# "An American Classic" – 3:26...
(2002) - Hidden in Plain ViewHidden in Plain View (EP)Hidden in Plain View is Hidden in Plain View's eponymous Drive-Thru Records debut. The CD was issued on November 11, 2003 and marks the band's third release, after their first two EPs Find and Operation: Cut-Throat .-Track listing:...
(2003)
Non-album tracks
- "Mr. Jones" – released on Dead and Dreaming: An Indie Tribute to Counting Crows (2004)
- "Hot 'n' Sexy" – released on the B-side of the 7" vinyl single "Ashes Ashes" (2004)
- "Christmas Song" – released on Happy Holidays from Drive-Thru RecordsHappy Holidays from Drive-Thru RecordsHappy Holidays from Drive-Thru Records is a compilation album, released on December 14, 2004, carrying solely Christmas-themed songs by Drive-Thru Records and Rushmore Records artists. All the recordings were previously unreleased, though five of the eight songs were cover versions of famous...
(2004) - "Bleed For You" – released on Punk the ClockPunk the ClockPunk the Clock is an American record label featuring compilations of songs by popular punk rock and pop punk bands. Three volumes have been released to date; the most recent volume, entitled Punk The Clock Vol 3: Property of a Gentleman, was released in stores on September 25, 2009.The newest...
Vol. 1 (2004) - "I Ran" – released on Punk Goes 80'sPunk Goes 80'sPunk Goes 80s is part of the Punk Goes... compilation series created by Fearless Records, featuring cover versions of songs from the 1980s. It was released on June 7, 2005.-Track listing:...
(2005) - "Ferriswheel" – released on the three-track demo
- "Kicking Stones" – released on the three-track demo
- "To Your Grave" – released on the three-track demo
External links
- Interview with Hidden in Plain View (Video)
- Hidden in Plain View's former official website (last updated October 2001)
- Hidden In Plain View on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....