Patent Pending (band)
Encyclopedia
Patent Pending is an American pop punk
band consisting of vocalist Joe Ragosta, drummer Anthony Mingoia, guitarist Marc Kantor, guitarist Joshua Dicker, guitarist/vocalist Rob Felicetti, and bassist Travis McGee. They are from Mount Sinai, New York
. They released their debut album Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
in 2006 with original vocalist Michael Ragosta and bassist Drew Buffardi (with Joe Ragosta on guitar at the time) and 2008's Attack of the Awesome with Jay Beiner on bass guitar and Joe and Michael switching on lead vocals.
The band has released five music videos; "This Can't Happen Again" off of Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
., "She's a Ho Ho Ho", a holiday single, "Drop Dead" off of Attack of the Awesome, and "One Less Heart to Break" (which reached the #1 highest ranked, most viewed, and buzzworthy music video on mtv.com
) and "Dance Til We Die" off of 2010's I'm Not Alone.
Joshua Dicker, long time collaborating songwriter with Ragosta, would only appear as a live guitarist consistently during Joe's switch to lead singer in July of 2009. Guitarist Rob Felicetti (formerly of The Ataris
) came in as Josh's touring replacement and joined the band full time while on tour in July of 2010.
(the band being from Suffolk County
). They began recording demo CDs with some songs that would go on to be re-recorded and re-released on the band's future albums.
" had been their most popular song (and is still currently the band's number one selling
single as the Save Each Other... version).
under the East/West Record Group
in 2005, the band began production for 2006's Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine with producer Joseph A. Pedulla. Due to legal issues pertaining to the original name of the record (Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine) pursued by the Save the Children Foundation, the original release date of May 9 was changed to June 6, 2006. Upon completing the record, The band invited long time friend Marc Kantor to join as an additional guitarist. The album achieved moderate success, selling over 10,000 copies due to the band's inclusion on the entire 2006 Vans Warped Tour, and supporting Gym Class Heroes
and Cobra Starship
on a tour immediately following.
Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, NJ as well as select dates on that years' Vans Warped Tour in addition to touring smaller clubs and venues throughout the US. On April 16, 2007, Kantor began riding his bicycle from Levittown, New York
to San Diego, California
in an effort to help raise money and awareness for The American Heart Association
. A portion of the proceeds were also donated to the Rhiannon Chloe Foundation and was successfully completed on June 7, 2007. In 2008, they went back into the studio with Pedulla to record Attack of the Awesome, an 8-song EP featuring Joe and Michael switching lead
vocal duties, released July 14, 2009. The band supported the EP on separate tours with Catch 22
, Just Surrender
, and Suburban Legends
throughout the first half of the year.
departure from the band via a YouTube
video of he and Joe offering an
explanation for his leaving the band, leaving Joe with lead vocalist
duties. Long time songwriter and collaborator with the band, Joshua
Dicker, took over Joe's guitar duties for live performances. Dicker and Ragosta begin writing for a new EP, asking guitarist Rob Felicetti to come track guitar for the record. In March, the band went to record with producer Jordan Schmidt (Motion City Soundtrack
, All Time Low
) at Melmac Studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota
. The result was the I'm Not Alone EP/DVD (released August 17, 2010); a double disc set featuring a 6 song EP and a DVD featuring live footage, tour stories, and a band biography. Felicetti became Dicker's touring replacement and joined the band full time during the band's 2010 summer tour. The band began writing for another record throughout the fall and winter following the departure of Beiner and the inclusion of fill-in bass player Travis McGee.
. Simultaneously, while recording the full length, they began arranging and recording a cover EP titled "Spring Break '99". The end result was a full length record titled Second Family (released July 12, 2011). While in the studio, the band released two music videos: one for "One Les Heart to Break" (reaching #1 under every category on mtv.com
and put into rotation on MTV2
) and "Dance Til We Die" (reaching #12 highest rated and most viewed music video on mtv.com
) from 2010's I'm Not Alone. In May, the band was asked to support a US tour with Bowling For Soup
and the Dollyrots
and spent the summer on the Vans Warped Tour following McGee's joining the band full time. In October, the band filmed a yet-to-be-released music video for the single "Douchebag" with producer/director Jaret Reddick
of Bowling For Soup
's music video production company Built By Ninjas
or punk rock
band, while drawing influences from hip-hop and R&B music. The band has cited Green Day
, blink-182
, NOFX
, Goldfinger
, the Beach Boys
, the Beatles
, New Found Glory
, and even the Beastie Boys and MC Hammer
as influences. They often target the subjects of relationships, growing up, and friendship, while touching on the subject of suicide awareness and prevention (in the single One Less Heart to Break).
Former members
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 consisting of vocalist Joe Ragosta, drummer Anthony Mingoia, guitarist Marc Kantor, guitarist Joshua Dicker, guitarist/vocalist Rob Felicetti, and bassist Travis McGee. They are from Mount Sinai, New York
Mount Sinai, New York
Mount Sinai is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, USA. The population was 8,734 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. They released their debut album Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine is ska punk band Patent Pending's debut studio album. The original name of the CD was Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine, but it was changed due to a threat to sue by the Save the Children Foundation. The title reflects the environmental concept...
in 2006 with original vocalist Michael Ragosta and bassist Drew Buffardi (with Joe Ragosta on guitar at the time) and 2008's Attack of the Awesome with Jay Beiner on bass guitar and Joe and Michael switching on lead vocals.
The band has released five music videos; "This Can't Happen Again" off of Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine is ska punk band Patent Pending's debut studio album. The original name of the CD was Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine, but it was changed due to a threat to sue by the Save the Children Foundation. The title reflects the environmental concept...
., "She's a Ho Ho Ho", a holiday single, "Drop Dead" off of Attack of the Awesome, and "One Less Heart to Break" (which reached the #1 highest ranked, most viewed, and buzzworthy music video on mtv.com
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
) and "Dance Til We Die" off of 2010's I'm Not Alone.
Joshua Dicker, long time collaborating songwriter with Ragosta, would only appear as a live guitarist consistently during Joe's switch to lead singer in July of 2009. Guitarist Rob Felicetti (formerly of The Ataris
The Ataris
The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"...
) came in as Josh's touring replacement and joined the band full time while on tour in July of 2010.
Formation (2001)
While attending Mt. Sinai High School, Ragosta and Buffardi hastily started a band in order to perform at a local show they had heard about. After approaching Mingoia (the only drummer they knew of in their school) and recruiting Joe's younger brother Michael on vocals, they began to play shows in the Long Island area, gaining a consistent following in Nassau CountyNassau County
Nassau County is the name of two counties in the United States:*Nassau County, New York*Nassau County, Florida...
(the band being from Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
). They began recording demo CDs with some songs that would go on to be re-recorded and re-released on the band's future albums.
Early releases (2001-2004)
The band's first EP Meet the Fat kids was self-released in 2001 and contained only 2 songs. They followed the EP with the full length the Pirate House (a reference to a house decorated like a pirate ship in their home town) the same year, with both songs from the EP on it. They continued on with two more EPs in 2002, Air Drew and Drive By, and two full length records Don't Quit Your Day Job and ...Is Your Biological Father in 2004, filming a music video for the song "the June Spirit", despite the fact that "Cheer Up Emo KidSave Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine
Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine is ska punk band Patent Pending's debut studio album. The original name of the CD was Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine, but it was changed due to a threat to sue by the Save the Children Foundation. The title reflects the environmental concept...
" had been their most popular song (and is still currently the band's number one selling
single as the Save Each Other... version).
Signing and touring (2005-2007)
After signing a deal with We Put Out RecordsWe Put Out Records
We Put Out Records started as a vehicle for The Syndicate to release music from friends' bands that were without a record label.The Syndicate began as a radio promotion company but soon branched out into street marketing and artist management...
under the East/West Record Group
East West Records
East West Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group, and operates under WMG's Independent Label Group.-History:...
in 2005, the band began production for 2006's Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine with producer Joseph A. Pedulla. Due to legal issues pertaining to the original name of the record (Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine) pursued by the Save the Children Foundation, the original release date of May 9 was changed to June 6, 2006. Upon completing the record, The band invited long time friend Marc Kantor to join as an additional guitarist. The album achieved moderate success, selling over 10,000 copies due to the band's inclusion on the entire 2006 Vans Warped Tour, and supporting Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes
Gym Class Heroes is an American hip hop rock band from Geneva, New York. They have collaborated with Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on numerous occasions, notably for providing backing vocals on the song "Cupid's Chokehold." Stump also produced the majority of their album The Quilt.The group formed...
and Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship
Cobra Starship is an American synthpop band created by former Midtown bassist and lead vocalist Gabe Saporta in 2003 in New York City, New York...
on a tour immediately following.
"Attack of the Awesome", switching singers, and Marc Across America (2007-2009)
After the band's departure with Buffardi in 2007, bassist Jay Beiner joined as a full time replacement. They performed on the 2007Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, NJ as well as select dates on that years' Vans Warped Tour in addition to touring smaller clubs and venues throughout the US. On April 16, 2007, Kantor began riding his bicycle from Levittown, New York
Levittown, New York
Levittown is a hamlet in the Town of Hempstead located on Long Island in Nassau County, New York. Levittown is midway between the villages of Hempstead and Farmingdale. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 51,881....
to San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in an effort to help raise money and awareness for The American Heart Association
American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...
. A portion of the proceeds were also donated to the Rhiannon Chloe Foundation and was successfully completed on June 7, 2007. In 2008, they went back into the studio with Pedulla to record Attack of the Awesome, an 8-song EP featuring Joe and Michael switching lead
vocal duties, released July 14, 2009. The band supported the EP on separate tours with Catch 22
Catch 22 (band)
Catch 22 is an American ska punk band from East Brunswick Township, New Jersey.The band was formed by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Tomas Kalnoky and drummer Chris Greer who recruited trumpeter Kevin Gunther, who was working in a local record store...
, Just Surrender
Just Surrender
Just Surrender was a rock band from Dover Plains, New York, formerly known as A Second Chance. Just Surrender was formed by three high school friends Jason Maffucci, Andrew Meunier, and Steve Miller. Vocalist/guitarist Dan Simons, formerly of "The Record Collection," joined the original three...
, and 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 :...
throughout the first half of the year.
"I'm Not Alone" (2009–2010)
After a show at the Crazy Donkey in Farmingdale, NY on July 25, 2009, Michael announced hisdeparture from the band via a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video of he and Joe offering an
explanation for his leaving the band, leaving Joe with lead vocalist
duties. Long time songwriter and collaborator with the band, Joshua
Dicker, took over Joe's guitar duties for live performances. Dicker and Ragosta begin writing for a new EP, asking guitarist Rob Felicetti to come track guitar for the record. In March, the band went to record with producer Jordan Schmidt (Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack is an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1997. The band consists of founding members Justin Pierre and Joshua Cain , along with keyboardist and moog synthesist Jesse Johnson, bassist and backing vocalist Matthew Taylor, and drummer, percussionist and...
, All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
) at Melmac Studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. The result was the I'm Not Alone EP/DVD (released August 17, 2010); a double disc set featuring a 6 song EP and a DVD featuring live footage, tour stories, and a band biography. Felicetti became Dicker's touring replacement and joined the band full time during the band's 2010 summer tour. The band began writing for another record throughout the fall and winter following the departure of Beiner and the inclusion of fill-in bass player Travis McGee.
"Second Family" (2011-present)
In February 2011, the band joined back up with producer Jordan Schmidt to begin pre-production for a new full length record. They started recording at Stadium Red in Harlem, New York during March and finished up the recording process at Schmidt's Melmac Studio in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. Simultaneously, while recording the full length, they began arranging and recording a cover EP titled "Spring Break '99". The end result was a full length record titled Second Family (released July 12, 2011). While in the studio, the band released two music videos: one for "One Les Heart to Break" (reaching #1 under every category on mtv.com
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and put into rotation on 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...
) and "Dance Til We Die" (reaching #12 highest rated and most viewed music video on mtv.com
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
) from 2010's I'm Not Alone. In May, the band was asked to support a US tour with 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 the Dollyrots
The Dollyrots
The Dollyrots are an American pop punk band composed of Kelly Ogden and Luis Cabezas . They have released three studio albums and are currently signed to the Blackheart Records label.-Formation:...
and spent the summer on the Vans Warped Tour following McGee's joining the band full time. In October, the band filmed a yet-to-be-released music video for the single "Douchebag" with producer/director Jaret Reddick
Jaret Reddick
Jaret Ray Reddick is an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and lead songwriter for the Grammy Award-nominated pop punk band Bowling for Soup. He plays a Music Man Axis that has a flag of Texas design on...
of Bowling For Soup
Bowling for Soup
Bowling for Soup is an American pop-punk band which originally formed in Wichita Falls, Texas in 1994...
's music video production company Built By Ninjas
Jaret Reddick
Jaret Ray Reddick is an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and voice actor, best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and lead songwriter for the Grammy Award-nominated pop punk band Bowling for Soup. He plays a Music Man Axis that has a flag of Texas design on...
Musical style and influences
Patent Pending is most commonly referred to as a pop punkPop 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...
or 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, while drawing influences from hip-hop and R&B music. The band has cited 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...
, 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...
, 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...
, Goldfinger
Goldfinger
Goldfinger is the seventh novel in Ian Fleming's James Bond series, first published in the UK by Jonathan Cape on 23 March 1959. Goldfinger originally bore the title The Richest Man in the World and was written in January and February 1958...
, the Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
, the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, New Found Glory
New Found Glory
New Found Glory is an American rock band from Coral Springs, Florida. Formed in the summer of 1997, founding members were lead vocalist Jordan Pundik, guitarists Chad Gilbert and Steve Klein, bassist Ian Grushka and drummer Joe Marino...
, and even the Beastie Boys and MC Hammer
MC Hammer
Stanley Kirk Burrell , better known by his stage name MC Hammer , is an American rapper, entertainer, business entrepreneur, dancer and actor. He had his greatest commercial success and popularity from the late 1980s until the mid-1990s...
as influences. They often target the subjects of relationships, growing up, and friendship, while touching on the subject of suicide awareness and prevention (in the single One Less Heart to Break).
Personnel
Current members- Joe Ragosta – vocals (2001–present)
- Anthony Mingoia – drums (2001-present)
- Rob Felicetti – 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...
(2010–present) - Marc Kantor – 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...
(2006–present) - Travis McGee – bass (2011–present)
Former members
- Michael Ragosta – vocals (2001–2009)
- Drew Buffardi – bass (2001-2007)
- Jay Beiner – bass (2007–2010)
Discography
Studio albums- Meet the Fat Kids EP (2001)
- The Pirate House (2001)
- Air Drew (2002)
- Don't Quit Your Day Job (2004)
- ...Is Your Biological Father (2004)
- Save Each Other, the Whales Are Doing FineSave Each Other, the Whales Are Doing FineSave Each Other, the Whales Are Doing Fine is ska punk band Patent Pending's debut studio album. The original name of the CD was Save The Children, The Whales Are Doing Fine, but it was changed due to a threat to sue by the Save the Children Foundation. The title reflects the environmental concept...
(2006) - Attack of the Awesome (2009)
- I'm Not Alone (2010)
- Second Family (2011)