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Pocket Change (band)
Encyclopedia
Pocket Change was a Christian
punk
band from Suffolk, Virginia
that recorded and performed from 1995 until 2001.
-based Christian punk
band Pocket Change assembled in January 1995. The band comprised singer/guitarist Tim Asimos, bassist Charles Arnold and drummer Brian "Grover" Saunders and began with no real purpose or direction under the name Social Bias, playing covers of bands such as Rancid
, NOFX
, Green Day
, The Offspring
and Nirvana
. The band began practicing in Asimos' garage, which would remain the band’s rehearsal spot for six years. After attending a Strongarm
show in the summer of 1995, the band decided to dedicate themselves to spreading the Christian message through music. With many name changes in the first few months, the band picked the name Pocket Change, while trying to find a name in time to press their five-song demo recorded in December 1995.
A few months after recording their demo, the band signed with Liquid Disc Records of Nashville, Tennessee
. Steadfast, the band's debut release was recorded in August and December 1996. The album was produced by renowned CCM
producer Steve Griffith (Audio Adrenaline
, Altar Boys
) After numerous delays the album was released in May 1997, but did not hit store shelves until the fall. The band did some touring in the Midwest in the summer of 1997, but did not complete a full-fledged tour until the summer of 1998.
After graduating from high school in June 1998, the band went back into the studio with Griffith to record their second release for Visual Records. While the band’s message remained intact, the style switched from the pop-punk sound of Steadfast, to a more aggressive, surf-punk sound with heavier riffs and faster drums. After finishing up recording, the band embarked on a 50-date national tour, headlining with Portland, Oregon
-based Pep Squad
and playing several dates with Spoken
. The band played in clubs, churches and coffeehouses throughout the east coast and midwest, and also had performances at such festivals as Cornerstone Festival
, Sonshine Festival
and Unity Fest. In August, the band returned home to begin college full-time and would resume touring on a part-time basis.
rock radio. Take Charge, the band’s first single, climbed as high as number 11 on CCM
rock radio, behind such acts as Jars of Clay
, DC Talk
and the Supertones. The second single, Sometimes, received very similar success, also reaching the number 11 spot on CCM
rock radio. After completing a third nation tour in the summer of 1999, the band decided to take an indefinite hiatus and focus their attention on college studies.
After almost a year on hiatus, and thoughts of calling it quits, Pocket Change decided to move forward. The band made some lineup changes: Luke Cotturone joined the band to replace Groverrr on drums. A second guitarist, Jesse Kaluka, was added to the band to help form a more progressive and mature sound. The four meshed well and completed a summer of touring including performances at Cornerstone Festival
and Sonshine Festival
.
in August 2000 to record a 2 song demo featuring some of the new songs the four-piece had been working on. Some regard these new songs as the best material the band had ever written. After returning to school in the fall, the band completed spot dates throughout the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001. While the band had hopes of signing to a new label and recording a full-length album, Pocket Change decided to call it quits in the summer of 2001. After six years of performing and recording, and decisions to pursue their college degrees and other careers, the band played their last show in their hometown of Suffolk, Virginia
in June 2001.
documentary and relive some of their best memories. The DVD, titled "Out of the Box and Onto the Screen" was self-produced and features behind-the-scenes footage of the band, live concert footage and interviews with all members from 1995-2001.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
that recorded and performed from 1995 until 2001.
Early Days
The Suffolk, VirginiaSuffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
-based Christian punk
Christian punk
Christian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
band Pocket Change assembled in January 1995. The band comprised singer/guitarist Tim Asimos, bassist Charles Arnold and drummer Brian "Grover" Saunders and began with no real purpose or direction under the name Social Bias, playing covers of bands such as 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...
, 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...
, 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 Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
. The band began practicing in Asimos' garage, which would remain the band’s rehearsal spot for six years. After attending a Strongarm
Strongarm
Strongarm may refer to:* StrongARM, a RISC microprocessor created by Digital Equipment Corporation * Strongarm , a hardcore band from Florida* Strongarm , a minion of Skeletor...
show in the summer of 1995, the band decided to dedicate themselves to spreading the Christian message through music. With many name changes in the first few months, the band picked the name Pocket Change, while trying to find a name in time to press their five-song demo recorded in December 1995.
Getting Signed
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. Steadfast, the band's debut release was recorded in August and December 1996. The album was produced by renowned CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
producer Steve Griffith (Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline was a Christian rock band that formed in the late 1980s at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. During the band's 17-year existence, they were awarded two Grammy awards, multiple Dove Awards and they released 17 number one singles. They were regular performers at the...
, Altar Boys
Altar Boys
Altar Boys are a Christian punk rock band from California, formed in 1982. They are Mike Stand , Jeff Crandall , Steve Pannier , Mark Robertson , and Ric Alba.-Background:...
) After numerous delays the album was released in May 1997, but did not hit store shelves until the fall. The band did some touring in the Midwest in the summer of 1997, but did not complete a full-fledged tour until the summer of 1998.
National tour
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
-based Pep Squad
Pep squad
Pep squads are found in high schools, middle schools and sometimes, elementary schools in the United States. The pep squad's main duty is to promote school spirit. Pep squad members make posters, cheer for school sports teams, and help with pep rallies. During games, pep squads lead cheers and chants...
and playing several dates with Spoken
Spoken
Spoken is the past tense verbal form of "to speak".Spoken may also refer to:*Spoken , a Christian rock group from Arkansas*Spoken , an album by Spoken...
. The band played in clubs, churches and coffeehouses throughout the east coast and midwest, and also had performances at such festivals as Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
, Sonshine Festival
Sonshine Festival
Sonshine Festival is a Christian music festival held annually in Willmar, Minnesota, usually the second weekend in July. It features Christian musical artists from the United States and around the world. The festival is a member of the Christian Festival Association.A secondary function of the...
and Unity Fest. In August, the band returned home to begin college full-time and would resume touring on a part-time basis.
Second release and radio success
Wake Up, the band's second release was completed in December 1998 and would hit shelves in June 1999. The album featured several singles that would receive much attention on CCMContemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
rock radio. Take Charge, the band’s first single, climbed as high as number 11 on CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
rock radio, behind such acts as Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay is a Christian rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois.Jars of Clay consists of Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars...
, DC Talk
DC Talk
DC Talk is the first studio album released from vocal trio DC Talk. It is the most hip hop-oriented of all of their albums as each later album gradually progressed into a more rock-centered sound. Michael Tait stated that their original goal for the album was to sell 10,000 units. It sold 7,142...
and the Supertones. The second single, Sometimes, received very similar success, also reaching the number 11 spot on CCM
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
rock radio. After completing a third nation tour in the summer of 1999, the band decided to take an indefinite hiatus and focus their attention on college studies.
Lineup changes
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
and Sonshine Festival
Sonshine Festival
Sonshine Festival is a Christian music festival held annually in Willmar, Minnesota, usually the second weekend in July. It features Christian musical artists from the United States and around the world. The festival is a member of the Christian Festival Association.A secondary function of the...
.
Final days
Pocket Change entered a studio in Virginia Beach, VirginiaVirginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
in August 2000 to record a 2 song demo featuring some of the new songs the four-piece had been working on. Some regard these new songs as the best material the band had ever written. After returning to school in the fall, the band completed spot dates throughout the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001. While the band had hopes of signing to a new label and recording a full-length album, Pocket Change decided to call it quits in the summer of 2001. After six years of performing and recording, and decisions to pursue their college degrees and other careers, the band played their last show in their hometown of Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk, Virginia
Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...
in June 2001.
"Out of the Box and Onto the Screen" DVD
In the spring of 2005, the band got back together to assemble a 1 hour DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
documentary and relive some of their best memories. The DVD, titled "Out of the Box and Onto the Screen" was self-produced and features behind-the-scenes footage of the band, live concert footage and interviews with all members from 1995-2001.
Final lineup
- Tim Asimos - vocals, guitar (1995–2001)
- Charles Arnold - bass, backing vocals (1995–2001)
- Jesse Kaluka - guitar, backing vocals (2000–2001)
- Luke Cotterone - drums (2000–2001)
Original lineup
- Tim Asimos - vocals, guitar (1995–2001)
- Charles Arnold - bass, backing vocals (1995–2001)
- Brian "Grover" Saunders - drums (1995–2000)
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Steadfast | Liquid Disc Records | CD | Debut album. |
| 1999 | Wake Up | Visual Records | CD | Features the bands newer, less pop-punk sound. |
EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | One Side to Every Story | Self-released | Tape | Features early recordings of 3 songs from Steadfast. |
DVDs
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Out of the Box and Onto the Screen | Self-released | DVD |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
| 1997 | "I Have Decided" | Steadfast |
| 1997 | "Good Feeling" | Steadfast |
| 1997 | "My God" | Steadfast |
| 1999 | "Take Charge" | Wake Up |
| 1999 | "Sometimes" | Wake Up |
| 1999 | "Unite to Fight" | Wake Up |