Rick Thomas
Encyclopedia
ST1TCH is American
sampler
for Mushroomhead
and Ventana
. It has been stated that Thomas was originally called "Stick", due to his slim build, but someone mistakenly called him Stitch and the name stuck. ST1TCH can be identified by his pair of wire "headphones" and stitched forehead. Recently he has taken to wearing a re-breather over the bottom half of his mask during some live shows. However, he later changed his mask, along with the rest of Mushroomhead, with Mushroomhead's newest release "Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children"
The band was playing a lot of shows, and entered quite a few 'Battle of The Bands' competitions ...winning a few of them. They also opened up for Mushroomhead a few times due to Rick's association with the band. The bassist, Paul, was eventually kicked out of the band around the Spring of 1999 so Thomas got his friend at the time, Dav Harris, to take over. The band was evolving and writing better music, but their drummer was holding them back. They set out to get a new drummer, but since good drummers were hard to find, the band took some time off. During that time, Thomas met the band Canister and really hit it off with them. In mid-1999, Rick was spending a lot of time with Canister and working on music with them. This apparently offended the guys in Downfall of Society, because they ended up replacing him without even letting him know. They changed their name to Sixty Victims, and Rick moved on with Canister.
Rick really enjoyed this band and they were playing a lot and having fun. It turns out, at the time, that Canister's practice space was next door to Chimaira's practice space. Chimaira
had only been together less than a year at this point. They mentioned to Rick that they wanted someone in their band doing samples and turntables like he was doing. After hearing that, Rick just told them that he was too busy with Canister and that they should look elsewhere for someone to work with them. A few months later, Chimaira found Chris Spicuzza to fill the spot.
A few months later, around the beginning of 2000, Canister opened up for Chimaira at a show in Lakewood, Ohio. Rick felt that Chimaira gave Canister a bad time slot for the show, and the guys in Chimaira got wind of that and were not too happy. Canister did not take his remarks too lightly either, and Rick was removed from the band for this. Rick was upset because he loved the band. Canister later changed their name to A Colder Year.
The next year, after Rick left Canister, he decided to give Moko a try. He went by the name 'DJ Outcast' while with Moko. Their sound was similar to Downfall's, but they had more of a heavier, hardcore edge. Rick performed with the band for a while, but the band eventually broke up. A few months later, Rick was without a band and secured a job printing shirts for Mushroomhead. It was then that he was approached by Skinny who asked him to join Mushroomhead.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sampler
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
for Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
and Ventana
Ventana
Ventana can refer to:*Ventana Cave, a National Historic Landmark in Arizona, U.S.*Ventana Double Cone, a twin mountaintop in the Ventana Wilderness...
. It has been stated that Thomas was originally called "Stick", due to his slim build, but someone mistakenly called him Stitch and the name stuck. ST1TCH can be identified by his pair of wire "headphones" and stitched forehead. Recently he has taken to wearing a re-breather over the bottom half of his mask during some live shows. However, he later changed his mask, along with the rest of Mushroomhead, with Mushroomhead's newest release "Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children"
Downfall of Society/Sixty Victims
Rick met this rapcore band at the Mushroomhead Halloween show in 1997. He hooked up with them to make shirts for them since he had experience doing it for Mushroomhead. He started to become friends with the guitar player, Rick Sans, and Sans eventually hinted that they'd like to get a DJ for the band. Thomas wanted to be in the band, but he did not play any instruments, nor did he really have the money to buy any. So they ended up finding a kid selling 2 cheap Gemini turntables and a mixer for about $100. The two of them split the cost of the gear so they could get a DJ going in the band. Thomas started practicing with the band and was slowly learning how to scratch and add effects to their music. He became a full time member of Downfall of Society around the Spring of 1998.The band was playing a lot of shows, and entered quite a few 'Battle of The Bands' competitions ...winning a few of them. They also opened up for Mushroomhead a few times due to Rick's association with the band. The bassist, Paul, was eventually kicked out of the band around the Spring of 1999 so Thomas got his friend at the time, Dav Harris, to take over. The band was evolving and writing better music, but their drummer was holding them back. They set out to get a new drummer, but since good drummers were hard to find, the band took some time off. During that time, Thomas met the band Canister and really hit it off with them. In mid-1999, Rick was spending a lot of time with Canister and working on music with them. This apparently offended the guys in Downfall of Society, because they ended up replacing him without even letting him know. They changed their name to Sixty Victims, and Rick moved on with Canister.
Canister/A Colder Year
As mentioned in the Downfall of Society bio, Rick met these guys in 1999. They had seen Rick do work in Downfall and they asked him if he'd do a song with them. Since Downfall was on a break, Rick agreed to spend some time to work with Canister. Rick started working with them and really liked their style of music: somewhat of a Deftones sound. He became a full-time member in mid-1999 after Downfall replaced him without his knowledge.Rick really enjoyed this band and they were playing a lot and having fun. It turns out, at the time, that Canister's practice space was next door to Chimaira's practice space. Chimaira
Chimaira
Chimaira is an American heavy metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1998, the group is a notable member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal scene. The band's name is derived from the word Chimera, a monstrous creature in Greek mythology...
had only been together less than a year at this point. They mentioned to Rick that they wanted someone in their band doing samples and turntables like he was doing. After hearing that, Rick just told them that he was too busy with Canister and that they should look elsewhere for someone to work with them. A few months later, Chimaira found Chris Spicuzza to fill the spot.
A few months later, around the beginning of 2000, Canister opened up for Chimaira at a show in Lakewood, Ohio. Rick felt that Chimaira gave Canister a bad time slot for the show, and the guys in Chimaira got wind of that and were not too happy. Canister did not take his remarks too lightly either, and Rick was removed from the band for this. Rick was upset because he loved the band. Canister later changed their name to A Colder Year.
Moko
Around the Fall of '99, Rick met this band Moko from Sandusky, Ohio. They were big fans of Downfall of Society and asked Rick if he would join their band. At the time, Rick was busy with Canister and said he did not have time to join another band.The next year, after Rick left Canister, he decided to give Moko a try. He went by the name 'DJ Outcast' while with Moko. Their sound was similar to Downfall's, but they had more of a heavier, hardcore edge. Rick performed with the band for a while, but the band eventually broke up. A few months later, Rick was without a band and secured a job printing shirts for Mushroomhead. It was then that he was approached by Skinny who asked him to join Mushroomhead.