Stroke 9
Encyclopedia
Stroke 9 is an alternative rock
band that was formed in the San Francisco Bay Area
in 1989.
in San Rafael
, just north of San Francisco. In 1990, as a project, students Luke Esterkyn, Greg Gueldner, Tom Haddad and Kirsten Stromberg went to Jim Reitzel's Right Sole Studio in Kentfield, California
. They produced a demo
containing five songs, including "Blindness", "Wild", and "Dream Song". After Spring that year, they took their final half-semester off during Senior Project to form the band Stroke 9 for full credit. They set up in Luke's basement and started writing songs for their next demo.
Stroke 9 had their first "official" live performance at Caffe Nuvo in San Anselmo. They split up for the summer and didn't get back together until the summer of 1991. However, Tom Haddad and Kirsten Stromberg had no desire to revive Stroke 9. Therefore, Luke and Greg recruited old schoolmates John McDermott and Stephen Heath. They moved from the basement to the garage, and played publicly anywhere that they could. The band put out two independent releases in 1993 and 1995. Eric Stock began filling in on drums in April 1997; Eric was a New York transplant who had previously toured with Modern English
.
After signing to Universal Records
, the band released Nasty Little Thoughts
in 1999, which charted in the US, yielded two rock radio hits, "Little Black Backpack" and "Letters", and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 21, 2000. The band appeared in the movie EdTV
as part of the promotion of Nasty Little Thoughts. A second album on Universal followed, entitled Rip It Off. The album's art cover was made to resemble a bootleg CD-R
, similar to that of System of a Down
's Steal This Album!
, which was released about a year later. The album was not promoted heavily, and its lead single, "Kick Some Ass", was less successful at radio. "Kick Some Ass" also appeared in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
during a montage of Jay & Silent Bob flying around the states to attack message board users who bashed them. Late in 2003, the band split with Universal and announced plans to release its next album, All In, independently.
The band released Last of the International Playboys
on June 5, 2007, on Rock Ridge Records.
Stroke 9 also recorded "Tap Tap Domination" for the iPhone OS game Tap Tap Revenge
. It also features "The Yeah Song" as a free downloadable track.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band that was formed in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
in 1989.
History
The band formed due to a "Rock Band" class at Marin AcademyMarin Academy
Marin Academy is a private college preparatory high school in San Rafael, California. Located on the campus that for decades housed the San Rafael Military Academy prior to its closure, MA was founded in 1971 with 16 faculty and a student body of 59.Marin Academy is one of the most competitive...
in San Rafael
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, just north of San Francisco. In 1990, as a project, students Luke Esterkyn, Greg Gueldner, Tom Haddad and Kirsten Stromberg went to Jim Reitzel's Right Sole Studio in Kentfield, California
Kentfield, California
Kentfield is a census-designated place in Marin County, California, United States, just north of San Francisco. Kentfield is located on the Northwestern Pacific Railroad southwest of downtown San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet . The population was 6,485 at the 2010 census...
. They produced a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
containing five songs, including "Blindness", "Wild", and "Dream Song". After Spring that year, they took their final half-semester off during Senior Project to form the band Stroke 9 for full credit. They set up in Luke's basement and started writing songs for their next demo.
Stroke 9 had their first "official" live performance at Caffe Nuvo in San Anselmo. They split up for the summer and didn't get back together until the summer of 1991. However, Tom Haddad and Kirsten Stromberg had no desire to revive Stroke 9. Therefore, Luke and Greg recruited old schoolmates John McDermott and Stephen Heath. They moved from the basement to the garage, and played publicly anywhere that they could. The band put out two independent releases in 1993 and 1995. Eric Stock began filling in on drums in April 1997; Eric was a New York transplant who had previously toured with Modern English
Modern English (band)
Modern English are an English rock band best remembered for their songs "I Melt with You", "Hands Across the Sea", and "Ink and Paper". The group disbanded for a period in 1991, but later recorded in 1995 and 2002 with new members...
.
After signing to Universal Records
Universal Records
Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
, the band released Nasty Little Thoughts
Nasty Little Thoughts
Nasty Little Thoughts is the fourth album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released on September 7, 1999.-Track listing:# "Letters"# "City Life"# "Little Black Backpack"# "Tail Of The Sun"...
in 1999, which charted in the US, yielded two rock radio hits, "Little Black Backpack" and "Letters", and was certified Gold by the RIAA on April 21, 2000. The band appeared in the movie EdTV
EdTV
EDtv is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Ron Howard. An adaptation of the Quebec film Louis 19, le roi des ondes , it stars Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson, Ellen DeGeneres, Martin Landau, Rob Reiner, Sally Kirkland, Elizabeth Hurley, Clint Howard, and Dennis Hopper.The...
as part of the promotion of Nasty Little Thoughts. A second album on Universal followed, entitled Rip It Off. The album's art cover was made to resemble a bootleg CD-R
CD-R
A CD-R is a variation of the Compact Disc invented by Philips and Sony. CD-R is a Write Once Read Many optical medium, though the whole disk does not have to be entirely written in the same session....
, similar to that of System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
's Steal This Album!
Steal This Album!
Steal This Album! is the third studio album by American heavy metal band System of a Down, released on November 26, 2002, on American Recordings...
, which was released about a year later. The album was not promoted heavily, and its lead single, "Kick Some Ass", was less successful at radio. "Kick Some Ass" also appeared in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American action adventure comedy film written, directed by, and starring Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks...
during a montage of Jay & Silent Bob flying around the states to attack message board users who bashed them. Late in 2003, the band split with Universal and announced plans to release its next album, All In, independently.
The band released Last of the International Playboys
Last of the International Playboys
The Last Of The International Playboys is the seventh full-length album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9...
on June 5, 2007, on Rock Ridge Records.
Stroke 9 also recorded "Tap Tap Domination" for the iPhone OS game Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap Revenge
Tap Tap is a series of rhythm games by Tapulous available for the iOS of which several versions, both purchasable and free, have been produced. The goal of the game is to tap each of the colored balls when they reach a line at the bottom of the screen. If the ball is hit on the beat, the player...
. It also features "The Yeah Song" as a free downloadable track.
Members
| Position | Current | Original Universal | Original Rock Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guitar & Vocals | Luke Esterkyn | ||
| Drums | Eric Stock | Greg Gueldner | |
| Guitar | John McDermoot | ||
| Keyboard & Vocals | colspan=2 | Kirsten Stromberg | |
| Bass | Jens Funke | Greg Gueldner | Tom Haddad |
- Luke Esterkyn (born April 22, 1972)
- Eric Stock is currently the Production Manager for The Grammy Museum at LA Live!
Discography
- Music About Friends, Acquaintances, and People We Don't Even Know (1991)
- Boy Meets GirlBoy Meets Girl (Stroke 9 album)Boy Meets Girl is the second album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released in 1993.-Track listing:# "Today"# "Carey-Anne"# "Wild"# "Yer Voice"# "Manny's Song"# "Go Away"# "Directions"# "Lapel"...
(1993) - Bumper to BumperBumper to BumperBumper to Bumper is the third album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released in 1995.-Track listing:# "Washin' + Wonderin'"# "All U Can Take"# "Not Nothin'"# "Little Black Backpack"# "Visualize"...
(1995) - Nasty Little ThoughtsNasty Little ThoughtsNasty Little Thoughts is the fourth album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released on September 7, 1999.-Track listing:# "Letters"# "City Life"# "Little Black Backpack"# "Tail Of The Sun"...
(Universal RecordsUniversal RecordsUniversal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:...
, 1999) Billboard Top 200 peak #83 - Rip It Off (Universal, 2002)
- All InAll In (Stroke 9 album)All In is the sixth album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released on November 9, 2004.-Track listing:# "How Am I Gonna Know"# "Runaway"# "Set You Free"# "Stop Saying Goodbye"# "Faux Gucci Girl"...
(Rock Ridge Records, 2004) - Hidden TreasuresHidden Treasures (Stroke 9 album)Hidden Treasures is an album released by San Francisco, California, USA alternative rock band Stroke 9 in 2004. It is composed of formerly unreleased tracks and other demos...
(Rock Ridge Records, 2005) - Cafe CutsCafe CutsCafe Cuts: A Collection Of Acoustic Favorites is an album released by San Francisco, California, USA alternative rock band Stroke 9 on February 7, 2006...
(Rock Ridge Records, 2006) - Last of the International PlayboysLast of the International PlayboysThe Last Of The International Playboys is the seventh full-length album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9...
(Rock Ridge Records, 2007) - Jessica Album (2011)
Charting Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Modern Rock | US Top 40 Mainstream | CAN Alt. Canadian rock/alternative chart The Canadian rock/alternative chart was first published on June 11, 1995 by RPM magazine under the name Alternative 30. The song which held the number-one spot on this first chart was "More Human than Human" by White Zombie... |
NZ | |||
| 1999 | "Little Black Backpack" | 6 | 39 | 3 | 16 | Nasty Little Thoughts Nasty Little Thoughts Nasty Little Thoughts is the fourth album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released on September 7, 1999.-Track listing:# "Letters"# "City Life"# "Little Black Backpack"# "Tail Of The Sun"... |
| 2000 | "Letters" | 27 | – | – | – | Nasty Little Thoughts Nasty Little Thoughts Nasty Little Thoughts is the fourth album from San Francisco, California, USA, alternative rock band Stroke 9. It was released on September 7, 1999.-Track listing:# "Letters"# "City Life"# "Little Black Backpack"# "Tail Of The Sun"... |
| 2001 | "Kick Some Ass" | 36 | – | – | – | Rip It Off |