The Scholars (band)
Encyclopedia
The Scholars were an American
band. Like the Nuckle Brothers
, No Doubt
and Reel Big Fish
, they are one of the main founding bands of the Orange County ska scene.
The Scholars' lineup changed on a regular basis. Current and former members of Reel Big Fish
, Aaron Barrett
(Guitar/Vocals), Grant Barry
(Trombone) and Scott Klopfenstein
(Trumpet/Vocals), all played in The Scholars. Jay Layafette, a member of the now defunct O.C. ska band called The Forces of Evil
, played trumpet
for them in their very last days of playing shows. Their singer, Jesse Wilder, fronted a power pop
group known as Teen Heroes, and also played Saxophone and Keyboard for The Scholars. He and Scott Klopfenstein
later collaborated on a number of projects, including The Littlest Man Band
with Scholars bassist Jake Berry and drummer Greg Parkin.
Their only main release, an 8-song demo called I'm In A Band, can be found on their anthology Last Great Record of The 20th Century
on Vegas Records, along with numerous live songs and goofy pre-studio tracks they recorded with a tape deck in their drummer Greg's garage. They were a hit at the local high school Los Alamitos High School
, where they were also students. They opened and headlined shows with more unknown local acts such as Exit Smiling, Leonard's Lunchbox, The Nuckle Brothers
, The Goodwin Club, Suburban Rhythm
and others.
Scott, Jake, Jesse, and Greg later went on to form The Littlest Man Band
along with Dan Regan
of Reel Big Fish
, and Suburban Legends
singer, Vince Walker
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band. Like the Nuckle Brothers
Nuckle Brothers
The Nuckle Brothers were a third wave ska band from Huntington Beach that was part of the early 1990s Orange County, California music scene, inspiring such bands as Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris and The Aquabats. Playing their first show in March 1992 at the Ocean View High School Battle of the Bands,...
, No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
and Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, they are one of the main founding bands of the Orange County ska scene.
The Scholars' lineup changed on a regular basis. Current and former members of Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, Aaron Barrett
Aaron Barrett
Aaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
(Guitar/Vocals), Grant Barry
Grant Barry
Grant Barry, from Seal Beach California, is the former trombone player of Reel Big Fish. Before he was in Reel Big Fish he was in The Scholars with Scott Klopfenstein and Aaron Barrett. He can be heard on the albums Turn The Radio Off and Why Do They Rock So Hard?, having joined the band prior to...
(Trombone) and Scott Klopfenstein
Scott Klopfenstein
Scott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
(Trumpet/Vocals), all played in The Scholars. Jay Layafette, a member of the now defunct O.C. ska band called The Forces of Evil
The Forces of Evil
The Forces of Evil was an Orange County-based third wave ska band, formed in January 2001 with the intention of creating a ska supergroup. The band split in 2005 after releasing a four-song EP, which was available on their website...
, played trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
for them in their very last days of playing shows. Their singer, Jesse Wilder, fronted a power pop
Power pop
Power pop is a popular musical genre that draws its inspiration from 1960s British and American pop and rock music. It typically incorporates a combination of musical devices such as strong melodies, crisp vocal harmonies, economical arrangements, and prominent guitar riffs. Instrumental solos are...
group known as Teen Heroes, and also played Saxophone and Keyboard for The Scholars. He and Scott Klopfenstein
Scott Klopfenstein
Scott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
later collaborated on a number of projects, including The Littlest Man Band
The Littlest Man Band
The Littlest Man Band was started by Scott Klopfenstein of Orange County, California. Scott was a long-time member of Reel Big Fish, a popular ska punk band. Scott had written a number of songs over the years that didn't conform to the usual style of Reel Big Fish...
with Scholars bassist Jake Berry and drummer Greg Parkin.
Their only main release, an 8-song demo called I'm In A Band, can be found on their anthology Last Great Record of The 20th Century
Last Great Record of the 20th Century
Last Great Record Of The 20th Century is a CD by The Scholars. It contains all 8 songs from their only main release, I'm In a Band as well as various demos and live tracks. It is currently out of print and very hard to find, occasionally turning up on Ebay, with used copies on Amazon.com often...
on Vegas Records, along with numerous live songs and goofy pre-studio tracks they recorded with a tape deck in their drummer Greg's garage. They were a hit at the local high school Los Alamitos High School
Los Alamitos High School
Los Alamitos High School is a public school for grades 9 to 12 located in Los Alamitos, California, and also serving the city of Seal Beach and the community of Rossmoor. It is the only traditional high school in the Los Alamitos Unified School District; the far smaller Laurel High School serves...
, where they were also students. They opened and headlined shows with more unknown local acts such as Exit Smiling, Leonard's Lunchbox, The Nuckle Brothers
Nuckle Brothers
The Nuckle Brothers were a third wave ska band from Huntington Beach that was part of the early 1990s Orange County, California music scene, inspiring such bands as Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris and The Aquabats. Playing their first show in March 1992 at the Ocean View High School Battle of the Bands,...
, The Goodwin Club, Suburban Rhythm
Suburban Rhythm
Suburban Rhythm was a ska punk band from Long Beach, California. Formed in 1990, the band had a short-lived but prolific career. They played numerous shows in small-venue clubs with many now famous O.C. bands opening their performances, including Sublime, No Doubt, and Reel Big Fish. Suburban...
and others.
Scott, Jake, Jesse, and Greg later went on to form The Littlest Man Band
The Littlest Man Band
The Littlest Man Band was started by Scott Klopfenstein of Orange County, California. Scott was a long-time member of Reel Big Fish, a popular ska punk band. Scott had written a number of songs over the years that didn't conform to the usual style of Reel Big Fish...
along with Dan Regan
Dan Regan
Dan Regan is the trombone player for the Southern California-based ska punk band Reel Big Fish. Regan has also played trombone in The Littlest Man Band with Scott Klopfenstein and currently has a hip-hop side project under the alias Black Casper.- External links :...
of Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
, 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 :...
singer, Vince Walker
Vince Walker
Vincent Francis Walker , better known as Vince Walker, is the lead singer of third-wave ska band Suburban Legends...
.
Reunion
Reel Big Fish announced on their Facebook page that Scott and Aaron would be reuniting with the band for a one-off show for The Ska Parade 20th Anniversary Party at the Glass House, O.C. on 25th September 2010.Band members
- Jesse WilderJesse WilderJesse Wilder is a musician.-Career:Wilder's first band was The Scholars, in which he sang, played saxophone and keyboards, then began writing songs with Aaron Barrett for Reel Big Fish...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, SaxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
, KeyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Scott KlopfensteinScott KlopfensteinScott Allen "Scotty" Klopfenstein is an American musician and a former member of the band Reel Big Fish. He plays trumpet, guitar, keyboard, and sings....
- TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Grant BarryGrant BarryGrant Barry, from Seal Beach California, is the former trombone player of Reel Big Fish. Before he was in Reel Big Fish he was in The Scholars with Scott Klopfenstein and Aaron Barrett. He can be heard on the albums Turn The Radio Off and Why Do They Rock So Hard?, having joined the band prior to...
- TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Aaron BarrettAaron BarrettAaron Asher Barrett is the lead singer, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter for the band Reel Big Fish. Prior to forming with Reel Big Fish, Barrett played trombone in another ska-punk act, The Scholars, along with future Reel Big Fish bandmates Scott Klopfenstein and Grant Barry...
- TromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate... - Jake Berrey - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- John Sisk - 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...
- Greg Parkin - 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 ....
- Jay Layafette - TrumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Mike Barnhill - Rhythm GuitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
Albums
- I'm In A Band (Demo)
- Last Great Record of The 20th CenturyLast Great Record of the 20th CenturyLast Great Record Of The 20th Century is a CD by The Scholars. It contains all 8 songs from their only main release, I'm In a Band as well as various demos and live tracks. It is currently out of print and very hard to find, occasionally turning up on Ebay, with used copies on Amazon.com often...
(1998)