MSO

The Vandals

www.vandals.com

Biography
Press Release, August 14, 2002
Press Release, May 17, 2004
Press Release, June 17, 2004

Joe Escalante Ð Bass
Warren Fitzgerald Ð Guitar
Josh Freese Ð Drums
Dave Quackenbush Ð Vocals

"Throw away your dream journal,
Because with tap shoes and a girdle,
Dreams really can come true!"
-The Vandals
(From the track entitled "4,3,2,1,0,-1" on the new album Internet Dating Super-Studs.

Enjoying the best success of their career in the 21st century, The Vandals are an unheard-of example of a band slowly getting better and selling more and more records long after most of their peers have either broken up or just sucked so hard no one wants to even look them in the eye. Early in their career, The Vandals played small clubs, appeared in a few Penelope Spheeris films, sold a few records and had a few radio hits. This was beyond the wildest dreams of the young band from Huntington Beach, California. After all, it was just a hobby for them.

Solidified in 1989 with the addition of Josh Freese (The Vandals' own discovery), the band really didn't kick into high gear until 1995 when Offspring vocalist Dexter Holland signed them to his own label, Nitro Records, and the band hit the road full time booked by super agent Stormy Shepherd. "That was a life changing transition. With our booking agent and record deal in place, we could concentrate on making better music," admits Joe Escalante, bassist of The Vandals.

Making better music has been the Vandals mantra for years and their new album "Internet Dating Super-Studs," which hits the stores on Sept. 17, is exactly that, better music. The songs are amazing. The band has still got it, and this one is for the fans.

After playing the main stage on the entire length of the 2001 Warped Tour and its European cousin, the Extreme Tour- 2001, The Vandals just refuse to stop bringing their music directly to their loyal following. After signing to Nitro, The Vandals picked up steam when the release of Live Fast, Diarrhea struck a chord with the new school Lagwagon-NOFX-Green Day crowd. The Vandals picked up on this and performed primarily with younger bands, shunning all previous notions of what they should be paid and for whom they should and shouldn't have to support. The fans got younger and more appreciative as the ticket and record sales went higher and higher.

The next three records on Nitro (The Quickening, Hitler Bad: Vandals Good, and Look What I Almost Stepped In) each built upon previous sales figures until The Vandals reached their goal of being able to sell 100,000 units of each release. On the live front The Vandals are headlining rooms like the Hollywood Palladium and the London Astoria and playing many of the major European festivals.

Internet Dating Super-Studs, makes no apologies for punk rock. It was not written to satisfy some fantasy that a radio our MTV hit was perhaps in our future, claims chief songwriter and producer Warren Fitzgerald. "We're not trying to break into a new market. We love the market we're in, and it's been great to us."

The Vandals' first proper album for Kung Fu Records will find the band doing a lot of advance promo in the guise of an Internet "buy the record, date the band, then date each other" scheme that should be a lot of fun, leading up to what could be their best album yet. "We came up with this Internet dating scheme as a way to have fun, while trying to stir up some interest in our album," says Escalante, "now that we're finished with the album, I'm thinking it doesn't need some wack scheme to get the word out. But we're doing it anyway, because we have no dignity!!!"

It works like this: Fans will post their profiles at www.internetdatingsuperstuds.com. The results of The Vandals' dates will be captured on video, for all to see. Actually, only those who buy the record will see, because the "Blind Date" style results will be part of the enhanced portion of Internet Dating Superstuds. So thereÉnow you have to buy it!

Another key to the band's longevity is that along the way the individual members have been allowed to strike out on their own with the door always open for their return:

Dave Quackenbush once toured Europe as the singer of Pennywise when they were in a pinch.
Warren Fitzgerald did a few years as the guitarist for Oingo Boingo, and appeared on many of Danny Elfman's film scores. Warren is now scoring his third feature film and recently hit it big by landing the job as lead electric guitarist for the amazing Tenacious D.
Matador career aside, Joe Escalante recently starred in and produced the feature film "That Darn Punk" and recently finished directing his first feature film "Selwyn's Nuts." Joe has directed videos for The Ataris, Audio Karate, Useless I.D., Ozma, and others. Joe is also the owner of Kung Fu Records, home of the debut release from Blink 182 and today's pop-punk sensation, The Ataris.
Ultra session guru Josh Freese spent two years playing drums on the recent Guns N' Roses album (the "mother of all side projects") and is currently drumming for DEVO and A Perfect Circle, in addition to his Vandals duties.

The Vandals' friends have always come through for them offering opening slots on mega tours with bands like Pearl Jam, Offspring, and No Doubt. The latter actually recorded The Vandals song "Oi To The World," earning the punkers their one and only gold record.

2002/2003 shapes up as follows: The Vandals will spend the summer touring Japan, Europe, and Mexico, then support the release of "Internet Dating Super-Studs" by headlining the U.S. Kung Fu Records Tour and playing for the UK in the Fall. The Falls festival will kick off the new year in Australia, then back to Japan. The Winter will see The Vandals headlining the European Kung Fu Records Tour, then finally taking a break until Warped 2003. (We play the odd numbered years.)

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