Rock Kills Kid
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Jeff Tucker, Kirk Huffman, Devin Kelly, Chris Poulson |
| Defunct | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Alternative rock music |
Rock Kills Kid was a Los Angeles-based American band known for their blend of art punk and alternative rock. The lineup included Jeff Tucker on guitar and vocals, Shawn Dailey handling bass, Sean Stopnik on guitar, Reed Calhoun contributing keyboards and vocals, and Mike Balboa on drums. Their musical style invited comparisons to new wave and post-punk groups such as the Cure, Echo & the Bunnymen, and Duran Duran, alongside modern contemporaries like the Killers and Franz Ferdinand. Rolling Stone magazine recognized them as one of the "10 Artists to Watch in 2006". The group dissolved in 2010.
History
Rock Kills Kid was originally formed by Jeff Tucker, Kirk Huffman, Devin Kelly, and Chris Poulson, who embarked on a U.S. tour promoting their self-titled five-track EP released in early 2003 through Fearless Records. During this period, they collaborated with producer Ariel Rechtshaid to record the tracks "Still Standing" and "Farewell". The former was later reimagined as "Hope Song" for their album Are You Nervous?, while "Farewell" featured on a bonus disc accompanying Fearless Records' Punk Goes Acoustic compilation.
Amid financial difficulties, Tucker composed material for the band's debut full-length album while residing at the studio provided by Fearless Records. The lineup shifted to include bassist Dailey, guitarist Stopnik, and keyboardist/vocalist Calhoun; drummer Poulson departed in late 2005. In the fall of that year, they toured with Electric Six featuring drummer Sam Kearney, who was succeeded by Ian Hendrickson during their 2006 tour alongside She Wants Revenge. Their visibility increased when "Hideaway" was included in Fox's television series The O.C..
After signing with Reprise Records, Rock Kills Kid released their first album Are You Nervous, produced by Mark Trombino, with drum tracks recorded by Kenny Livingston of Sugarcult. The single "Paralyzed" was sent to radio stations in April 2006 and later appeared in the 2008 film Prom Night. That same month, the band made "Hideaway" available as a complimentary download on iTunes.
During the summer of 2006, they recorded an acoustic EP under the guidance of producer Marc Jordan and initiated work on their second album with Jordan alongside additional sessions involving producer Michael Beinhorn.
Albums
- Rock Kills Kid EP (2003), released via Fearless
- Are You Nervous? (2006), issued through Fearless/Reprise - reached #10 on the US Heatseekers chart
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions |
Album | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Adult |
US Alt | ||||||||||
| 2006 | "Paralyzed" | 35 | 12 | Are You Nervous? | |||||||
| "Hideaway" | — | — | |||||||||
| "—" indicates the single did not chart. | |||||||||||
Further reading
External links
- Rock Kills Kid at Myspace
- Rock Kills Kid available on Purevolume
- Rock Kills Kid featured on Soundclick