Rx Bandits

Rx Bandits
Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	1995 in Seal Beach, California, United States
Headquarters	Seal Beach, United States
Products	Music albums, live performances

Rx Bandits is a rock ensemble originating from Seal Beach, California, established in 1995 within Orange County, California. Beginning as a group focused on reggae and ska, their musical direction gradually transformed into a fusion of progressive rock, ska, and reggae elements.

They have taken the stage at prominent festivals such as the Vans Warped Tour, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and The Bamboozle. In the United Kingdom, their appearances include the Reading/Leeds Festival as well as the Slam Dunk Festival.

Formation and early period (1995–1999)

Initially called The Pharmaceutical Bandits, they surfaced amid the third wave ska resurgence of the 1990s. Their debut studio effort, the self-produced Demo(nstration), was launched in 1996. The follow-up album, Those Damn Bandits (1997), featured collaborations with artists such as Jimmy the Robot from the Aquabats and Chris Colonnier of both Jeffries Fan Club and The Forces of Evil. A review by the Los Angeles Times praised their promise, highlighting their diverse influences ranging from The Who and The Clash to Bob Marley, Elvis Costello, and Neil Young. Matt Embree, the group's founder, is an alumnus of Los Alamitos High School, which is recognized for fostering several other third wave ska bands including Reel Big Fish, Save Ferris, and The Scholars.

Drive-Thru era (1999–2006)

The 1998 release of Halfway Between Here and There signaled a departure from their traditional third wave ska style. Its positive reception allowed them to tour alongside established acts such as The Bloodhound Gang, Goldfinger, and Reel Big Fish, eventually leading to headline tours with up-and-coming groups like New Found Glory.

In 1999, this album was reissued with an updated track listing, remastered audio, and refreshed artwork under their updated moniker—Rx Bandits.

Between this release and their subsequent album Progress, bassist Franz Worth and saxophonist Noah Gaffney left the band. James Salomone from My Superhero took over bass responsibilities while Gaffney’s position remained unfilled. In June 2000, they toured across the United States with support from Edna's Goldfish and the Gadjits.

Their 2001 album Progress broadened their musical horizons further, featuring the single "Analog Boy" alongside guest appearances including former member Gaffney. At this time, the lineup consisted of Embree, Tsagakis, Balling, and Salomone. Shortly thereafter, trombonist Chris Sheets and multi-instrumentalist Steve Choi joined; although Choi had contributed keyboard parts on demo recordings, Rich Zahniser of The Hippos performed keyboards on the album itself. Chris Colonnier also occasionally filled in this role.

Following these additions, Salomone and Balling departed. Various musicians temporarily covered bass duties until Joe Troy—who had long collaborated with Embree—became the permanent bassist. Balling’s replacement on saxophone was Steve Borth from East Bay’s ska punk outfit Link 80. This ensemble—comprising Embree, Tsagakis, Sheets, Choi, Troy, and Borth—went on to produce two albums: The Resignation and ...And the Battle Begun.

Released in 2003, The Resignation came as a CD/DVD package featuring live studio recordings with minimal overdubs and no punch-in edits. Songwriting responsibilities were shared between Embree and Choi. The album entered the Billboard 200 chart and achieved a peak position of No. 5 on the Top Heatseekers list.

Musically, it explored innovative directions with irregular time signatures and lyrics addressing political themes, marking a distinct progression away from their ska-punk beginnings. Drummer Chris Tsagakis highlighted their boundary-pushing style during an interview with former member Rich Balling.

The cover art showcases "Predictable," an original piece created by Bay Area artist Aaron Nagel of both Link 80 and DESA.

In 2004, Rx Bandits issued a live concert DVD through Embree's Mash Down Babylon Record label (MDB Records). This release included hidden features such as a performance of "Up to No Good," an outtake from The Resignation sessions, along with behind-the-scenes studio footage. The DVD slideshow background music was provided by Apotheke—a side project involving several band members.

MDB/Sargent House

The album ...And the Battle Begun was first made available online on June 24, 2006, and was also sold during the band's 2006 US Tour. Its title draws inspiration from the poetry of Lord Byron.

Initially slated for release in 2005 under Drive-Thru Records, with one album remaining on their contract, the band and label eventually parted ways, which resulted in postponements. Once legal matters were resolved, the CD was distributed through MDB Records' online platform and at select tour dates, with an official retail release in October 2006. Following this, the band embarked on a Northeast tour to support the album.

Saxophonist and backing vocalist Steve Borth departed on June 28, 2006, to focus on his own project, Satori; this was announced during their 2006 US Summer Tour. His final performance took place on June 27 at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City.

Together with Refused TV, the group created a music video for the album’s title track from ...And the Battle Begun, marking their second official video after "Analog Boy" (2001). Additionally, an independently made video for "I Will Live" exists but was never formally released.

Their live performance from the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2007 was issued exclusively through the U.S. iTunes Store as Live from Bonnaroo 2007.

In summer 2008, they headlined a tour featuring support from Portugal. The Man, Maps & Atlases, Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, and Facing New York.

Cathy Pellow of Sargent House revealed plans to produce a live DVD capturing their August 22, 2008 show at the Glasshouse in Pomona, CA, including interviews and studio footage. During this timeframe, Chris Sheets exited the band, reducing them to a four-piece ensemble without horns for the first time.

Mandala (2009-2011)

Mandala was released digitally on July 14, 2009, followed by a CD release on July 21 via Sargent House. The band co-headlined a tour alongside Dredg, supported by Good Old War, Zechs Marquise, and As Tall As Lions. This album reached No. 117 on the Billboard 200 chart.

On January 4, 2010, they announced U.S. tour dates beginning in March with opening acts Zechs Marquise and The Builders And The Butchers. This included a special three-night residency at The Gramercy Theatre in New York City where they performed The Resignation, ...And The Battle Begun, and Mandala entirely on consecutive evenings with guest horn players. A similar series took place in September 2010 at The Troubadour in Los Angeles; these shows were recorded and later distributed by the band on flash drives.

Last Summer Tour (2011)

The band announced on April 12, 2011, that their forthcoming summer U.S. tour would be their final one. A concise statement expressed gratitude towards fans and confirmed that after completing 36 shows from May 4 to August 7, 2011, they would cease summer touring.

Despite initial fan speculation about a breakup, Steve Choi clarified in a Playmaker interview that the group was not dissolving but merely ending their summer tours due to personal obligations and professional responsibilities outside of full-time touring.

Brazilian Tour (2012)

On May 30, 2012, Rx Bandits revealed plans for several concert dates across Brazil scheduled for the summer, signaling the conclusion of their year-long break.

The Resignation Tenth Anniversary Tour and New EP (2013)

During the summer of 2013, Rx Bandits embarked on a U.S. tour to commemorate the tenth anniversary of The Resignation. Alongside this, they issued an EP containing cover versions of songs by artists such as The Police, Blonde Redhead, Weezer, Fugazi, and King Crimson.

Gemini, Her Majesty (2014)

At an acoustic performance in Long Beach, California on December 14, 2013, Embree shared that the band was midway through creating a new album and intended to continue collaborating.

A demo track named "Ready Eddie" was made available on January 26, 2014 through PledgeMusic. This song, later retitled "Stargazer," became the initial recording for their forthcoming album.

On June 6, 2014, Rx Bandits announced via Twitter that their new release would be called Gemini, Her Majesty, with a launch date set for July 22, 2014.

In December of that year, the group held two consecutive shows at The Glasshouse in Pomona, CA: one featured a full performance of Gemini, Her Majesty with horn players, followed by a fan-selected setlist including classic tracks.

In 2015, they joined Circa Survive on the "Juturna" anniversary tour, performing without drummer Chris Tsagakis—who was replaced by Javier Torres—and excluding horn instruments.

The 2016 tour honoring And the Battle Begun included Matt Embree and Steve Choi alongside Javier Torres on drums and Matt Fazzi handling bass duties; longtime bassist Joe Troy did not participate. Chris Tsagakis stepped back from touring to prioritize family commitments. Horn players Andrew Bornstein and Dennis Passley were added to the lineup. Since then, the band has remained inactive with no official touring announcements. Embree has since toured with other groups such as Dispatch (band) and contributed production work for Dan P and the Bricks.

In 2019, Rx Bandits confirmed a concert scheduled for January 24, 2020 at House of Blues Anaheim, supported by Anthony Green (musician) and VIS.

The band toured alongside Nova Charisma in 2022.

On November 10, 2023, Steve Choi revealed during the 'Football, Beer & Punk Rock Podcast' that Rx Bandits are currently working on a new album and have re-signed with Sargent House.

Five days later, on November 15, 2023, they announced via 'X' (formerly Twitter) an eight-date U.S. tour set for March 2024 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Resignation.

Side projects

Various members have engaged in side endeavors that broaden their musical experiences.

Matt Embree and Chris Tsagakis participate in The Sound of Animals Fighting under the pseudonyms “Walrus” and “Lynx,” respectively. This collective was founded by former Rx Bandits trombonist Rich Balling and features Joe Troy, Chris Sheets, Steve Choi, along with prominent musicians like Anthony Green and Craig Owens.

Before forming his reggae/rocksteady band Satori, Steve Borth performed with Northern California’s skacore group Link 80 (Asian Man Records). Satori includes Embree as well as members from The Exit and Chris Murray.

Steve Choi has collaborated with Asian Man Records founder Mike Park in bands such as The Chinkees and The Bruce Lee Band, with Rx Bandits featured on the Beautiful World EP. Additionally, Choi plays drums for Machines and produces acts like Silver Snakes, Gardening Not Architecture, and The Velvet Teen.

On September 9, 2008, Matt Embree released his acoustic solo project Love You Moon—primarily guitar-driven with occasional drum accompaniment from Tsagakis. The proceeds from his EP "Maracay," recorded in Venezuela, supported Doctors Without Borders. Embree and Tsagakis also collaborated with Lauren Coleman in the group Pebaluna.

Embree is involved in hip-hop ventures including Seekret Socyetee, 2 Drunk'n Poets, and V.I.T.A.L., all distributed through his label MDB Records. Tsagakis records solo material under the name C-Gak and has released an album titled Technology. Embree formed ME & LP with Lisa Papineau; their EP Chez Raymond was launched in August 2011 followed by a West Coast tour. In November 2012, Embree and Tsagakis released an album together under the name Biceratops.

Band Members

Current Lineup

Matt Embree – lead vocals, guitar, percussion, keyboards (1995–present)
Christopher Tsagakis – drums (1995–present)
Steve Choi – guitar, keyboards, vocals, percussion (2001–present)

Past Members

Joseph Troy – bass guitar, vocals (2001–2022)
Christopher Sheets – trombone, vocals, percussion (2001–2008)
Steven Borth II – saxophone, vocals, keyboard, percussion (2002–2006)
John Tsagakis – bass guitar (2001)
James Salomone – bass guitar (2000–2001)
Franz J. Worth – bass guitar (1995–2000)
Noah Gaffney – saxophone, vocals (1995–2000)
Neil Burdick – alto saxophone, vocals (1997)
Rich Balling – trombone, vocals (1995–2001)

Touring Personnel

Matthew Fazzi – bass guitar, vocals (2016–present)
Andrew Borstein – trombone, vocals, keyboards (2006–present)
Dennis Passley – saxophone (2013–present)
Javier Torres – drums (occasional appearances 2015–2021)
Rich Zahniser – keyboards, trombone, vocals (2001)
Chris Colonnier – keyboards, trombone, vocals (1997, 2001–2002)
Nat Love – saxophone (2010–2011)

Timeline

Studio Albums

Album Title	Release Date	Record Label
Demo(nstration)	1996	Self-released
Those Damn Bandits	1997	Antedote Records; Drive-Thru Records
Halfway Between Here and There	October 26, 1999	Drive-Thru Records
Progress	July 17, 2001	Drive-Thru Records
The Resignation	July 15, 2003	Drive-Thru Records
...And the Battle Begun	October 10, 2006	MDB Records/Sargent House
Live from Bonnaroo 2007 (iTunes Release)	December 5, 2007	MDB Records/Sargent House
Mandala	July 21, 2009	MDB Records/Sargent House
Live at Park Ave	April 12, 2010	Verve Records
Covers EP	June 24, 2013	Uppercut/Primary Wave
Gemini, Her Majesty	July 22, 2014	MDB Records

Compilation Appearances

Compilation Title	Release Date	Label	Tracks Featured
Hooked on Ska-nics	1998	Johnny Bravo Records	"S.A.M."
Double Exposure	1998	Go Kart Records	"Wrong with Me"
Punk Vs. Ska Round 2	February 10, 1998	Skratch Ray Records	"Saw Red"
'Ska Sucks'	'May 1998'	'Liberation Records'	"Teen Idol"
'Hey Brother...Can You Spare Some Ska'	'January 19, 1999'	'Vegas Records'	"Teen Idol (Remix)"
'You'll Never Eat Fast Food Again'	'November 9, 1999'	'Drive-Thru'	"What If", "Wrong with Me", "All The Time (acoustic)"
'Fatty's Favorites'	'2000'	'We The People Records'	"High Skool"
'Punk Goes Metal'	'August 1, 2000'	'Fearless Records'	"Holy Wars"
'For the Kids'	'December 22, 2000'	'Together'	"What If"
'Welcome to the Family'	'November 20, 2001'	'Drive-Thru'	"Analog Boy", "Mastering the List"
'Go Kart MP300 Raceway'	'October 28, 2003'	'Go-Kart Records'	"Overcome (the Recapitulation)", "Sell You Beautiful"
'Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1'	'April 20, 2004'	'Fat Wreck Chords'	"Overcome (the Recapitulation)"
'Drive Thru / Rush More Records sampler'	'2005'	'Drive-Thru/Rushmore'	"Decrescendo"
'Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo'	'May 10, 2005'	'Indianola Records'	"Grey Matter"
'Listen To Bob Dylan - A Tribute'	'August 16, 2005'	'Drive-Thru'	"The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll"
'Body of War: Songs That Inspired an Iraq War Veteran'	'March 18, 2008'	'Sire/Wea'	"Overcome (the Recapitulation)"

DVD

RX Bandits Live: Vol. 1 (2004)

External links