Skycycle (rock band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Steve Isaacs |
| Defunct | 2000; briefly reunited in 2002 |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Music albums and EPs |
Skycycle was an alternative rock group based in Los Angeles, fronted by former MTV VJ and singer-songwriter Steve Isaacs. The band gained recognition primarily for their work on the 1998 soundtrack of Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.
Formation
After completing a sixteen-month tour portraying the lead role in The Who's Tommy, Isaacs intended to establish a band once the tour concluded in January 1995. The name Skycycle was inspired by Evel Knievel’s 1974 attempt to jump Snake River Canyon using a two-wheeled rocket. Initially, Isaacs collaborated with drummer Rob Brown, and their debut performance took place on October 31, 1995. Two years later, bassist Kelly Castro, previously with Caterwaul, joined upon recommendation, while guitarist Sven Shenar was brought in through professional contacts.
In 1997, Skycycle independently produced a seven-track demo entitled Siren. Following a Halloween gig at The Dragonfly club in Los Angeles that year, MCA Records A&R representative Tom Sarig offered the band a recording contract. This opportunity led to their six-track debut EP, Breathing Water, released in January 1998 and produced and mixed by Ken Andrews, chosen for his unique production style. That same year, Skycycle contributed two songs—"The Ghost Is Here" and "It's Terror Time Again"—to the Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island soundtrack; these tracks were composed by Tom Snow and Glenn Leopold.
Ones and Zeros and the Napster trial
In 1998, Skycycle recorded their album Ones and Zeros, produced by Tim Palmer. The collection included material Isaacs had written during the Tommy rock opera tour as part of his "pop opera" project titled Strawberry, alongside three reworked songs from both Siren and Breathing Water. The album’s concept explored a future society shaped by the digital information highway, reducing global knowledge into binary code. After completing twelve tracks by January 1999, MCA insisted on significant alterations and re-recordings, which the band considered intrusive and unwelcome. The updated album was finalized by July 1999, with an anticipated release date of August 21. The lead single "Last Girl on Earth" received considerable radio attention.
However, MCA delayed the album’s release, citing stronger commercial potential for established artists during the holiday season. Recognizing the emerging power of the Internet as a promotional platform, Skycycle made several tracks available as free MP3 downloads on their website—a pioneering move at that time. MCA executives disapproved of this approach, regarding support for MP3 files as unacceptable. Following the removal of the downloadable songs, MCA terminated their contract with Skycycle on January 26, 2000. Consequently, Ones and Zeros was never officially released on CD; only promotional copies with punched barcodes exist. Around 2020, the album became accessible through various music streaming services.
On July 26, 2000, Isaacs provided testimony during the A&M/Leiber versus Napster legal case. He cited Skycycle’s experiences to illustrate difficulties associated with major label contracts and to demonstrate how platforms like Napster could serve as effective promotional tools for artists. He detailed that recoupable advances required labels to recover expenses before artists earned royalties. Even after being dropped, MCA retained contractual rights to recoup costs if Skycycle signed with another label. Facing these constraints, Skycycle contemplated independent publishing but ultimately chose to offer Ones and Zeros as a complimentary download to encourage music sharing as a form of promotion. Additionally, they participated in Napster’s new artists’ initiative launched in early May 2000.
Later period
Rob Brown, the band's drummer, departed to focus on jazz but tragically took his own life on October 15, 2010. In March 2000, Chris Cano stepped in as his replacement. Skycycle maintained their creative output and live performances for approximately another year, during which they recorded an alternate rendition of "Antebellum" featured on the 2000 compilation Happy Meals Vol. 2: The Perfect Marriage. The group officially dissolved in September 2000 but briefly reunited for a final concert on October 22, 2002, at The Dragonfly venue in Hollywood, performing alongside The Penfifteen Club.
In 2004, Steve Isaacs initiated the supergroup The Panic Channel, collaborating with members from Jane's Addiction. This project culminated in the release of the album (ONe) in 2006, after which the band entered an indefinite hiatus.
Discography
- Siren (demo; 1997)
- Breathing Water (EP; 1998)
- Ones and Zeros (1999)