Vendetta Red
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1998 in Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
| Products | Alternative rock music, albums, EPs, singles |
Vendetta Red is a Seattle-based American band specializing in alternative rock, established in 1998. Their initial offerings included the EP 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive (1999) and two full-length albums, Blackout Analysis (2000) and White Knuckled Substance (2001), before securing a deal with the major label Epic Records.
The band's debut album under Epic, Between the Never and the Now (2003), achieved the top position on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and reached number 101 on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, "Shatterday," climbed to number 16 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
Their fourth studio effort, Sisters of the Red Death (2005), attained number 21 on the Top Heatseekers Chart. After experiencing changes in personnel, Vendetta Red disbanded in 2006, only to reunite four years afterward.
Formation and early years (1998–2002)
The band originated in 1998 in Seattle, Washington, with founding members Erik Chapman, Joseph Childres, Justin Cronk, Zach Davidson, Adam Garcia, and Mike Vermillion. Approximately one year later, they debuted with the EP 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive and embarked on a tour along the West Coast. Their first album, Blackout Analysis, followed a year after that, succeeded by their second album, White Knuckled Substance, which Loveless Records released in October of the subsequent year. This latter release garnered favorable attention from regional radio stations as they continued touring the West Coast. During this timeframe, they attracted interest from record labels and ultimately signed with Epic Records in 2002.
Epic Records era (2003–2006)
Collaborating with producer Jerry Finn, Vendetta Red unveiled their inaugural major label album Between the Never and the Now in June 2003, preceded by the EP Cut Your Noose. The album secured the top spot on the Billboard Top Heatseekers and ranked at number 101 on the Billboard 200. The track "Shatterday" reached number 16 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. This release incorporated reimagined songs originally from White Knuckled Substance. To promote it, the band toured across North America, including participation in the Warped Tour. Additionally, "The Long Goodbye" from White Knuckled Substance was featured on the Warped Tour 2002 Tour Compilation.
Following their performance opening for AC/DC at New York's Roseland Ballroom, lead vocalist Zach Davidson openly condemned the audience's conduct as "blatantly homophobic," shedding light on obstacles encountered during prominent live shows.
Vendetta Red continued touring alongside bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Brand New, and MxPx. In 2004, they entered recording sessions with producer Howard Benson to create their next album. During this period, Childres transitioned to keyboards while Burke Thomas joined as drummer; additional contributions came from Bobby Alt (theremin) and Phil Perrone (backing vocals). The resulting album, Sisters of the Red Death, was released in 2005 and peaked at number 21 on the Top Heatseekers Chart.
Late in 2004 saw departures from Chapman and Childres; guitarist Leif Andersen from Common Heroes and Pris was recruited to handle lead guitar and keyboards. By late 2005, Vermillion exited and was succeeded by bassist Jeff Rouse, formerly associated with Alien Crime Syndicate and Loaded.
Breakup (2006)
On March 8, 2006, Vendetta Red revealed via MySpace that they were disbanding to explore different musical directions. Davidson commented on the decision:
Vendetta Red's concluding performance took place at Seattle's El Corazon on April 8, 2006, where they ended the set with "A Joyless Euphoria."
Post-breakup (2006–2010)
Following the split, Davidson, Andersen, and Rouse established Sirens Sister in 2006, joined by drummer Ben Libey. The group secured a deal with The Control Group and launched Echoes from the Ocean Floor in September 2006, produced by Martin Feveyear. In 2007, Rouse departed and Levi Andersen took over bass duties. Their second album, Unspeakable Things, was released in 2009, recorded by John Goodmanson and mixed again by Feveyear.
Vermillion embarked on a solo path emphasizing folk and American roots genres, interpreting works by Townes Van Zandt and Merle Haggard among others. He regularly performs around Seattle and DJs under the name "Sad Bastard," spinning country, Motown, folk, and soul music. His debut solo album was released on May 21, 2008.
Cronk currently serves as the drummer for With Friends Like These, which includes Bakersfield native Matthew Shaw, producer Tyler Coffey, and Brian Pake. Additionally, Cronk co-owns Seattle’s The Toy Box recording studio with Coffey.
Chapman left the music industry to pursue bartending at a high-end establishment in Seattle. Since marrying Andrea in 2006, they have settled in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle.
The song "Silhouette Serenade" was featured in the video game Saints Row.
Childres played with Blood Hot Beat before his reported passing on June 3, 2020.
Thomas went on to create Megasapien alongside Lian Light (formerly of Magneto), with a second album anticipated by March 2011.
Reunion (2010–present)
In December 2010, Vendetta Red announced a reunion concert scheduled for March 5, 2011, at El Corazon in Seattle. This event blossomed into a longer reunion period during which the band developed new material and collaborated with producer Terry Date on their first album in six years.
At Bumbershoot 2011, they introduced new tracks along with past favorites and included a solo acoustic set from Davidson. The single "Blank Screens" was released on January 15, 2012, accompanied by the announcement of the album title Scripture.
On January 24, 2017, Vendetta Red signed with Cleopatra Records and commenced work on a new album. Their release Quinceañera came out on April 13, 2018.
Current members
- Zach Davidson – lead vocals, guitar, piano, organ, percussion (active since 1998)
- Leif Andersen – lead guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin, violin, keyboards, programming, synthesizers, backing vocals (active since 2005)
- Jonah Bergman – bass guitar (active since 2010)
- Burke Thomas – drums and percussion (active since 2004)
Former members
- Eric Chapman – guitar (1998–2004)
- Justin Cronk – guitar (2000–2006; deceased 2022)
- Michael Vermillion – bass guitar (2000–2005)
- Joseph Childres – drums, percussion, keyboards (1998–2004; deceased 2020)
- Jeff Rouse – bass guitar (2005–2006)
- Adam Garcia – drums (1998–1999)
Studio albums
- Blackout Analysis (2000)
- White Knuckled Substance (2001)
- Between the Never and the Now (2003)
- Sisters of the Red Death (2005)
- Quinceañera (2018)
EPs
- 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive (1999)
- Cut Your Noose EP (2002)
- Shatterday EP (2003)
- Scripture (2013)
- Light Year Anniversary (2013)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Shatterday" | 16 | Between the Never and the Now |
| 2005 | "Silhouette Serenade" | — | Sisters of the Red Death |
| 2012 | "Close to Me" | — | Scripture |