The Hippos
| The Hippos | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California |
| Genres | Ska, ska punk, pop rock, synthpop, power pop |
| Years active | 1995–2002 |
| Labels | Fueled by Ramen, Vagrant, Interscope, Olympic, Stiff Dog |
| Past members |
Ariel Rechtshaid James Bairian Louis Castle Rich Zahniser Danny Rukasin Kyle Briggs Roman Fleysher Brandon Bairian |
The Hippos were an American rock band formed in 1995 in Los Angeles, California, and disbanded in 2002. During the band's lifetime they released 3 full-length albums. Their early work is best classified as part of the third wave of ska music, or as ska-punk, though in the later years of their career the band transitioned to a more synthesizer-driven power pop and rock sound.
The Hippos formed in Los Angeles, California in 1995 with a lineup of Ariel Rechtshaid on vocals and guitar, James Bairian on bass, Louis Castle on trumpet, Danny Rukasin on trombones, Roman Fleysher on saxophone, Brandon Bairian on auxiliary percussion, and Kyle Briggs on drums. They self-released a cassette demo entitled Attack of the Killer Cheese and began playing shows around southern California, establishing themselves amongst a prolific ska scene including bands such as Reel Big Fish, No Doubt, Buck-O-Nine, Dance Hall Crashers, Link 80, Save Ferris, and The Aquabats.
By 1996, the band added Rich Zahniser on trombone and had attracted the attention of Fueled by Ramen Records and Stiff Dog Records and entered the studio with producer Loren Israel to record their first album, Forget the World. Jointly released February 1997 through Fueled by Ramen and Stiff Dog Records, the album was essentially a traditional ska punk effort focusing on upbeat tempos and heavy brass instrumentation. It afforded the band their first national tours at a time when ska and punk rock were gaining national attention. The band toured on and off in support of Forget the World for over a year. In 1998, the band's relationship with Stiff Dog Records ended and the record was re-pressed, this time by Vagrant Records. Around this time saxophone player Roman Fleysher and auxiliary percussion player Brandon Bairian both left the band, with Roman going on to join The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
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