Rival Schools Reunited by Fate?
By Matt Friedman on April 25th, 2008


Post-hardcore band Rival Schools is reuniting, at least for the summer. They will be playing select festival dates in Europe, including stops in London, Norway and Germany (lead singer, Walter Schreifels currently resides in Berlin).


The Band
Originally formed in 2001, Rival Schools was a “super-group,” consisting of members who individually built their reputations through the hardcore scene of the 1980s and 90s. Walter Schreifels (vocals, guitar) was in the popular New York hardcore band, Youth of Today. His next notable projects were Gorilla Biscuits (where he was the main songwriter and guitarist) and Quicksand (vocals, guitar). After Rival Schools, Walter formed Walking Concert, who put out an album on his own record label (Some Records, featuring Earl Greyhound and the Exit). In addition, Schreifels has moved behind the scenes and into the production booth for a few projects, including a Hot Water Music album. More on Walter below.

Youth of Today
Gorilla Biscuits
Moon Dog
Quicksand
World’s Fastest Car
Rival Schools
Walter and the Motorcycles
Walking Concert
Sammy Siegler plays the drums and plays them very well. He was in numerous bands before Rival Schools. Starting out in Project X, Sammy also played in New York hardcore bands Side By Side, Youth of Today (with Schreifels), Judge and Krishna-core band, Shelter. After Schreifels formed Quicksand, Sammy joined up with the vocalist and bass player of Gorilla Biscuits, Anthony Civarelli and Arthur Smilios, establishing the band Civ. Sammy later played in Glassjaw and Onelinedrawing. Most recently, Sammy played for the band Nightmare of You.

Project X
Side By Side
Youth of Today
Gorilla Biscuits
Judge
Shelter
Civ
Glassjaw
Onelinedrawing
Nightmare of You
Ian Love played lead guitar in Rival Schools. Also a veteran of the New York hardcore scene, Love got his start in the popular band Burn. In 2002, Love decided to break off from Rival Schools to pursue a new project and formed Cardia. He has gone on to become a major force in production, working behind the boards on numerous albums. He has recently built a new following, after releasing his self-titled solo debut in 2006. Over the past couple of years, Love has traveled to Europe to play shows with Schreifels.

Burn
Die 116
Cardia
Ian Love
Cache Tolman, the bass player for Rival Schools, was also a member of the hardcore scene, but played in a much different style of band. Emerging out of Utah in 1992, Iceburn performed jazz-core, a free-forming type of music that completely broke boundaries. Just the concept of a jazz hardcore band is fairly mind-blowing and the group certainly surprised the kids at the shows. However, the band built a very large following and continued to release records until 2000. Tolman’s most recent project was Institute, which featured singer Gavin Rossdale (ex-lead singer of Bush).

Iceburn
Institute


Rival Schools’ Tour Dates
06/06 - Rock Im Park, Nürnberg, Germany
06/08 - Rock Am Ring, Nürburgring, Germany
06/11 - Kings College London Students Union or University Of London Union
06/22 - Powerfest, Geleen, The Netherlands
06/25 - Hove Festival, Norway

Wally’s Projects
Apparently, Walter’s solo album is finally finished and he has been playing shows throughout Europe. Songs have floated around the internet for years now and they are more or less what fans would expect: grooving riffs, introspective lyrics and Walter’s unforgettable and unique voice. One of my personal favorites currently up on his myspace site is “Arthur Lee’s Lullabye,” a beautiful and passionate song about the front-man from the legendary, psychedelic-folk-rock band Love, who passed away in 2006. Something that I find particularly interesting about Walter’s palpable fondness for Lee is their similar underappreciated, before-their-time style that has had an unquestionable impact on music, possibly as much as any other artist of their time. Critics have compared Lee’s Love to more celebrated bands the Doors, Beach Boys and even the Beatles.

Schreifels’ Gorilla Biscuits was the first hardcore band to introduce a “pop” sound to the music, leading to a new direction of the scene and, ultimately, to the creation of many new sub-genres. Even more influential, Quicksand virtually fashioned a new genre of music, introducing traditional rock characteristics to hardcore sensibilities. The result was a collection of infectious melodies grinded together with progressive rhythms. Just as Love’s “Forever Changes” (which was just re-released for its 40th anniversary) unexpectedly inspired endless amounts of musicians to come, Quicksand’s debut, “Slip,” has established its own cult status. While “Slip” did not have the commercial success as others at the time (such as Nirvana’s “Nevermind”), it remains one of the most long-lasting, influential albums of the era. Admittedly, I may be slightly biased. The first concert I ever attended (not including a free Beach Boys show after a Yankees game) was Quicksand.

After a few years on hiatus from the music scene, it seems like he is finally fully reemerged, as this is the second band that he has reformed in the past three years. Gorilla Biscuits made a legendary appearance at CBGBs in 2005 (one of the most exhilarating shows that I have witnessed - I’m talking people swinging from the pipes and rafters of the celebrated venue’s ceiling) and, subsequently, joined up for tours in 2006 and 2007. Civ reunited a couple of weeks ago in New York City. Finally, here comes Rival Schools. Now all we need is Walter to get back together with Sergio Vega, TC3 (Tom Capone) and Alan Cage for a proper Quicksand reunion. My suggestion is a three-night stint in NYC, followed by a short, major city tour of the States and Europe. By that time, Chinese Democracy might be out and Axl might be looking for a worthy opener. I’m kidding, of course…sort of.

Somewhere I have the songs from the unreleased Rival Schools record. The only problem is that I am having some problems finding them. Regardless, Walter has mentioned that they are not finished versions of the songs and the band would like to fix the vocals and remix the album before giving it a proper release. Not to disappoint, while looking for them last night, I dug up some goodies that I thought you might enjoy even more.

Quicksand – Omission (Live at Irvine Meadows Amphitheater, Irvine, CA on 09/05/1993)

Walter Schreifels - Fazer (Quicksand, Home recording on 4/26/06)

Walter Schreifels - Thorn In My Side (Quicksand, Live in Denver, CO on 8/15/2006)

Walter Schreifels - Used For Glue (Rival Schools, Live in Denver, CO on 8/15/2006)

Walter Schreifels - Undercovers On (Rival Schools, Live in Koln, Germany on 9/13/2005)


Band promotional photos courtesy of My War at United by Walter


Here's some from their first album which if you don't know United by Fate, get it its great:

what a great fucking video game. I spent so much time playing that in university

i love used for glue

i loved them when i saw them a few years ago

I'd rather Quicksand reunite.

I'm listening to United by Fate now, and it's still good stuff.

lots of good b-sides to that album too

dug this band/record quite a bit... really fun live too, cool news

Yeah, that game was kickass

i'm going to the show tonight!

I always thought Rival Schools was a nu metal band

then why didn't you listen to them

Maybe because by the time I found out about lesser known nu metal, I was already tired of that mostly shitty genre.

haha, check em out they are good.

anyway saw the show, they kicked ass and played some new tunes. I'm looking forward to the new record. the opening band played spiritualized's come together and i thought of bain. anyway great time. good music lives on.

i stuck united by fate up on ebay the other day.

undercovers on and used for glue, ser guht

they played both of those. also world invitational, travel by telephone, favorite star they played too, which are also all great songs