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The Hi-Risers are a three piece, song oriented rock & roll band. The members are Greg Townson (vocals/guitar), Todd Bradley (vocals/bass) and Trevor Lake (vocals/drums). Drawing their inspiration from the 1950’s and early 1960’s, you’ll hear all the genres that influenced the creation of rock & roll in their music, from rockabilly to rhythm & blues, brill building pop to doo-wop, country to surf. The Hi-Risers energetic performances have been welcome in a wide variety of venues, from upscale niteclubs, to country bars, blues clubs, punk dives and outdoor family oriented festivals. They’ve released nine records and have toured extensively in the USA and Europe. The Hi-Risers formed in their hometown, Rochester, NY in 1997 Founding members Greg Townson and Todd Bradley started the band with Christopher Earl on drums. Chris quickly left to be replaced by Jim Symonds. The band originally had no intentions of writing or recording, just playing obscure rock & roll covers for fun, but Jim convinced the band to record an album. Greg decided to write a few songs for the record, one of which, “She’ll Be My Ruin” became a live staple for the band. Panic, their first record, was released on 2-Bit Records and quickly sold out. Eddie & Melanie Angel of Spinout Records in Nashville heard the release and offered to put out the bands second record, In The Spotlight. After the release, Jim Symonds left the band and was replaced by Jason Smay. Through Spinout Records, a promoter in Spain heard In The Spotlight and hired the band for a festival in Gijon, Spain. Initially reluctant to go, fearing no one would know their music, the band was surprised to find a receptive and knowledgeable audience singing along with their songs. This began a ten year run of touring and recording for this lineup of the band, releasing 7 records of original songs on a variety of labels in the USA, Spain and Germany. One of their releases, Transatlantic Dynamite, a collaboration with Kaiser George from Scotland, hit number one on the Billboard Garage Chart. The band toured extensively in Europe and the USA and built up a loyal following for their original songs and energetic performances. The band has been reviewed favorably in Billboard, Guitar Player, Blue Suede News and many other publications. Their songs have been used in commercials, on NPR and have been covered by many bands. . In 2012, Jason Smay left and the band went on a hiatus. Todd worked on a Bossa Nova project with his brothers and Greg began his solo career, releasing three solo records. He also continued his work with Los Straitjackets, including collaborations with Nick Lowe. In 2017, after a reunion with Kaiser George at a festival in Spain, Greg & Todd decided to revive the band. They wrote and recorded a new album, My Kind Of Fun and hired Trevor Lake to play drums. They are currently playing shows again and have a tour of Spain lined up for later in 2018. My Kind Of Fun was released on 2-Bit Records in the USA and Sleazy Records in Europe. What the Experts Say…"Their exuberant performances are reminders that Rock'n'Roll used to be a really simple thing." "By playing roots music with equal parts precision and abandon they truly shine. Go see the Hi-Risers and be entertained!" "Their unrestrained Rock'n'Roll and uncomplicated take on life could be used to set off spontaneous beach parties!" Recent Lost Weekend Reviews:"Easily the finest disc yet from this Rochester, NY-based trio – a sizzling collection of rock and roll, including rockabilly, surf instrumental, garage band, and other influences that literally leap out of the speakers and make you grin. "Mile Long Mean Streak" will satisfy the trucker in you, as bassist Todd Bradley sneers his way through the vocals, while "Bugle Ann" will cover your Brit garage band cravings quite well. Part of the joy in listening to this disc is that the band can play so many different styles while maintaining a cohesive feel across the disc. "Ghost of the Surfer Girl" follows "Bugle Ann," for example, and though the styles are quite different, there is no shock to the listener. Next is "In a Place Like This," a retro Beatlesque romp if there ever were one, and again, though there may be a stylistic clash with the other numbers, one can't help but smile. In addition to bassist Bradley, the band consists of Greg Townson on guitar and vocals, and Jason Smay on drums. Together, they mesh beats and melodies effortlessly. But there is more than just versatility here; the feel of the songs, the hooks, the level of playing is so good that it almost goes overlooked. The ease with which these guys pound out fun is only understood when you look at how many other bands out there are capable of doing the same. That is, not many, if any. A definite must-have disc for any fan of rock and roll." "I've liked everything I've ever heard from this band. I'm not sure how
many full length releases they have put out, but this is my third. Like
some of my other favorite bands, this trio is adept at playing a wide
range of styles that all appeal to me. They are probably most in their
element playing a fun and swinging pop rockabilly influenced hybrid that
reminds me of Dave Edmunds, especially with Rockpile. While most of the
clever songs fit this rough description, there are some that remind me
of the kind of summer party fare I associate with the Beach Boys, some
that could pass for '60s rock and roll radio hits, some that exhibit all
the charm of your favorite lounge pad groovers and some that mix
elements from a variety of sources. "Mile Long Mean Streak," "Ghost of
the Surfer Girl," "You Make Me Look Like Keith," "A Girl On Either Arm,"
etc. combine superb musicianship,
memorable lyrics and production values that any band obssesed with the
'60s would be proud of. Great instrumentals too. What can I say, this is " Discography:
The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
Kaiser George & The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
Eddie Angel & The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
The Hi-Risers
Flower City Pop Compilation
Garage Pop Records Compilation The Salamanders
The Essentials
Bill Doggett
Contact The Hi-Risers: NEWS | SHOWS | PRESS | LINKS | STORE | CONTACT | PHOTOS |
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