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As we continue our crazy musical journey with a brand new name, I look back on the last 3.5 years with a lot of pride and just a little sadness. Writing, recording, performing, booking, marketing, promoting, networking, and so many other hats that a small band has to wear for themselves, we did it all together. Everything we put into it, we did under the name we first introduced ourselves with one late night in 2014, at a bar in Woodland Hills. At that time, it was just a cool name gathered from elements from our pasts and marvelous concepts of science fiction (that we love). We didn't think much more about it than how great the visuals were or how cool the logo we made for it was. It was never about anyone outside the four of us in the band and what we wanted to build together.
We were a lot different in the beginning. We wore jeans and t-shirts back then - hell, even Sasquatch Steve wore PANTS! Well actually, they were overalls, but close enough. We had no identity yet, so we were scrambling for something that 'made sense'. The problem was, even back then, we were writing music that didn't fit tidily into any genre or box. We have so many crazy influences in this band, that our music started to just take on a life of its own. Soon, rather than searching for an identity, we began to morph our own. That name that didn't really mean anything to us in the beginning, became the best way to describe what we did or who we were becoming. Just like all our musical influences became our unique blend of music, all our personalities and all the experiences we were sharing together, became the band. It wasn't something we were trying to be anymore, it was us.
So now I'm looking ahead to the future - a future without that name. Shouldn't be a big deal, right? It's just a name. We are the same 4 guys. We are still writing and performing and working our asses off to put on a good show. We have had AMAZING support from those that follow us on social media and come out to shows, so I am hopeful that will continue. I guess as a human being, change is just scary. I hope y'all can still feel all the blood, sweat, and tears we poured into the last 3.5 yrs when you come out see us as The Ripkatz. Overall, we are excited for the change and are so stoked to share it with you all.
The other day, I was driving home from L.A. and 'Closing Time' by SemiSonic came on the radio. This was actually right in the middle of all the drama of trying to find a name that we all thought 'fit' our band - NOT an easy task, y'all. Anyway, the final line in the song is "...every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." I will look back fondly still on that name and those first years with the band, but hopefully, when 4 more years have past, I will look back on this 'new beginning' with even more excitement and love. So R.I.P. G.P.'s...long live The RIPKATZ! \m/
Much love and thanks to all of you!
--Charlie Oh!