Richie Birkenhead

Richie Birkenhead

Richie Birkenhead performing with into Another in Los Angeles, 1995
Background information
Birth name Richard James Birkenhead
Born (1965-08-23) August 23, 1965
Genres Rock, post-hardcore, hardcore, punk, dark ambient, alternative rock, Alternative Metal, Experimental rock
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, producer, Creative Director
Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active 1986–present
Labels New Beginning Records, Caroline Records, Revelation Records, Hollywood Records
Associated acts Into Another, Underdog, Youth of Today, Deadsy
Website intoanother.com

Richie Birkenhead (born Richard James Birkenhead; August 23, 1965) is an American rock musician. He was a singer, songwriter and guitarist of late '80s New York hardcore bands Underdog[1][2][3] and Youth of Today,[2][4][5] and went on in the 1990s to become vocalist for the American rock band, Into Another.[6][7][8][9][10][11]

Early life

In his early teens, while living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attending the McBurney School, Birkenhead started a neo-rockabilly band, the Bel-Airs, with members of Buzz and the Flyers and Tav Falco's Panther Burns. Birkenhead was the Bel-Airs' guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist. Although they never officially released any recorded material, the band played in many New York venus, including The Mudd Club, The Peppermint Lounge, Danceteria, The Ritz and CBGB and opened for The Cramps, The Gun Club, The Rockats and Carl Perkins.

Music career

During the mid-to-late '80s, Birkenhead fronted the hardcore band Underdog.[12] In 1986 he joined the straight edge hardcore band Youth of Today on guitar.[13] He spent time touring with the band, as well as recording the band's first full-length offering, 1986's Break Down the Walls.

Birkenhead, along with Youth of Today drummer, Drew Thomas, left the band in 1990 to form the band, Into Another, with guitarist Peter Moses and bassist Tony Bono.[14][15] Into Another released its first self-titled full-length album in 1990 on Revelation Records, followed by two EPs and another full-length before signing with Hollywood Records in 1995. During the band's stint on Hollywood Records, Into Another released "Seemless" in 1996, in which Birkenhead and the band entered the Billboard 200 for the first time with the song "T.A.I.L.", peaking at number 39 on the mainstream rock chart.[16][17][18]

Conflict between Birkenhead and Hollywood Records,[19] as well as internal tensions led to the dissolution of Into Another after 1997, leaving an unreleased full-length album entitled "Soul Control".[20]

During the next 15 years, Birkenhead appeared only occasionally at solo acoustic shows.

In June 2012, as part of the Revelation Records 25th Anniversary shows, Into Another was reformed,[21] and, with Richie Birkenhead, Drew Thomas, Peter Moses, Brian Balchack and Reid Black, Into Another made its first appearance in over 15 years.[22] The band has continued to perform, and Richie Birkenhead is again fully active with Into Another and creating new music.[23]

Discography

with into Another

Title Release Date Label
self-titled[24] 1990 Revelation Records
Creepy Eepy (EP) 1992 Revelation Records
Poison Fingers (EP) 1994 Revelation Records
Ignaurus[24] 1994 Revelation Records
T.A.I.L. (EP) 1995 Hollywood Records
Seemless[24] 1995 Hollywood Records
Soul Control (Unreleased) 1996 Hollywood Records
Omens (EP) 2015 Ghost Ship Records

with Youth of Today

Title Release Date Label
Break Down the Walls 1987 Revelation Records
New York City Hardcore – Together (Compilation) 1987 Revelation Records

with Underdog

Title Release Date Label
self-titled[24] 1986 New Beginning Records
The Vanishing Point[24] 1989 Caroline Records
Demos[24] 1993 Revelation Records

Collaboration with other artists

Personal life

Birkenhead married Samantha Kluge, style editor of Glamour magazine and daughter of late media mogul John Kluge, in 2000. The marriage ended in divorce in 2002.
In 2006, Birkenhead married art dealer Jamie Harman. The couple have two children.
Birkenhead is the son of lyricist Susan Birkenhead.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "Discography: Underdog". AMG. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  2. 1 2 Lahickey, Beth (1997). All Ages: Reflections on Straight Edge. Revelation Books. ISBN 9781889703008.
  3. ↑ Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p. 219. ISBN 0922915717.
  4. ↑ Vee, Tesco (2010). Touch and Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Fanzine '79–'83. Bazillion Points Publishing. p. 546. ISBN 0979616387.
  5. ↑ True, Chris. "Biography: Youth of Today". AMG. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  6. ↑ Downey, Ryan. "Biography: Into Another". AMG. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  7. ↑ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal. Zonda Books Limited. p. 350. ISBN 0958268401.
  8. ↑ Larkin, Colin (November 20, 2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Volume 4. Oxford University Press. p. 486. ISBN 0195313739.
  9. ↑ Sharpe-Young, Garry (2007). Metal The Definitive Guide. Jawbone Press. p. 148. ISBN 1906002878.
  10. ↑ Cmj Network, Inc (October 1995). "Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. p. 60. Archived from the original on October 1995. Retrieved June 21, 2013
  11. ↑ "Seemless". Speak Magazine. 1995. Archived from the original on 1995. Retrieved June 21, 2013
  12. ↑ Steven Blush (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-0-922915-71-2.
  13. ↑ Ian Peddie (2006). The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 197–. ISBN 978-0-7546-5114-7.
  14. ↑ Hoffman, Gavin. "Running Into Walls: The Return of Into Another". Slug Magazine
  15. ↑ Zappo, Shawn. "REVIEW: INTO ANOTHER REUNITES IN BROOKLYN". Ashbury Anchor.
  16. ↑ "Into Another : Awards". AlllMusic.com. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  17. ↑ Whiteburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981–2008. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 124. ISBN 0898201748.
  18. ↑ Whiteburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981–2002. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 73. ISBN 0898201535.
  19. ↑ Schweizer, Peter (1998). Disney: The Mouse Betrayed: Greed, Corruption, and Children at Risk. Regnery Publishing. p. 26. ISBN 0895263874.
  20. ↑ "Into Another's Richie Birkenhead: 'People Either Love Us or Hate Us' – Noisecreep". December 10, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Into Another & Richie Birkenhead – We All Have Our Own Catharsis". Shed My Skin.
  22. ↑ "An Interview with into Another's Richie Birkenhead". December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  23. ↑ "Running into Walls – The Return of into Another – SLUG Magazine". October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Richie Birkenhead – Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Spacesuit – Shift : Credits : AllMusic". Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  26. ↑ "Commencement – Deadsy : Credits : AllMusic". Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Hollywood Home Fit for a Princess" May 27, 2001|RUTH RYON Los Angeles Times.
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