UPDATED 5/29/2008
Most of you don't know us, some of you do, so let me tell our story to you:
In the early days, we had Ryan on vocals and wrote staples such as "Snaggletooth Bigfoot" and "1990s Identification". These songs were about as complex as we could get and people seemed to love it. Our 3rd show was opening for the Groovie Ghoulies at Akron's famed (and now closed) Lime Spider for Halloween '04. It was packed and it was a fucking blast. We also played with the Detroit Cobras, Tough and Lovely, Professional Againsters, and others.
Ryan quit in March of '05 and we played a few shows as a 3-piece. Josh and I took turns on vocals. Surprisingly, these shows went over very well. But we figured that we might need a frontperson, and Ken Janssen joined in the late summer of 2005. From our first show with him at the Grog Shop, I could tell the band had taken on a new direction. Gone were the days of the 1-4-5, verse-chorus-verse-chorus song. Soon following Ken came Charlie on drums, moving former batteur James to the lead guitar spot. Some of the old classics were scrapped in favor of new hits like "The Bitchin' Hour" and "Carried Away". We drank gallons of PBR and many people said we sounded more adult, for better or worse.
In the Ryan days, the Beachland staff said that "The Vista Cruisers bring punk back to the East Side but with a classic smarty-pants grimely Ohio twist." A year later and with the new frontman, it was a "New Bomb Turkish rock attack". The Turks rule and it was an honor to be compared to them, but the first review was just flat out cooler!
In August '06 we were played on commercial radio for the first (and second/final) time. It shook down on 92.3-FM in Cleveland (our K-ROCK affiliate or whatever). I didn't actually hear it but I did hear proof from a couple people that this occurred. At any rate, it sure sounds funny as shit to say "The Vista Cruisers: as heard on 92.3 K-ROCK!"
On September 5th, 2006, we played an aftershow for the Radio Birdman/New Bomb Turks gig. We broke up 2 days later. We went out having played (in my opinion) the best bill we probably could have ever played. But the saga doesn't end there...
Since the breakup, Ken, Charlie, and Jamey have started a band called the Hot Rails (or is it Hotrails? Ho Trails?). They just released an album that should have been called "ALL ABOARD" but it isn't, so...uhh, well, they're around and easy enough to find.
Ryan moved to Arizona back in December '06 and I just talked to him. He's doing fine.
Josh formed a new band called Thunderthighs that I play drums in. It's pretty fun, but nowhere near as hilarious as what just happened for Halloween 2007: the two of us and old friend and musical soulmate from a very enduring brotherhood (the legendary BIFF) reunited as "KISS-ta Hagar" (Vista Cruisers playing as KISS but without an original lead singer - hence the [Sammy] "Hagar", get it?) - we performed live at the Beachland Ballroom to an energetic audience that was disappointed by our lack of an encore. Maybe we'll do it again sometime. After all, I still have the makeup and my silver boots. Pictures abound in our photo albums...
To paraphrase my buddy and former Squirt-mate Mat w/One T: "We were[and/or are] the Vista[and/or KISS-ta] Cruisers. Now get lost!"
-Adam
BANDS WE PLAYED WITH: Radio Birdman, New Bomb Turks, Groovie Ghoulies, Beatnik Termites, Peelander-Z, The Detroit Cobras, Tough and Lovely, Shat, Turbo A.C.'s, Gore Gore Girls, Reigning Sound, Patsys, Teenage Bottlerocket, Teenage Harlets, Southern Trespass. More to come...?
