About Me
EP Available: http://cdbaby.com/cd/ringersrock
ring-er : 4. a contestant entered in a competition under false pretenses. - Those involved with Ringers first got together for a big musical heist in 2001, practicing illegally in the Connecticut College band rehearsal space thanks to Ben, who was trudging his way through sophomore year there. Ben played bass, and M. Clark sang and smoked cigarettes, and the quartet (Ben, Clark, Birms, & Matt A.) was dubbed The Cuts. They recorded a CD in Low-Beam drummer Richie Freitas's basement in spring of 2002, but Ben soon quit the band to avoid failing Elementary Chinese Language. Enter Michael (Hungry Hungry) Hanna, bassist extraordinaire and knowledgeable music businessman, t-shirt artist and TOP tobacco roller. Mike's bass skills filled out the band's sound and the group was then renamed RINGERS. Ringers existed without Ben for nearly 2 years, rehearsing in Birms' chilly tool shed and rocking New London with pure beer brawling music for avid readers. Eventually, M. Clark heeded the call to "go west" with his woman, and Ringers again lacked a member to make them complete. Ben, having made the decision to stay in New London after college, asked to again join the fray. Ringers accepted, and with Ben applying his bass skills somewhat sloppily to a Fender Strat, the band was again reborn in summer of 2004. With a new frontman Ringers moved on to build a new catalog and refine their sound. They have since become a staple on the New London music scene and their new self-titled debut CD is available now.
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"...The pulsing, chugging, '80s New York-style rocker 'Better Way to Zero' was an instant favorite around the Advocate office." - NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE, Kathleen Cei. February 2004
" The garage-rocky quartet, Ringers, took flight third. Like The Stills, this band struck a good balance between sing-songishness and depth. And with their nouveau-angst vocalist at times akin to Kurt Cobain, he had the kids dancing a-gogo, and singing along like this was the soundtrack to their lives. Ringers really took over the room with their solid sound, enthused stage presnce, and gnarly hooks. Original lyrics and a positive vibe only added to their most enjoyable set. As a first-time listener, I prescribe one dose of Ringers during low moods, but advise you not to operate heavy machinery after leaving the venue. And yes, live shows are recommended to ensure a quality sensory music experience." - THE SCOPE, Kelly Frazier. December 2004
"The Ringers have a lot of cool energy and cohesiveness at times reminiscent of The Strokes... Ringers remind me of a local band can go beyond our expectations. Johnson, wearing his Mystic Disc T-Shirt was a proud ambassador of the New London scene for the New York Times photographer who sat shooting him through most of the set. The Ringers have a balanced sound that feels good, under control but inspired. Leaves this listener wanting to hear more." -Christopher Kepple, THE SCOPE, February 2006, NO.46
*Featured in the NEW YORK TIMES. February 26, 2006. By Abraham Streep.*
"The last band of the night was Ringers, a New London indie-rock act with smart original songs. The band performed well and with passion. My favorites of Ringers' songs were "Disco," an uptempo number with a trebly distorted guitar part, and "Notches on a Gun," a darker, more menacing tune." Eric R. Danton, THE HARTFORD COURANT, April 13, 2006
"New London's Ringers play spiky, tense, post-punk contempo indie rock, and do well at it. Ben Johnson's vocals are agitated and gritty without sounding gruff. Ryan Birmingham's guitar's set off sparks without desending into noise. There's an audible chemistry as the guitars lunge and play off each other in the tuneful, smartly arranged songs..." - Brian LaRue, NEW HAVEN ADVOCATE, June 2006
"Fusing an element of complexity with indie rock energy, Ringers creates a sound both familiar, yet distinctively their own... Ringers also manages to balance having pretty hard sound with being incredibly catchy... When you listen to Ringers you'll want to dance, and after you listen to this album you'll be singing it in your head for hours." - Wyatt Shibley, SOUNDWAVES, Vol 17 Issue 2, November 2006
"It looks like New London's sleeper cell status is about to leak (Don't tell them we ratted). Who knew a band like Ringers could hail from such a quaint Connecticut hole in the wall?... Ringers are a solid indie rock act and would fit well in your stereo to mix up the mood between Carina Round and Leonard Cohen. After three days 'Disco' is still stuck in the listener's head. And for a long drive, there may be nothing more whirr-worthy than some Ringers spinning in the dash." - Len Sousa, PERFORMER MAGAZINE Northeast, November 2006
* "Best-Loved CD's of 2006." New Haven Advocated, November 23- 29, 2006*
