Artist Biography
by Nate Cavalieri
Growing up together in Marshall, MI, the members of
Small Brown Bike have been friends, bandmates, and minor bike mechanics the majority of their lives. When brothers
Mike and Ben Reed (vocals/guitar and bass/vocals, respectively),
Travis Dopp (guitar), and
Dan Jaquint
(drums) were looking for band names for the project they started in the
fall of 1996, they looked back on their collective small-town childhood
and came up with
Small Brown Bike,
named for a sentimental Frankenstein bicycle that they had pieced
together from parts as kids. After self-releasing their No Place Like
You 7" in 1997 and following up in 1998 with the (and don't forget me)
7" and appearing on a couple compilations, the band attracted the
attention of Gainesville, FL's No Idea Records through relentless
regional touring and a fraternal relationship with
Hot Water Music. No Idea released
Our Own Wars in 1999 before
Dopp stepped down from guitar and friend
Scott Flaster
took over. The compilation Collection, including singles and vinyl-only
tracks, also appeared that year. Recorded with producer
Ed Rose in between touring with
HWM and
Saves the Day, they followed up with their
Dead Reckoning CD/LP in the fall of 2001.
Dopp returned to the ranks of
Small Brown Bike in January 2002 with a new drummer,
Jeff Gensterblum, signing on in March as
Jaquint decided to pursue a full-time job and school. The band hooked up with
the Casket Lottery
for an October split EP. The split was very well received (described as
"essential" by some critics) and further caught the attention of
Lookout Records, who then released their next album, The River Bed, in
September 2003. An EP,
Nail Yourself to the Ground, additionally appeared that June on No Idea. After several months of touring in support, however,
Small Brown Bike announced their dissolution by the year's end. Their last show was played in 2004 at Chicago's Fireside Bowl.
Tracklist
| A1 |
No Place Like You |
|
| A2 |
Slow Time Suicide |
|
| B1 |
Bad Anthem |
|
| B2 |
The Twenty Sixth |
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