Biography
Named after the small town of Riverdale from the Archie Comics, the Riverdales formed in 1994 as a punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois, United States.
The founding members, Ben Foster (guitar), Dan Schafer (bass), and Dan Sullivan (drums) were all former members of Screeching Weasel which had broken up earlier that year. Unlike Screeching Weasel, the members of the Riverdales were credited under their real names.
The Riverdales’ original run lasted from 1994-1997. They released their self-titled debut studio album in June 1995 on Lookout! Records. It was produced by Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong and Squirtgun’s Mass Giorgini.
They reformed in 2003 to record their third studio album, and then parted ways until they once again reformed in 2008 and released a fourth studio album in July, 2009. In September 2009, it was announced that Simon Lamb would be joining the band as a second guitarist. Prior to that for live purposes, Dan Schafer was playing second guitar and singing while Justin Perkins, who had recorded Invasion U.S.A., played bass guitar.
In March 2011, Ben Weasel was involved in an altercation with two female audience members at a Screeching Weasel show at the Austin, Texas SXSW Festival. This resulted in the other members of both Screeching Weasel and the Riverdales quitting the band.
In the aftermath of this, former members Dan Vapid and Simon Lamb started a solo project called Dan Vapid and the Cheats with whom Vapid will be singing his Riverdales songs.
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Members
- Ben Foster
- Dan Schafer
- Drew Fredrichsen
- Adam Cargin
- Dan Sullivan
- Dan Lumley
- Simon Lamb
- Justin Perkins