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Federal Frenzy reels in ska band
By John Benson
For 15 minutes in the late ’90s, punk-ska bands No Doubt, Sublime, Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake ruled the music world.
Someone who had a front-row seat for this “Total Request Live” madness was John Christianson (aka Johnny Christmas), who as a trumpet player gravitated toward the skanking music. Little did he know, a few years later he would be recruited to join Reel Big Fish.
As part of the ska zeitgeist, the horn-based band watched its 1996 album “Turn the Radio Off” yield alternative hit single “Sell Out.” The band is also remembered for its cover of A-Ha’s “Take on Me,” recorded for the “Baseketball” soundtrack, as well as its 1998 album “Why Do They Rock So Hard,” which lacked commercial success but was well received by fans.
Reel Big Fish will be the headliner of Federal Frenzy, the daylong free arts and music festival on Federal Street – and inside adjacent bars and eateries – on Saturday.
While the band’s lasting mainstream attention was fleeting, it had found an audience. Christianson admits he never expected Reel Big Fish to still be kicking decades later.
“The list of members who have been in Reel Big Fish is exceeding 25,” said Christianson, calling from Montclair, Calif. “When you start a band in high school, not everybody’s dream is to live on the road and make music for a living. This life is not for everybody.
“Some people will completely implode, some people will explode, and some people feel the pressure of it. We don’t have a huge revenue stream from selling records. For us to make a living, we have to be on the road at least six to eight months out of the year. Still, there’s really not much more fun you can have with your clothes on than playing in a band.”
Over the past 20 years – and presumably with its members wearing clothes – Reel Big Fish released eight albums. Its most recent is 2012’s “Candy Coated Fury.”
While some may peg Reel Big Fish as a “Where are they now?” outfit, Christianson offers a different opinion.
“If we were just a nostalgia band, when we play songs off ‘Candy Coated Fury,’ nobody would be singing them, and people would be [irritated] we’re not just playing songs from ‘Turn the Radio Off’ and ‘Why Do They Rock So Hard,’” Christianson said.
“When we go to England, nobody knows those albums. They know all of the songs from [2002’s] ‘Cheer Up!’ That was the record they latched onto. And I think when you look out into the crowd now, it’s primarily younger faces that know the new record.”
Speaking of a new record, Christianson said Reel Big Fish eventually will record again, but there are no current plans to hit the studio. The issue is band visionary Aaron Barrett isn’t necessarily prolific when it comes to writing new material.
Considering Christianson’s aforementioned comment that the band doesn’t make much money off releasing new material, perhaps there’s not a big hurry for a new Reel Big Fish project.
“I think there’s an itch that has to be scratched,” Christianson said.