Short Changed Essay, Research Paper

Short Changed

“We’ll always be punk.”-S.C.

Short Changed is:

Drums: P.J. Rankl

Vocals and Bass: Josh Kendall

Guitar and back up vocals: Tony Zepeda

Guitar: Joe Skroll

They say that the finer things in life are those, which are peaceful. Peaceful, shmeaceful. When it comes to music, nothing can get under your skin and infect your blood stream like the rawness of a good old-fashioned punk rock album from Short Changed. Even though they threw the whole thing together in a day, it sold out within two months.

For their first ever five-track album, I could tell they needed a producer because of the quality of the album. But other than that, it was musically and lyrically exceptional. Who knew that you could mess around in some small studio and end up selling something that you never planned for? In this album, lead singer/guitarist Tony Zepeda sang most of the songs. The rest were sung by Josh Kendall who was the drummer at that time.

Everyone’s role was pretty confusing a few months back. This West Hills band started out with their lead singer Carlos Trujillo, who graduated from ECR a few years ago. Joe Kroll had been playing the guitar along with Tony Zepeda, with Josh Kendall as their drummer, and Sammy as their bass player. More and more problems grew with two of the band members, Carlos and Sammy. The other band members couldn’t get on the same level as Carlos. Having their personal differences, they simply did not get along. Carlos soon left the band in March, one week before the band was going to record, which left them with only four members.

Luckily, we have come across a very talented and devoted band. Tony took Carlos’s role as the lead singer and guitarist, while Josh and the rest of the group kept their positions. They weren’t about to let anything ruin what they had worked hard for. After recording the short album, “Burner Recording Sessions” at Love Juice Laboratories in Riverside, they performed many shows at parties and at the Cobalt Caf?. I can remember their amazing performance at the Cobalt after they had released their album. Many fans from all over the valley came to see Short Changed. Nothing better than a room filled with teenagers ready to start a mosh pit. Everyone was pretty disappointed when some big and burley security guy broke it up though. So instead, everyone sang along to his or her favorite songs such as “Perfect Girl” and “Day by Day”.

Everything was going good for those six months, except for the fact that Sammy and the boys had musically gone on different levels. One and a half months later, Sammy gets kicked out of the band. Four members weren’t so bad?but three was unacceptable for Short Changed. I guess they didn’t want people to think that they were trying to be another Blink 182? Anyway, they picked up a new drummer, P.J. Rankl, and made Josh the new lead singer and bass player, with Tony on back up vocals.

Lying somewhere between Pennywise and Nofx comes Short Changed. Their music is classified as purely punk rock, and sound more professional and serious than ever. Lyrically, Josh and Tony had found their inspirations through bands like the old Suicide Machines, Rancid, AFI, The Vandals, Big Wig, and Minor Threat. Unlike Against Tradition, Short Changed wouldn’t mind being on a record label right now. But good things come in time. When I asked the band about the competition they face, Josh responded, “We don’t like how other local bands dawg on each other. Short Changed is about playing what we like. It’s about the music. If you don’t like it, we don’t care.” Now that’s the punk rock attitude I’ve grown to love. Tony thought his “famous” quote “I hate George Bush Jr. He’s a cowboy,” was punk rock too. So we’ll just leave it at that.

Short Change’s proven path to success is quick, catchy, and more commercial than a McDonald’s ad. These boys can rock it out and break it down and still maintain a consistent original sound. You can catch them play at local caf?’s or parties all over the valley. Just keep a look out for flyers or ask the guys yourself! Short Changed is scheduled to play at the Key Club in West Hollywood on November 18th for a big event called Battle of the Bands. It’s where hundreds of bands compete to win a recording session with a popular record label. Hopefully, Short Changed will be noticed, and everything they have always dreamed for as a band will come true. Check these guys out to see a futuristic vision of punk rock. So may their reign as the hardest and funniest punk band continue long into the millennium.

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