Richie Birkenhead

Richie Birkenhead (born Richard James Birkenhead; August 23, 1965) is an American rock musician and creative director. He was a singer, songwriter and guitarist of late '80s New York hardcore bands Underdog[1][2][3] and Youth of Today,[2][4][5] and went on in the 1990s to become vocalist for the American rock band, Into Another.[6]

Richie Birkenhead
Richie Birkenhead performing with Into Another in Los Angeles, 1995
Richie Birkenhead performing with Into Another in Los Angeles, 1995
Background information
Birth nameRichard James Birkenhead
Born (1965-08-23) August 23, 1965
GenresRock, post-hardcore, hardcore, punk, dark ambient, alternative rock, Alternative Metal, Experimental rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, producer, Creative Director
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active1986–present
LabelsNew Beginning Records, Caroline Records, Revelation Records, Hollywood Records
Websiteintoanother.com

Early life

In his early teens, while living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attending the McBurney School, Birkenhead started a neo-rockabilly band, the Bel-Airs, with members of Buzz and the Flyers and Tav Falco's Panther Burns. Birkenhead was the Bel-Airs' guitarist, songwriter and occasional vocalist. Although they never officially released any recorded material, the band played regularly in many New York venus, including Mudd Club, Peppermint Lounge, Danceteria, The Ritz and CBGB and opened for The Cramps, The Gun Club, The Rockats and Carl Perkins.

Music career

During the mid-to-late '80s, Birkenhead fronted the hardcore bands Numskuls (1983–1985) and Underdog (1985–1989).[7] In 1986 he joined the straight edge hardcore band Youth of Today on guitar.[8] He spent time touring with the band, as well as recording the band's first full-length offering, 1986's Break Down the Walls.

Birkenhead, along with Youth of Today drummer, Drew Thomas, left the band in 1990 to form the band, Into Another, with guitarist Peter Moses and bassist Tony Bono.[9][10] Into Another released its first self-titled full-length album in 1990 on Revelation Records, followed by two EPs and another full-length before signing with Hollywood Records in 1995. During the band's stint on Hollywood Records, Into Another released "Seemless" in 1996, in which Birkenhead and the band entered the Billboard 200 for the first time with the song "T.A.I.L.", peaking at number 39 on the mainstream rock chart.[11][12][13]

Conflict between Birkenhead and Hollywood Records,[14] as well as internal tensions led to the dissolution of Into Another after 1997, leaving an unreleased full-length album entitled "Soul Control".[15]

During the next 15 years, Birkenhead appeared only occasionally at solo acoustic shows.

In June 2012, as part of the Revelation Records 25th Anniversary shows, Into Another was reformed,[16] and, with Richie Birkenhead, Drew Thomas, Peter Moses, Brian Balchack and Reid Black, Into Another made its first appearance in over 15 years.[17] The band has continued to perform, and Richie Birkenhead is again fully active with Into Another and creating new music.[18]

Discography

with into Another
Title Release Date Label
self-titled[19] 1990 Revelation Records
Creepy Eepy (EP) 1992 Revelation Records
Poison Fingers (EP) 1994 Revelation Records
Ignaurus[19] 1994 Revelation Records
T.A.I.L. (EP) 1995 Hollywood Records
Seemless[19] 1995 Hollywood Records
Soul Control (Unreleased) 1996 Hollywood Records
Omens (EP) 2015 Ghost Ship Records

with Youth of Today
Title Release Date Label
Break Down the Walls 1987 Revelation Records
New York City Hardcore – Together (Compilation) 1987 Revelation Records

with Underdog
Title Release Date Label
self-titled[19] 1986 New Beginning Records
The Vanishing Point[19] 1989 Caroline Records
Demos[19] 1993 Revelation Records

Collaboration with other artists

Personal life

Richie Birkenhead is the son of lyricist Susan Birkenhead. He married Samantha Kluge, style editor of Glamour magazine and daughter of late media mogul John Kluge, in 2000.[22] The marriage ended in divorce in 2002. In 2006, Birkenhead married art dealer Jamie Harman. The couple have two children.

Birkenhead is vegan.[23]

References
  1. "Discography: Underdog". AMG. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  2. Lahickey, Beth (1997). All Ages: Reflections on Straight Edge. Revelation Books. ISBN 9781889703008.
  3. Blush, Steven (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. p. 219. ISBN 0922915717.
  4. Vee, Tesco (2010). Touch and Go: The Complete Hardcore Punk Fanzine '79–'83. Bazillion Points Publishing. p. 546. ISBN 978-0979616389.
  5. True, Chris. "Biography: Youth of Today". AMG. Retrieved June 21, 2013.
  7. Steven Blush (2001). American Hardcore: A Tribal History. Feral House. pp. 219–. ISBN 978-0-922915-71-2.
  8. Ian Peddie (2006). The Resisting Muse: Popular Music and Social Protest. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 197–. ISBN 978-0-7546-5114-7.
  9. Hoffman, Gavin. "Running Into Walls: The Return of Into Another". Slug Magazine
  10. Zappo, Shawn. "REVIEW: INTO ANOTHER REUNITES IN BROOKLYN". Ashbury Anchor.
  11. "Into Another : Awards". AllMusic.com. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  12. Whiteburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981–2008. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 124. ISBN 978-0898201741.
  13. Whiteburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981–2002. Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 73. ISBN 0898201535.
  14. Schweizer, Peter (1998). Disney: The Mouse Betrayed: Greed, Corruption, and Children at Risk. Regnery Publishing. p. 26. ISBN 0895263874.
  15. "Into Another's Richie Birkenhead: 'People Either Love Us or Hate Us' – Noisecreep". December 10, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2012.
  16. "Into Another & Richie Birkenhead – We All Have Our Own Catharsis". Shed My Skin.
  17. "An Interview with into Another's Richie Birkenhead". December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2012.
  18. "Running into Walls – The Return of into Another – SLUG Magazine". October 31, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2012.
  19. "Richie Birkenhead – Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  20. "Spacesuit – Shift : Credits : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  21. "Commencement – Deadsy : Credits : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved May 26, 2013.
  22. Ryon, Ruth (May 27, 2001). "Hollywood Home Fit for a Princess". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  23. Sciarretto, Amy (April 22, 2010). "Interview With Into Another/Underdog Singer Richie Birkenhead, Part One". Noisecreep. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
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