Artist description Fast paced, chaotic, humor-filled, over-intelectual punk rock

Music Style East Bay Area Punk Rock

Musical Influences The Descendents, Dead Kennedys, MTX, Screeching Weasel, Sex Pistols

Similar Artists Descendents, Dead Kennedys, Dickies, Adolescents

Artist History Formed in 1989 in the east San Francisco Bay Area, the Wynona Riders went through more line-up changes than most people go through socks. Through break-ups, reformations disappointing album sales and a great tour of the US in 1995 the band soldiered on, calling it quits in 1996 for good so that the members of the final line-up could pursue other pointless musical projects, or possibly grow up and get over this whole punk rock thing.... nah. Over the years the band featured former members of Filth, Sweet Baby, Mice at Play, the Vagrants, and future members of Three Years Down, toyboat and Jack Killed Jill. Too bad no one noticed.

Group Members 1989 - 1990: SKiP, Eric Matsen, Ron Murphy, Rico Ybarra; 1990 - 1991: SKiP, Eric Matsen, Jack Cheeze, Dave E.C.; 1991 - 1995: SKiP, Eric Matsen, Richie Bucher, Dave E.C.; 1995 - 1996: SKiP, Joe "TEX" Selby, Richie Bucher, Dave E.C.

Instruments guitar, bass, drums, vocals, misc. noisemakers

Albums J.D. Salinger, Artificial Intelligence, How to Make an American Quit

Press Reviews From CMJ: It seems as though the Wynona Riders already know they're in over their heads by goofing on Gen X icon/actress Winona Ryder's unique name, and figure why not go for the jugular and rip on Catcher In The Rye, cover Kim Wilde's "Kids In America" and write a tune parodying the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme song? It's a crazed, hyper-pop-cultural, nose-thumbing sense of humor that makes this album's 30 tracks (well over 20 tunes and a handful of between-song snippets) fly by exuberantly. Musically, the Wynona Riders are on the sloppier end of the Lookout! spectrum. But while their songs may have a more ramshackle appeal, the band applies its meticulous focus to lyrics and a complex booklet, full of false disclaimers, band manifestos and an entire blank page set aside for the listener's own "programming notes." Heed our recommendation and go deep into J.D. Salinger, because nestled at track 29 is the album's coup de grace: Hear the Riders skewer the heck out of the "punk explosion" in their update of the Sex Pistols' "The Great Rock `N' Swindle." The chorus alone carries new, acidic weight in light of recent events, but lines like, "The year is 1995/The year that punk was broken/MTV and Live 105/The customer has spoken!" kick the point home to even those deepest in denial: It's a college radio airplay must.

Location Alameda, CA - USA

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