H2O (American band)

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H2O
H2O in 2018
H2O in 2018
Background information
OriginNew York City, New York, U.S.
Genres
Years active1994–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websiteh2ogo.com
Members
Past members
  • Todd Morse
  • Eric Rice
  • Colin McGinnis
  • Max Capshaw
  • Shaw Smith

H2O is an American hardcore punk band formed in New York City in 1994.

History[]

Formation and the Epitaph years (1994–2000)[]

While touring as a roadie for Sick of It All, Toby Morse would sometimes sing with the band during encores. In late 1994 Morse decided to start his own band and formed H2O in the Lower East Side of Manhattan with Rusty Pistachio and Eric Rice. The band included his brother, Todd Morse, and Todd Friend, both formerly members of Outcrowd, who had released the albums New Music Solution (1988), Weathered (1992) and Healer (1994).[1] The band toured relentlessly through most of 1995 and 1996, opening up for almost every hardcore band that hit the east coast, including an opening slot on a Rancid bill, at the Roseland Ballroom, opening for Quicksand on Long Island and a summer 1995 European Tour opening for Sick of It All and CIV. Another huge early show was when the band opened for No Doubt at Tramps (NYC) on Easter in 1996. In January 1996 they would record their self-titled CD at Brielle Studios-NYC and would release it in May. The CD was basically all the songs they had and would play out at the time. They would tour that whole summer with Shelter and Murphy's Law. H2O performed at CBGB's in October of that year and recorded a video for "Family Tree". They also toured with Social Distortion in October '96. In June 1997 H2O quickly recorded and released Thicker Than Water in October. They toured all over the world until the end of the year and through 1998. In the year 1997 they would open for Misfits, Pennywise, Sick of It All, CIV and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and Warped Tour 98 and 99. They would tour Japan for the first time in 1997 and return in 1998. They received MTV play with "Everready".

In 1999, they recorded and released F.T.T.W. in May and made a video for "One Life One Chance" and again toured year around (in Europe, Japan and U.S.) and into 2000. They also toured on the 1999 Warped Tour (sharing a bus with 7 Seconds). In 1999 and 2000 they would tour with NOFX, The Bouncing Souls, 7 Seconds and Saves the Day. That summer of 2000, H2O would record a cover of the Ice Cube song "It Was a Good Day" and shoot a video around New York City in the middle of the night.

Go (2001–2003)[]

In November and December 2000 they recorded their first major label CD on MCA Records titled Go. They recorded Go at Rumbo Recorders Studios [1] owned at the time by 1970s pop stars Captain & Tennille, in Canoga Park, California.

Go was released in May 2001 and produced by Matt Wallace (Faith No More, Replacements, Maroon 5) and toured extensively (over 150 to 200 shows in a year) H2O made a video for "Role Model" and performed "Memory Lane" on the Conan O'Brien show in May of that year. They toured Warped Tour with Blink-182, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory and Face to Face and a full Canada tour in 2001.[2] In 2002, H2O recorded and released the EP All We Want, three new songs with two live tracks and the "Role Model" video. They also toured in Japan, Europe and U.S. extensively. They would later tour U.S. and Canada with Sum 41 and Box Car Racer.

2004–2007[]

In 2005, H2O toured Europe with Madball and toured the U.S. with The Used, Pennywise and Dropkick Murphys. In 2006, H2O toured South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Colombia) for the first time. They toured U.S. with Rancid. H2O also toured Japan in May/June 2007. During this time, H2O would demo songs for what would eventually become Nothing to Prove.

Nothing to Prove (2008–2011)[]

H2O returned to the studio in January 2008 to begin working on their fifth studio album and had posted new songs on their MySpace page. On January 14, 2008, the band announced they signed to Bridge 9 Records, and the new album was released on May 27, 2008. Titled Nothing to Prove, it was their first album of new material in seven years.[3][4] The band proceeded to support the album's release by opening for Rancid on a series of U.S. tour dates at various House of Blues venues. The band would go on to tour Europe extensively that summer.

In March 2008, it was announced H2O would play at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in The United Kingdom.

H2O recently released a DVD titled One Life One Chance. The band also opened for the Dropkick Murphys during their St. Paddy's Day Tour in winter of 2009.

H2O shot videos for "What Happened" and "Nothing to Prove" from the Nothing to Prove CD.

They celebrated their 15th Anniversary with tour dates in U.S., Europe, South America, Japan and all over the world in 2010.

In August 2010, H2O played on a boat around Manhattan.

During 2010 South American Tour (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela). Brian "Mitts" Daniels (Madball guitar player) filled in for Todd Morse because he was on tour with The Offspring.

In February through May 2011, they returned to the studio to begin recording a covers CD of some of their favorite punk bands. They also toured Australia on the Soundwave 2011 tour in late February/March and Europe in April and May 2011.

Don't Forget Your Roots (2011–2015)[]

On November 15, 2011, H2O released Don't Forget Your Roots, a 15-song tribute CD to some of their favorite bands.

On January 1, 2013, H2O posted on their Facebook page that a new album would be released sometime in 2013, but recently Toby Morse has stated that the band will be completing this fall tour with New Found Glory and Alkaline Trio, spending the holidays at home and be in the recording studio come February 2014.

In January 2015, H2O played in São Paulo, Brazil.

In March 2015, H2O started recording the new cd "Use Your Voice", due for release through Bridge Nine Records on October 9, 2015.

In April 2015, H2O toured Mexico for the first time. On August 5 the same year, Todd Morse confirmed via his Twitter account that he was no longer a part of the band.[5]

Use Your Voice (2015–present)[]

H2O released Use Your Voice on Bridge 9 Records on October 9, 2015. The album was recorded from March to May 2015 at Buzzbomb Sound Lab Studios and produced by Chad Gilbert . H2O shot a video for "Skate" in June 2015. On February 15, 2016, the band released a 2nd video for "True Romance", containing pictures of the bands families, friends and fans. The album hit No. 1 on Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and reached No. 86 on Billboard chart, No. 23 on Billboard U.S. Alternative Albums, No. 19 on Billboard U.S. Independent Albums chart and No. 13 on the Billboard Top U.S. Hard Rock Albums in October 2015.

On October 6, their new album Use Your Voice was made available for streaming on the Bridge 9 Records bandcamp page.[6]

In October 2015, on the first European leg of their Use Your Voice tour, H2O toured with guest musicians: drummer Branden Steineckert of Rancid, and guitarist Colin McGinniss of None More Black.

In January 2016, H2O would embark on a year of touring. They would start the year on the Persistence Tour in Europe with Ignite, Terror, Iron Reagan, Twitching Tongues, Wisdom in Chains and Risk It!. In April, H2O would do a Mexico tour run of shows with Pennywise. They soon after played the Punk Rock Bowling festivals in Las Vegas and New Jersey. H2O would then tour Europe in 2 parts of the summer. September 2016, H2O left for on a South American tour of Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. In November and December 2016, H2O would close out the year performing shows of the 1996 self-titled H2O album, with Todd Morse returning for the run of shows, on the East Coast, West Coast and Midwest.

As of late 2017, Todd Morse was back playing shows with the band

In early 2018, the band announced a full World Tour in celebration of 10 Years of Nothing to Prove as well as playing in Indonesia for the very first time!

In Spring of 2019, H2O would announce 25th Year Anniversary Tour dates, in the United States and Europe.

In January 2020, H2O would tour Europe on the 2020 Persistence Tour. This would be their most recent tour before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Band members[]

  • H2O live at With Full Force 2018

  • Singer Toby Morse

  • Lead guitarist Rusty Pistachio

  • Bassist Adam Blake

  • Drummer Todd Friend

Timeline[]

Discography[]

Albums[]

EPs[]

  • This Is the East Coast...! Not LA ! (split with Dropkick Murphys) (2000)
  • Live EP (H2O) (2000)
  • All We Want (2002)
  • California (2011)
  • New York City (2011)
  • Washington D.C. (2011)

7"[]

  • 94–95 Four Song Demo (1994)
  • Seveninch (1995)
  • Can't Get Off the Phone (1996)
  • Everready (1998)
  • H2O/CHH split (double 7") (1998)
  • Old School Recess (1999)
  • It Was A Good Day/I Want More (2001)
  • Still The Same Fellas (2008)

Music videos[]

  • Family Tree
  • 5 Yr. Plan
  • Spirit of '84
  • I Know Why
  • Everready
  • One Life, One Chance
  • Faster Than the World
  • It Was a Good Day
  • Role Model
  • Nothing to Prove
  • What Happened?
  • Skate!
  • True Romance

Compilation tracks[]

  • The World Still Won't Listen (1996) "Heaven Knows I Am Miserable Now"
  • Show & Tell (A Stormy Remembrance of TV Themes) (1997) "Cops (TV Show Theme)"
  • Anti Racist Action Benefit CD (1997) "Nazi Punks #### Off!"
  • Creepy Crawl Live (1997) "5 Year Plan (Live) – Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Live)"
  • Punk-O-Rama Vol. 2.1 (1997) "Family Tree"
  • Punk-O-Rama Vol. 3 (1998) "Everready"
  • Punk-O-Rama Vol. 4, Straight Outta The Pit (1999) "Faster than the world"
  • Fight The World, Not Each Other – A Tribute To 7 Seconds (1999) "Not Just Boys Fun"
  • Short Music for Short People (1999) "Mr. Brett, Please Put Down Your Gun"
  • A Compilation of Warped Music II by Side One Dummy (1999) "Old Skool Recess"
  • Punk-O-Rama Vol. 5 (2000) "Guilty By Association"
  • World Warped, Vol.3: Live (2000) "Faster Than The World (Live)"
  • Punk Uprisings Vol. 2 (2000) "Universal Language (Live)"
  • Rebirth of the Loud (2000) "It Was a Good Day"
  • Warped Tour 2001 Tour Compilation (2001) "Unwind"
  • Punk Rock Jukebox (2002) "Friend (alternate take)"
  • New Found Glory "Sticks and Stones" Bonus CD (2002) "Static" (later released as "Mitts" on Nothing To Prove)
  • Dive into Disney (2002) "It's A Small World"
  • Live at Continental Best of NYC Vol. 1 (2005) "Liberate (Continental Best of NYC Vol I.)
  • Punk Rock is Your Friend: Kung Fu Records Sampler No. 6 (2005) "Guilty By Association (Live)"
  • Scream for Help! (2006) "Family Tree"

Movies[]

  • Shooting Vegetarians (1999)

DVDs[]

  • One Life One Chance (2005)

Related bands[]

References[]

  1. ^ Sharpe-Young, Gary (2005) New Wave of American Heavy Metal, Zonda Books Limited, ISBN 978-0958268400, p. 164
  2. ^ "LIVE: Vans Warped 2001". Chart Attack, August 23, 2001. Review by: Vanessa Bruno
  3. ^ Punknews.org. "H2O signs to Bridge 9". Punknews.org. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  4. ^ Punknews.org. "Tours: H2O (Record Release)". Punknews.org. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  5. ^ Todd Morse [@toddsplanet] (August 5, 2015). "Yes" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Log In or Sign Up to View". Facebook.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.

External links[]

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