When it comes to the logistics of putting things together in the tumultuous, unforgiving world of Las Vegas DIY/punk, Crimson Riot may be the most organized band in that category.
“We came up with the name Crimson Riot, and decided to sleep on it. The next time we all met, Ryan came back with a logo, a website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram … an entire identity for something we had yet to completely agree to,” says, Roxy Gunn, who handles guitar and vocal duties in the band. “And there were still so many things in the works. We all kind of thought he was a madman.”
In this case, “mad” could be replaced with the words “calculated” or “intentional.” It shouldn’t be a surprise that Ryan J, drummer and vocalist, is the logistical brainchild for the pop punk Trio, who have turned fragments from their active Strip project the Roxy Gunn Project, into fully-fledged originals. Since that particular meeting, the the group has gone on to release an EP, support nationally touring acts such as The Dickies, Mad Caddies, and The Bombpops, and they even appeared on the Topgolf-sponsored music competition series, Who Will Rock You?—earning a nice $25,000 and a Topgolf Tour.
Considering that members have tenures in fabled local acts such as the Grocery Store Rejects and many others, the three are more than just veteran contributors to the Las Vegas punk scene—they’ve become scrappy stalwarts for a city whose music community is more consistent, open, and more hungry than ever.
Crimson Riot may be just the perfect example of the punk rock ethos—but with its foot pressed firmly on the gas. “We really just want to write, record, and play,” bassist/vocalist Chris Reject says. “That’s really the goal. We just want to get out there and play as many shows as we can, which should come with the release of this new album.”
The trio’s latest album, Classy Punk For Trashy People, is an 11-track full-length that’s littered with enough catchy choruses and four-chord anthems to satiate any pop punk aficionado. Songs like the driving “Here’s the Bad News Laura (The Shake Machine is Down)” and album ender “Riot” do exactly that. “Hurt,” the album’s lead single, is an angstry, driving number about greedy record companies taking advantage of bands, and the implications that come with any punk’s worst fear—selling out. “You said the stars aligned, but I’ve got money signs strapped to my back—like a target waiting attack,” Gunn sings. It’s the glossy style of pop punk that would fit right in the No Idea catalog, or the glory days of Drive-Thru Records. Perhaps the glory days are now.
Considering the polish, it may come to surprise that the album didn’t take long to put together … at all. “We hit the studio with a gameplan, and things just pieced together seamlessly,” Reject says. With time on their side, the trio were able to record the album in just a few sessions—with some songs only requiring a single take. “I’m a lyric-writing master; that kind of stuff somehow just flows out of me,” Gunn says. “I think we’re all happy with the final product, and we’re already looking forward.”
As for what’s next, Crimson Riot want to continue on with their exponential pace by doing the same things—writing music and playing shows. “We want to stay busy, and we’re doing just that. We’re already scouting locations for the second music video, and we’re making a lot of progress on the next release,” Reject says. The trio also wants to hit the road. “We want to do this seriously. We have an RV, so we can literally park anywhere and crash. We’re not kids packed tight in a stinky van anymore [laughs].”
‘Classy Punk for Trashy People’ is available this Friday, May 31, on CD and streaming/download platforms. Fans in Vegas can catch Crimson Riot live on the same day at Evel Pie with Year of the Fist and Venomous Pinks.
-Ian Caramanzana
Crimson Riot photos by Emily Matview
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