Throwdown (band) Early years (1997-2002)
What was the band doing in 1997?
What was the band Throwdown doing in 1997?
Throwdown was formed in 1997 by vocalist Keith Barney, who would also be an active member of both Adamantium and Eighteen Visions, guitarists Tommy Love and Javier Van Huss, bassist Dom Macaluso, and drummer Marc Jackson. The group took on the title Throwdown as a "wry irony on their collective stature," at the time no band member being more than 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m). The band released their debut, self-titled 7-inch single that same year through Prime Directive Records. Van Huss left the band, and was replaced by Brandan Schieppati. After sign a recording contract with Indecision Records, the band released their first studio album Beyond Repair the following year. In 1999, Barney also relinquished his role in Death by Stereo to prioritise Throwdown. Schieppati left the band to concentrate full-time on his other band Bleeding Through, being replaced by Dave Peters. The following year, the new line-up released the Drive Me Dead EP. In 2001, Throwdown released their second studio album, You Don't Have to Be Blood to Be Family. They also recorded a tongue-in-cheek metalcore version of Sir Mix-a-Lot's hit single "Baby Got Back" for Radical Records' Too Legit for the Pit: Hardcore Takes the Rap compilation, which also featured Candiria, Stretch Arm Strong, and The Movielife. Allmusic reviewer Rick Anderson gave the album four and a half out of five stars, stating that Throwdown's version for the song was "absolutely hilarious". The idea of cover a hip hop song, was a collaboration between Macaluso and Love. Originally they wanted to cover House of Pain's "Jump Around". Then the band decided there was too much in the song, as they felt that hip hop songs are hard to cover. Peters said, "Sir Mix-a-Lot was easy and funny, and that's what we're all about, playing easy stuff and trying to be funny." The following year, Barney expressed a desire to switch to guitar (which he played in Eighteen Visions already) because he would often lose his voice on tour. Peters took over on vocals. Fill-in guitarist Matt Mentley would fill in whenever Barney had shows with Eighteen Visions. Lacking a permanent drummer after the departure of Jackson, 18V drummer Ken Floyd regularly filled in around this time as well. After that in 2002 Throwdown made their next cd Face the Mirror EP with no changes except for Ken Floyd on drums. CANNOTANSWER
Throwdown was formed in 1997
Throwdown is an American heavy metal band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1997, the band has endured numerous lineup changes to the point where no original members remain. Throwdown has toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground, Hellfest, and Warped Tour, as well as with bands such as In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Korn and Cavalera Conspiracy. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" were staples on MTV2's Headbangers Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta. Initially branded a hardcore punk band, albums like Venom and Tears and Deathless took a sharp turn towards metal, with critics likening the band's sound to that of Pantera and Sepultura. The band are straight edge.

History

Early years (1997–2002)
Throwdown was formed in 1997 by vocalist Keith Barney, an active member of both Adamantium and Eighteen Visions, guitarists Tommy Love and Javier Van Huss, bassist Dom Macaluso, and drummer Marc Jackson. The group took on the title Throwdown as a "wry irony on their collective stature", at the time no band member being more than . The band released their debut, self-titled 7-inch single that same year through Prime Directive Records. Van Huss left the band and was replaced by Brandan Schieppati. After signing a recording contract with Indecision Records, they released their first studio album Beyond Repair the following year. Schieppati was replaced by Dave Peters. The following year, the new line-up released the Drive Me Dead EP.

In 2001, Throwdown was scheduled to release a split 7" vinyl with Poison the Well through Surprise Attack Records. Instead, the band released their second studio album, You Don't Have to Be Blood to Be Family. Not long afterward, Jackson left the band, who, lacking a permanent replacement, recruited Barney's 18 Visions bandmate Ken Floyd to fill-in. Floyd appeared on their self-released 2002 EP Face the Mirror. The same year, Barney told the band he'd like to switch from vocals to guitar, as he would often lose his voice on tour, so Peters took over on vocals. Barney would often miss shows due to his commitments to 18 Visions; Matt Mentley was drafted to fill in for him.

Haymaker (2003–2004)
In 2003, Throwdown recorded and released Haymaker, featuring the Peters-penned straight-edge anthem "Forever", on Trustkill Records. The lineup was Peters on vocals, Macaluso on bass, Love & Barney on guitars, and session drummer Jarred Alexander. A tour with Hatebreed followed in support of the album's release. 

As Barney stayed busy with 18 Visions, Macaluso and Love started the band The Lost, who released an EP with Indecision very reminiscent of the group HIM. 

Mentley officially replaced Barney in 2004. The band played Japan, with a fill in drummer, and embarked on a short tour of Europe with new drummer Ben Dussault. Former drummer Jackson filled in for Love, on guitar. Peters, Mentley, Dussault, Macaluso, and Love spent the summer of 2004 on Ozzfest's second stage.

Vendetta (2005–2006)
Throwdown spent the early part of the year recording Vendetta, made at Planet Z Studios with producer Zeuss. Mark Choiniere joined the band shortly before the album was recorded, although he does not appear in the music video for "Burn". Peters, Dussault, Choiniere, Mentley and Macaluso hit the inaugural Sounds of the Underground tour that summer. 

In the fall, they headlined a US tour sponsored by To Die for Clothing with Sinai Beach as support. Following this tour, Macaluso, the band's only remaining original member, exited Throwdown. Mentley switched to bass, with Mark Choiniere covering all guitar duties in the live setting. Throwdown has remained a four-piece ever since.

Venom & Tears (2007–2008)

Throwdown recorded Venom & Tears with producer Mudrock in Los Angeles. 

They spent the summer headlining the Ernie Ball stage on the Vans Warped Tour. After the tour, they filmed a video for "Holy Roller" with director Andy Reale. In the fall, they supported Machine Head on a US tour. Mentley left the band afterward. His replacement, Mark Mitchell, made his live debut in South America in December. Mitchell had previously been the vocalist in the straight edge, vegan metalcore band Culture in the mid-1990s and had also played guitar in Until the End and Red Roses for a Blue Lady.

In March 2008, Throwdown announced that they had fulfilled their contractual obligations and were no longer signed to Trustkill Records. In December 2008, the band signed to Koch Records and began working on their sixth album. In the same announcement, it was stated that Jarrod Alexander, who worked with the band on Haymaker, would return for the new album.

Deathless (2009–2013)
In February 2009, the band played at the second annual MusInk festival in Orange County, supporting Danzig and The Used.

In the Spring, Throwdown began recording with Mudrock (who previously recorded Venom & Tears) in Los Angeles. The new album featured Peters, Choiniere, Mitchell, and session drummer Alexander. The album was mixed by Zeuss, who had produced and mixed Vendetta. 

They spent September and October touring Europe with Chimaira and Unearth, with Living Sacrifice drummer Lance Garvin behind the kit. 

On November 10, 2009, Throwdown released Deathless in North America via Koch (now called eOne). 

In November and December, they headlined the Deathless Tour across America, with support from Bury Your Dead, For Today, ABACABB, and The World We Knew, again with the lineup of Peters, Choiniere, Mitchell, and Garvin. 

In December, the band announced they would join Five Finger Death Punch and Shadows Fall on a lengthy U.S. tour set for January and February 2010. However, without a permanent replacement for Dussault, Choiniere opted to bow out of Throwdown roughly two weeks before the start of the tour. Throwdown dropped out of the tour and was replaced on the bill by the band God Forbid. 

Deathless was released in Europe on January 25, 2010, via Nuclear Blast Records.

In October 2011, Throwdown headlined a short West Coast trek dubbed "Brawloween". The lineup was Peters and Mitchell with Demon Hunter drummer Tim "Yogi" Watts and then-Bleeding Through guitarist Dave Nassie filling in. Support for the shows included Carnifex, First Blood, and Suffokate.

Intolerance & Take Cover (2014–present)

After a long period of inactivity, Throwdown released a new album, Intolerance, on January 21, 2014, via eOne Music. It was produced by Peters with Davey Worsop and mixed/mastered by Zeuss. Peters performed everything on the album, save for drums (handled by longtime session player Alexander) and guitar solos, which were tracked by Nassie. Since the release of Intolerance, the band has made only two live appearances: at Canada's Amnesia Rockfest in 2014 and Belgium's Groezrock festival in 2015. Both shows featured Dave Peters on vocals and the return of bassist Matt Mentley, with Alexander and Nassie filling in. 

In April 2020, Throwdown released a surprise EP, Take Cover, collecting five cover songs from over the years. The EP was issued by the band's own label, Pit Viper Records. Throwdown's Trustkill-era albums are now on all digital services via Pit Viper Records, as well.

Members

Current
 Dave Peters – lead vocals (2002–present); guitar (1999–2002)
 Matt Mentley – bass (2005–2007, 2014–present); guitar (2004–2005); touring guitar (2001–2004)

Touring
 Nick Jett – drums (2003)
 Lance Garvin – drums (2009–2011)
 Timothy "Yogi" Watts – drums (2011)
 Dave Nassie – guitar (2011–2015)
 Jarrod Alexander – drums, percussion (2014–2015)

Former
 Tommy Love – guitar (1997–2004)
 Dom Macaluso – bass (1997–2005)
 Keith Barney – lead vocals (1997–2002); guitar (2002–2004)
 Javier Van Huss – guitar (1998)
 Marc Jackson – drums, percussion (1998–2002); guitar (2004)
 Brandan Schieppati – guitar (1998–1999)
 Ken Floyd – drums (2002)
 Ben Dussault – drums, percussion (2004–2008)
 Mark Choiniere – guitar (2005–2011)
 Mark Mitchell – bass (2007–2014)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums 
 Beyond Repair (1999)
 You Don't Have to Be Blood to Be Family (2001)
 Haymaker (2003)
 Vendetta (2005)
 Venom & Tears (2007)
 Deathless (2009)
 Intolerance (2014)

Extended plays
 Throwdown (1998)
 Drive Me Dead (2000)
 Throwdown / Good Clean Fun (2001)
 Face the Mirror (2002)
 Americana / Planets Collide (2007)
 Covered with Venom (2007)
 Take Cover (2020)

Videos
 Together. Forever. United. (2004)

Music videos
 "Forever" (2004), directed by Chris Sims
 "Burn" (2005), directed by Chris Sims
 "Holy Roller" (2007), directed by Andy Reale
 "The Scythe" (2010), directed by Cale Glendening
 "This Continuum" (2010), directed by Cale Glendening
 "Tombs" (2010), directed by Cale Glendening
 "The Blinding Light" (2010), directed by Cale Glendening

References

External links

Throwdown - Beyond Repair (Indecision Records, 1999)

American metalcore musical groups
American groove metal musical groups
Musical groups from Orange County, California
Straight edge groups
Musical groups established in 1997
MNRK Music Group artists
Heavy metal musical groups from California
Musical quartets
Trustkill Records artists
Keep Doing What You're Doing is the second studio album by Floridian emo band, You Blew It! The album was released through Topshelf Records on January 14, 2014. It was the band's first album to chart, charting on the Billboard 200, Independent Albums and Top Heatseekers. In April and May, the group supported The Early November on their tour of the UK and Europe. In September and October, the band supported Citizen on their headlining US tour. In October and November 2015, the group supported The Wonder Years on their headlining US tour.

Critical reception

Keep Doing What You're Doing has received positive reviews from music critics.

Track listing

Chart positions

Accolades

References 

2014 albums
You Blew It! albums
Topshelf Records albums "What You're Doing" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their album Beatles for Sale, released in December 1964. It was written by Paul McCartney, although credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song was one of eight original compositions on Beatles for Sale. In North America, where Capitol Records typically altered the content of the band's albums, "What You're Doing" instead appeared on the 1965 US release Beatles VI.

Composition
"What You're Doing" was written by McCartney in Atlantic City on 30 August 1964, shortly following the end of the Beatles' 1964 world tour. Throughout the song, McCartney adds to the rhyme scheme by combining a single, two-syllable word with two one-syllable words (i.e. "Look what you're doing, I'm feeling blue and lonely... You got me runnin''', and there's no fun in it"). He used the same technique on "She's a Woman", which was also recorded during the Beatles for Sale sessions. Inspired by   his often turbulent relationship with girlfriend Jane Asher, McCartney has gone on record as not liking "What You're Doing", regarding it as "filler".

The track features a guitar riff played by George Harrison on his Rickenbacker 12-string electric guitar. The sound was influential on the Byrds, who crafted their sound partly on the Beatles' use of the Rickenbacker, and Harrison in turn adopted influences from the Byrds in his 1965 song "If I Needed Someone".

Recording
The Beatles attempted to record the song on 29 September 1964, but only the basic rhythm track was taped over seven takes (with take seven being deemed the best). A day later, after finishing the recording of "Every Little Thing", the group recorded five more takes, with take 11 being deemed the "best;" Lewisohn notes that at this point, the song differed from the final version in that "its breaks between choruses were less tight, the middle eight instrumental break was performed an octave above the vocals and it had a 1 & 1/2 second pause preceding a reprise instrumental coda." The group remade the song into its final form on 26 October, immediately after completing work on the Carl Perkins-cover "Honey Don't". It was the last song to be completed for Beatles for Sale.

Sampling
The song was sampled to create a medley, along with "Drive My Car" and "The Word", on the band's 2006 remix album Love''. "What You're Doing" shares a number of characteristics with (the also predominantly McCartney-written) "Drive My Car", particularly the home key (D major), meter (4/4), and chord progression (alternating between B minor and G major).

Personnel
According to Ian MacDonald:

Paul McCartneylead vocal, bass
John Lennonharmony vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
George Harrisonharmony vocal, twelve-string lead guitar
Ringo Starrdrums
George Martinpiano

References

Sources

External links
 

1964 songs
The Beatles songs
Songs written by Lennon–McCartney
Song recordings produced by George Martin
Songs published by Northern Songs
Jangle pop songs