Kevin Ridel
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| Kevin Ridel | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kevin Ridel |
| Born | December 6, 1969 (age 55) |
| Instrument(s) | vocals, bass, guitar, keyboard |
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Associated acts | Avant Garde The Truth AM Radio Ridel High |
Kevin Ridel (born December 6, 1969) is long-time collaborator and friend of Rivers Cuomo's. He is the former lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter for the now-defunct band AM Radio, who toured with Weezer in 2002. Cuomo served as a manager for this band for a time.
Biography
Ridel was the lead singer of Avant Garde (later Zoom), a progressive heavy metal band also featuring Rivers Cuomo, from 1985—1990. Ridel briefly fronted a Christian rock band called the Truth in 1991, for which Cuomo briefly performed as a live guitarist. Ridel was the lead singer and principal songwriter of the band Ridel High from 1995—1998 before forming AM Radio in 2001.
Ridel was the inspiration for the Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo song "I Admire You So Much." Ridel is a credited songwriter on the Weezer song "Sheila Can Do It" from Van Weezer, due to the hook's resemblance to the Ridel High song "Monsters Under Your Bed."[1]
A Riverpedia entry by Cuomo from September of 2020 describes Ridel thusly:
I've known him since my senior year of high school. 1987. He was the singer of my band in Connecticut, avant-garde. One of the guys I moved to LA with in 89. He drove a Camaro. I was scared to ride with him at first but he was a surprisingly slow and careful driver. We would cruise around looking for girls. The Manchester parkade. His dad was a very manly construction worker. But Kevin and his brother Eric had a very effeminate glam side. They would spend a long time looking in the mirror in the bathroom, applying hairspray. He was one of my early heroes as a songwriter. It is very naturally gifted, writing a song everyday and really enjoying the process. He's the first guy I knew who paid attention to pop music and noticed melodies and hooks.[2]
Discography
with Ridel High
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
| 1997 | Hi-Scores | Elektra |
| 1998 | Emotional Rollercoaster | Polydor Japan |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
| 1995 | "Mouthful of You" | Elektra |
| 1998 | "Ridel High" | Elektra |
| 1998 | "Self Destructive" | Elektra |
with AM Radio
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Label |
| 2003 | Radioactive | Elektra |
| 2007 | Reactive | Polydor Japan |
| 2009 | Bigger Better Bolder Brighter | Self-released |
| 2013 | Shine | Self-released |
Singles
| Year | Title | Label |
| 2003 | "Taken for a Ride" | Elektra |
| 2003 | "I Just Wanna Be Loved" | Elektra |
See also
References
- ↑ "Sheila Can Do It" Mister Rivers' Neighborhood. https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Sheila%20Can%20Do%20It
- ↑ "Kevin Ridel" Mister Rivers' Neighborhood. https://books-r-fun.herokuapp.com/wiki/Kevin%20Ridel