Pretty good insight here that I didn’t know about. All of those points make a lot of sense in retrospect.
This band had like four great songs, three of which are on this album. Never really had a shot at breaking through with that ratio.
Ehh...Simple Plan had like three good songs and they sold millions. I think it came down to promotion more than anything and MCA Records (maybe rightfully) put all their eggs in the Blink 182 basket.
Simple Plan songs are inherently more marketable than anything Fenix-TX ever did though. Deep down, though, these guys were just OK. I feel like the only reason they got a major label deal is because of Blink. That said, I dig this record a lot.
That's a fair assessment. But I'd say they were probably one of the more talented bands that never saw their full potential because they couldn't get on the same page, where other pop-punk bands of the time were perfectly fine with mediocrity.
This album is such a representation of a band becoming divided. I'm glad Will Salazar was able to take his melodic songwriting forward with Denver Harbor, but it pains me to this day that he's been mostly inactive as a songwriter and singer ever since. I always said Salazar would have been a great replacement for Tom Delonge when blink decided to move on without him.
I remember playing that song from the drive thru welcome to the family comp a ton. I loved that song!
I want this thread to continue forever. Has anyone heard their first EP and album as “Riverfenix?” I grew up around Houston and remember a local band called “O’Doyle Rules” (who are great btw) had a song called “Riverfenix” basically calling them sellouts.
I thought the lyric was... I used to like tossing off to her pool scene / Now I’m kissing TV screens / She’s the only star who’s touched my hard on,”
My band in high school performed a cover of “Threesome” at a breast cancer walk thing in the park in front of our parents and anyone else unfortunate enough to be within earshot of our PA. It didn’t really realize how weird that was until pretty recently.
Yea, I forgot to mention that. That was about 6 years ago. They did manage to release an EP since then.
That's true. And I think they had been working on it pre-stroke, but were able to tour for awhile before Will just kind of dropped off altogether and had the rest of the band finish up their shows with guest singers. There's not a ton of Will interviews from more recent years, but this one is surprisingly honest and depressing. I can't imagine touring with other people and not relating to them on any emotional level. The last thing I think he's done is an "IT" inspired song with Ice Nine Kills. Sucks that he just kind of stopped.
I watch this video at least once a year. I swear his voice has been pitch corrected in this because there's just no way... Lol
I remember when I met Will after a DH show I asked him, “How did you become such a good singer?” And he smiled and said “There is a special trick, let me tell you-“ then he got interrupted by someone and had to leave and I stood there like, “Wait what? What’s the secret!? Will?? Will!!!”
Someone from Chorus should reach out to Will for a 20th anniversary interview. Wonder if he would be game for it since Fenix TX just kind of disappeared.