THE HI-RISERS
(formerly the Essentials/Salamanders)
HAVE BEEN ENTERTAINING ROCHESTER AUDIENCES FOR YEARS WITH THEIR UNIQUE MIX OF ROOTS ROCK 'N' ROLL, ROCK-A-BILLY, SOUL, R & B, COUNTRY, SURF, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS TO STRIKE THEIR FANCY. THIS TRIO CONSISTING OF BASSIST TODD BRADLEY, DRUMMER CHRIS EARL AND GUITARIST GREG TOWNSON, BEGAN PLAYING TOGETHER IN 1985 AS THE ESSENTIALS. THEIR ONLY LP UNDER THAT MONIKER, "GAS MONEY" WAS RELEASED IN 1990 ON THEIR OWN LABEL. IN 1992 (DUE TO LEGALITIES WITH THE NAME "ESSENTIALS" )THEY CHANGED THEIR NAME TO THE SALAMANDERS AND RELEASED THE CD "LIVESTOCK IN THE LIVING ROOM" ON THE ITCHIBAN LABEL. THE CD WAS PRODUCED BY LOU WHITNEY AND D. CLINTON THOMPSON OF THE SKELETONS, AND INCLUDES A GREAT MIX OF POP, R&B, COUNTRY, INSTRUMENTAL, AND GOOD OL' ROCK 'N' ROLL. THE SALAMANDERS ALSO RELEASED 2 SINGLES [IN '94, AND AGAIN IN '95] ON DRUMMER CHRIS EARL'S "ROCKET RACKET" LABEL. THE SALAMANDERS DISBANDED IN 1995 WITH EX-MEMEBERS GOING ON TO PROJECTS WITH JOHN ELLISON, THE SQUIRES OF THE SUBTERRAIN, THE SUNNYSIDE UP'S AND THE RIVIERA PLAYBOYS AMONG OTHERS, IN 1998 GREG, TODD AND CHRIS BEGAN RECORDING AND PERFORMING AS THE HI-RISERS. IN 1999, JIM SYMONDS TOOK OVER ON DRUMS, AND IS FEATURED ON THEIR 1ST TWO CD'S: "PANIC" AND "IN THE SPOTLIGHT". JIM LEFT THE GROUP IN 2002 AND WAS REPLACED BY JASON SMAY, WHO IS FEATURED ON THEIR 3RD CD "LOST WEEKEND" ON THE SPINOUT LABEL. IN 2004, THEY PERFORMED THE TITLE TRACK ON THE "WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' COM-PILE-ATION" ON GARAGE-POP RECORDS.
DISCOGRAPHY
The Hi-Risers
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | WLS chart* |
| 1999 | "I GOT IT MADE" ('FLOWER CITY POP' COMPILATION) | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 1 |
| 2000 | "GEAR BUSTIN' SORT OF A FELLER" ('GARAGE-POP ROCK 'N' ROLL' COMPILATION) | GARAGE-POP | CD | 1 |
| 10/00 | PANIC! | 2-BIT | CD | 1 |
| 11/01 | IN THE SPOTLIGHT! | SPINOUT | CD | 1 |
| 12/03 | LOST WEEKEND | SPINOUT | CD | 1 |
| 2/04 | "WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN" ("WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN" COM-PILE-ATION) | GARAGE-POP | CD | 1 |
| 12/04 | THAT ROCK 'N' ROLL BEAT | SPINOUT | CD | 1 |
| 6/05 | ROCKIN' SPREE | 2-BIT | CD | 5 |
The Salamanders
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1995 | "LORETTA" B/W "VAUDEVILLE COUPLE" | ROCKET RACKET | 45 RPM | 9 |
| 1994 | "ALL RUSTED OUT" B/W "SAD,SAD,SAD" | ROCKET RACKET | 45 RPM | 6 |
| 1992 | "LIVESTOCK IN THE LIVING ROOM" | ITCHIBAN | CD | --- |
The Essentials
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1990 | "GAS MONEY" | EARRING | LP | --- |
RELATED PROJECTS:
THE SQUIRES OF THE SUBTERRAIN (Christopher Earl)
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1990 | SHELL BEACH | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1990 | ROYAL SLUMBER | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1991 | COWBOYS & INDIANS | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1992 | ELECTRIC BLANKET | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1992 | ADMIRAL ALBERT'S APPARITION | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1992 | LIVE ON THE RADIO-89.7-FM WITR | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1993 | LIQUID SUN DAYS | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | ---- |
| 1994 | SUPER-PLEXI AUTOMATIC | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | 14 |
| 1995 | HELLO, GOOD MORNING | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | 16 |
| 1997 | SCRAPBOOK | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | 18 |
| 1999 | POP IN A CD | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 6 |
| 1999 | "SWEATER" ('FLOWER CITY POP' COMPILATION) | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 1 |
| 2000 | SHARON'S RENDEZVOUS ('GARAGE-POP ROCK 'N' ROLL' COMPILATION) | GARAGE-POP | CD | 1 |
| 2000 | TOO YOUNG TO ROCK 'N' ROLL ('MEN IN PLAID: A TRIBUTE TO THE BATY CITY ROLLERS' COMPILATION) | BULLSEYE | CD | ----- |
| 10/02 | BIG BOY PETE TREATS | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 1 |
| 5/03 | IN THE SUNLIGHT (3 SONG CD) | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 6 |
| 9/03 | STRAWBERRIES ON SUNDAY | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 2 |
| 2/04 | "SWEET" ("WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN" COM-PILE-ATION) | GARAGE-POP | CD | 1 |
| 6/04 | SUGAR KICK | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 1 |
| 10/05 | LEMON MALARKEY | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 7 |
THE ROSEY BEATS (Todd Bradley, Christopher Earl)
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1996 | LIFE IS ROSEY | ROCKET RACKET | CASSETTE | 6 |
THE SUNNYSIDE UP'S (Christopher Earl)
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1998 | "CHARLIE CHAN SAYS" B/W "CANDY APPLE RED " | ROCKET RACKET | 45 RPM | 16 |
| 1999 | "BOP DE DAH"('FLOWER CITY POP' COMPILATION) | ROCKET RACKET | CD | 1 |
WOOF! (THE SALAMANDERS)
| YEAR | TITLE | LABEL | FORMAT | CHARTS* |
| 1993? | WOOF! PROUDLY PRESENTS....RED BEARD:THE TRUCK DRIVIN' MAN | NO LABEL | CASSETTE | ---- |
*-89.7 WITR-FM "WHOLE LOTTA' SHAKIN'" CHARTS.