Counterfit
Counterfit was an American rock band from Fairfield County, Connecticut formed in September 1999 and disbanded in November 2004. They released two EPs and one album on San Diego label Alphabet Records and San Francisco-based Negative Progression Records. Over the band's lifespan, they toured the United States extensively. Their music is best described as fitting into the indie rock, post-hardcore, and emo genres.
Counterfit | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Fairfield County, Connecticut |
| Genres | Post punk Progressive rock Post-hardcore Emo |
| Years active | 1999–2004 |
| Labels | Alphabet Records Negative Progression Records |
| Associated acts | First Wave Hello Helen Earth Band First Aid Kit |
| Website | counterfit.net |
| Past members | Adam Allen Marc Allen James Dennis Justin Rodriguez Daniel Reed |
Band history
Formation
Counterfit formed in September 1999 in Fairfield County, Connecticut, but soon relocated to San Diego, California to pursue a career in music. The band's lineup at this time consisted of Justin Rodriguez on bass guitar and lead vocals, Adam Allen and James Dennis on guitars, and Allen's brother Marc Allen on drums. The band's first EP, On the Downside, was released in 2000 on local label Alphabet Records. Shortly after its release Dennis left the band to attend college, and Daniel Reed was brought in to fill the vacant guitar position.
Album and tours
Their second EP, From Finish to Starting Line, was released the following year on Negative Progression Records. That summer the band played on the 2001 Warped Tour. Their first full-length album, Super Amusement Machine for Your Exciting Heart, followed in 2002, along with a second stint on that year's Warped Tour. On these tours Counterfit played alongside such bands as Tsunami Bomb, Saves the Day, Hot Rod Circuit, New Found Glory, Superdrag, The Mars Volta, Recover, and Finch.
Disbanding
In November 2004 the group decided to disband, and played their last show on December 11, 2004 at Ground Zero in El Cajon with the band Noise Ratchet, who were also playing their final show. Reed went on to play in First Wave Hello and Sayvinyl, while the Allen brothers launched their own project the Helen Earth Band. Marc Allen also joined Finch, drumming for them until the group's indefinite hiatus in 2006. In the winter of 2006 Rodriguez began recording and performing under the name Silverbird. A posthumous DVD/CD package of Counterfit material was released in 2007 entitled Managing the Details of an Undertaking. The DVD includes a documentary of their final tour, the entire farewell performance, and additional content. The CD portion includes rare and unreleased songs including demos and live recordings.
Band members
- Adam Allen - guitar, backing vocals (1999–2004)
- Marc Allen - drums, backing vocals (1999–2004)
- James Dennis - guitar, backing vocals (1999–2000)
- Justin Rodriguez - bass guitar, lead vocals (1999–2004)
- Daniel Reed - guitar, backing vocals (2000–2004)
Discography
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Super Amusement Machine for Your Exciting Heart | Negative Progression Records | CD/LP | Only album. LP version released in 2003 with different track order. |
EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | On the Downside | Alphabet Records | EP | First EP, consisting of 5 demo songs. |
| 2001 | From Finish to Starting Line | Negative Progression Records | EP | |
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Label | Format | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Managing the Details of an Undertaking | One Bad Landing Records | CD/DVD | Posthumous compilation of rare and unreleased material. DVD includes documentary of the band's final tour, their entire final performance, the "Better Late Than Never" music video, and additional live footage. |
Non-album tracks
| Year | Album/Source | Label | Song(s) | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Playing 4 Square 2 | Negative Progression Records | "This Dance" | Demo version, differs from album version. |
| 2003 | Bad Scene, Everyone's Fault: Jawbreaker Tribute | Dying Wish Records | "Million" (originally performed by Jawbreaker) | Tribute CD to the 1990s San Francisco band Jawbreaker. |
Videography
Music videos
| Year | Title | Album | Other information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Better Late Than Never" | Super Amusement Machine for Your Exciting Heart | Directed by Anne Montalvo. |
