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Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Los Alamitos, California. Formed in December 1991, the group originally consisted of vocalist Ben Guzman, guitarists Aaron Barrett and Lisa Smith, bassist Matt Wong, keyboardist Zach Gilltrap and drummer Andrew Gonzales. The group's current lineup features Barrett, who took over as lead vocalist in 1993, alongside trombonist Dan Regan (who first joined in 1994), trumpeter John Christianson (since 2004), bassist Derek Gibbs (since 2007), saxophonist Matt Appleton (since 2011) and drummer Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen (since 2014).

History

Reel Big Fish was formed as a hard rock outfit in December 1991. The original lineup featured Ben Guzman, Aaron Barrett, Lisa Smith, Matt Wong, Zach Gilltrap and Andrew Gonzales, who released the band's first self-titled demo tape (known as In the Good Old Days...) in 1992. By the following year, Barrett had taken over on lead vocals and decided to pursue a ska direction for the group, which was now a three-piece comprising himself, Wong and Gonzales. For their second self-titled demo (known as Return of the Mullet), the trio employed the services of trumpeter Eric Vismantas and saxophonist Stephan Reed.

By 1994, the band had added Tavis Werts on trumpet, Dan Regan on trombone and Adam Polakoff on saxophone, who released Buy This! that year. By the time the group recorded its debut full-length album Everything Sucks, Robert Quimby had joined as a second trombonist. Quimby and Polakoff left before Turn the Radio Off, on which second trumpeter Scott Klopfenstein and new trombonist Grant Barry debuted. During the tour in promotion of 1998's Why Do They Rock So Hard?, Gonzales left in February 1999 to "pursue other interests and spend more time at home". He was followed the next month by Barry, who was dismissed for "personal differences".

With new drummer Carlos de la Garza, Reel Big Fish recorded much of Cheer Up! during 2000, before Werts quit in October 2001 and recording was completed by Tyler Jones, who took over his position the next month. In the summer of 2003, de la Garza was replaced by Justin Ferreira, a bandmate of Barrett's in the Forces of Evil. Another member of the Forces of Evil, trumpeter John Christianson, replaced Jones following his departure in September 2004. In 2005 the band released We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy, before Ferreira left in early 2005 and was replaced by Ryland Steen. Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free followed in July 2007.

In June 2007, founding member Matt Wong announced his departure from the band in order to "settle down and be a family man"; he was replaced by the Forces of Evil bassist Derek Gibbs. The new lineup released Fame, Fortune and Fornication in 2009, followed by A Best of Us... for the Rest of Us and Skacoustic in 2010. In January 2011, long-term trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Klopfenstein left the group for a similar reason as Wong, stating that he wanted to "dedicate his life to raising a family". John Christianson subsequently became the band's sole trumpeter, as Klopfenstein was replaced by Goldfinger touring saxophonist Matt Appleton.

After the release of Candy Coated Fury in 2012, another long-term horn player, trombonist Dan Regan, left the band in October 2013 to focus on life with his family. He was replaced by Billy Kottage. In the summer of 2014, Steen left to tour with America and was replaced by Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen. This lineup released one album, Life Sucks... Let's Dance! in 2018, before Kottage left the band and was replaced in the summer of 2019 by touring musician Brian Robertson of Suburban Legends. The band went on hiatus in 2020 and has not returned to live performing since. In July 2024, Ice Nine Kills released a cover of "Walking On Sunshine" in collaboration with Reel Big Fish, featuring Dan Regan as a credited band member for the first time since 2013.

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Aaron Barrett	1991–present	vocals (lead since 1993) guitar keyboards	all Reel Big Fish releases
	Dan Regan	1994–2013 2024–present	trombone backing vocals	all releases from Buy This! (1994) to Candy Coated Fury (2012), and from "Walking On Sunshine" (2024) in collaboration with Ice Nine Kills
	John Christianson	2004–present	trumpet backing vocals	all releases from We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (2005) onwards
	Derek Gibbs	2007–present	bass backing vocals	all releases from Fame, Fortune and Fornication (2009) onwards
	Matt Appleton	2011–present	saxophone keyboards backing and additional lead vocals	Candy Coated Fury (2012) Happy Skalidays (2014) Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018)
	Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen	2014–present	drums percussion	Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018)

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Matt Wong	1991–2007	bass backing vocals	all releases from Reel Big Fish (1992) to Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (2007)
	Andrew Gonzales	1991–1999	drums percussion	all releases from Reel Big Fish (1992) to Sold Out E.P. (2002)
	Ben Guzman	1991–1993	lead vocals	Reel Big Fish (1992)
	Lisa Smith		rhythm guitar
	Zach Gilltrap		keyboards synthesizers programming
	Eric Vismantas	1992–1994	trumpet	Reel Big Fish (1994)
	Stephan Reed	1993–1994	saxophone
	Tavis Werts	1994–2001	trumpet flugelhorn	all releases from Buy This! (1994) to Cheer Up! (2002)
	Adam Polakoff	1994–1995	saxophone	Buy This! (1994) Everything Sucks (1995) Keep Your Receipt (1997)
	Robert Quimby		trombone	Everything Sucks (1995) Keep Your Receipt (1997)
	Scott Klopfenstein	1995–2011	trumpet rhythm guitar keyboards backing and additional lead vocals	all releases from Turn the Radio Off (1996) to Skacoustic (2010)
	Grant Barry	1995–1999	trombone backing vocals	all releases from Turn the Radio Off (1996) to Sold Out E.P. (2002)
	Carlos de la Garza	1999–2003	drums percussion	Sold Out E.P. (2002) Cheer Up! (2002) Live at the House of Blues (2003)
	Tyler Jones	2001–2004 (died 2020)	trumpet	Cheer Up! (2002) Live at the House of Blues (2003)
	Justin Ferreira	2003–2005	drums percussion	We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (2005)
	Ryland Steen	2005–2014	drums percussion backing vocals	all releases from Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album (2006) to Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018)
	Billy Kottage	2013–2019	trombone keyboards backing vocals	Happy Skalidays (2014) Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018)

Touring

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Notes
	James Valentine	2000 2001	lead guitar	Valentine took over guitar duties when Barrett injured his hand in 2000, and again in 2001 when Barrett fell down the stairs.
	Chris Rhodes	2002	trombone	Rhodes played on the 2002 Warped Tour.
	Michael Soprano	2008		Soprano played on the 2008 Warped Tour.
	Brian Robertson	2019–2020		Robertson played trombone following the departure of Billy Kottage.

Timeline

Lineups

References

1. "Interview with Reel Big Fish". Outline. April 25, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
2. Reel Big Fish (Media notes). Reel Big Fish. 1992. Retrieved July 7, 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
3. Sculley, Alan (September 3, 1999). "Reel Big Fish finds it's having a hard time going against the flow". The Morning Call. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
4. Reel Big Fish (Media notes). Reel Big Fish. 1994. Retrieved July 7, 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
5. Buy This! (Media notes). Reel Big Fish. 1994. Retrieved July 7, 2021.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
6. Greene, Jo-Ann. "Everything Sucks - Reel Big Fish: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
7. Watkin, Pauline (November 23, 1996). "CD Review: Reel Big Fish, "Turn the Radio Off"". Drop-D. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
8. Wener, Ben (January 29, 1999). "Drummer Quits Reel Big Fish". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
9. "Boston Ska Update March 4". Google Groups. March 4, 1999. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
10. "Reel Big Fish News". Reel Big Fish. Archived from the original on June 7, 2002. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
11. Jankowski, Elyse (April 30, 2017). "Interview: Reel Big Fish – Summer 2003". Stars and Scars. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
12. "Tyler quits RBF". Punktastic. September 13, 2004. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
13. Kornelis, Chris (July 29, 2005). "Portrait Of A Real Reel Big Fish Fan AND A Reel Big Fish". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
14. Wolgamott, L. Kent (January 16, 2014). "Ska hooks and lines". Boulder Weekly. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
15. Apar, Corey. "Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free - Reel Big Fish: Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
16. "Matt Wong leaves Reel Big Fish". Punknews.org. June 28, 2007. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
17. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Reel Big Fish: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
18. "Scott Klopfenstein leaves Reel Big Fish". Punknews.org. January 11, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
19. Mindicino, Nick (February 1, 2011). "Reel Big Fish Loses Trumpet Player/Vocalist". Daily Trojan. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
20. Mondine, Dave (October 22, 2013). "Dan Regan of Reel Big Fish Retires". Pittsburgh Music Magazine. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
21. Althoff, Eric (January 31, 2016). "Reel Big Fish trombonist Billy Kottage says he loves the lifestyle of a touring ska musician". The Washington Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
22. "Reel Big Fish: Interview with Aaron". Stencil Mag. March 30, 2015. p. 103. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
23. Strauss, Ari (July 1, 2019). "Snapshots: Reel Big Fish @ The Fillmore Silver Spring — 6/25/19". Parklife DC. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
24. "ICE NINE KILLS x REEL BIG FISH - Walking On Sunshine (Official Music Video)". Youtube.com. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
25. ReelBigFishVIDEOS (March 27, 2022). Reel Big Fish Feat. James Valentine of Maroon 5 on Guitar. Retrieved September 3, 2024 – via YouTube.
26. Bormann, Vanessa (August 13, 2001). "Reel Big Fish". Ink 19. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
27. ReelBigFishVIDEOS (April 20, 2016). Reel Big Fish - Warped Tour 2002 “I Want Your Girlfriend” (pro filmed). Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via YouTube.
28. musick123 (August 22, 2008). Reel Big Fish - Beer & Take On Me Live - Warped Tour 2008 - L.A. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via YouTube.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
29. iHeartRadio Honolulu (December 10, 2019). Reel Big Fish Live. Retrieved September 5, 2024 – via YouTube.

External links

• Reel Big Fish official website

• Lists of members by band