Crash Kings

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = group_or_band

| name = Crash Kings

| image = The Crash Kings.JPG

| caption = Crash Kings in 2015

| alt = Crash Kings being photographed with a red-orange store shutter behind them

| origin = Los Angeles, California, US

| genre = {{hlist|Alternative rock|indie rock|hard rock}}

| years_active = 2006–present

| label = {{hlist|Custard|Universal Motown|Universal Republic|Republic}}

| website =

| current_members =

Antonio Beliveau
Mike Beliveau
Tom Roslak

| past_members = Jason Morris

}}

Crash Kings is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2006. The members are vocalist–keyboardist Antonio "Tony" Beliveau, his brother, bassist Mike Beliveau, and drummer Tom Roslak. The band's debut album, Crash Kings, was released May 26, 2009, on Custard/Universal Motown. The first single, "Mountain Man", came out on U.S. modern rock radio stations in October and entered Billboard's Alternative Songs chart the following month. It reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative Radio charts in March 2010.{{Cite magazine|title=Chart Beat Wednesday: Crash Kings, Carrie Underwood, STP|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/958783/chart-beat-wednesday-crash-kings-carrie-underwood-stp|date=March 31, 2010|magazine=Billboard|access-date=May 5, 2020}} The band is known for using analog keyboards, such as the clavinet, with distortion effects and a whammy bar, in place of a typical lead guitar.{{Cite web|title=CRASH KINGS - WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A CLAVINET?!|url=https://substreammagazine.com/2013/08/sub-interview-crash-kings-what-in-the-world-is-a-clavinet/|last=Arsenault|first=Nici|date=August 26, 2013|website=Substream Magazine|access-date=May 5, 2020}}

History

Brothers Mike and Tony Beliveau grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, a suburban city north of Boston.{{cite web |title= 10 to Spin - Crash Kings| url=http://www.speakersincode.com/2013/08/10-to-spin-crash-kings.html | publisher=Speakers in Code|date=August 28, 2013| access-date=June 27, 2016}} Tony started playing piano by age six, and began to write music during middle school. After high school, he briefly studied jazz piano at the University of North Texas before deciding to return to Boston and ultimately attend the Berklee College of Music, where younger brother Mike was already a student. After Berklee and relocating to Los Angeles, Tony sent Mike (who had relocated to New York) some recorded tracks he had been working on. Impressed with the tracks and Tony's singing, Mike packed up and moved to LA a week later.{{cite web | title= Crash Kings: November 2012 Cover Story|url=http://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/crash-kings-november-2012-cover-story/ | publisher=Performer Magazine | date=November 1, 2012 | access-date=June 27, 2016}}

A few months after the band's formation, Crash Kings drew the attention of songwriter and record producer Linda Perry, who met with Tony and signed the group to her label, Custard Records.{{cite press release| publisher = Custard Records| title = Rocking Hard Without Guitars| url = http://custardrecords.com/publicity/crashkings/ck_bio.pdf| accessdate = November 18, 2009| archive-date = July 8, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708213634/http://custardrecords.com/publicity/crashkings/ck_bio.pdf| url-status = dead}}

After the band performed for Sylvia Rhone, president of Universal Music Group's Motown Records, Crash Kings were directed to Dave Sardy, who produced the band's eponymous debut album for Custard/Universal Motown.

Released on May 26, 2009,{{cite web |first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine |title=Crash Kings: Crash Kings > Review |url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1575232|pure_url=yes}} |publisher=Allmusic (Rovi Corporation) |accessdate=March 8, 2010}}

it reached number 30 on Billboard's U.S. Top Heatseekers albums chart.{{cite web| url = {{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1575232|pure_url=yes}}| title = Crash Kings - Charts & Awards - Billboard Albums| publisher = Allmusic (Rovi Corporation)| accessdate = November 18, 2009}}

The album's first single, "Mountain Man", entered the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in November and peaked at #1 on March 28, 2010.{{cite web| url = {{BillboardURLbyName|artist=crash kings|chart=all}}| title = Crash Kings Album & Song Chart History| publisher = Billboard (Nielsen Company)| accessdate = January 23, 2010}}

The band has toured with such artists as Chris Cornell,{{citation| date=September 13, 2009| last = Sadof| first = David| title = Chris Cornell and Crash Kings' Pianist Tony Beliveau Perform 'Imagine' on Conan O'Brien| publisher = Examiner.com (Clarity Digital Group)}}Anberlin,

Stone Temple Pilots,{{cite web| date=November 12, 2009| last = Ross| first = Mike| title = STP a Tribute Act to Themselves| url = http://www.edmontonsun.com/entertainment/music/2009/11/12/11718031-sun.html| publisher = Edmonton Sun (Sun Media Corporation)| accessdate = November 19, 2009}}David Cook,{{cite web| date=August 21, 2009| last = Grogan| first = Leigh| url = http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/ticket/archives/2009/08/idols-david-coo.html| title = Idol's David Cook Headlines Opening Night of Fair| publisher = The Sacramento Bee (The McClatchy Company)| accessdate = November 18, 2009}} Jet, The Bravery,{{cite web| date = October 19, 2009| url = http://www.avclub.com/austin/events/bravery-the-dustys-and-crash-kings,135375/| title = The Bravery, The Dustys, and Crash Kings at - Events| publisher = The A.V. Club (The Onion)| accessdate = November 18, 2009| archive-date = October 22, 2009| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091022164705/http://www.avclub.com/austin/events/bravery-the-dustys-and-crash-kings,135375/| url-status = dead}} Mason Jennings,{{cite web| date=August 12, 2009| url = http://hangout.altsounds.com/contests-and-competitions/110001-crash-kings-1-lucky-winner-contest.html| title = Crash Kings – 1 Lucky Winner Contest| publisher = Altsounds| accessdate = November 18, 2009}} and Rooney.{{cite web| date = November 20, 2009| url = http://indiependentmusic.blogspot.com/2009/11/crash-kings-rooney-tour-dates.html| title = Crash Kings, Rooney Tour Dates| publisher = IndependentMusic Blog| accessdate = December 17, 2009| archive-date = July 8, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708043139/http://indiependentmusic.blogspot.com/2009/11/crash-kings-rooney-tour-dates.html| url-status = dead}}

Crash Kings have since released a second album, titled Dark of the Daylight, raising funds for the project via the Kickstarter platform.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Band members

Antonio Beliveau – lead vocals, piano, clavinet, keyboards
Mike Beliveau – bass, backing vocals
Tom Roslak – drums, percussion

Discography

=Studio albums=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"\| Year ! rowspan="2"\| Album details ! colspan="1"\| Peak chart positions
style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="30"\| U.S. Heat
2009 \| align="left"\| Crash Kings {{small\|Release date: May 26, 2009}} {{small\|Label: Custard/Universal Motown}} \| 25
2013 \| align="left"\| Dark of the Daylight {{small\|Release date: June 18, 2013}} {{small\|Label: Custard/Universal Motown}} \|17

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album details

! colspan="1"| Peak chart positions

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="30"| U.S. Heat

2009

| align="left"| Crash Kings

{{small|Release date: May 26, 2009}}
{{small|Label: Custard/Universal Motown}}

| 25

2013

| align="left"| Dark of the Daylight

{{small|Release date: June 18, 2013}}
{{small|Label: Custard/Universal Motown}}

|17

=Singles=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"\| Year ! rowspan="2"\| Single ! colspan="6"\| Peak chart positions{{cite web \| title=Crash Kings Album & Song Chart History \| url={{BillboardURLbyName\|artist=crash kings\|chart=Billboard Canadian Hot 100}} \| publisher=Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) \| accessdate=March 25, 2010}} ! rowspan="2"\| Album
style="font-size:smaller;" ! width="30"\| U.S. Alt ! width="30"\| U.S. Main. Rock ! width="30"\| U.S. Rock ! width="30"\| CAN ! width="30"\| CAN Alt {{Cite web\|url=https://mediasource.proboards.com/thread/10896/canadian-active-alternative-charts\|title=Canadian Active/Alternative Charts \| Media Source\|website=Mediasource.proboards.com\|accessdate=April 2, 2020}} ! width="30"\| CAN Rock
2009 \| align="left"\| "Mountain Man" \| 1 \| 32 \| 13 \| 54 \| 2 \| 2 \| rowspan="3"\|Crash Kings
rowspan="2"\|2010 \| align="left"\| "You Got Me" \| 19 \| — \| 48 \| — \| — \| —
align="left"\| "Non-Believer" \| — \| — \| — \| — \| — \| —
rowspan="1"\|2013 \|align="left"\| "Hot Fire" \| — \| 30 \| — \| — \| — \| — \| Dark of the Daylight

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="6"| Peak chart positions{{cite web

| title=Crash Kings Album & Song Chart History

| url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=crash kings|chart=Billboard Canadian Hot 100}}

| publisher=Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.)

| accessdate=March 25, 2010}}

! rowspan="2"| Album

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="30"| U.S. Alt

! width="30"| U.S. Main.
Rock

! width="30"| U.S. Rock

! width="30"| CAN

! width="30"| CAN
Alt
{{Cite web|url=https://mediasource.proboards.com/thread/10896/canadian-active-alternative-charts|title=Canadian Active/Alternative Charts | Media Source|website=Mediasource.proboards.com|accessdate=April 2, 2020}}

! width="30"| CAN
Rock

2009

| align="left"| "Mountain Man"

| 1

| 32

| 13

| 54

| 2

| rowspan="3"|Crash Kings

rowspan="2"|2010

| align="left"| "You Got Me"

| 19