RINGSIDE



By Jim Nelson, A Taste Of Triple A

The Album
Ringside

The Track
"Tired Of Being Sorry"

The Label
Flawless/Geffen

Native
San Francisco Bay Area

Liner Notes
“My name is Scott Thomas. I drink too much, swear too often, and rock back and forth to the annoyance of everybody,” the Ringside frontman candidly writes in the duo’s bio. “I am a real softie. I am a 13-year-old girl, trapped in a thick-bearded, skinny-legged, street fightin’ man.”

Having been a devoted follower of his music and off-and-on acquaintance of Scott’s for nearly a decade, there are so many ways I could have launched into this write-up on Ringside, but frankly none of them would have been nearly as exquisite as Scott’s own words. Then again, many of you reading this have at least met Scott through one of his three solo recordings, so perhaps his forthright admission comes as no surprise to you. At any rate, what Scott left out is that he also happens to be a top shelf, splendid songwriter whose music should far overshadow his drinking, swearing, teenage-girl-ness or the fact that he once accidentally burned down part of his neighborhood (another story for another time). Anyone who owns his 1996 release, Shine Like You, or his 2003 CD, Lovers And Thieves, can count themselves among his true fans, but most of the format should still be familiar with his masterful California CD, though it’s been seven years now since “Black Valentine” and “Sad Girl” graced the Triple A airwaves as currents.

Okay, enough about Scott Thomas’s solo career because this is about Ringside and their new self-titled CD.

Ringside is Thomas on guitar, bass, vocals and keys and actor Balthazar Getty (Lord Of The Flies, Natural Born Killers, Lost Highway) on drum beats and something known as an SP 1200. Basically, it’s Scott’s songs and Balthazar’s beats. And therein lies the fundamental difference between Ringside and Scott Thomas: Balt’s beats. Where Thomas has typically been firmly rooted in the organic, California sound, Getty’s loops and samples turn Thomas’s songs into something quite different, which is especially noticeable on the two tracks (“Miss You” and “Criminal”) which have been floating around Scott’s catalogue for some time; “Miss You” was previously released by Scott on Lovers And Thieves, while “Criminal” was demoed with an erstwhile band called Torino that Thomas dabbled with briefly.

Scott Thomas and Balthazar Getty have been friends (and roommates for a while) since Thomas moved down to LA from the Bay Area, many years before any of us ever heard “Black Valentine.” While Scott tried the solo route and Getty made movies, they remained friends but never gave any serious thought to making music together. The only reason that Ringside even exists is that while Scott was getting ready to hock everything and make his follow-up to Lovers And Thieves, he and Getty would noodle around in Scott’s San Fernando Valley basement. Friends told the duo they ought to do something with their music, and so they did. Anyone who knows Scott’s music would find the irony in the fact that Ringside was signed to Flawless/Geffen Records by Interscope SR. VP A&R Fred Durst (better known as the frontman for hard rockers Limp Bizkit). Thomas and Getty produced and recorded the CD by themselves in Scott’s basement, and as of this writing “Tired Of Being Sorry” (originally known as “Spanishfaster”) is a Top 25 song at Triple A radio. If you dig that song, be sure and check out “Miss You,” “Criminal,” “Struggle” and “Talk To Me.” 

Site
www.ringsideband.com

On
WFUV Bronx-New York
WBOS Boston
WXRV (The River) Haverhill/Boston/Portsmouth-Dover-Rochester NH
WTMD Towson-Baltimore
KTCZ (Cities 97) Minneapolis
WZGC (Dave FM) Atlanta
WDET Detroit
WGVX (Drive 105) Minneapolis
KINK Portland
KENZ (The End) Salt Lake City
WNCS Burlington
WCLZ Portland
WRNX Springfield
WCBE Columbus
WFPK Louisville
WMMM (Triple M) Madison
WRLT Nashville
WDOD Chattanoga
DMX
Sirius
KTBG (The Bridge) Kansas City
KCLC St. Louis
WQKL Ann Arbor
WOKI (The River) Knoxville
KWMT (The Mountain) Tucson
KSPN Aspen
KFMU Steamboat Springs
KTHX (The X) Reno
KMTN (The Mountain) Jackson WY
KTAO Taos
KRVI (The River) Boise
WEHM The Hamptons
WBJB Lincroft-Monmouth NJ
WDST Woodstock
WEBK (The Peak) Killington VT
WMWV Conway NH

Quote
"Ringside has made a very unique-sounding record, and 'Tired of Being Sorry' definitely stands out on our air. Reaction has been very solid, and the song really grows on people after a couple of listens. Personally, I'm a fan."
—David Ginsburg, MD, WBOS Boston
 
Retail
Ringside is in stores.

Tour
4/27 Seattle, Moore Theater
4/29 San Francisco, Warfield
5/3 Minneapolis, First Avenue
5/4 Chicago, Avalon Ballroom

Contact
James Evan, Geffen Records