Album Notes

The Rikters are lucky to be alive.

Doug was hit by lightning. Riley had a building collapse underneath him. Owen once jumped from a moving train.

The band itself almost ceased to exist after losing a founding member back in 2007. Doug and Riley held auditions for weeks, failing to find a bassist who met their high standards. They were about to call it quits when Owen, who had moved to Chicago a week earlier, responded to their craigslist classified. Even then, Doug, despondent after too many disappointing auditions, told Owen not to bother showing up when he found out the recent NYC transplant didn't have his own car. Owen, after being told to man up by his girlfriend, called Doug back to say "you should really just hear me play." They did, and a little over a year later the reformed Rikters have written a ton of new material, purchased a van (the Beverly Crusher), played all over the midwest, and recorded their first full-length album, entitled, simply, "The Rikters."

Since their formation in 2004, The Rikters have garnered local praise for their previous two recorded efforts, as well as their rollicking live shows. Their first two EPs have enjoyed significant airplay on Chicagoland stations including Q101, WXRT, WLUW and WONC. Live, The Rikters have been regulars at stalwart Chicago venues like Metro, Schubas, The Double Door, Beat Kitchen, Empty Bottle, and Subterranean as well as shows all over the midwest. They have shared the stage with acts as varied as The Smoking Popes (Victory), Harvey Danger (Kill Rock Stars), The Whigs (ATO), Travis Morrison (Barsuk), The Aquabats (Nitro Records), The Color Fred (Equal Vision), White Light Riot (50 red), and many more. Every show they play wins The Rikters new, dedicated fans, and the local anticipation has already been building for their long-awaited, soon-to-be-released, full-length record. To quote The Deli -- Chicago, "this could be the project that finally takes the band to the next level."

Nothing would make The Rikters happier. . . music is what they live for.