Fake ID
OriginRaynham, Massachusetts, United States
GenresPop Punk
Years active1998–2003
LabelsHigh Score Records
Past membersMartin Johnson
Paul DiGiovanni
Bryan Donahue
John Keefe

Fake ID was an American pop punk band from Raynham, Massachusetts, that formed in 1998, and is best known for its line up consisting of vocalist Ben Potrykus, guitarist Nick Herrick, guitarist Brent Mulligan, bassist John McSweeney, and Brent's younger brother Sean Mulligan on drums.

History

edit

Early Years

edit

Fake ID started as a three piece band, under the name Yellow5 playing music heavily influenced by Blink 182, with Brent Mulligan and Mcsweeney sharing singing duties and Brent playing the only guitar. With this line up the band released a split CD with fellow local band Infernal Combustion entitled "Being in a Band Doesn't Get You Girls"

Fake ID

edit

In 2001 the band added lead guitarist Nick Herrick, and later that year lead vocalist Ben Potrykus, the new line up quickly gained a strong following in the South Shore area of Massachusetts, despite most members still being in high school. Fake ID held onto the fun bounce of Pop Punk, but Nick's lead parts opened up a unique sound for the band. Following a strong showing in a radio station battle of the bands, word spread and the band began touring in the New York and New Jersey area, and were booked for dates on the Vans Warped Tour and Asbury Park's Skate and Surf Festival. Capitalizing on this success, they released a cover of O-Town's "All Or Nothing" on the Fearless Records compilation Punk Goes Pop. Soon the band found itself opening for up and coming artists such as Brand New, Simple Plan, My Chemical Romance and Senses Fail. In December of 2002, the band began recording tracks for what would become its only proper full length album, Truth About Liars on High Score Records which was released in the spring of 2003. The album was received with luke warm reception having never charted in the Billboard 200. Following the release of the album, lead singer Potrykus left the band to become the front man of another Massachusetts based band The Receiving End of Sirens.


The Drive

edit

After losing Potrykus, Fake ID changed its name to "The Drive." The Drive is best known for its time when Boys Like Girls frontman Martin Johnson, led the band. It was here Johnson gained his exposure to the music scene, eventually catapulting him into a recording contract with his current band. In the summer of 2003 the band went on its first and only national tour with fellow Massachusetts band Strutter. Upon returning, the band was scheduled to play a show in Brockton, MA as well as the Worcester Paladium held Skatefest, but had to cancel when they announced via their website that Nick was leaving the band. A few days later, the website announced that Fake ID had broken up.


After Fake ID/The Drive

edit

Following their time in Fake ID and The Drive, the band members have continued to be involved in many musical projects. Nick, Brent, and Sean formed Lights Out Irvine in 2004 with Nick on vocals, and friend Tim Savalienan on bass. Soon there after, Brent left the band and the original Fake ID line up was officially finished. Brent took time off from the music scene to attend the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. After attending UMass for 2 years, Brent met up with former frontman Martin Johnson to become the tour manager of Martin's new band Boys Like Girls. Brent has been the tour manager throughout the All-American Rejects and Cartel tours and the soon to be North American Hellogoodbye tour. As for some of the other members, bassist John McSweeney formed the solo project Sons of The Revolution and graduated from Northeastern University in Boston, Ma. Former singer Ben Potrykus went on to front The Receiving End of Sirens, before leaving to form several other bands in various genres. He is currently in the alternative folk group Christians & Lions Pete Kilpatrick, who was with the band for a very short time in 2002, has a promising solo career ahead of him in the Pete Kilpatrick Supergroup In 2006 Sean, Brent and Nick announced that Virgin/Fearless Records recording artist Sugarcult would be sold the rights to perform Light Out Irvine's "Alone" as the first single for the bands album "Lights Out" released on September 12th, 2006. The song "Alone" helped catapult the album to #40 on the Billboard 200 chart. Nick is now the guitarist/frontman of a new lineup going by the name of Automanual Teaming up with former members of Boston bands Gone Baby Gone and Endway, the band is preparing for the recording of their debut E.P. and a Northeast tour in the fall of 2007.


Discography

edit

Members

edit
  • Martin Johnson - lead vocals, 2003.
  • Nick Herrick - Guitar, 2001-2003.
  • Brent Mulligan Guitar, Vocals in early years.
  • John McSweeney - Bass.
  • Sean Mulligan- Drums.
  • Pete Kilpatrick - Vocals, Short time in 2002.)
  • Ben Potrykus - Vocals, 2001-2003.

References

edit

James Sulivan

edit