TEAM RNS PRESENTS

TITLE: Exit Highland

LABEL: Roadrunner Records

RIPPER: Team RNS

235kbps avg - Hard Rock
0hr 42min total- 74.5mb

RELEASE DATE: Not Anytime Soon
RIP DATE: 2004-03-18

03 In My Head                     3:28
04 First Impressions              2:52

08 Stumble And Fall               3:24

12 Open Wound (B-Side)            2:50
13 Co Dependent (B-Side)          3:40

Mike Ryan - vocals
Jason DeCosta - guitar

Rumblefish is not hybrid, hyphenate
rock, attempting to fuse styles du jour
into a provocative and ultimately
perishable package. Rather, Rumblefish is
an organic, unique and unexpected
experience. "We're such different
personalities," begins singer Mike Ryan.
"You would never expect us to get along in
a room to record. But when we write
music, it's like a connection within
the soul, it goes beyond any conscious
thing." The music that these four Los
Angelenos create is an aural and
emotional experience that draws liberally
from all over the Rock map, but
ultimately is deftly harnessed on Exit
Highland, Rumblefish's debut CD for
Roadrunner Records. Produced by Mudrock
(Godsmack, Powerman 5000) and mixed by
Andy Wallace (Nirvana, The Vines) and
Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach,
Hoobastank) Exit highland is a
collection of songs that are as heady as

Solidifying their current lineup in
early 2002, drummer Possum hooked up
first with lead singer Ryan. The two were
joined shortly thereafter by guitarist
DeCosta - who, like Ryan, was already
firmly entrenched in the L.A. scene.
Bassist Dungis completed the equation -
his calm demeanor the perfect ying to
the band's musical yang. The band was
shunned by everyone initially until they
struck a demo deal with Roadrunner and
recorded what was to become their first
single, the infectiously catchy and
intense "In My Head". From there, the
band built upon a musical foundation
that was simple and unmeditated. "We
have a little metal element, a little
rock, but not too much of one thing,
it's our own sound. We're not trying to
reinvent the wheel - We do hard,
alternative music but with melodies and
a simple, memorable vibe. " explains
DeCosta. It's easy to understand their
"kitchen sink" mentality given their
disparate backgrounds. Ryan, a
self-described "troublemaker" once
played baseball for the Cleveland
Indians scout team, but music was his
true muse. "I used to be in hardcore
bands - just screaming and shit. I felt
comfortable in hardcore music and it
took me a while to realize I could
actually sing. It finally just hit me over
the head that I'm a singer" explains
Ryan. In DeCosta, he's found the
perfect musical partner, thanks to his
own schizophrenic musical upbringing.
"I've been involved in music since I
could walk and talk," he reflects.

It's that eclectic background that
ultimately defined Rumblefish's sound -
part unbridled rock, part introspective
soul-searching that led to them sharing
the stage with such acts as Linkin
Park, Crazy Town, Ultraspank, Mudvayne
and Soulfly. From the barely controlled
chaos of "Wasting Time" to the
head-banging groove of the soaring "Far,"
the band is intelligent, funny and
politically and personally aware. Yet
Exit Highland's songs lean decidedly
toward the personal and cathartic. "I've
spent a lot of time trying to get away
from the wrong people, but always ended
up in destructive situations," Ryan
confesses. "When I write a song, I
never know what it's about until I've
finished it. The first single, "In My
Head", is about "drifting, letting the
seasons change my moods, watching
things fall apart all the time. It's a
beautiful disaster, and I keep walking on
that thin line," he explains. "Forget"
was written when a relationship was in
turmoil. I wrote the song in three
minutes as I drove down the street to
get away from my then-girlfriend." Not
all are as immediate or concrete. The
irresistible "Stumble and Fall" could be
"about a girl. Or alcohol. Or about
anything you think," grins the
fast-talking Ryan. "Wait," another winner,
is about dealing with
obsessive-compulsiveness. "I call that
'wait' the 'hiccup' of the mind. It's
about people hesitating, being okay one
minute, then you're not, and you can't
control the thoughts in your head. It's
about being unstable. "

While Rumblefish's lyrics may be open to
interpretation, the band has ready answers
for two of their most-asked questions.
Yes, Ryan is a big fan of author S.E.
Hinton, who wrote the seminal teen
angst book "Rumblefish." Then, when the
vocalist saw the film, "I was like, 'if
I could be in a movie or make a movie,
this would be it!' It has a mystery."
And the dark name fits his mindset and
the band's music perfectly. As for Exit
Highland, it refers to one of Los Angeles'
main arteries. "We all take the street
to rehearsal and some of us live off
it," De Costa notes. "That's what we
do every day-Exit Highland."

With Exit Highland ready to enter the
world's consciousness, Rumblefish are
eager to bring their music to the
public. "We've all spent hard years
trying to prove so much, to realize our
potential, and with this record we feel
we've gone beyond that," believes Ryan.
"While making Exit Highland there was
a lot of surreal, peaceful stuff as
well as teeth-pulling, but it was an
overall amazing experience and we
couldn't be happier with how it turned

p.s  they were dropped from the label
a month or two ago.  so/if  when
this cd sees the light of day
is anyones guess.