I Fight Dragons

I Fight Dragons is an American chiptune-based rock band from Chicago.[3][7][8] Their music is a combination of pop rock with chiptune, featuring electronic sounds made using Nintendo Game Boys and Nintendo Entertainment Systems, a genre also known as Nintendocore. To date they have released three full-length albums: 2011's KABOOM!, which came out on Photo Finish / Atlantic Records, 2014's The Near Future, which they self-released after raising over $100,000 on Kickstarter through their "Project Atma" project,[9] and 2019's Canon Eyes. They have also released two EPs, 2009's Cool Is Just a Number and 2010's Welcome to the Breakdown.[10] Their music has been featured on Nintendo Video[11] as well as on the WWE, and they wrote and performed the theme song for ABC's The Goldbergs. They have toured the USA with MC Chris and Whole Wheat Bread in 2009, 3OH!3, Cobra Starship, and Travie McCoy in 2010, The Protomen in 2011, and they were on the entire 2012 and 2014 Vans Warped Tours. They went on their first national headlining tour, "The War of Cyborg Liberation Tour", with openers MC Lars and Skyfox in 2012. From 2010 until 2012 they were signed to Photo Finish / Atlantic Records, but in fall 2012 they won their release from the label.[12] Since 2014, they have toured sporadically as well as playing annual headlining shows at Chicago's Lincoln Hall. Frontman Brian Mazzaferri attended Glenbrook South High School with Fall Out Boy lead vocalist and guitarist Patrick Stump.[13]

I Fight Dragons
I Fight Dragons in a press photo from 2011. From left to right: Bill Prokopow, Hari Rao, Brian Mazzaferri, Packy Lundholm, Chad Van Dahm.
Background information
Also known asIFD
OriginChicago, Illinois, United States
Genres
Instruments
Years active2008–present
Labels
Websitewww.ifightdragons.com
MembersBrian Mazzaferri
Hari Rao
Packy Lundholm
Chad Van Dahm
Bill Prokopow
Past membersLaura Louise Green
Mike Mentzer
Dave Midell

History

Cool Is Just a Number (2009–2010)

I Fight Dragons was formed in 2008, with all five members hailing from Chicago. Their first EP, Cool Is Just a Number, was self-released in 2009. In June, 2009, Mike Mentzer left the band to pursue his own solo career and was replaced by Packy Lundholm, who had played drums on the band's first EP, and has since played lead guitar in the band. On July 25, 2009, I Fight Dragons headlined the Metro in Chicago for the first time.[14] This show was captured as a Live DVD, and a limited run of 500 numbered and signed copies of the DVD, entitled "Dragon Fight!", were released in January 2010.[15] In August 2009, Dave Midell left the band to pursue humanitarian causes. Chad Van Dahm was brought in as the new drummer.

The band signed with manager J.J. Italiano[16] and with booking agent Gabriel Apodaca of The Agency Group.[17] in September 2009, signing their first major label contract. I Fight Dragons went on their first National Tour with punk group Whole Wheat Bread and nerdcore rapper MC Chris in October of that same year. They played 45 US shows from 1 October to 24 November.[18]

Welcome to the Breakdown (2010)

I Fight Dragons signed with Photo Finish / Atlantic Records in early 2010, and went on to appear on the MTV "Too Fast For Love" tour, opening for 3OH!3, Cobra Starship, and Travie McCoy from April–June 2010.[19] In his June, 2010, concert review, Rick Florino described the band as "one of the most unique, uplifting and unforgettable new acts on the scene."[20] World Wrestling Entertainment announced that their song "Money" from their 2009 E.P. Cool Is Just a Number would be used as the theme song for the inaugural Money In The Bank Pay Per View,[21] which helped to boost the band's popularity.

On November 27, 2010, I Fight Dragons released their second EP, Welcome to the Breakdown. They indicated that this EP consisted of songs written for their Photo Finish / Atlantic Records debut album, but which ended up not having a place on the album and so were released as an EP instead.

KABOOM! (2011–2012)

KABOOM! was released October 24, 2011. Its third single Save World Get Girl was released May 3, 2012 and was featured on Nintendo Video in late 2012.

Kickstarter album and The Near Future (2013–2014)

On January 17, 2013 "cRaZie$" was released as the third and final single from KABOOM!. The band was in the studio recording new music for an EP to be released in 2013. The band also released an Internet-only album composed of demos from 2010 and 2011 that were in various stages of development, but for various reasons never made it on KABOOM! titled DEMOlition: Songs That Didn't Make It On KABOOM!. On June 21, 2013, "Move" was released as a single from DEMOlition and the music video features the four heroines of Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds. In April 2013, the band launched "Project Atma", a Kickstarter project to fund their new album,[9] The Near Future. On June 13, 2014, the band announced that the release date for The Near Future would be September 16, 2014, and released the track "No Strings". On August 28, 2014, the band announced that, due to manufacturing issues with the albums, the release date would be pushed further back.[22] The Near Future was released publicly on December 9, 2014, and hit #5 on the Billboard Vinyl Album Charts the week of its release.[23] On December 20, I Fight Dragons played an album release show for The Near Future to a capacity crowd at Chicago's Lincoln Hall.[24]

Patreon page and Canon Eyes (2017–present)

On August 7, 2017, the band launched their Patreon[25] page that would be used for raising funds for new albums, which they called Album Adventures. This also saw the return of band member Bill Prokopow. Digital copies of the finished album, titled Canon Eyes, were sent to all Patreons who contributed $15 or more on August 5, 2019. On September 16, 2019, the band released the first single from the album, titled "Punch Drunk Destiny". The album was released to the public on December 9, 2019, followed by a sold-out album release show at Chicago's Lincoln Hall.[26]

On October 6 2020, the band started raising funds for Album Adventure 2. As part of this Patreon campaign the band will release previously unreleased tracks exclusively for Patrons.

Discography

Studio albums
  • KABOOM! (2011)
  • DEMOlition - 12 Demos That Didn't Make KABOOM! (2013)
  • The Near Future (2014)
  • The Future Imperfect (Bonus Tracks and Demos that didn't make The Near Future) (2014)
  • Canon Eyes (2019)

Extended plays

Singles
Year Title Album
2011 "KABOOM!"
KABOOM!
"The Geeks Will Inherit the Earth"[27]
2012 "Save World Get Girl"[28]
2013 "cRaZie$"
2019 Punk Drunk Destiny
Canon Eyes
"Artifact"
"Oh the Places You'll Go"
"Not Done Yet"
"The Devil You Know"
"A New Brain"

Band members
I Fight Dragons performing at Martyrs', Chicago, in 2009

Current members

Former members
  • Mike Mentzer - rhythm guitar, backing vocals, NES, SNES[4][6]
  • Dave Midell - drums, NES[4][6]
  • Laura Green - backing vocals, NES, SNES, NES Advantage, Power Pad, Power Glove[4][6]

Timeline

    References
    1. Raj, Josh (28 April 2012). "Nerdcore: I Fight Dragons". nerdsontherocks.com. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
    2. "Check Out: I Fight Dragons - "Save World Get Girl" (CoS Premiere)". Retrieved December 15, 2020 – via Consequence of Sound. Chiptune nerd-rockers I Fight Dragons have been gleefully fusing Nintendo MIDI effects and power pop-punk to geekgasming results for just a few short years, but theyve already amassed quite a following.
    3. "I Fight Dragons | AllMusic". Retrieved February 1, 2021 – via AllMusic.
    4. "I Fight Dragons - discography, line-up, biography, interviews, photos". Retrieved December 18, 2020 – via spirit-of-rock.com.
    5. Kendall, Len (February 9, 2009). "Geek Rock: I Fight Dragons". Chicago Tech Report. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
    6. "I Fight Dragons Behind-The-Scenes Tell-All". Retrieved December 18, 2020 – via YouTube.
    7. "Chicago Tech Report". chicagotechreport.com.
    8. "DOWNLOAD: I Fight Dragons". Chicagoist. Archived from the original on 2009-04-27.
    9. "Project Atma - I Fight Dragons Creates An Epic New Album". Kickstarter.
    10. "I Fight Dragons Debut Album Info With Premiere Of New Song! - Blog Detail - PhotoFinishRecords.com". Web.archive.org. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
    11. "I Fight Dragons premiere 3D music video for Nintendo 3DS - Alternative Press". Retrieved December 8, 2020 – via Alternative Press.
    12. "I Fight Dragons - Fellow Assailants of Angry Aeromorphs,... - Facebook". facebook.com.
    13. Rebecca Frank (April 17, 2012). "Warped Series: I Fight Dragons". blog.ourstage.com. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
    14. "I Fight Dragons". last.fm.
    15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-08. Retrieved 2010-02-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    16. "Steel Giant Management » Roster". Steelgiant.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
    17. "The Agency Group | Agent Overview". Theagencygroup.com. Retrieved 2010-12-04.
    18. Noelle Lynn Blood. "Geek Chic at the Waiting Room". Archived from the original on 2009-10-30. Retrieved 2009-10-31.
    19. Cobra Starship and 3OH!3 team up for explosive "Too Fast For Love" Tour "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2010-02-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    20. "Live Review: Too Fast for Love Tour — 3OH!3, Cobra Starship, Travie & I Fight Dragons — Club Nokia, Los Angeles". ARTISTdirect.
    21. "WWE Money In The Bank 2010 Official". Buscar.univision.com. Archived from the original on 15 November 2020.
    22. "Project Atma / The Near Future Manufacturing and Release Date Update". Youtube. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
    23. "The Near Future is the #5 Vinyl Album in the USA this week!!!". I Fight Dragons Blog of Destiny. Archived from the original on 2015-02-07.
    24. "We Sold Out Last Night's Show So We're Playing Another Free Show Tonight!!!". I Fight Dragons Blog of Destiny. Archived from the original on 2015-02-07.
    25. "I Fight Dragons is creating Album Adventures". I Fight Dragons Patreon Page. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
    26. "SOLD OUT - I Fight Dragons w/ Violet Crime & Secret Bad Boy". Facebook.com. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
    27. "The Geeks Will Inherit the Earth". Retrieved December 8, 2020 – via Spotify.
    28. "Check Out: I Fight Dragons - "Save World Get Girl" (CoS Premire)". Retrieved December 17, 2020 – via Consequence of Sound.
    29. Michael Schneider (1 November 2013). "How The Goldbergs and Other New Shows Kept Their Theme Songs". TVGuide.com.
    30. YouTube. youtube.com.
    31. "WWE Money In The Bank 2010 FULL MATCH". Retrieved December 18, 2020 – via YouTube.
    32. "WWE: Money In The Bank 2010 Theme Song "Money" by I Fight Dragons". Retrieved December 18, 2020 – via YouTube.
    33. "The Hills Music - Season 6: "All Good Things..." - TuneFind". TuneFind.
    34. MWK. "NCIS". TV Fanatic.
    35. YouTube. youtube.com.
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