Karate High School

Karate High School was an American rock band from San Francisco, California, fronted by multi-instrumentalist and producer Paul McGuire. On March 21, 2006 the band released their debut album, Arcade Rock. Karate High School's second album, The League Of Tomorrow, was released on September 4, 2007, which further honed the band's layered, keyboard-driven style of alternative rock. On November 11, 2008, Karate High School announced that they had signed to Eyeball Records, and would release a new record entitled Invaders on May 19, 2009. In early 2010 Paul McGuire announced that he was done producing music under the name Karate High School and has since chosen to go into other studies.[5]

Karate High School
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, California, United States
Genres
Years active2004–2010
Labels
WebsiteOfficial website
Past membersPaul McGuire
Ray Bautista
Ken Kasier
Gabe Ausiello

Musical style

Karate High School's style evolved over the last three records. Once described as an "aggressive blend of poppy punk, hyper post-hardcore, and eight-bit blips";[1] the band began as a spazzy, catchy, keyboard-driven rock act on their debut record, but grew and matured over the course of three records to a sound that crosses the genres of rock, punk, experimental, electronica, and power-pop. Their sound has often been referred to as synthcore. While 2007's The League Of Tomorrow effortlessly gear-shifted through poppy, upbeat melodies to heavy electronica-fused pop-punk, their 2009 album Invaders focused on all of the aforementioned elements and further evolved the band's sound. The band's sound has also been called Nintendocore.[4]

Band members

Karate High School was the songwriting project of Paul McGuire, and he wrote all the music and lyrics for the band. Ray Bautista joined the group as the touring keyboard player, and was the only member to be in the band since Arcade Rock. For recording purposes, Paul produced all three records and played all the instruments on The League Of Tomorrow. During the recording of Invaders, Geoff Garnett played guitar, Aaron McVeigh played drums, and Paul McGuire played keyboards, bass, and sang. In 2010, Paul McGuire announced that he was done producing music under the name Karate High School.

Former members and touring lineup

  • Gabe Ausiello (original guitarist)
  • Sean Martin (original drummer)
  • Paul Kriz (original bassist)
  • Danny Glaspy (drums)
  • Ken Kaiser (bass)
  • Tom Evans (bass)
  • Dan Kingdon (bass)
  • Nathan Vega (bass)
  • Gideon Naude (bass)
  • Aaron McVeigh - (drums)
  • Geoff Garnett - (guitar)
  • Ray Bautista - keyboards
  • Paul McGuire - vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass, producer

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums
Title Album details
Arcade Rock[1][2]
  • Released: March 21, 2006
  • Label: Self-released, EVO Recordings, Evolution Music
  • Format: Digital download
The League of Tomorrow[1][3]
  • Released: September 4, 2007
  • Label: Self-released, EVO Recordings, Elizac Music
  • Format: Digital download
Invaders[1][2]

Singles
Year Title Album
2009 "Zombies Everywhere"[6]
Invaders

References
  1. Karate High School at AllMusic
  2. "Karate High School - Arcade Rock". April 2, 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2020 – via rockfreaks.net. The band combines the usual hardcore guitars and breakdowns with melodic pop punkish hooks and 8/16bit nintendo-style keyboard effects to create a shocking but yet awe-inspiring sound, ranging from the quick, poppy riffs and mood-setting singing on "Good News And Bad News" through the 6-minute slow, acoustic ballad "Scenes Rushing By", all the way to the odd hardcore piece "Extra! Extra! (Hear All About It).
  3. "Karate High School sign to Eyeball". Retrieved January 14, 2021 – via Punknews.org.
  4. Pertola, Petteri (28 May 2009). "Karate High School - Invaders". Rockfreaks.net. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  5. "Karate High School | A Brief History of KHS Told Through Pictures & Text". Retrieved January 15, 2021 – via karatehighschool.com. I decided to quit writing music as KHS after moving overseas to study Anomalistics and Parapsychology.
  6. "Music: Karate High School:"Zombies Everywhere"". Retrieved January 14, 2021 – via Punknews.org.
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