The Uninvited (band)

The Uninvited is a band originally from Los Angeles in the United States. The band was named, formed and founded in 1988 when brothers John and Steve Taylor teamed up with longtime friend Bill Cory on bass and James "Trainwreck" Robinson on drums. The band then went on to play Hollywood's legendary local concert venues as they developed their signature sound and style. For the next three years, the band built a strong local following and major music industry buzz as well as critical acclaim in the Los Angeles music press.

However, The Uninvited didn't really take off until 1991, when Robinson departed and drummer Bruce Logan was added to the lineup. The Band went on to record and release three CDs on their independent Roarshack Records label, and subsequently won MTV's Beach House Band contest. Armed with their independent CD “Artificial Hip” and a brand new Ford Econoline van, the foursome set out to tour and never come back. Which is exactly what happened. The Uninvited left their hometown of Los Angeles and eventually “settled” in San Francisco (“settling” in this case meaning “where they washed their shorts in between tours”).  In the next two years, they played almost 500 shows, thrilling audiences with their unique mix of power-pop guitars, soaring harmonies, sardonic lyrics and energetic stage presence.

All this activity caught the attention of Atlantic Records, which released the band’s self-titled major label debut in 1998. The album yielded two alternative radio hits, “What God Said” and “Too High For The Supermarket,” while other songs became featured on TV shows like Party of Five, Beverly Hills 90210, and MTV’s Road Rules and The Real World. The Uninvited kept up the touring pace, opening for acts like Fuel, Candlebox, Third Eye Blind, and Blues Traveler.

In 1999, The Uninvited parted ways with Atlantic and sought greater opportunities on the Internet. In October of that year, the band released “It’s All Good” on their own label, Half-Baked Records. Shortly afterward, original bassist Bill Cory was replaced by Frederick “Ladd” Story, formerly of Los Angeles prog-rock kings Urban Circus. Still booked by Monterey Peninsula Artists, the band kept up its relentless touring schedule, averaging 50,000 miles a year on the road. Sales of The Uninvited’s indie albums shot up past 40,000 copies, with “13 Ways To Feel The Love” spending 9 weeks on top of the Mp3.com Sales Chart.

In December 2001, the band completed its 6^th full-length album, “Malltopia,” which was produced, engineered and mixed by the Taylor Brothers in their new studio. A bit of a departure for the band, “Malltopia” is a concept album of sorts with a storyline that centers on suburban kids at the mall. In 2002, the band released their "Teenage Dance Party" album on Roarshack Records, a collection of rareities, that sold well despite the fact that CDs were becoming less popular than downloadable files. In late 2002 the band went on an extended hiatus, returning two years later under a new name, Fish Ranch Road.

In 2019 the Taylor brothers reformed the group with drummer John Messier, and continue to tour and record. Guitarist Steven Taylor wrote a memoir of the band's experiences titled, "The Uninvited - On the Road with the Greatest Rock Band You Never Heard," which was picked up by Hurn Publications for release in late 2021.