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Matt Riggle
Guitars / Vocals
Matt Morris
Drums / Vocals
Tanner Leaser
Bass / Vocals
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“[41 Gorgeous Blocks] makes you remember why punk rock is still important. Any band that can do that shouldn't be underestimated or ignored. Cheered is more like it.”
- Zac Crain, Dallas Observer
“Matt Riggle demonstrates an uncommon degree of self-awareness and introspection in his lyrics.”
- Ft. Worth Weekly
“In the vein of Beach Boys, Green Day and Violent Femmes, yet unique… Whatever; they’re not a homogenized flavor–of–the–day band. Good songs, good sound, good band.”
- John Binder, Harder Beat
“Their sound and style continues to progress with their talent, as documented on all their albums.”
- Denton Record-Chronicle
“Very cool.”
- Punk Planet |
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| If you really want to hear about it... |
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41 Gorgeous Blocks have been writing, recording and releasing pop-punk records since 1999. As musicians they have more than 40 years combined experience and as humans, have been eating food almost twice that long! That's a lot of hamburgers!
(Now is the point in the bio where your mind will start to drift and your eyes will weaken and begin to skim the remaining paragraphs. Don't feel bad, it happens to all of us...)
First, a little pre-41GB history:
With his brother Bobby, singer-guitarist Matt Riggle co-founded the pop-punk trio Ed Banky's Car in 1993. Sadly, in November 1997 things were brought to an abrupt halt when Bobby unexpectedly passed away. In 1998, as an attempt to begin again with music, Riggle joined the already established power-pop group, The Fitz, but by the end of the year, the flame had gone out and a yearlong break ensued.
Things start to almost sorta take shape:
In the fall of 1999, Riggle went to Deedle's Room Recording (the low key, but not low end studio owned and operated by Deedle LaCour) to mix down some songs he'd been working on over the last year. Having known LaCour from his previous bands (Kid Tested, The Indigints, and The Briefing Room), Riggle discussed with him his plan of starting another band, one that could pick up and carry on where Ed Banky's Car had left off. Upon leaving the studio, Riggle had acquired a new guitarist and a newly mixed demo that would turn out to be the first batch of 41GB songs and the first of many LaCour-Riggle productions.
Matt Morris, a former band mate of Deedle's in Kid Tested, had just returned from an 8-month tour with punk band Squad Five-O and willingly stepped in as drummer. Taking charge of bass duties was Matt Pittman (also a former Kid-Testian and current member of Red Animal War). *Yes, at this point there were three Matt's in the band, and yes, it was confusing. No, the band name '3 Matts and a Deedle' is neither clever nor catchy, but yes, it is a hell of a lot easier to explain than 41 Gorgeous Blocks.
With this lineup, 2000's An Emotional Young Person Just Like Yourself was recorded at Deedle's Room, followed by 2001's It Isn't Supposed To Be This Way, and 2002's Swallow the Sandwich. Longtime member of the punk band Self Serve (and longtime cousin in Morris' case) Tanner Leaser replaced Pittman in 2002 when Pittman’s other job, guitarist for Red Animal War, started to become a full-time one. By now, 41GB had begun their consistently splotchy touring schedule throughout Texas and surrounding states.
Evolution, shmevolution:
With the new lineup comfortably in place, early 2003 saw the release of the Well… EP, and late 2003 was spent recording the follow-up full-length Well I Sorta Know How You Feel (released in February 2004). Sporadic regional touring continued throughout the year, including a stint of shows with Berkeley pop-punk heroes, The Mr. T Experience.
In September 2004, 41GB went up to Tulsa, Oklahoma to record a yet-to-be-released EP with Stephen Egerton (of ALL/Descendents) at his new studio. In October 2004, Deedle announced he would be leaving the band at the end of the year so he could take a break from music and have more free time.
The band (now a three-piece) continues on, stubbornly, claiming it's too early to give up and too late to quit. A new full-length is scheduled for production in 2005, and touring, as always, is erratic at best but always gaining momentum. Except, of course, when it’s losing it.
Addendum:
As a tribute to Matt's brother, many of Bobby's cartoons can be seen gracing the covers of 41 Gorgeous Blocks albums, and a couple of his songs have been re-recorded and added to the bands repertoire, including "Stare at the Sun", a frequent set-ender.
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