Representative Albums: "That's Business," "Act Your Age," "Kings of Pop"
Biography
Pop-punkers Home Grown formed in 1993 in Orange County, CA. Comprising singer/bassist Adam Lohrbach, singer/guitarist John "John E. Trash" Tran, guitarist Ian Cone, and drummer Bob Herco, the group debuted in 1995 with "Mean Street," a track on the Liberation Records compilation Punk Sucks; the label then issued Home Grown's full-length debut, That's Business, later that same year. The EP Wusappaning?! followed in 1996, after which the group signed to the major label Outpost to release 1998's Act Your Age. Connection, a split EP with Limbeck, followed two years later, as did EP Phone Home, the latter EP released through Fueled by Ramen. By that point, Home Grown had been reduced to a trio comprising Lohrbach, Tran, and drummer Darren Reynolds (ex-Longfellow). The guys inked a deal with indie pop-punk powerhouse Drive-Thru Records in June 2001, and tour dates with Millencolin led up to their label debut the following year via the infectiously sarcastic Kings of Pop. Second guitarist Dan Hammond was added soon after, and the band toured extensively in support of the album, including dates on the summer's Warped Tour. A more matured EP that abandoned much of their past humor appeared next in October 2004 entitled When It All Comes Down. Lohrbach exited Home Grown in early 2005 -- going on to form New Years Day -- and though the remaining guys continued on for a bit with a new bassist, by 2006 the band had gone on hiatus as members pursued other projects. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Home Grown was an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They released three full-length albums and several EPs before going on indefinite hiatus in 2005. Their music is often characterized as pop punk, lyrically favoring humor and silly or satirical subjects.
Home Grown formed in Orange County in 1994. The original recording lineup of the band consisted of John "John E. Trash" Tran on guitar and vocals, Adam "Adumb" Lohrbach on bass and vocals, Ian "Slur" Cone on guitar and backing vocals, and Bob Herco on drums. The quartet began experimenting with elements of punk rock, pop, surf and skate music, and humorous lyrics to craft their sound. They released their first album That's Business the following year through Liberation Records. Though rudimentary, the album established the band's presence in the prolific southern California music scene of the 1990s and included several songs that would become fan favorites, such as "Surfer Girl" and "Face in the Crowd." The band played many shows in southern California and embarked on some of their first tours. In 1996 the EP Wusappaning?! was released by Swedish label Burning Heart Records.
Act Your Age
The band signed to major label Outpost Recordings and released their second album Act Your Age in 1998. It increased their popularity and they toured extensively in support of it. Cone left the band shortly after and was replaced by Justin Poyser. This lineup released EP Phone Home in 1999. Later that year they toured with the band Limbeck, which whom they recorded a split EP called Connection.
Lineup changes
In 2000 Home Grown experienced significant lineup changes. Herco was forced to leave the group in order to undergo surgery and rehabilitation for a brain tumor. Poyser also left the band, leaving them without a second guitar player. Lohrbach and Tran recruited Darren Reynolds from the band Longfellow as their new drummer, and spent some time searching for a suitable second guitarist. In addition, their label Outpost folded and the band were without a recording contract. Eventually the band decided to continue on as a trio without a second guitarist, and signed to independent label Drive-Thru Records.
Kings of Pop
In 2002 the band released Kings of Pop, their third album which gained them nationwide recognition. Shortly after its release they added second guitarist Dan Hammond and filmed music videos for the songs "You're Not Alone" and "Kiss Me, Diss Me." They performed on the Drive-Thru stage on the Warped Tour and toured extensively in support of the album. In 2004 they released the EP When it All Comes Down, a more mature effort that abandoned the humorous topics of their previous releases in favor of more emotional subject matter.
Indefinite hiatus
In February 2005 Lohrbach left Home Grown to join the band New Years Day. The band continued on without him for a time, playing live shows with guest bassist Ted Vega. Eventually, however, the members drifted on to other projects. Tran started the band Red Panda with Bill Uechi of Save Ferris, Hammond joined Paper Models, and Reynolds started Defender. In 2006 Home Grown's official website went down and their MySpace profile announced that they were on "indefinite hiatus." The band has not played together or recorded since October 2005.
