Representative Albums: "Conversations", "Handshakes and Heartbreaks", "What Became of Me
Biography
Blurring the line between aggressive melodic rock and hook-driven emo, Roses Are Red came together in late 2002 in Rochester, NY. Initially called Nobody Cares, the band ran into legal issues due to a late-'80s Columbia Records act of the same name; they had grown tired of the apathy-oriented jokes directed at them anyhow, so changing to their current moniker wasn't a real problem. At the time, Roses Are Red comprised vocalist Vincent Minervino, drummer Michael Lasaponara, bassist Brad Gilboe, and guitarists (and brothers) Brian Gordner and Matthew Gordner. Incidentally, though, Minervino was originally the band's drummer, but switched to vocals at the start of recording their first demos. Claiming influences like Bon Jovi and Def Leppard, the quintet debuted in spring 2003 with the ten-song Handshakes and Heartbreaks on Enterprise Records. (The album went out of print and was reissued in late 2004.) Touring behind Handshakes, the guys soon caught the attention of Trustkill and had signed with them by March 2004. A stint on the summer's Warped Tour preceded the arrival of their label debut, Conversations, that September. Roses Are Red stayed on the road, hitting Europe with Underoath and returning to the U.S. for 2005's Warped. Sharing stages over time with bands like Boys Night Out, Norma Jean, My Chemical Romance, and Story of the Year helped their fan base grow even further; fall 2005 was spent on dates with labelmates Bedlight for Blue Eyes. Working with Brian McTernan (Thrice, Circa Survive), the band's next effort, What Became of Me, appeared in June 2006. By this time, Roses Are Red's lineup had shifted a bit; original members Minervino and Lasaponara were joined by guitarist Tom Zenns, guitarist/vocalist Shaun Murphy, and bassist/vocalist Kevin Mahoney. Summer dates with A Change of Pace and Far-Less, among others, were played nationwide in support. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
Roses Are Red formed in the summer of 2002 from the ashes of numerous other bands around the Western New York area. It originally featured Vincent Minervino on vocals, Brian and Matthew Gordner on guitars, Kevin Mahoney on bass, and Michael Lasaponara on drums. Just 2 months after forming, the band recorded a 4-song demo and hit the road for weekend tours throughout the fall and winter of 2002. Their first full-length, Handshakes And Heartbreaks, was released in June 2003. The band toured the United States in July and August 2003 under their own steam. By the fall of 2003, the band had generated quite a buzz within the indie scene. In August 2003, the band was named "The Next Big Thing" by Absolutepunk.net, and label interest soon followed. In the spring of 2004, Roses Are Red signed with New Jersey-based indie label Trustkill Records.
During a tour in support of Conversations, Kevin Mahoney left the band and was replaced by Brad Gilboe, from Detroit. Mahoney later re-joined the band to record and release their second album, but left shortly after. Both Matthew and Brian Gordner also left the band during touring for Conversations. They were replaced by Shaun Murphy and Tom Zenns, both from Rochester.
In June 2006, Roses Are Red released their sophomore album, What Became Of Me, one of Alternative Press Magazine's 'Most Anticipated Albums Of 2006'. The album was produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Circa Survive, Senses Fail).
After the departure of Michael Lasaponara and Shaun Murphy in February 2007, just after the conclusion of the Glitz 'N Glamour tour (which they headlined and featured Rookie of the Year, Scenes From A Movie, and Four Letter Lie), the band went on hiatus and ultimately disbanded.
Tom Zenns joined the band Time & Distance, but left shortly after. Andy Champion also joined T&D around the same time, playing bass, before leaving to join Zenns in his new project, Love or Lust. Champion eventually left LOL and briefly played in the Buffalo, NY-based band The Boy And His Machine. Michael Lasaponara played drums in the California based-band William Tell for a short while. He then began doing drum tech work for bands such as The Used, The Academy Is..., Armor For Sleep, Cobra Starship and Chiodos before playing drums in Cute Is What We Aim For until their break-up in 2009. Kevin Mahoney is currently playing guitar in Hit The Lights and Vincent Minervino is currently writing and recording material for his new project, My Island.
