Small Brown Bike

The four founding members of Small Brown Bike grew up together in the small town of Marshall, Michigan. When brothers Mike and Ben Reed, and friends, Travis Dopp, and Dan Jaquint were looking for a band name in 1996, they ultimately decided on Small Brown Bike, after an old bike they had pieced together from spare parts in their younger days.

Small Brown Bike self-recorded and released their first demo tape in 1997. The tape included four songs recorded in the house they rented in East Lansing, Michigan. Their music was picked up by labels, No Idea and Lookout!, and the band toured relentlessly with major headliners, Hot Water Music and Saves The Day. But touring eventually took its toll on the band and they broke up in 2004.

In 2006, Small Brown Bike reunited to play four benefit shows to raise money for a close friend who was diagnosed with leukemia. All six former members played on their respective songs. The band did one more show in 2006 at The Fest 6 in Gainesville to reunite with their old label and play in front of a sold-out crowd of over 1,000.

In the summer of 2009, emails circulated between the founding members. With no formal plan, they traded MP3’s and scheduled a practice. The chemistry was evident as they charged through the new songs. The musical connection between them was still strong. The band booked a few shows for the second half of 2009 including a return to The Fest 8 in Gainesville.

In the fall of 2009, the band released their first new music in six years. The “Composite, Vol. 1″ 7″ was self-recorded by the band, mixed with Dave Feeny at Tempermill, and released on No Idea Records. With a handful of hometown shows and a crushing appearance at The Fest 8 under their belt, The Bike is now planning a smattering of weekend excursions to test their sea legs before venturing into new territory in 2010.

Hometown: Marshall, Michigan
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