Five Iron Frenzy (also known as Five Iron or FIF) is a Christian ska band formed in Denver, Colorado in 1995, disbanded in 2003, then reunited again in 2011. The band released a new single and announced they were recording additional new material on November 22, 2011.
The band's music was most heavily influenced by ska and punk rock, but their influences also include heavy metal. Their songs often include salsa-style shouting, sophisticated literary and music references, and elaborate trombone solos. The band was signed to 5 Minute Walk in 1996, and stayed with the label for nine of its releases. Two other albums were self-released, and another was released through Asian Man Records.
The band never received any significant music industry awards, and received relatively little attention in mainstream media. Their biggest national exposure came when their song, "Oh, Canada" (which referenced William Shatner), appeared on the TV series Boston Legal (in which Shatner stars) in October 2005, almost two years after their last show. For some of the earlier BriTANicK web videos their outro would be the song "Far, Far, Away" off of the album Five Iron Frenzy 2: Electric Boogaloo. Over the course of their career they sold close to one million units in total.
They were known for their positive lyrics and energetic live shows. They often performed their concerts while wearing full costumes (mostly vocalist Reese Roper); on one tour the entire band wore Star Trek uniforms. The band was known for their themed tours, sometimes using them to raise awareness for social causes. On more than one tour they told fans to bring sock puppets on stage and help sing along. The socks, and fresh-bought socks alike, were then donated to a local homeless shelter. Their fan base was diverse, ranging from the socially and religiously outcast to the parents of teenage fans. The band played shows at both churches and secular venues throughout their career. The band's name began as an inside joke, and the band was generally known for their humour, displayed throughout their albums and on stage.
Recurring lyrical themes included the continuing injustices done to Native Americans, the evils of consumerism, Christian hypocrisy, the shortcomings of the band, and the joy of finding renewal in their Christian faith.
Read more about Five Iron Frenzy: List of Tours, Lineup
Famous quotes containing the words iron and/or frenzy:
“And thus we rust Life’s iron chain
Degraded and alone:
And some men curse, and some men weep,
And some men make no moan:
But God’s eternal Laws are kind
And break the heart of stone:”
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)
“The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen
Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)