The Riff Tiffs Record Debut Album at SugarHill

(HOUSTON, TEXAS) – February 6th, 2006 – This is been quite a year for progressive/experimental rock band The Riff Tiffs.  They have gone from relative obscurity to becoming the media’s new music darlings upon winning the Bellaire MENS club’s Battle of the Bands in late 2005.

The Bellaire MENS club is a male youth community service that organizes a popular annual Battle Of the Bands charity concert and pledges 100% of the ticket sales to a local non-profit organization.

The Riff Tiffs battled it out with 6 other competing bands, with a panel of music industry professionals judging the bands’ performances.  SugarHill Recording Studios ’ owner/President and renowned producer Dan Workman (Destiny’s Child, Smash Mouth, ZZ Top) was one of panelists.  
The Riff Tiffs ultimately received a grand recording prize at the legendary SugarHill Recording Studio, and just completed recording 6 songs in SugarHill’s Studio A with Senior Staff Engineer, John Griffin.

The Riff Tiffs are brothers Curran (Guitar) and Chris Rehm (Guitar and Vocals), Sean Heart (Drums) and Althea Topek (Bass), getting a start as a band playing shows in middle school. They eventually got gigs around town in 2004 with the help of another popular Houston band Bojones, who also recorded their first album at SugarHill Recording Studios in 2004.

“We had a blast recording and were amazed at the extent of what the studio had to offer. The final product of our recording sessions is better than anything we had expected,” commented drummer Sean Heart.

With influences that range from Sonic Youth to Radiohead, Heart continued to explain how the band manipulated the dynamics of their own sound while recording, “Chris did have one innovative technique we used in the studio.  He used a manual fade in by stepping out of the sound booth, catching just the right note, and holding it as he slowly walked back into the room and up to the microphone.”

The 6-song album will be released on February 10th, 2006, supported by a CD release party at Super Happy Fun Land. Special guest performances include Chim Charoo, The Dimes, and Bojones. Their album will be available at shows and select local stores.