RBi was started in 1994 as Reluctant Beating, a comedy duo comprised of Matt Blanchard on bass and Mitch Bennett on guitar. Among their numerous awards, Reluctant Beating won honorable mention at the UNC-Chapel Hill Student Union Talent Show.
In 1996, with the addition of another bastard guitar player (Kevin Jenkins) and a strangely dressed freelance drummer (John Metcalf), the band incorporated. Through a drunken haze, Reluctant Beating Inc somehow recorded its first album Respect and Teamwork in a Mr. Store-It shed outside Cary. The disc sold nearly 17 copies in the United States alone.
The video for the single "Cosmo" marked Melissa Milios directorial debut, as well as the start of some enormous hairstylist’s acting career.
Before the world could get the melody of "Sharp Guy" out of its head, it was pelted with 24 flaming new tracks. It was The Monkeylung Album, RBi’s sophomore effort. The 1998 album was backed by the Reluctant All-Stars, a team of musical mercenaries put together to feed the corporation’s insatiable hunger for profits, profits, profits. With plenty of tight hooks and extremely major keys, the album went straight to the top of MP3.com’s fledgling website, making hundreds of unreported dollars.
The videos for "Dirty Fucking Monkey Lung" and "Booty on My Mind" were part of the documentary film named after the band.
Following the success of the RBi’s first two albums, the band took time off to focus on mergers and acquisitions. Thousands of independent artists were absorbed, often for the price of a pizza and several choice compliments. These artists’ newly purchased ideas formed the crux of the material for RBi’s latest album, Smarten Up. The new album shows off a tighter, more heavily produced RBi. Do not be afraid!
--------->>>> Fast Forward to 4/15/2007 ("The Present Future!") ----------->>>>>
Welcome to the present future! Things sure are crazy here with the world peace and the coming of the Flower Goddess. Mahalo!
RBi has had an imcomparable string of runaway hits since we last spoke. The dazzling opus Smarten Up was purchased by nearly 12 people, and was certified Deca-Platinum by the NCAA. A truly groundbreaking masterpiece.
As if that weren't enough, the boys in blue opened another can of aural whoop-ass in with the 2004 glam-pop sensation - Family Planning. Try to imagine John Oates meets The Monkees meets Steve Vai. Can you do it? Ha! Either way, you lose!
And then, RBi fired me. Sure, I moved away and all, but wtf? They hired a brand new shittier ass bass player and renamed themselves "The Experts". Those bastards ate my mom's lasagna and laughed like me! They covered my songs and ruined them. How much worse could Mr. Miyagi get? The Experts could show you.
I've got to go... I'm getting all steamed off.
--------->>>> Fast Forward to 4/17/2007 ("The More Present Future!") ----------->>>>>
OK, I'm back. Had to cool my jets after I spit on my monitor. So, where was I? Oh yes. The Experts. Right, well then Mitch had a baby and moved to Texas, so The Experts was no more. Oh well, you can't have a hemorrhoid without a strained push.
Fortuntately, nothing so common as a fatherhood could ever kill RBi. We're too big and great for that.
So here we are, on the eve of release of our latest monument to self-indulgence: The Amherst Ghost. We're in the final phases of mixing. The engine is juiced. The computer is armed! It's the T-Minus Zero hour, baby!
Get ready for more RBi than you could ever want to find a use for.
To be continued...