Ripening Spine’s origin, much like the music it would go on to create, was entirely unexpected. Band members vocalist Seth Ernsdorf and bassist Emilio Loza – both also visual artists – met for the first time at the album release party for Nat King Cole’s 2009 album, Re:Generations. Seth – stepson of Nat King Cole’s daughter Carole Cole -- was at the party with friends and family. Emilio accepted an invitation from his friend and bass teacher, Weapon of Choice front man Lonnie Marshall, to come along. At the party, Seth and Emilio got to talking, became fast friends, and in 2013, began jamming together.
In 2015, fate struck again at a Hollywood jam session put together by Marshall. There, Seth and Emilio met drummer and percussionist John Joseph Cina, newly arrived from New York City. Recognizing a good thing when they saw it, Seth and Emilio invited John to a jam session later that same night with longtime friend George Orozco, a multi-talented visual artist, keyboardist, and sound engineer.
The new band’s chemistry was instant, but they still needed a guitarist. As luck would have it, a fellow dad and friend at Emilio’s daughter’s preschool had just the right sound, and before long, Steve Gerstein – or Stevie G as the group came to know him – joined their jam sessions and, eventually, the band.
Over the next few years, the band became a brotherhood, and from 2018 to 2019, further honed and evolved its sound. In 2020, the members set out to write and record their debut album. Though most of the songs were borne from the band’s 2018-2019 jam sessions, the pandemic forced the members to separately record their parts. Emilio began by structuring and arranging each song, laying down midi drums, bass, and primary keyboards. Each member then added to the mix, layering vocals, guitar, and additional keyboards on top of the original arrangements. John replaced the midi drums with his own live version, and along with Emilio, later added background vocals.
The band also brought in additional musicians to punch up some tracks. Trumpet player Sean Okaguchi of the band Earth Is A Deathstar, added trumpet to the song, Better Peeps. Percussionist Joe Lanzisero (like Emilio, a former Walt Disney Imagineer), plays the xylophone on Fear Knot. Emilio and Stevie G’s daughters, Mia and Chloe, respectively, also contributed to the album, lending their angelic voices to Whispers. With everyone’s parts recorded and sent in, George mixed and mastered each song.
The album’s lyrics are derived entirely from Seth’s original poetry, with the lyrics to the opening track, Dive (based on Seth’s poem Black Book) inspiring the band’s name and album title:
“All the branches, grow off that once upon a time, Ripening Spine.”
According to Emilio, Ripening Spine refers to “the process of developing courage in life, facing your fears, learning to speak up for yourself, taking chances, and growing a spine -- something that hopefully is forever evolving as life constantly serves up new challenges.”
Listeners liken the album to a constellation of sound, reminiscent of The Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Talking Heads, The Pixies, The Doors, The Cars, Oingo Boingo, Red Hot Chili Peppers -- but occupying an entirely new universe of music. Pivoting from cinematic to funk-inspired new wave electro-grooves, dashed with blues-tinged guitar riffs, and veering into psychedelic punk rock, Ripening Spine is an eclectic soundscape full of unexpected twists and turns.
Seth’s vocals, which alternately explore love, desire, death, pain, struggle, and human potential are delivered Zeus-like, as if from the top of a mountain. Throughout the album, he careens from exuberant coach, inspiring us to tap into our greatness, to pensive prophet, warning listeners about life’s looming dangers.
Ripening Spine’s self-titled, debut album is dedicated to the memory of Gustavo Loza, who gave the band a warm welcoming space to jam and create music.
In 2015, fate struck again at a Hollywood jam session put together by Marshall. There, Seth and Emilio met drummer and percussionist John Joseph Cina, newly arrived from New York City. Recognizing a good thing when they saw it, Seth and Emilio invited John to a jam session later that same night with longtime friend George Orozco, a multi-talented visual artist, keyboardist, and sound engineer.
The new band’s chemistry was instant, but they still needed a guitarist. As luck would have it, a fellow dad and friend at Emilio’s daughter’s preschool had just the right sound, and before long, Steve Gerstein – or Stevie G as the group came to know him – joined their jam sessions and, eventually, the band.
Over the next few years, the band became a brotherhood, and from 2018 to 2019, further honed and evolved its sound. In 2020, the members set out to write and record their debut album. Though most of the songs were borne from the band’s 2018-2019 jam sessions, the pandemic forced the members to separately record their parts. Emilio began by structuring and arranging each song, laying down midi drums, bass, and primary keyboards. Each member then added to the mix, layering vocals, guitar, and additional keyboards on top of the original arrangements. John replaced the midi drums with his own live version, and along with Emilio, later added background vocals.
The band also brought in additional musicians to punch up some tracks. Trumpet player Sean Okaguchi of the band Earth Is A Deathstar, added trumpet to the song, Better Peeps. Percussionist Joe Lanzisero (like Emilio, a former Walt Disney Imagineer), plays the xylophone on Fear Knot. Emilio and Stevie G’s daughters, Mia and Chloe, respectively, also contributed to the album, lending their angelic voices to Whispers. With everyone’s parts recorded and sent in, George mixed and mastered each song.
The album’s lyrics are derived entirely from Seth’s original poetry, with the lyrics to the opening track, Dive (based on Seth’s poem Black Book) inspiring the band’s name and album title:
“All the branches, grow off that once upon a time, Ripening Spine.”
According to Emilio, Ripening Spine refers to “the process of developing courage in life, facing your fears, learning to speak up for yourself, taking chances, and growing a spine -- something that hopefully is forever evolving as life constantly serves up new challenges.”
Listeners liken the album to a constellation of sound, reminiscent of The Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, Talking Heads, The Pixies, The Doors, The Cars, Oingo Boingo, Red Hot Chili Peppers -- but occupying an entirely new universe of music. Pivoting from cinematic to funk-inspired new wave electro-grooves, dashed with blues-tinged guitar riffs, and veering into psychedelic punk rock, Ripening Spine is an eclectic soundscape full of unexpected twists and turns.
Seth’s vocals, which alternately explore love, desire, death, pain, struggle, and human potential are delivered Zeus-like, as if from the top of a mountain. Throughout the album, he careens from exuberant coach, inspiring us to tap into our greatness, to pensive prophet, warning listeners about life’s looming dangers.
Ripening Spine’s self-titled, debut album is dedicated to the memory of Gustavo Loza, who gave the band a warm welcoming space to jam and create music.
