The Waking Hours

“Three years ago The Waking Hours moved to Los Angeles… and it didn’t take long for them to become a force to be reckoned with, as their live performances always packed enough energy to light up a small city for weeks. The band harness some of that power on The Good Way, and when you combine this with Tom Richards and Ricky Tubb’s songwriting gifts and the group’s harmonic abilities, you’ve got a disc that’s a perfect antidote for the faux-cool drivel that passes for modern rock these days.” “The Good Way has gotten 2003 off with a bang, and should stand as a benchmark for the new pop.” - Amplifier Magazine

“Recently the Viper Room changed management, staff and a new Monday night line-up, presented by the classic alternative revolutionaries 103.1 FM and Filter Magazine. Opening for local phenom The Like, and preceding another local phenom The Dollyrots, The Waking Hours proved to be a force to be reckoned with whether you liked it or not, effectively stealing the thunder from the headliner. Fueled by the mysteriously cool charm from Tom Richards on lead vocals, blistering backup from drummer Ricky Tubb and the adorably aggressive, yet aggressively elegant style of bassist Lisa Mychols, Waking Hours generated a powerful lightning strike punch on Viper and set the stage for the night ahead. Particularly potent was their passionately played power cover of LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”, which became a charmingly crafted crush of electronic sound and fury, a distortion frenzy fusion of guitars and bass, screaming vocals and electric energy culminating in a seemingly sexual simulation of guitar sex on stage, resulting in Richards tossing his guitar into the audience with his teeth, then tossing himself into the audience thereafter, while Mychols and Tubb took a theatrical bow on stage. The Waking Hours is definitely a satisfying show, filled with power punk indie licks and good ole fashioned energy. - LA Music Scene.com

"The Waking Hours style is a head-on collision of early English pop, punk and garage rock with a healthy dose of musical genius." - CD Now.com

"Recalling the energy of the Fab Four, or a young and excitable Pete Townshend with nods to Badfinger and Elvis Costello as well as Brit Popsters Oasis and Blur. Every song is a hit, no filler here, all songs are radio friendly, but hardcore fans know their live shows are not for the faint of heart." - 9 Times (Richmond VA Retail Publication)

“The Good Way is a nearly flawless example of modern pop done the right way and a release that begs for a larger audience” - Goldmine Magazine

“The Waking Hours churn out a melodic blend of garage pop tweaked with bits of punk and glam. The band weaves their vocal harmonies into the appealing crunch of the music resulting in melodies that defy the listener’s ability to not be hooked!” - All Music Guide

“Chief songwriter Tom Richards and songwriter/guitarist Ricky Tubb sound as if they’ve been studying the classics long and hard, cribbing from The Beatles for melody, plugging into The Who for a little muscle, and dressing up in the finery of assorted glam icons to add a little flair." - CMJ

“As the band cut loose with their new songs, you could feel the intensity building. Waking Hours starts like a jet fuel explosion and by the last song, the whole place is smoldering guitars and bits and pieces of drums all over the stage.” - Richmond Music Journal

"Drenched in early Beatles harmony, the Waking Hours inject the present day's world of alt. pop with a cheerful shot of Sixties mod rock. Loud, guitar-driven songs about relationships and broken hearts burst with big choruses designed for the youth to swoon and sing along to." - Music Connection Magazine

“The influence of the Velvet Underground, the Pixies, the Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols comes to mind. Upbeat rhythms, loud guitars, chiming piano, major chord hooks and cool-guy vocals are sure to be part of every performance.” - AOL Los Angeles Digital City