Inspired by a new band from Dallas, the Old 97's, these four high-school friends first struck out on their adventure in 1994 under the moniker of the 504's, then as the Bel Airs, and later as The Timebombs, only to discover that other bands had been performing under the latter two names since the 1980's. Later, after short stints as the The Oppenheimers, Oppenheimers U.S., and as the Idiot Speakers, the boys took their most recent and long-lasting name, the Satellite Riders, in honor of the Old 97's critically acclaimed 2001 album Satellite Rides.

Beginning the with invite-only basement gigs around their hometown of Mineral Wells, Texas, and quickly progressing to high-school dances, Quinceañeras, coffee-houses, and the occasional corporate gig, Satellite Riders shows began to take on a new urgency in 1999, when, as the Idiot Speakers, Mike (drums), Derek (bass, vocals), N.T. (lead guitar), and Dave (rhythm guitar, lead vocals) all reached legal drinking age within just a few weeks of each other, leading to wealth of new gigs and new fans in the bars, clubs, and honky-tonks of North Texas.

Finally with their raucous yet note-for-97's-note live shows, the Riders achieved a measure of fame themselves, gaining nice mentions in the Dallas Morning News, Dallas Observer, and even on the Old 97's website. Better still, over time the Riders even managed to secure dates in cities, some even outside Texas, where the Old 97's had just played or were about to play, and on more than one occasion, not only played for the Old 97's themselves, but were joined onstage by the 97's. So not for the first time were fans blown away by the power of the Old 97's at a Satellite Riders show!

As the Old 97's took their 2002 hiatus, the Satellite Riders plugged on, but the pressures of day jobs, night-school, kids, wives, and girlfriends (though usually not all at once) took their toll. As did the endless rehearsals. Because even though the Riders play, and even - to most - look like the Old 97's, unlike the Old 97's, the Satellite Riders actually rehearse. All great tribute bands rehearse, yet little did they know that after weeks of practice, a fiery, sold-out set at Dallas' Sons of Hermann Hall on one hot May night in 2003 would be their final gig for over five long years.

Then earlier this year, spurred by the release of the Old 97's latest album, Blame It On Gravity, Derek, Dave, Mike, and N.T., began kicking it around again. Was the world still ready for the Riders? They decided to find out, but first, they had to prove to themselves that they still had it. It wasn't easy, with Dave living east of Dallas in Rockwall, Derek working out west in Abilene, and N.T. and Mike in Mineral Wells. But after weeks of rehearsals (during which they briefly changed their name to the Easy Ways and The Fools) and some super-secret gigging at small clubs around North Texas, the Satellite Riders are back, and now they're hitting the road, with their "Comeback Special" set for the August 31 at Seattle's Tractor Tavern!

Much as they did in 1994-2003, the Riders will be putting on an Old 97's-style show in the types of intimate venues like The Tractor, where the Old 97's themselves haven't played in years. If you always wondered what it like to see the Old 97's in their Bloodshot days, before fame and fortune, and music promoters whisked them into the bigtime, well now's your chance!