Grade 8

In the mid-1990s, Ryan and Dustin Tooker spent their time fooling around along the Jersey Shore, where the idea of forming a band soon felt unavoidable. One night Dustin’s group suddenly required a last-minute vocalist for a gig; Ryan filled the slot, electrified the audience with his intense stage presence, and remained the singer for the next two years. Tired of the East Coast, the Tooker brothers relocated to Southern California’s bright skies to pursue their musical ambitions. They began rehearsing in the family living room, with their father playing bass, while their songwriting grew tighter and a punk-driven approach emerged. By the start of the new millennium, drummer Scotty “Kanikki” Carneghi and Swiss native Guy Couturier—pronounced “Gee”—had joined the lineup that would become grade8. In 2002 the band signed with Lava, home to Kid Rock and Unwritten Law, and released their blistering self-titled debut the following February.