Papa Roach has been melting faces since the mid-1990s with their hard rock sound. The band has released nine albums together, with their big break coming after the release of 2000’s Infest. They have played virtually every hard rock, punk and nu metal festival, and have toured with the likes of Shinedown, Korn, Godsmack, Buckcherry, Disturbed and more. Their music has earned them legions of fans and millions in album sales. Papa Roach currently consists of singer Jacoby Shaddix, guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Tobin Esperance and drummer Tony Palermo. Read on to find out more about Papa Roach, and watch for part two of our list, coming soon.
Number Fifteen: Shaddix is the Only Original Member Left. Started by Shaddix and drummer Dave Buckner along with their friend Will James on bass in 1993, James left the band early on when he became involved in his church’s summer camp. James was replaced by then roadie Tobin Esperance. In 2007, Buckner left the band to enter rehab and was replaced by then Unwritten Law drummer Tony Palermo.
Number Fourteen: They Used to Have a Trombone Player. For a very brief period in 1993, Papa Roach featured Ben Luther on trombone. This was very short-lived, as he was replaced by guitar player Jerry Horton.
Number Thirteen: The Band is Named After Shaddix’s Step-Grandfather. Howard William Roatch was nicknamed “Papa Roach” by his family. Unfortunately, in 2006, Roatch committed suicide after learning that he had terminal cancer.
Number Twelve: They Hit It Big with Their First Single. The band’s first taste of mainstream success came with the first single from their second album and major label debut, Infest. “Last Resort” hit number one on the U.S. Modern Rock chart and number three on the U.K. Singles chart. It remains the band’s top selling single internationally to this day.
Number Eleven: Their biggest U.S. Single Came a Few Albums Later. In the United States, “Scars,” off Papa Roach’s fourth album, 2003’s Getting Away with Murder. The song would reach number one on the U.S. Modern Rock chart, as well as number 15 on the Billboard 100, making it their first Top 40 hit.
Number Ten: They Switched to an Independent Label. In 2010, Papa Roach ended their relationship with Geffen Records to sign with the independent Eleven Seven Records. The band’s first release on the label was Time for Annihilation, which featured re-workings of some of their previous songs, as well as rare B-sides.
Number Nine: They Do Not Own the Rights to Their Songs. Papa Roach’s catalogue is represented by Downtown Music Publishing, which holds the right to license it out to whoever they want. In 2010, Geffen Records released a greatest hits album without the band’s knowledge or consent. Watch for part two of our list of 15 interesting facts about Papa Roach, coming soon.