# List of Reel Big Fish members

Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Los Alamitos, California. Formed in December 1991, the group originally consisted of vocalist Ben Guzman, guitarists Aaron Barrett and Lisa Smith, bassist Matt Wong, keyboardist Zach Gilltrap and drummer Andrew Gonzales. The group's current lineup features Barrett, who took over as lead vocalist in 1993, alongside trombonist Dan Regan (who first joined in 1994), trumpeter John Christianson (since 2004), bassist Derek Gibbs (since 2007), saxophonist Matt Appleton (since 2011) and drummer Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen (since 2014).

## History

Reel Big Fish was formed as a hard rock outfit in December 1991. The original lineup featured Ben Guzman, Aaron Barrett, Lisa Smith, Matt Wong, Zach Gilltrap and Andrew Gonzales, who released the band's first self-titled demo tape (known as In the Good Old Days...) in 1992. By the following year, Barrett had taken over on lead vocals and decided to pursue a ska direction for the group, which was now a three-piece comprising himself, Wong and Gonzales. For their second self-titled demo (known as Return of the Mullet), the trio employed the services of trumpeter Eric Vismantas and saxophonist Stephan Reed.
By 1994, the band had added Tavis Werts on trumpet, Dan Regan on trombone and Adam Polakoff on saxophone, who released Buy This! that year. By the time the group recorded its debut full-length album Everything Sucks, Robert Quimby had joined as a second trombonist. Quimby and Polakoff left before Turn the Radio Off, on which second trumpeter Scott Klopfenstein and new trombonist Grant Barry debuted. During the tour in promotion of 1998's Why Do They Rock So Hard?, Gonzales left in February 1999 to "pursue other interests and spend more time at home". He was followed the next month by Barry, who was dismissed for "personal differences".
With new drummer Carlos de la Garza, Reel Big Fish recorded much of Cheer Up! during 2000, before Werts quit in October 2001 and recording was completed by Tyler Jones, who took over his position the next month. In the summer of 2003, de la Garza was replaced by Justin Ferreira, a bandmate of Barrett's in the Forces of Evil. Another member of the Forces of Evil, trumpeter John Christianson, replaced Jones following his departure in September 2004. In 2005 the band released We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy, before Ferreira left in early 2005 and was replaced by Ryland Steen. Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free followed in July 2007.
In June 2007, founding member Matt Wong announced his departure from the band in order to "settle down and be a family man"; he was replaced by the Forces of Evil bassist Derek Gibbs. The new lineup released Fame, Fortune and Fornication in 2009, followed by A Best of Us... for the Rest of Us and Skacoustic in 2010. In January 2011, long-term trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Scott Klopfenstein left the group for a similar reason as Wong, stating that he wanted to "dedicate his life to raising a family". John Christianson subsequently became the band's sole trumpeter, as Klopfenstein was replaced by Goldfinger touring saxophonist Matt Appleton.
After the release of Candy Coated Fury in 2012, another long-term horn player, trombonist Dan Regan, left the band in October 2013 to focus on life with his family. He was replaced by Billy Kottage. In the summer of 2014, Steen left to tour with America and was replaced by Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen. This lineup released one album, Life Sucks... Let's Dance! in 2018, before Kottage left the band and was replaced in the summer of 2019 by touring musician Brian Robertson of Suburban Legends. The band went on hiatus in 2020 and has not returned to live performing since. In July 2024, Ice Nine Kills released a cover of "Walking On Sunshine" in collaboration with Reel Big Fish, featuring Dan Regan as a credited band member for the first time since 2013.

## Members
### Current

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Aaron Barrett | 1991–present | vocals (lead since 1993)guitarkeyboards | all Reel Big Fish releases |
| Dan Regan | 1994–20132024–present | trombonebacking vocals | all releases from Buy This! (1994) to Candy Coated Fury (2012), and from "Walking On Sunshine" (2024) in collaboration with Ice Nine Kills |
| John Christianson | 2004–present | trumpetbacking vocals | all releases from We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (2005) onwards |
| Derek Gibbs | 2007–present | bassbacking vocals | all releases from Fame, Fortune and Fornication (2009) onwards |
| Matt Appleton | 2011–present | saxophonekeyboardsbacking and additional lead vocals | Candy Coated Fury (2012)Happy Skalidays (2014)Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018) |
| Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen | 2014–present | drumspercussion | Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018) |

### Former

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
| Matt Wong | 1991–2007 | bassbacking vocals | all releases from Reel Big Fish (1992) to Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (2007) |
| Andrew Gonzales | 1991–1999 | drumspercussion | all releases from Reel Big Fish (1992) to Sold Out E.P. (2002) |
| Ben Guzman | 1991–1993 | lead vocals | Reel Big Fish (1992) |
| Lisa Smith | 1991–1993 | rhythm guitar | Reel Big Fish (1992) |
| Zach Gilltrap | 1991–1993 | keyboardssynthesizersprogramming | Reel Big Fish (1992) |
| Eric Vismantas | 1992–1994 | trumpet | Reel Big Fish (1994) |
| Stephan Reed | 1993–1994 | saxophone | Reel Big Fish (1994) |
| Tavis Werts | 1994–2001 | trumpetflugelhorn | all releases from Buy This! (1994) to Cheer Up! (2002) |
| Adam Polakoff | 1994–1995 | saxophone | Buy This! (1994)Everything Sucks (1995)Keep Your Receipt (1997) |
| Robert Quimby | 1994–1995 | trombone | Everything Sucks (1995)Keep Your Receipt (1997) |
| Scott Klopfenstein | 1995–2011 | trumpetrhythm guitarkeyboardsbacking and additional lead vocals | all releases from Turn the Radio Off (1996) to Skacoustic (2010) |
| Grant Barry | 1995–1999 | trombonebacking vocals | all releases from Turn the Radio Off (1996) to Sold Out E.P. (2002) |
| Carlos de la Garza | 1999–2003 | drumspercussion | Sold Out E.P. (2002)Cheer Up! (2002)Live at the House of Blues (2003) |
| Tyler Jones | 2001–2004 (died 2020) | trumpet | Cheer Up! (2002)Live at the House of Blues (2003) |
| Justin Ferreira | 2003–2005 | drumspercussion | We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (2005) |
| Ryland Steen | 2005–2014 | drumspercussionbacking vocals | all releases from Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album (2006) to Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018) |
| Billy Kottage | 2013–2019 | trombonekeyboardsbacking vocals | Happy Skalidays (2014)Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018) |

### Touring

| Name | Years active | Instruments | Notes |
| James Valentine | 20002001 | lead guitar | Valentine took over guitar duties when Barrett injured his hand in 2000, and again in 2001 when Barrett fell down the stairs. |
| Chris Rhodes | 2002 | trombone | Rhodes played on the 2002 Warped Tour. |
| Michael Soprano | 2008 | trombone | Soprano played on the 2008 Warped Tour. |
| Brian Robertson | 2019–2020 | trombone | Robertson played trombone following the departure of Billy Kottage. |

## Lineups

| Period | Members | Releases |
| December 1991 – 1992 | Ben Guzman – lead vocals Aaron Barrett – lead guitar, backing vocals Lisa Smith – rhythm guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Zach Gilltrap – keyboards, synthesizers Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion | Reel Big Fish (1992) |
| 1993 | Ben Guzman – lead vocals Aaron Barrett – lead guitar, backing vocals Lisa Smith – rhythm guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion Eric Vismantas – trumpet | none |
| 1993–1994 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion Eric Vismantas – trumpet Stephan Reed – saxophone | Reel Big Fish (1994) |
| 1994 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion Tavis Werts – trumpet, flugelhorn Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals Adam Polakoff – saxophone | Buy This! (1994) |
| 1994–1995 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion Tavis Werts – trumpet, flugelhorn Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals Robert Quimby – trombone Adam Polakoff – saxophone | Everything Sucks (1995) Keep Your Receipt (1997) – two tracks |
| 1995 – February 1999 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Andrew Gonzales – drums, percussion Tavis Werts – trumpet, flugelhorn Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, keyboards Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals Grant Barry – trombone, backing vocals | Turn the Radio Off (1996) Keep Your Receipt (1997) – three tracks Why Do They Rock So Hard? (1998) Sold Out E.P. (2002) – select tracks |
| February – March 1999 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Carlos de la Garza – drums, percussion Tavis Werts – trumpet, flugelhorn Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals Grant Barry – trombone, backing vocals | none |
| March 1999 – October 2001 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Carlos de la Garza – drums, percussion Tavis Werts – trumpet, flugelhorn Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | Sold Out E.P. (2002) – select tracks Cheer Up! (2002) – all but three tracks |
| November 2001 – summer 2003 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Carlos de la Garza – drums, percussion Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards Tyler Jones – trumpet, flugelhorn Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | Cheer Up! (2002) – three tracks Live at the House of Blues (2003) |
| Summer 2003 – September 2004 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Justin Ferreira – drums, percussion Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards Tyler Jones – trumpet, flugelhorn Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | none |
| September 2004 – February 2005 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Justin Ferreira – drums, percussion Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (2005) |
| February 2005 – June 2007 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Matt Wong – bass, backing vocals Ryland Steen – drums, percussion, backing vocals Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | Our Live Album Is Better Than Your Live Album (2006) Duet All Night (2007) Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (2007) |
| June 2007 – January 2011 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ryland Steen – drums, percussion, backing vocals Scott Klopfenstein – trumpet, vocals, guitar, keyboards John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals | Fame, Fortune and Fornication (2009) Live! In Concert! (2009) A Best of Us... for the Rest of Us (2010) Skacoustic (2010) |
| January 2011 – October 2013 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ryland Steen – drums, percussion, backing vocals John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Dan Regan – trombone, backing vocals Matt Appleton – saxophone, keyboards, vocals | Candy Coated Fury (2012) |
| October 2013 – July 2014 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ryland Steen – drums, percussion, backing vocals John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Billy Kottage – trombone, keyboards, backing vocals Matt Appleton – saxophone, keyboards, vocals | Happy Skalidays (2014) |
| July 2014 – April 2019 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen – drums, percussion John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Billy Kottage – trombone, keyboards, backing vocals Matt Appleton – saxophone, keyboards, vocals | Life Sucks... Let's Dance! (2018) |
| June 2019 – July 2024 | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen – drums, percussion John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Matt Appleton – saxophone, keyboards, vocals | none to date |
| July 2024 - present | Aaron Barrett – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards Derek Gibbs – bass, backing vocals Ed "Smokey Beach" Larsen – drums, percussion John Christianson – trumpet, backing vocals Matt Appleton – saxophone, keyboards, vocals Dan Regan - trombone | "Walking On Sunshine" (2024) in collaboration with Ice Nine Kills |