SAVE FERRIS is a ska-punk band formed circa 1995 in Orange County, Southern California. Their name is a reference to the 1986 film Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
The band formed after the dissolution of a number of Southern California bands. With Monique Powell as manager, front person, and co-songwriter, the band began to book shows around Southern California to a great underground response.
Financed by Powell’s sister, the band released their debut EP “Introducing SAVE FERRIS” on Powell’s label, Starpool Records, in 1996. They ended up selling close to 20,000 copies of their EP out of the trunks of their cars, with huge support from Orange County independent record shops and fans. That year, Powell provided vocals on the Reel Big Fish song “She Has A Girlfriend Now” on their album “Turn the Radio Off” (Mojo).
With Powell as manager and lead, and as favorites of KROQ radio’s legendary Rodney on the Rock, SAVE FERRIS created a presence on LA’s KROQ radio, possibly being the first unsigned band to do this in LA alternative radio history. Later that year, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gave the band a Grammy showcase award for best unsigned band, earning them a recording contract with Epic Records (SONY).
Live the Music
