The Killingtons formed in Long Beach, California, in 1995, rising from the wreckage of three local acts: Emission, Cambria, and Treadwell. The Killingtons were a power-pop band from Long Beach, California, which started in 1995 from the ashes of three bands in their local scene Emission, Cambria and Treadwell, starting as a trio consisting of singer/guitar JK, bassist Chris Muench and drummer Daniel Hennessy. Early on, the band operated within the Southern California punk and pop-punk scene, and the hardcore punk outfit the Killingtons wasn't distracted by the third-wave ska revival taking place in the mid-'90s in their native Southern California , choosing instead to carve out their own melodic, high-energy sound built around frontman James "JK" Killington.
Rather than a single breakout hit, the Killingtons built their reputation through relentless gigging and a rotating cast of skilled musicians who passed through the lineup over the years. In their decade run JK played alongside a long list of musicians before disbanding in 2005, including Chris Muench, Dan Hennessy, Michél Bravine, Mitch Townsend, Mike Vavak, Sean Felcyn, Frat Durst, Garry Brit, Kristyn Mancuso and Ari Gorman. Their records, including the release "California Life," showcased a sound that reviewers described as blending simple sounds with complex emotion set to a faster beat , with unusual touches for the genre such as keyboardist Kristyn Mancuso adding melody and harmony to their post-punk attack. The band's live reputation grew through constant touring and opening slots alongside some of the era's biggest names in the scene.
Throughout their run, the Killingtons shared stages with an impressive and diverse roster of touring acts, a testament to their standing in the late-90s and early-2000s underground rock circuit. In their time they shared the stage with many national and diverse names such as At the Drive-In, Jimmy Eat World, No Knife, Knapsack, the Get Up Kids, Cibo Mato, New Found Glory and Reel Big Fish, among many others. The band weathered significant lineup turnover as members departed for other pursuits and personal reasons. In 2000 Bravine left to play for The Jealous Sound, who had just signed to a Universal Records label, followed shortly after by Muench, while Townsend left to pursue recording opportunities, eventually landing an A&R gig at Nitro Records, the label of Offspring frontman Dexter Holland. JK carried the band forward as the sole original member until its eventual end.
The Killingtons officially called it quits in 2005 after a decade together, with JK informing fans through a mailing list letter that "At this point the Killingtons are on hiatus most likely permanently," while thanking everyone who had supported the band and noting that a six-year photo retrospective would be posted to their website. In the years since, former members scattered into new projects. JK went on to sing and play guitar for the band The Secret 6, while from the original lineup, Bravine settled in Chicago, Muench remained in Long Beach, and Townsend went on to play with musician Matt Costa. Though never a mainstream chart act, the Killingtons left behind a strong regional legacy as a mainstay of the Long Beach and greater Southern California punk and power-pop scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s.
This archive holds 25 photographs of the Killingtons, viewed by visitors 19,514 times, drawn from the one night in 2003 when Wayne Dennon brought his camera to capture the band live. That single show is a small but meaningful piece of the broader story preserved here at waynedennon.com, where Wayne's lens once again froze a fleeting moment from a band that thrived on the energy of the stage rather than radio play, leaving fans and fellow musicians with memories of a group that gave everything to the Southern California scene that raised them.
