RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
TOMORROW'S STANDARDS TODAY!
OFFICIAL BIO
America's loudest lounge singer Richard Cheese performs swingin' Vegas versions of rock, rap, and Top40 hits, "swankifying" contemporary songs into traditional pop vocal standards. With his Lounge Against The Machine swing band, Cheese has released more than 20 albums, sold sold more than 250,000 CDs, and played hundreds of sellout concerts around the world.
The finger-snapping, liquor-lapping, night-capping crooner first stepped into the spotlight in 2000 with his LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE album. This critically acclaimed CD featured "swankified" versions of alternative rock songs, such as Radiohead's CREEP and Limp Bizkit's NOOKIE, arranged for a big band sound. Thanks to radio stations including KROQ/Los Angeles, Z100/New York City, and the nationally-syndicated DR. DEMENTO SHOW, Cheese soon found an audience that shared his love of lounge music, including rockstar Brian Setzer, who hired Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine to play at his private Christmas party with The Stray Cats!
Soon, Dick landed a gig as the co-host and bandleader on MTV'sSAY WHAT KARAOKE series. He was also interviewed in 2001 on CNN, profiled in The Los Angeles Times, and featured as a category on VH1's ROCK 'N' ROLL JEOPARDY. RC also headlined frequent concerts at The House Of Blues in Los Angeles and Anaheim, The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, and radio station festivals like 91X X-Fest in San Diego, the WHFS HFSmas Nutcracker concert at Washington DC's Patriot Center, and the Y100 Feztival at Philadelphia'sTweeter Center. Richard Cheese was also hired to entertain at Blink182 drummer Travis Barker's first wedding!
In 2002,RichardCheese was back in blacktie with his TUXICITY CD, an album of uncensored alternative, rap, and pop covers, including loungey remakes of Sir Mix-A-Lot's BABY GOT BACK, Van Halen's HOT FOR TEACHER, and System of a Down's CHOP SUEY. RC's popularity grew with sell-out concerts around the U.S.A., plus a slot as the opening act for the Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Concert at the world famous Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles. Cheese also made appearances on The Opie & Anthony Show, The Jonathon Brandmeier Show,and The Howard Stern Show, Fox News Channel's FOX & FRIENDS Morning Show, and RC & LATM appeared a dozen times as the Vegas house band on NBC's LAST CALL WITH CARSON DALY. The standing-room-only concerts continued in 2003, as RC crisscrossed the country playing venues from the Mercury Lounge in New York City to Sunset Station Casino in Las Vegas.
Cheese returned in 2004 with his I'D LIKE A VIRGIN CD, an intuxicating collection of "loungified" covers, including a snazzy remake of Snoop Dogg's GIN AND JUICE, and an inspired version of Michael Jackson's BEAT IT accompanied by a children's choir. That same year, RC performed PERSONAL JESUS and BABY GOT BACK on ABC-TV's JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE, and his cheesey version of Disturbed's song DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS was featured in the 2004 Universal motion picture DAWN OF THE DEAD,thanks to director and Richard Cheese fan Zack Snyder. Cheese played concerts all over the world in 2004, including a private party performance at the Playboy Mansion, and sellout gigs in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Portland, Seattle, Honolulu, Portugal, and London.
In 2005, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine released their fourth album, APERITIF FOR DESTRUCTION, an all-new CD of kooky covers for lounge lovers. This 18-track record included Vegas versions of songs originally by Guns 'N' Roses, U2, Black Eyed Peas, Metallica, Slipknot, and many more. From 2 Live Crew's ME SO HORNY to Green Day's AMERICAN IDIOT, Cheese served up another "fromage homage" to the hottest hits in music. Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine performed a giant sellout concert at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, and the band was hired to entertain at big-time showbiz events like the TVLand Awards, the Daytime Emmy Awards, and a Hollywood Hurricane Katrina benefit.
In 2006, RC released two new albums. His greatest hits CD, THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE MOON: THE BEST OF RICHARD CHEESE, featured 10 all-new recordings plus 8 of RC's cheesiest favorites. The album boasted newly re-recorded 2006 versions of Cheese classics RAPE ME, CLOSER, CREEP, NOOKIE, COME OUT AND PLAY, and FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT. Backed by a big band and a bigger sound, this was the biggest Dick yet!
In the winter of 2006, Cheese was back with his sixth CD, SILENT NIGHTCLUB, a collection of happenin' holiday hits just in time for Christmas. The all-new album included 14 spirited covers of songs like HOLIDAY IN CAMBODIA, DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS, PERSONAL JESUS, and ICE ICE BABY. Plus, RichardCheese recorded an all-new original song called CHRISTMAS IN LAS VEGAS, which was featured on the NBC-TV series LAS VEGAS. And, Cheese's versions of SILENT NIGHT and Beyonce's NAUGHTY GIRL were featured in the NBC-TV soap series PASSIONS.
In 2007, RC & LATM hit the road for their nationwide "Drinkchronicity" tour. The band performed sellout shows for thousands of fans at the House Of Blues in Chicago and New Orleans, the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, The Derby in Los Angeles, The Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, and The Social in Orlando, plus venues in Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, and San Diego. Richard Cheese also began headlining at The Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, including a sellout show on New Year's Eve.
Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine released their 7th CD in fall 2007, DICK AT NITE. This album features lounge-style versions of classic TV theme songs, including THREE'S COMPANY, THE BRADY BUNCH, and GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, plus more recent theme song hits like SOUTH PARK and SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. The album was also released on iTunes with exclusive bonus songs, and several tracks were included in promotional events for TVLand.
In 2009 and 2010, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine released three all-new CDs. The first album, VIVA LA VODKA: RICHARD CHEESE LIVE presented live performances from RC’s 8 years of concerts, radio interviews, television appearances, and private party gigs. The band’s next release, O.K. BARTENDER, was an all-new studio album, featuring covers of hits by Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Miley Cyrus, Weezer, and Radiohead. And, Richard Cheese produced a new CD for Waikiki lounge singer Johnny Aloha called JOHNNY ALOHA: LAVAPALOOZA, featuring Hawaiian-style “tiki music” versions of popular rock and rap songs. Richard Cheese was also interviewed in a feature article in The Wall Street Journal, and performed live on The Kevin & Bean Morning Show on KROQ/Los Angeles.
RC returned in 2011 with his 10th album, LIVE AT THE ROYAL WEDDING, an unbelievable live performance recorded at Wills & Kate's reception at Buckingham Palace in England! The album included live swing trio versions of some of Cheese's most popular songs, plus new numbers like ANARCHY IN THE U.K., PUSSY CONTROL,and TOO DRUNK TO FUCK. The band headlined a sold-out show at London's Forum, and also played for 15,000 people -- at 11:30AM -- at England's SONISPHERE FESTIVAL. RCLATM also toured the U.S. with big concerts in Vegas, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, and on a boat in New York City. And, the band performed at a private party at Muse drummer Dominic Howard's home in Hollywood.
Later that year, Richard Cheese released his 11th album, A LOUNGE SUPREME, with a whole new collection of new loungified hits like LIKE A G6, BOOM BOOM POW, MARGARITAVILLE, and TIK TOK. The album also introduced two new original songs, RC's new original BIRTHDAY SONG, and his swingin' salute to laziness, LET'S LOUNGE.
In 2012, Richard Cheese releasedBACK IN BLACK TIE, a new album paying tribute to the deadest rockstars in music history. The CD includes songs like Led Zeppelin's STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, Nirvana's SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT, Bob Marley's ONE LOVE, and Eazy-E's GIMMIE THAT NUTT. The band also performed at the 2012Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Convention,and played big shows in Seattle, Houston, and San Francisco. RC also returned to London for a headlining concert at Cadogan Hall, and a private Halloween party performance at the home of British TV presenter Jonathan Ross! On the same London trip, the band also appeared as the house bandon THE JONATHAN ROSS SHOW on ITV1, and at the band Muse's concert after-party on a boat on the Thames River! Also in 2012, Richard Cheese released two new greatest hits compilation albums, DOWN WITH THE DICKNESS: RICHARD CHEESE'S DIRTIEST GREATEST HITS and HAIL TO THE CHEESE: RICHARD CHEESE'S ALL-AMERICAN GREATEST HITS.
In2013, RC returned to the road with headlining shows inNew York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Orlando,Honolulu, and of course, Las Vegas. And, the band releasedTHE ROYAL BABY ALBUM, a studio version of their 2011 Royal Wedding album performances. Then, just in time for Christmas, the band releasedRICHARD CHEESE: COCKTAILS WITH SANTA, an all-newCD collection of holiday standards, recorded in Santa's workshop at the North Pole! Next, RC performed several U.S. concerts in 2014on his ON THE RUM tour. Meanwhile, a new digital compilation album, MUCHO QUESO: 13 COMPLETE RICHARD CHEESE ALBUMS, was released exclusively at shop.richardcheese.com. And, RC wrote and sang the theme song THINK AGAIN for a World Hepatitis Day music video.
In 2015, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine released three new CDs: BAKIN' AT THE BOULDER: RICHARD CHEESE LIVE AT THE BOULDER THEATER, a live album from their sold out April 2015 concert; SUPERMASSIVE BLACK TUX, an all-new studio album featuring THE FRIDAY SONG, another original Richard Cheese number; and a Star Wars tribute album THE LOUNGE AWAKENS: RICHARD CHEESELIVE AT THE MOS EISLEY SPACEPORT CANTINA. The band also performed a dozen tour dates around the U.S. In the fall, Richard Cheese presented the first-ever LOUNGING MAN MUSIC FESTIVAL at Bimbo's San Francisco, and, RC&LATM headlined Jack Black's FESTIVAL SUPREME concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.
But the best was yet to come: In 2016, director Zack Snyder featured two songs by Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine as background music in his Warner Brothers motion picture BATMAN V. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. And, in 2017, Warner Brothers included two songs by Richard Cheese on THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIEsoundtrack -- and Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine appeared on-screen as LEGO minifigs in the film!
Also in 2017, the band's recording of PERSONAL JESUS was used as the opening theme song on an episode of HBO's THE LEFTOVERS,and the band performed live on ESPN in Las Vegas for NCAA March Madness. An all-new studio album LICENSED TO SPILL was released in October 2017, followed by a new greatest hits album, LORD OF THE SWINGS: THE BEST OF RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, VOLUME 2, released digitally in February 2018. The band continues to headline Las Vegas with a new residency at Red Rock Casino.
Now, eighteen years after the debut of his LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE CD, a new autobiographical book is in the works. "ATLAS LOUNGED: THE MUSIC, MARTINIS, AND MADNESS BEHIND RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE"by Mark Jonathan Daviswill be published in 2018; info is at .
The hardest working Dick in show business continues to perform sellout shows all over the world, from Las Vegas to London, from New York to New Orleans,from Hollywood to Honolulu. Thanks to twentyalbums, hundreds of concerts, 150,000 social media followers, and a million martinis, he has earned a prominent place in that prestigious pantheon of lounge legends: Frank ... Sammy ... Dean ...... and Richard Cheese.
richardcheese.com | Facebook/Instagram/Twitter: @richardcheese