Alien Crime Syndicate

Following the breakup of previous band The Meices, Joe Reineke formed Alien Crime Syndicate with Jeff Rouse in San Francisco, before they relocated to Los Angeles following a deal with Revolution Records.

After recording their debut album, the label folded, with the band relocating to Seattle, adding Nabil Ayers, formerly of The Lemons, and Jason Krevey to the lineup.

[1][2] After releasing four studio albums,[3][4] The Meices disbanded in 1997,[1] with Reineke forming Alien Crime Syndicate with bassist Jeff Rouse in San Francisco, California the same year.

[4][7][8] The band relocated to Seattle, Washington[1][9] adding drummer Nabil Ayers, formerly of The Lemons,[10] and guitarist Jason Krevey to the lineup[4] before performing live shows locally.

[2] Alien Crime Syndicate recorded their new album, titled Dust to Dirt, at Orbit Audio and Jupiter Studios in Seattle.

[8][14] Reviewing From the Word Go, Stewart Mason of Allmusic said that "Joe Reineke's brand of lightly psychedelicized, guitar-heavy power pop rockers is more appropriate for the kind of pop/rock obsessives who will appreciate the jangly strums, vintage synth sounds, and appealingly retro-feeling fondness for singalong choruses repeated once or twice too often.

[1] The same year, Rouse joined Loaded, at the invitation of drummer Geoff Reading,[15] replacing previous bassist Dave Dederer[15] for the band's tour of the US and Japan in support of Dark Days.

[10][21] The European[21] and Japanese, released through Toshiba EMI,[25] editions of the album included a cover of Elton John's "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" which featured Duff McKagan, formerly of Guns N' Roses, and Kim Warnick, of Visqueen and formerly of the Fastbacks.

"[7] Despite the label picking up the option for their next album, Alien Crime Syndicate left V2 Records and returned to The Control Group.

[28][29] Ten Songs in the Key of Betrayal was released on April 20, 2004[30][31] to positive reviews, with John D. Luerssen of Allmusic stating that the album was "a kickass rock & roll record" and that "when they hit their marks [...] ACS is as immediate as it is fun.

[35] He also reunited with Loaded, along with Mike Squires, in 2006,[36] going on to release an EP, Wasted Heart, in 2008 and album, Sick, in 2009 while they also completed the recording of their third, The Taking, in 2010.

[39] Ayers joined John Roderick's The Long Winters,[10][40] touring with Keane and releasing the album Putting the Days to Bed.