[6] In his early teens, while living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and attending the McBurney School, Birkenhead started a neo-rockabilly band, the Bel-Airs, with members of Buzz and the Flyers and Tav Falco's Panther Burns.

Although they never officially released any recorded material, the band played regularly in many New York venus, including Mudd Club, Peppermint Lounge, Danceteria, The Ritz and CBGB and opened for The Cramps, The Gun Club, The Rockats and Carl Perkins.

[11][12][13] Conflict between Birkenhead and Hollywood Records,[14] as well as internal tensions led to the dissolution of Into Another after 1997, leaving an unreleased full-length album entitled "Soul Control".

In June 2012, as part of the Revelation Records 25th Anniversary shows, Into Another was reformed,[16] and, with Richie Birkenhead, Drew Thomas, Peter Moses, Brian Balchack and Reid Black, Into Another made its first appearance in over 15 years.

[17] The band has continued to perform, and Richie Birkenhead is again fully active with Into Another and creating new music.