LeperKhanz are an experimental troupe of musicians that mix ancient sea shanties, Irish fiddle, reggae, classical, hip hop, disco and rock. Originally formed in 2003, they tour extensively throughout the United States, particularly the west coast and California. Their 2005 studio album "Tiocfaidh Ar La" has been played on radio stations in both the US and Ireland, is popular on "Paddy Rock Radio" in Chicago, and has sold thousands of copies on iTunes and was also nominated for a San Diego Music Award. The LeperKhanz have also had many television appearances and video dubs, particularly around the St. Patrick's Day holiday. The LeperKhanz have endorsement deals with Dean Markley Strings, BarFly Clothing, and 186 Mafia Clothing. The LeperKhanz toured California in 2019, and continued work on their long-awaited follow-up album to "Tiocfaidh Ar La".
History
JP, Nino, and Rhy were previously in the rock band "The Clydzdale Jockeyz". JP and Colin were previously in the heavy metal band "Scohltrick". JP, Todd, Brett, and Rhy were all instructors at "The Encinitas School of Music" before leaving to tour full-time with "The LeperKhanz". Rhy has also played fiddle in the Southern California Irish bands "The Hooliganz", "Rolling Down The Hill", "The Green Jacket", "The Whiskey Rebellion", and "The Bleeding Irish". O'Drinnan was once arrested at a "Hooliganz" show by riot police, around the time of the Tyisha Miller police killing and subsequent Jesse Jackson march in Riverside, Ca. O'Drinnan went with "The Bleeding Irish" on the Vans Warped Tour in 2008. Guitarist Colin Kohl left the band in late 2007 to join "The Burning of Rome" on the Surfdog Records label, and Alejandro Padilla, who had also taught at the Encinitas School of Music with Rhy and JP joined the band as the new guitarist. Conrad Lund was once in the "Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps". In mid 2010 Al left the band and Rhy's cousin Chad joined as the new guitarist. Aaron and Don also tour often with the San Diego reggae band "Stranger". Nino played bass for the Orange County band "Robots Rise". Rhy also played for the band "The Rogue Rebellion". Joe Dinkowitz and Marshall McAlpine from "The Rogue Rebellion" also tour as "The LeperKhanz". Marshall McAlpine used to play with the punk bands "Where's Tom?" and "Dad's Racquet". O'Drinnan often tours solo in the Western US and Hawaii.
Tiocfaidh Ar La
The LeperKhanz released Tiocfaidh Ar La in 2005. It was recorded in 2004 and 2005 by producers Nick Cherry and Engineer Mike Harris at studios in Hemet, California, and in Mira Mesa, California. It is predominately traditional Irish songs reworked in a reggae/heavy metal style.
The LeperKhanz perform "Miserlou" by Dick Dale at many shows. O'Drinnan met Dick Dale at the NAMM show in Anaheim. James Hetfield, George Clinton, As I Lay Dying and Matt Hensley have all been seen at LeperKhanz shows. They performed with Nickel Creek at a tsunami victim benefit in 2005, and Rhy and Sara Watkins have shared violin students. O'Drinnan's sister May Jacob also runs a popular night club in San Diego called "Club Fashion Whore", and is the singer in "Maystar", a band that has opened for such acts as The Dresden Dolls. "The Burning of Rome" has opened for The LeperKhanz at clubs in Downtown San Diego. "Suffer the Heat" were good friends of the LeperKhanz and shared many shows, and several members of "Suffer the Heat" played with rhY and Colin in the band "Rolling Down the Hill" and also in "The Whiskey Rebellion". JP has performed with Sheila E. as part of the Mira Costa Latin Jazz program. As I Lay Dying lives in San Diego and frequent LeperKhanz shows at Churchill's in San Marcos. "Those guys are awesome! On Warped Tour we had a real crappy bus, and they had a real sweet bus, so they let me chill in their A/C!" The LeperKhanz once owned "The Grizzly Rose" a tour bus that had been previously owned by Willie Nelson. Fletcher Dragge, from Pennywise once changed the carburetor for the "Grizzly Rose" when Rhy took the bus with "The Bleeding Irish" in San Francisco. O'Drinnan also played in "The Green Jacket" with Byron Blocker, also formerly of "The Bleeding Irish". O'Drinnan is in the primary screen shot for the popular Linux Mint distribution for the app VLC O'Drinnan was married and then divorced and has 2 children. Nino is married and has 3 children. Hewitt is married and has 1 child.
