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Biography
redirect|Louie Stephens|the American footballer|Louis StephensUse mdy dates|date=August 2010Two other uses|the band|the band's self-titled album|Rooney (album)||RooneyRefimprove|date=March 2011Infobox musical artist| name = Rooney| image =| caption = Rooney: Louie Stephens, Robert Schwartzman (actor), Ned Brower, Taylor Locke, and Matthew Winter| image_size =| background = group_or_band| origin = Los Angeles , California, USA| genre = Alternative rock , power pop , indie rock | years_active = 1999–present| label = California Dreaming, Geffen Records|Geffen | associated_acts = Solobob (artist)|Solobob , Coconut Records (band)|Coconut Records , Hanson (band)|Hanson , Tally Hall (band)|Tally Hall | website = URL| http://www.rooney-band.com/| current_members = Robert Schwartzman Taylor Locke Ned Brower Louie Stephens Brandon Schwartzel| past_members = Matthew Winter Teddy Briggs Rooney is an American Rock music|rock band from Los Angeles, currently self-produced and formerly signed to Geffen Records . The band is now composed of Robert Schwartzman (lead vocals, guitar), Louie Stephens (keyboards, piano), Taylor Locke (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ned Brower (drums, backing vocals), and Brandon Schwartzel (bass guitar). The band is named after Ed Rooney, the principal in '' Ferris Bueller's Day Off .
Rooney first formed as Ed Rooney back in 1999. The original lineup consisted of Robert Schwartzman, Matthew Winter on bass, Teddy Briggs on drums, and Matthew Star (née Srolestar) and Taylor Locke on guitar. Ned Brower replaced Briggs as drummer and Louie Stephens was added as keyboardist. They released a series of independent EPs called Deli Meats (2000), Plug It In (2001), and Mastedonia (2002).cite web|url= http://mastedonia.com/biography.php |title=A Rooney fansite |publisher=Mastedonia.com |date=2003-05-20 |accessdate=2011-10-08 The band played multiple shows a month around Los Angeles and Anaheim and built up a strong following. Schwartzman moved to New York City to attend the Eugene Lang College at the New School. Instead of writing papers, he spent his dorm room nights writing new Rooney songs. Schwartzman sent his latest material to his bandmates in LA and flew home every month to perform. They recorded another demo CD with producers Keith Forsey and Brian Reeves. It consisted of the songs "Popstars," "If It Were Up To Me," and "Losing All Control." The demo made its way around LA and created buzz for the band at the major labels and management companies. Schwartzman decided to leave school and pursue the band full time. Rooney played a show at the Roxy in early 2002 packed with Rooney fans and A& R representatives. After the show, the president of Geffen Records approached the band. After meeting all interested parties, the band went to Interscope to meet with Jimmy Iovine . Iovine expressed his love for the demo and said he would produce a couple of tracks himself if they signed with them. Based on their roster, Rooney signed the deal with Geffen/Interscope in 2002.
Calling the World
Following their summer tour, the band began their third sessions for a second album. Only three songs from the previous sessions ("Don't Come Around Again," "Paralyzed," and "Tell Me Soon"), were kept for their new album, Calling the World . On March 6, 2007, the single " When Did Your Heart Go Missing? " was released on their official MySpace. The single also was used in commercials of the TV show Beauty and the Geek . It was also used in an episode of Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County , in the Gossip Girl (TV series)|Gossip Girl season 1 episode "Wild Brunch". and in the movie Nancy Drew (2007 film)|Nancy Drew . The album was released to stores July 17, 2007 and debuted #42 on The Billboard Top 100 Albums chart.
Between the release of the first album and Calling the World , Rooney recorded, produced, and mastered two complete albums that were subsequently scrapped. Schwartzman has stated his desire to re-record these two albums for release in 2011.
Rooney headed out on a headlining tour dubbed "The Calling the World Tour" in May 2008 in the United States, which was scheduled to run through August. The band said during live shows that they planned to record a new album upon after the tour ended.
Rooney worked on the theme for the show Iron Man: Armored Adventures on the Nicktoons (TV channel)|Nicktoons network. The song premiered online on March 29, 2009, and the show launched on April 24, 2009.cite web|last=Lee |first=Stephan |url= http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/03/iron-man-exclus.html |title='Iron Man' exclusive& #33; Watch Rooney's clip for their new Tony Stark theme song |publisher=Music-mix.ew.com |date=2009-03-27 |accessdate=2011-10-08
The Wild One
Rooney became free agents, not attached to any record label. The new self-released EP Wild One was exclusively available only at live shows. The band started a winter tour with Tally Hall and Crash Kings on November 27, 2009, in Los Angeles. The tour went through most of December. The band streamed several songs from the album on MySpace days before the official first day of the tour. The EP was subsequently available for sale on Amazon's MP3 and Apple's iTunes stores.
Eureka
Rooney's third full-length album was released on June 8, 2010, through California Dreaming Records, Warner Music Group's Independent Label Group. The album features the lead single "I Can't Get Enough" and the final appearance of bassist Matthew Winter, who announced his departure from the band in February 2010. With new bassist Brandon Schwartzel, Rooney toured again nationally in Summer 2010, supporting Hanson (band)|Hanson for several weeks of their tour. These shows were interspersed with others where Rooney headlined, with bands The Young Veins and Black Gold (band)|Black Gold supporting. "Holdin' On" will be the next single in 2011.
