According to the band, they started around 1996, when Ariel(lead vocals, guitar), the youngest in the band, was only 16 years old. Ariel met James(bass) at a local skate park cuz they both loved to skate. They seemed to like the same music, and so got together with another drummer to form a pop-punk type of trio. Later on, Kyle(drums) replaced this first drummer. So Ariel, James and Kyle were the first three original members of the group, and they wrote their first song "the skateboard song" (which is the hidden track in "forget the world")
Well, soon into the creation of the band, the band started to incorporate ska into their music when James introduced his old friend from school, Louis(trumpet player) into the band. Then, Louis, introduced Danny(trombone and other weird instruments) and Rich(trombone, moog, and keys) into the band, who were friends he knew from jazz camp. ("and one time, at band camp. . .") Danny first kind of started out as 'just a friend' of the band, but then he joined in.
Moving on. . .they got signed to Fueled by Ramen Records (which is Vinnie's label, the drummer of Less Than Jake) and put out their CD "Forget the World" in 1997. The CD was also released on Vagrant Records, because Fueled By Ramen was based out on the east coast, and the hippos needed some support in the west where they lived. (more information than you really cared about, huh?)
Oh yeah . . .on "Forget the World" the hippos' friends Brandon played additional percussion, and Roman played the sax-a-ma-phone. (Roman now plays with the the mighty mighty bosstones)
So. . .when major labels saw how much the hippos kicked every other band's ass through the window, not to mention, how many albums they sold independently, they were all breaking down the doors to get the hippos on their label. The Hippos, therefore, are now on interscope records.
Ok, flash forward to the present: Kyle, the drummer, if you remember from reading the crap above, recently in the winter decided to go back to school, which meant no time for touring with the hippos. So now, the hippos currently are replacing him with Nate, who is taking over the drum duties. I have no idea if this situation is temporary or permanent, but if you see nate at a show, make sure to welcome him : )
