The Tearaways combine the influence of the British Invasion with the California Surf sound. With fans from Tom Hanks and Piers Morgan, to Tom Green and Jeffrey Foskett to music lovers from Southern California to Liverpool and beyond, the band has a full slate for 2015, including two new albums, The Earl Mankey Sessions Volume III and The Earl Mankey Sessions Volume VI on Robo Records/Universal Music, the theme song for Name That Tune and four songs in the film, Flytrap. Since their formation a couple of decades ago, The Tearaways are poised to have their biggest year yet.
They started in early 80s in Santa Barbra, when John Finseth formed a band with some friends to reflect their shared influences: The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, The Kinks, The Hollies, Squeeze, Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. Finseth recruited Greg Brallier (vocals/guitar), Dave Heckhouse (guitar), Jesse (drums) and Perry (keyboard) Benenati and later, John Ferriter (guitar/bass/vocals) and the band’s career began in earnest. In 1983, Ferriter left to join The Stingrays, where he was the lead singer/guitarist.
In 2004, the Tearaways were invited to play Beatleweek in Liverpool. They performed for huge crowds and appeared at the famous Cavern Club; they now return to the festival every year. Their appearances gained them another famous fan, Joey Molland of Badfinger, who used The Tearaways as his back-up band both in the United States and in England. The Tearaways have also been inducted into the Beatleweek Hall of Fame.