Roots rockers the Badlees traced their origins to the late '80s, when guitarists Bret Alexander and Jeff Feltenberger joined forces with drummer Ron Simasek to form Bad Lee White in the group's hometown of Selinsgrove, PA. With the subsequent additions of frontman Pete Palladino and bassist Paul Smith, the group adopted the nickname given them by their expanding local fanbase, and as the Badlees, issued their debut EP It Ain't for You on their own Rite-Off label in 1990. After a pair of full-length efforts, Diamonds in the Coal and The Unfortunate Result of Spare Time, the group played a series of dates at the 1994 Qingdao Beer Festival in mainland China, the only Western act invited to appear at the event; with 1995's River Songs, the Badlees signed to A&M, but their follow-up, Up There Down Here, was trapped in corporate limbo for over a year, finally appearing in mid-1999 on their new label, Ark 21. A live album, 50:45live, was released the next year. ~ Jason Ankeny