{{Short description|American cover band}} {{multiple issues| {{COI|date=February 2017}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2017}} {{outdated|date=October 2025|reason=Cheese has withdrawn from touring and performing. Article needs to reflect that.}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine | image = Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine at Bimbo's San Francisco.jpg | caption = Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine performing live in 2011 | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | genre = {{flatlist| * Lounge * comedy * swing revival }} | years_active = 2000–present | label = Coverage Records (current), Surfdog, Oglio | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|richardcheese.com}} | current_members = Richard Cheese (Mark Jonathan Davis)<br>Bobby Ricotta (Noel Melanio)<br>Frank Feta (Brian Fishler)<br>Billy Bleu (Ron Belcher) | past_members = }}
'''Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine''' (or simply '''Richard Cheese''') is a cover band and comedy act, performing popular songs in a lounge/swing style. Lounge singer Richard Cheese is a character created and portrayed by Los Angeles–based actor/comedian/singer Mark Jonathan Davis.
==History== Davis had previously worked as Director of Comedy Network Programming for Premiere Networks.<ref>{{cite web | title=Premiere Radio Networks (1990-1992) | url=https://markjonathandavis.com/premiere-radio-networks-1990-1992.html }}</ref> He developed the Richard Cheese lounge singer idea in the mid-1990s.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} The band's work was first broadcast in 2000 by KROQ-FM and the Dr. Demento show.<ref name=":0" />
==Releases==
Since 2000, Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine band has released 28 albums.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DISCOGRAPHY & CREDITS |url=http://richardcheese.com/discography--credits.html |access-date=2026-04-09 |website=RICHARD CHEESE & LOUNGE AGAINST THE MACHINE |language=en}}</ref>
The band's debut album ''Lounge Against the Machine'' was released in 2000 by Oglio Records.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Turner|first1=Katherine|title=This is the Sound of Irony: Music, Politics and Popular Culture|date=March 3, 2016|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781317010548|page=171|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ReCqCwAAQBAJ|access-date=18 August 2017|archive-date=20 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720130738/https://books.google.com/books?id=ReCqCwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Cheese's second and third albums, ''Tuxicity'' and ''I'd Like a Virgin'' were independently released in 2002 and 2004 by Cheese's own label, Ideatown Entertainment (later renamed to Coverage Records).{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}} From 2005 to 2006, Surfdog Records released three Richard Cheese CDs: ''Aperitif for Destruction'', a studio album, ''Silent Nightclub'', a collection of songs tangentially related to the holiday season, and ''The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese'', which included newly re-recorded versions of six covers from previous albums, plus four new studio recordings. Surfdog also re-released the Richard Cheese albums ''Tuxicity'' and ''I'd Like a Virgin'' on their label.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
Beginning in 2007, the band returned to releasing its own albums, through Davis's independent Coverage Records label.
==Film work== Richard Cheese's cover of Disturbed's "Down with the Sickness" was featured in the 2004 Zack Snyder-directed remake of ''Dawn of the Dead''.<ref name="cheese-appearances">{{cite web |url=https://richardcheese.com/film--tv-appearances.html |title=Richard Cheese Film & TV Appearances |website=Richard Cheese Official Website |access-date=2 April 2024 |archive-date=25 September 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925181459/https://richardcheese.com/film--tv-appearances.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2016, the band had two songs in the motion picture ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'', and released a one-track parody album called ''Live at Wayne Financial Tower'' in which the band's performance is cut short by Superman's heat vision.<ref name="cheese-appearances" /> Warner Bros. included the band as animated LEGO mini-figs in the 2017 film ''The Lego Batman Movie''.<ref name="cheese-appearances" />
The character of Richard Cheese appeared in the Kristen Wiig comedy ''Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar'', released in February 2021.<ref name="cheese-appearances" />
In May 2021, Snyder's ''Army of the Dead'' movie featured Richard Cheese singing the opening song "Viva Las Vegas" in a duet with Allison Crowe.<ref name="cheese-appearances" />
==Band members== As of 2015, the lineup of the Lounge Against The Machine band was:
* Richard Cheese – vocals * Bobby Ricotta – piano, keyboards * Frank Feta – drums, percussion * Billy Bleu – upright bass, bass
The names are all pseudonyms that refer to types of cheese (ricotta, feta, bleu).<ref name=":0">{{cite web|last1=Stapleton|first1=Susan|title=Cheese whiz Richard Cheese slices two sets in Las Vegas|url=http://www.latimes.com/travel/lasvegas/lasvegasnow/la-tr-lvn-las-vegas-shows-richard-cheese-20150202-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=18 August 2017|date=February 3, 2015|archive-date=18 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818132317/http://www.latimes.com/travel/lasvegas/lasvegasnow/la-tr-lvn-las-vegas-shows-richard-cheese-20150202-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
The role of pianist and musical director Bobby Ricotta is currently{{When|date=July 2021}} played by Noel Melanio. The band's first drummer, Buddy Gouda, was played by Todd LaValley, and then by Charles Byler. Byler left the band in 2004; he was replaced by Brian Fishler, and the drummer's stage name was changed to Frank Feta. The current bass player, Billy Bleu, is portrayed by Ron Belcher.{{Citation needed|date=July 2021}}
==Discography== All self-released as Coverage Records except where noted.
===Studio albums=== *''Lounge Against the Machine'' (2000) (Oglio Records)<ref name="allmusic">{{AllMusic|id=richard-cheese-mn0000851205|tab=discography|title=Richard Cheese discography}}</ref> *''Tuxicity'' (2002) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/>{{efn|group=upper-alpha|originally released in 2002 by Ideatown/Coverage Records{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}}} *''I'd Like a Virgin'' (2004) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/>{{efn|group=upper-alpha|originally released in 2004 by Ideatown/Coverage Records{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}}} *''Aperitif for Destruction'' (2005) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese'' (2006) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''Silent Nightclub'' (2006) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''Dick at Nite'' (2007)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''Viva la Vodka'' (2009)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''OK Bartender''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2010)<ref name="chart-okb"/> *''Lavapalooza''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2010){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} (as ''Richard Cheese presents Johnny Aloha'') *''Richard Cheese: Live at the Royal Wedding''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2011){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Cocktails with Santa''<ref name="allmusic"/> *''A Lounge Supreme''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2011){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Back in Black Tie''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2012){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''The Lounge Awakens''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2015){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Supermassive Black Tux''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2015){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Bakin' at the Boulder [Live at the Boulder Theater]''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2015){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Licensed to Spill''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2017){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''The Royal Baby Album''<ref name="allmusic"/> *''Richard Cheese's Big Swingin' Organ!''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2019){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Numbers of the Beast''<ref name="allmusic"/> (2020)<ref name="chart-notb"/> *''Big Cheese Energy'' (2021)<ref name="chart-bce"/> *''Live From Hollywood'' (2023){{citation needed|date=July 2024}} *''Blue No Matter Who'' (2024) {{notelist-ua}}
===Compilation albums=== *''The Sunny Side of the Moon: The Best of Richard Cheese'' (2006) (Surfdog Records)<ref name="allmusic"/> *''Hail to the Cheese: Richard Cheese's All-American Greatest Hits'' (digital only) (2012){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Down With the Dickness: Richard Cheese's Dirtiest Greatest Hits'' (digital only) (2012){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Lord of the Swings: The Best of Richard Cheese, Vol. 2'' (digital only)<ref name="allmusic"/> (2018){{citation needed|date=July 2021}} *''Snappier Than Ever: The Original Songs'' (2021) *''Besame Queso'' (vinyl only) (2022) *''Pussy Party'' (vinyl only) (2022) *''Microphone Colossus: The Best of Richard Cheese, Vol. 3'' (digital only)<ref name="allmusic"/> (2025)
===Film soundtracks=== *''Dawn of the Dead'' “Down with the Sickness” (2004, Universal) *''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' “Night and Day”, first meeting of Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent (2016, Warner Bros.) *''The Lego Batman Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2017, Warner Bros.) *''Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar'' Soundtrack (2021, Milan/Sony) *''Army of the Dead'' soundtrack (2021, Milan/Sony)
==Charts== *''The Sunny Side of the Moon'' – No. 9 on ''Billboard'' Comedy Album Chart, March 17, 2006<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=18 March 2006|title=Comedy Albums (week of March 18, 2006)|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2006-03-17|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711172716/https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2006-03-17|archive-date=2021-07-11|access-date=2021-07-09|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> *''OK Bartender'' – No. 15 on ''Billboard'' Comedy Album Chart, April 9, 2010<ref name="chart-okb">{{Cite magazine|date=10 April 2010|title=Comedy Albums (week of April 10, 2010)|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2010-04-09|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711040612/https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2010-04-09|archive-date=2021-07-11|access-date=2021-07-09|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> *''Numbers of the Beast'' – No. 6 on ''Billboard'' Comedy Album Chart, August 15, 2020<ref name="chart-notb">{{Cite magazine|date=15 August 2020|title=Comedy Albums (week of August 15, 2020)|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2020-08-15|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713054325/https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2020-08-15|archive-date=2021-07-13|access-date=2021-07-09|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> *''Big Cheese Energy'' – No. 10 on ''Billboard'' Comedy Album Chart, March 13, 2021<ref name="chart-bce">{{Cite magazine|date=13 March 2021|title=Comedy Albums (week of March 13, 2021)|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2021-03-13|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713054328/https://www.billboard.com/charts/comedy-albums/2021-03-13|archive-date=2021-07-13|access-date=2021-07-09|magazine=Billboard}}</ref>
==See also== *The Lounge Kittens, an English comedy band who performed rock and heavy metal songs in a lounge music style. *Black Velvet Flag, an American trio who performed punk rock songs in a lounge music style. *Frank Bennett, an Australian jazz singer who recorded several big band arrangements of popular songs.
==References== {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheese, Richard}} Category:American comedy musical groups Category:Cover bands Category:Musical groups established in 2000 Category:American parody musicians Category:Lounge music groups