A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember
A Day to Remember | |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | adtr.com [112] |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
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A Day to Remember (often abbreviated ADTR) is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida, founded in the spring of 2003 by guitarist Tom Denney and drummer Bobby Scruggs. They are known for their unusual amalgamation of metalcore and pop punk. The band currently consists of vocalist Jeremy McKinnon, rhythm guitarist Neil Westfall, bassist Joshua Woodard, percussionist/drummer Alex Shelnutt and lead guitarist Kevin Skaff.
Signing with Indianola Records for their first album, And Their Name Was Treason (2005), Scruggs was replaced by Shelnutt in 2006. Later that year the band recorded For Those Who Have Heart (2007) for Victory Records. They embarked on several tours of the UK and U.S. and played at several festivals before recording and releasing Homesick (2009). While promoting Homesick on tour, Denney was replaced by Skaff. Soon after releasing their next album, What Separates Me from You (2010), the band went on a worldwide tour to promote it. Since 2011, the band has been involved in a lawsuit with Victory Records over their recording contract. In October 2013 the band was given the right to self-release new albums until a final verdict is reached. They released their fifth album, Common Courtesy, that month. In 2016, the band released their sixth album, Bad Vibrations. They're set to release their seventh album You're Welcome sometime in late 2019 and will be their first release under Fueled by Ramen.
A Day to Remember | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Origin | Ocala, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | adtr.com [112] |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
History
Early years and debut album (2003–2006)
After all playing in different groups in the Ocala music scene, singer Jeremy McKinnon, guitarists Neil Westfall and Tom Denney, bassist Joshua Woodard, and drummer Bobby Scruggs came together in 2003.[1] Soon after, the band embarked onto playing well over 200 shows in their first year of touring, making a name for themselves in the U.S.[1]
The band self-released an independent EP[2] titled Halos for Heroes, Dirt for the Dead in 2004, which was sold at their live shows.[3] Their epononymous and second EP, moreso a demo rather, was released in January 2005; this was a precursor to their debut studio album and contained demo versions of six songs.
Woodard said, "A friend of mine said he had the AIM screenname of someone at Victory Records. I didn't believe him, but I still started communicating with the guy. We IM'ed back and forth for about six months, and it happened that we were playing [...] in a town outside of Chicago. [...] It was our first time we ever played in Illinois, yet the 50–60 kids there were singing along to our tunes like they’d been fans all their lives."[1]
Victory Records and For Those Who Have Heart (2006–2008)
In September 2007, they posted a cover of Kelly Clarkson's song, "Since U Been Gone", on their MySpace page.[10] This was later featured on the re-release of For Those Who Have Heart, released in February 2008,[11] and charted at number 43 on the Top Independent Albums chart.[9]
Afterwards, the band had a lengthy tour opening for Silverstein[14] along with The Devil Wears Prada, and Protest the Hero.[15] They then played The Bamboozle Left on April 6 at the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine, California, one day at the 2008 Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 3,[15] as well as the Download Festival in June, and the 2008 Vans Warped Tour.[16] Before playing the Download Festival, they toured the UK with The Devil Wears Prada and Alesana on the Road To Download Tour.[17] In mid-2008, the band played all the U.S. dates of the "Easycore Tour" along with New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, Crime in Stereo and International Superheroes of Hardcore.[18]
Homesick and Denney's departure (2008–2010)
In December 2008, A Day to Remember toured across Australia with Parkway Drive, Suicide Silence, The Acacia Strain and Confession.[22]
Homesick was released in February 2009[23] and placed at number 21 on Billboard's Top 200 Listings and at number 1 on Top Independent Albums.[24] It was featured in Rolling Stone's "Top 40 Albums" that month, hitting number 21. As of July 2010, the album had sold over 200,000 copies.[25][26]
Following a UK tour,[27] A Day to Remember went on a European tour in February 2009, with the German leg of the tour supported by For The Fallen Dreams and Kenai.[28] A Day to Remember toured the U.S. from March to May 2009 with The Devil Wears Prada, Sky Eats Airplane and Emarosa.[29] Prior to the tour, Tom Denney had broken his wrist; filling in for him was Kevin Skaff formerly of Four Letter Lie.[30] They toured the UK with For the Fallen Dreams and Azriel.[31] They also toured as part of the Warped Tour 2009, played at the Download Festival 2009[32] and toured Asia, Australia and New Zealand in August and September.
The band contributed a track to Punk Goes Pop 2 record from Fearless, covering The Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)".[33]
A Day to Remember were set to play Reading & Leeds Festival in 2009 but pulled out due to Neil Westfall needing surgery.[39]
What Separates Me from You and lawsuit with Victory (2010–2012)
A Day to Remember performed at the 2010 Soundwave Australian music festival.[44] They toured across the UK in March 2010[45] with support from Architects and Your Demise, followed by "Toursick" in North America with August Burns Red, Silverstein, Enter Shikari, Veara, and Go Radio from March 31 to May 18.[46]
According to Victory, it was claimed that the band was set to release their fourth studio album titled What Separates Me from You on October 26.[49] The album was recorded in Ocala, Florida, with producer Chad Gilbert, who also produced Homesick, with the tracking finished in July.[50] On September 20, A Day to Remember announced in a live video through Victory's website the name of their new album: What Separates Me from You. They then revealed the cover art for the album.[51] The album's release was delayed a few weeks, until November 16.[52][53]
In November, it was announced that A Day to Remember would play the 2011 edition of the Vans Warped Tour.[54]
On January 6, 2011, the band showcased the official music video for the first single taken from the album, "All I Want", through an MTV premiere. The video features musicians from groups including A Day to Remember's former lead guitarist Tom Denney, as well as Vic Fuentes, Pete Wentz, Dallas Taylor, and Tim Lambesis.[55]
On January 11, the band made their national TV debut, performing the songs "All I Want" and "Better Off This Way" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[56]
Prior to Vans Warped Tour 2011, A Day to Remember headlined "The Game Changers Tour" (March – April) with support from Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce the Veil, and We Came as Romans.[57]
On June 7, the band released the music video for the second single from the album, "All Signs Point to Lauderdale".[58]
On December 15, it was announced that A Day to Remember planned to pressing charges against their label, Victory, due to breach of contract. Legal action had reportedly been initiated on May 31 of that year, with the band claiming Victory owed them over $75,000 in royalties.[59] Victory has said that the lawsuit is actually about the band's refusal to fulfill their five- album contractual commitment, and their desire to move to a major label.[60] A Day to Remember gave Altpress.com this statement: "A Day To Remember would like to make it clear that they did not announce nor seek any attention regarding their ongoing suit with Victory Records. This information has been public record since May of 2011 and they have no intention of speaking publicly or disparagingly regarding their disagreement with Victory. A Day To Remember will continue to release music for their fans and are looking forward to touring in 2012."[61]
Beginning in January 2012, the band went on tour supporting Rise Against throughout the U.S.,[62] with the tour spreading over two legs and the band performing in Australia and New Zealand between two tour parts.
On February 27, the band released "2nd Sucks" as the fourth single from What Separates Me from You.[63]
Common Courtesy (2012–2014)
On May 8, 2012 the band announced at a show in New Jersey that their upcoming album would be called Common Courtesy.[64]
On December 3, the band released a countdown on their website, counting down to December 21 but not revealing what it was counting down to. When the countdown reached zero, a new single titled "Violence (Enough Is Enough)" was released.[65]
On January 21, 2013, A Day to Remember released more information about their upcoming tour, referring to it as the Right Back at It Again tour.[66]
On March 20, Woodard posted an image on his official Twitter account, stating that the band was back "on the road again".[68] On the same day, the first stop of their U.S. "Right Back At It Again" tour, A Day to Remember played a new track scheduled to appear on Common Courtesy, titled "Right Back at It Again".[69] They have continued to play this new track on each stop of the Right Back at It Again tour.[70]
Asked about a release date for the album in an interview with WGRD in April, McKinnon said that "there's a date we've [...] tossed around in the last week, but I mean we haven't really set anything in stone."[71] Asked in the same interview if Common Courtesy was going to be released on Victory, he replied that the band were "not sure", and that the lawsuit was still being settled.[71]
On August 23, the album was announced for release on October 8, 2013.[72] A few days prior to the release, the band won the right to self-release the album,[73] with the band contractually obligated to owing Victory at least two more albums.[74][75] McKinnon said about Victory, "The only thing [they] held above us was the right to put out this album and we won the right to put it out ourselves [...] Now it can go to a jury and good luck having a jury of random people agree that two live albums that are sold separately not count as an album, good luck with that."[76] The band self-released the album digitally on October 8.[77] A physical edition with additional tracks was released on November 25,[78] by the band's own label, ADTR Records. To this day, the band and their fans hold the same distaste to Victory, an example being during their set of 2017 Self Help Fest in Philadelphia, where a fan shouted "F*** Victory Records" audibly between two songs and received praise and an personal thanks from McKinnon and the band.
The band went on a UK and Europe tour in January and February 2014.[79] In an interview in late January, McKinnon mentioned the band would film the London show on the tour, with the hopes of releasing a live album.[80] The band toured across America throughout September and October with support acts including Bring Me the Horizon, Motionless in White and Chiodos, dubbing the venture the Parks & Devastation Tour.[81] The band opened for blink-182 (live debut with Matt Skiba) on two dates.[82]
Bad Vibrations (2015–2018)
A Day to Remember on tour in 2016
On September 30, 2015, rhythm guitarist Neil Westfall announced in an interview with Ultimate Guitar that the band were casually working on new material, without a prospective release date.[83]
A Day to Remember co-headlined the Big Ass Tour in arenas with the Amity Affliction in Australia and New Zealand in December 2015, with supporting bands Motionless in White and Hands Like Houses.
On June 2, 2016, a song titled "Bad Vibrations" was released, alongside a music video. It was also announced that the song would be the title track of their sixth album, Bad Vibrations.[89] The album was released on their independent label and Epitaph Records.
The band went on to support Blink 182 on the 2016 'California' Tour from July to October 2016.
During their homecoming show in Ocala on March 18, 2017, the band were presented with keys to the city.[90]
You're Welcome (2019–present)
On June 14, 2019, EDM producer Marshmello released a collaboration track with the band titled "Rescue Me" marking the band's first new release in three years.[91]
On August 20, 2019, the band released a new single titled "Degenerates" and revealed that they are now signed to Fueled By Ramen.[92]
During an intimate free show at the House Of Vans in London on August 21, 2019, the band announced that their seventh album will be called You're Welcome and would be released later that year.[93]
Musical style and influences
A Day to Remember have been described by critics as metalcore,[94][95][96] pop punk,[94][95][97] post-hardcore,[94][97][98] and easycore.[99] Their song structures often follow a metalcore formula and blend into a more pop punk style chorus. AllMusic critic Eduardo Rivadavia has called this blend "pop-mosh", and also described the band as fusing "emo, hardcore, and metal."[100] When asked in an interview with AbsolutePunk about their sound, Jeremy McKinnon stated:
Self Help Fest
The inaugural Self Help Fest was an idea that vocalist Jeremy McKinnon came up with while talking with his girlfriend. "She told me that most people who come [to our shows] respond like it's more than just a concert to them... It's like the music is genuinely helping them. Thus we titled our festival Self Help, because at the end of the day, that's what music's all about."[104] The first Self Help Fest took place on March 22, 2014 at the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino, California. A Day to Remember headlined the festival, and a number of punk rock and metalcore bands also performed, including "Bring Me the Horizon, Of Mice and Men, The Story So Far, Memphis May Fire, Attila, and Letlive.[105]
On October 4, 2014 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, only six months after the first festival, the line-up for the second festival was announced, with A Day to Remember, Bring Me the Horizon and the Story So Far returning.[106] Other bands such as The Wonder Years, Motionless in White, Chiodos, and Gnarwolves made their first appearances at the festival.
A Day to Remember's third Self Help Fest took place in San Bernardino on March 7, 2015. A Day to Remember did not perform, but they did produce the festival along with Fly South Music Group and a few other agencies.[107]
A Day to Remember did perform at the fourth festival, held on March 19, 2016 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino.[108]
Band members
Timeline
Discography
- Studio albums
And Their Name Was Treason (2005)
For Those Who Have Heart (2007)
Homesick (2009)
What Separates Me from You (2010)
Common Courtesy (2013)
Bad Vibrations (2016)
You're Welcome (2019)