I have been a part of some disorganized, uncontrolled, seemingly pointless shit in my short life, and so it makes every bit of sense that I would be the one to release an America is Waiting record.
Let me preface all of this my just saying that musically and creatively I was always impressed by this band. they brought the house down every time that they played. I never saw them with the Mineral drummer or with Alex playing guitar, but I am sure they were every bit as good. Energy-wise and emotion-wise (NOT emo, douche), I doubt that the new incarnation could have ever competed to when they were beginning and it was the original lineup. Just saying. I like it best then.
It was long after doing red jagwire and Highwater, and I was running a skateshop that was in a mall. Life was stale. The world was in panic cause planes were crashing into building, nnd I was thinking about starting up another label. Seemed like at the time there were some decent bands, and Myspace hadn't ruined anything quite yet. It was the Friendster years. I didnt even own a computer. Oh, wait, yeah I did. But, I sold it to pay for America is Waiting to record. Then, I sold my Honda to make sure the records got made in time for their first tour opening for the Trail of Dead.
Seemed like a great idea at the time.
I should have known right then. This young amazing band, Running with a band that could break stuff, write catchy songs, and have a major label pay for the trail (pun intended). They wanted that, And were convinced that this tour was gonna pave that way. It was horrible. I never saw friends turn so quickly. Influenced by someone that had no idea how real things worked with record labels, things went sour.
Way sour.
Keep in mind, I was running an independent label. I had put out a record for a band that was together less than a year, on friends recommendations, and based on a house show where I saw them demolish a good friends living room. I dont think they finished a complete song. Here I was, 2000 miles away from home, being told that the band was entitled to 100% of whatever was sold on tour, and that I could not sell the other two records cause it "stole from the band". It was ridiculous. I was having these kids expecting me to treat them the way Interscope was treating the guys in the other vans. The guys with two vans, guitar techs, and a light dude. A band that was playing on Carson Daly.
Needless to say, after the tour things were never the same. I was confronted at a Q and not U show, and we agreed to part ways. Ruining any love for the game at all for me. The band then went through some lineup changes and some pretty decent tours, only to sadly disband a couple years later.
I will say that these were some of my favorite guys in Austin. Their band made me want to do so much and then made me want to do so little. Strange effect to have on people. I am glad to have been a part of this. And I would not have traded any of those memories for anything. It's one thing to have a song that you can't stop listening to and another to have been their when that song was made. And to watch Joseph play that song. Or to remember Ryan dancing around screaming.
Anyway, this is the last record I released on DIEDIEDIEMOND (I am not including the limited Sea of Thousand records, that sadly paid the price for getting planned while this all was going on...more on that later). The CDs I pressed eventually got sold off to the band very cheaply, and they later got some other label to release it again. I was never to be mentioned again.
http://www.myspace.com/americaiswaiting
AMERICA IS WAITING "In the Lines"
http://www.mediafire.com/?5d4mwfldl1t
AMERICA IS WAITING 4-song Demo
http://www.mediafire.com/?eyayw11m1oi
Voyager EP (really great YAZ meets FUGAZI side project from Michael Riginio, the gutar player/singer from AIW)
http://www.mediafire.com/?7fd3dezyoeo
1 comments:
Isn't it the band of an Hell Is For Heroes member ? Maybe I'm wrong..
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