Army of Freshmen
Vorlage:Infobox musical artist Army of Freshmen is an independent 6 piece band based out of Ventura, California that has played over 1,000 shows in 42 states and 9 countries and are widely known as the co-founders of the annual Get Happy Tour, along with Bowling for Soup.
History
Following his graduation from Lower Cape May Regional High School in Cape May, New Jersey, Chris Jay left his native New Jersey for California in 1997 with the goal of starting a band. Jay soon befriended keyboardist Owen Bucey, trombonist Dan Clark, trumpeter Aaron Goldberg, original drummer Mike Rini and original bassist One Neilsen at the Teltron Internet Cafe, a local coffehouse where Jay was preforming his original songs (he had written over 500 before the band even formed). [1]
Within months, Army of Freshmen made a name for themselves by garnering a strong local following in Ventura County, California. For the band's first 2 years of existence, Jay played guitar and Aaron Goldberg and Dan Clark were the band's horn section, but as their eclectic sound took on a pop rock quality, Goldberg took over on guitar and Clark added an additional keyboard to the band. With no label, agent or management the band took their act on the road, booking their own tours.
In 2001, the band signed with a local label, Blue Hand Records, and released their self-titled debut which was produced by Jay Ferguson,a member of the 60's cult band Spirit.
They toured that summer in support of the album on the Moto Music Madness Tour which found AOF playing on the Ernie Ball Mobile stage during the intermission of a freestyle motocross event. The tour played over 50 dates across the USA.
At the end of 2002, Neilsen left the band on good terms to get married and pursue a career in real estate and was replaced by Kai Dodson, another Ventura County musician who was a long time friend of the band, and whose previos band, 19th Hole, had performed with Army of Freshmen in the past. Around the same time, the album was discovered by the Sonic Label, a record label in Japan, which led to Army of Freshmen being invited to play Summersonic, one of Japan's largest music festivals, in 2003.
In the fall of 2003, the band would first tour with Bowling For Soup. This led to a close friendship between both bands resulting in the creation of the Get Happy Tour in 2006.
The band entered the studio to record their second album, Beg, Borrow, Steal in late 2003. It was produced by Angus Cooke and was released on the label 33rd Street Records, which was owned by the now-defunct music store chain Tower Records. The album featured the single "Get Um Up," which was added to over 20 alternative radio stations and spent 5 weeks in the top 20 on the U.S. Alternative radio specialty charts. [2]
Following the release of Beg, Borrow, Steal in 2004, the band returned to Japan supporting The Living End, along with a co-headlining show with Sugarcult and Bowling For Soup in Sapparo, Japan where the band's record went to the top 10 in that city.
Returning from Japan, the band embarked on the entire Warped Tour in 2004. During the tour's stop in Toronto, Canada, drummer Mike Rini was asked to leave the band. Mike Milligan, a Chicago based drummer who had played with AOF on several shows with his previous band, Short Arm Trick, relocated to Ventura and officially replaced Rini in December of 2004.
Shortly after the Warped Tour, the band toured the United Kingdom for the first time with The Littlest Man Band and Suburban Legends.
Immediately after returning to the United States, the band finished their busiest year yet touring the country again with Lucky Boys Confusion.
In 2005 the band did a headlining summer tour still in support of Beg, Borrow, Steal and returned to the United Kingdom that fall for a sold out tour opening for Bowling For Soup. In support of the tour, they released an exclusive UK only EP, At the End Of the Day, which was recorded in Texas and produced by Jaret Reddick of Bowling For Soup. [3]
In 2006, the band released their most recent album, Under the Radar, which was produced by Jay Ruston and recorded in Los Angeles, CA. Originally set to be released by an upstart independent record label, American Blood, the label folded prior to the album's release and gave Army of Freshmen full rights to the record, which they released independently.
That spring, the band returned to Japan for the third time on the Nutcase Entertainment Tour which was the band's new Japanese label after Sonic Label folded.
In the summer of 2006, Army of Freshmen and Bowling For Soup created and appeared on the first Get Happy Tour, a package tour that covered the United States and featured fan interaction events and a family friendly show.
The Get Happy Tour then went to the United Kingdom in February of 2007 where it was sold out in advance. Army of Freshmen's energetic live show received glowing praise from such music publications as Kerang Magazine and Big Cheese Magazine. At the Birmingham date of the Get Happy Tour, organizers of the Download Festival caught the band's set, and a week later, Army of Freshmen was invited to appear at the 2007 Download Festival in England held in June.
In preparation for their debut United Kingdom festival appearance, Army of Freshmen co-headlined the Good to Go Tour in May in the United Kingdom with Wheatus and MC Lars. They also visited mainland Europe for the first time (Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands), then returned to the United Kingdom with Reel Big Fish in June.
In August the Get Happy Tour's second year in the United States concluded. In addition to Army of Freshmen, the lineup included Bowling For Soup, Quietdrive and Melee. In October, the Get Happy Tour will commence its leg in the United Kingdom with the lineup of Army of Freshmen, Bowling For Soup, The Bloodhound Gang and Zebrahead.
Members
- Chris Jay - vocals
- Aaron Goldberg - guitar, vocals
- Owen Bucey - keyboard, vocals
- Dan Clark - keyboard, mini moog
- Kai Dodson - bass
- Mike Milligan - drums
Former Members
- One Neilsen - bass
- Mike Rini - drums
Discography
Albums
- 2001: The Army of Freshmen
- 2004: Beg, Borrow, Steal
- 2005: At the End of the Day (UK only EP)
- 2006: Under the Radar
Associations
In Army of Freshmen’s career they have toured with or opened for the following notable bands: AFI, Allister, Alkaline Trio, American Hi-Fi, The Ataris, The Aquabats, Billy Talent, Bloodhound Gang, Bowling For Soup, The Buzzcocks, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Fall Out Boy, Fenix TX, Fountains of Wayne, Good Charlotte, Halifax, Hellogoodbye, Home Grown, The Impossibles, Kottonmouth Kings, Lagwagon, The Living End, Lucky Boys Confusion, The Matches, MC Lars, Melee, Mest, Midtown, MxPx, Nerf Herder, Ozma, Plain White Ts, Punchline, Reel Big Fish, River City High, The Stereo, Something Corporate, Son Of Dork, The Specials, The Starting Line, Sugarcult, Sum 41, Ultimate Fakebook, Wheatus, Yellowcard, and Zebrahead.
Army of Freshmen has a cameo in Bowling For Soup's video, "High School Never Ends." The video treatment/concept was written by Chris Jay.
Army of Freshmen were name checked in the song "We Could've Had It All" by the singer songwriter, Phil Cody on his Big Slow Mover record. Cody was major influence on Chris Jay's songwriting and the two became friends when Jay moved to California.
Other Ventures
In mid 2007 bassist Kai Dodson joined the music and comedy website www.sceneslut.co.uk as a columnist. [4]
Chris Jay wrote a weekly music column for The VC Reporter, a weekly newspaper in Ventura County, California from 1999 to 2001. He still contributes frequently to the paper and has interviewed hundreds of artists. In 2003 he was sued for 10 million dollars by Mike Love of the Beach Boys over an article he wrote on Love and the current line up of the Beach Boys. The case never went to trial and was settled out of court but all the members of Army of Freshmen had to give depositions during the discovery period of the case. Jay is reluctant is speak of the matter and most Army of Freshmen fans and Beach Boy fans are unaware that the lawsuit ever exisited. [5]