Punchline (band)
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| Punchline | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Genres | Pop punk |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Labels | Modern Short Stories |
| Associated acts | The Composure, Blue of Colors |
| Website | www.punchkids.com |
| Members | |
| Steve Soboslai Chris Fafalios Paul Menotiades Cory Muro |
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| Past members | |
| Jon Belan PJ Caruso Greg Wood Pat Dee |
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Punchline is an American rock band from Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, that formed in 1998. The band released their sixth full-length album Delightfully Pleased on August 10, 2010 on their own label, Modern Short Stories, and TDR Records.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] 1998-2002: The Early Years
Punchline formed in 1998 as a three-piece band consisting of lead vocalist/guitarist Steve Soboslai, bassist Chris Fafalios, and drummer PJ Caruso. At its inception, Chris was a senior in high school and PJ and Steve were juniors. Punchline played local shows and recorded their first album, How to Get Kicked Out of the Mall, a blend of pop- and ska-influenced punk. In later recordings, the ska influence would become less prominent.
In 1999, the band self-produced and self-released the full-length Punchline.
After being joined by guitarist/vocalist Paul Menotiades, they recorded and co-produced Major Motion Picture with Billy Rossi for an August 2001 release. The four collaborated with Rossi again in 2002 on The Rewind EP. The EP's four tracks marked a transition into what would become their signature pop-punk sound.
[edit] 2003-2005: Gaining Popularity, Fueled by Ramen
In 2003, the band signed to Fueled by Ramen Records. The Rewind EP was remixed and remastered by Shelly Yakus for its Fueled by Ramen re-release. Early pressings included The Rewind Documentary DVD, a collection of footage of the band.
On February 2004's full-length Action, produced by Sean O'Keefe, Punchline set itself apart in the saturated world of pop-punk music with bright three-part harmonies, unique melodies, catchy riffs, and a strong rhythm section. Soboslai, Menotiades, and Fafalios all contributed vocals to the disc, and the first 10,000 pressings also included a DVD entitled The Action DVD.[1]
During a tour, guitarist/vocalist, Paul Menotiades left the band. The remaining members enlisted long-time friend Greg Wood to fill in on guitar and vocals for the remaining shows of the tour. Wood, who also performed as a solo artist and was a member of Connecticut's now defunct West Beverly, later joined the band as a permanent member, and plays keys/piano in addition to guitar on Punchline's 2006 release 37 Everywhere.
In 2005, TDR Records (formerly known as To Define Records) released an Over It/Punchline split 7-inch vinyl featuring two exclusive songs. The Over It side features an acoustic version of "Partner in Crime," while the Punchline side features a previously unreleased acoustic version of "Battlescars."[2]
[edit] 2006: 37 Everywhere
37 Everywhere, produced by Shep Goodman and Kenny Gioia, was released by Fueled by Ramen Records on April 11, 2006. The album is dedicated to the life and times of John "Beatz" Holohan (1974–2005), former drummer of Bayside.
The album's title refers to the theory suggesting that 37 is the most commonly seen number. The album's liner notes state: "The number 37 is everywhere. It is in your daily routine and it will surprise you. Look for it and it will look for you." Jason Sho Green, the artist/designer for the album, says the liner notes contain 37 instances of the number 37.
The album features guest vocals from Anthony Raneri of New York's Bayside and Vinnie Caruana of I Am the Avalanche and formerly The Movie Life on "Flashlight," John Johansen of the defunct Stryder on "Caller 10", and Josh Bonner of the defunct Unsung Zeroes on "Wars Will Always Happen," as well as guest guitar work by Ryan Mendez of Yellowcard on "Don't Try This at Home."
On August 28, 2006, the band announced the departure of Greg Wood.[3] Wood is said to be in good standing with the band, and left the band to pursue other interests, specifically a solo career and teaching guitar.[4]
Wood was replaced by Jon Belan, a long-time Punchline friend, former member of The Berlin Project, and lead singer of Gene the Werewolf. His first tour with the band was the "Better Than Knowing Where You Are Tour," headlined by Spitalfield, with support from Over It, Valencia, Peachcake, and Boys Like Girls, in addition to Punchline.
[edit] 2008: Just Say Yes and Modern Short Stories
Punchline's follow-up to 37 Everywhere was recorded in 2007 in two parts. Part 1 was recorded at Room Sound Studios in Tempe, Arizona with producer Jamie Woolford (formerly of The Stereo, now member of the band Let Go), and Part 2 of the new album was recorded at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin with Sean O'Keefe, who previously produced Punchline's Action album.
On February 7, 2008 the band announced their departure from Fueled By Ramen[5] in a brief statement:
"After many years on fueled by ramen its time for us to move on, after fulfilling the obligations of our contract with FBR we decided that we wanted to look for a new home. Armed with a new record that's already recorded we are excited to move on to something new. Thanks to the people at the FBR that supported us and helped us it means alot [sic]. onedoor [sic] closes and one opens."
On July 11, 2008, Punchline created their independent label, Modern Short Stories, using the winnings ($25,000) from Heavy.com's Contraband Contest.
On "37 day" (March 7) 2008, Punchline announced in their AIM chatroom that the new album would be titled Just Say Yes.[6]
Just Say Yes was released on September 16, 2008. A four-song bonus disc, "Just Say Maybe", was included with the first 500 pre-ordered copies.
[edit] 2009: More Line-up Changes and Night Lights
On January 25, 2009, Punchline announced the departure of long-time drummer and original member P.J. Caruso.[7] In a blog entry posted the same day, vocalist Steve Soboslai notified readers the split was amicable, announced a temporary stand-in for already scheduled shows, reassured fans that they plan on making music for a long time to come, and announced plans for a spring 2009 tour and DVD release, as well as a new album sometime this year.[8]
On May 3, 2009, Punchline premiered their new music video for "Ghostie"[9] at 7:37 PM EST during an Absolutepunk.net Chat.[10]
On August 30, 2009, Punchline offered the new song "Heart of Gold" up for free download.[11] But those who paid $3 or more received 5 bonus songs, including rare Punchline tracks.[12]
On September 12, 2009, during a hometown show in Pittsburgh, PA on the AbsolutePunk.net Next Favorite Band Tour, Punchline asked temporary drummer Pat Dee, formerly of the band Victory Lane, to become a permanent member of Punchline. Punchline announced the departure of guitarist Jon Belan later that week. Former guitarist Paul Menotiades is replacing Belan for their Fall 2009 US tour "and [for] possible future recordings."[13]
On December 1, 2009, Punchine released a digital collection of unreleased songs titled Night Lights.
[edit] 2010–2011: Delightfully Pleased
Beginning in May, Punchline set out to Ohio to record with Jamie Woolford. Somewhere around this time, former drummer, Pat Dee, was let go from the band.[14] Cory Muro, of Paul Menotiades' other band The Composure, is Pat's replacement.[15]
A couple weeks after their recording sessions were completed Punchline released a goodie for fans of the television series Lost. A single rough mix track entitled "Roller Coaster Smoke." The track was released the day of the Lost series finale.[16] The official music video was released on July 23, 2010. It was directed by Pittsburgh filmmaker/comedian Joe DeWitt.
On June 24, Punchline revealed that the new album will be called Delightfully Pleased and will be released on August 10, through Modern Short Stories and TDR Records. The artwork as also been released, the first song, "21 Forever," was released on their newly relaunched Web site, PunchKids.com, on July 18.[17] According to the band, this is their best album yet.[18]
Punchline has put up a website, www.brokencydesucks.com where the downloading of Delightfully Pleased can be purchased for any price. The name is referring to a crunkcore group, Brokencyde, that was involved in a fight with Muro at a show in Pittsburgh, Monday April 25, 2011.
[edit] 2012–present: "So Nice to Meet You"
On 3 Jan 2012, Punchline released a new EP exclusively on iTunes called "So Nice To Meet You." The band had a social media push to get to #1 on the iTunes charts. As of 4 Jan 2012, the album peaked at #7 on iTunes Overall charts and #1 in the Rock category. So Nice to Meet You also hit #4 on Billboard's Heatseekers charts, #29 Rock Albums, #16 Independent Albums, and #23 Alternative Albums. [19] Punchline was featured on the Fox reality television show Mobbed that aired on 1/04/12. Soboslai performed the Cheap Trick classic "I Want You to Want Me" with a flash mob for a long-distance friend Dana to profess his interest in a relationship.[20]
[edit] Touring
Punchline has toured the United States extensively. In Spring 2005, they embarked on their first proper headlining tour, "The Now or Never Tour."
Internationally, the band has a sizable following in Japan. In the summer of 2004, Punchline toured Japan with then-labelmates Fall Out Boy, and in June 2006, they headlined a Japanese tour with support from Paramore and October Fall.
In May 2007, Punchline toured the UK for the first time as a supporting act on the Good To Go Tour 2007 with rotating headliners Wheatus, MC Lars and Army Of Freshmen.
In February 2008, Punchline toured the United Kingdom for the second time with MxPx and The Get Go on the fourth installment of the Good To Go Tour.
Punchline continues to tour the United States as well. In June 2009, Punchline co-headlined the Major/Minor Tour with Socratic.[21]
In September 2009, Punchline set out on the AbsolutePunk Next Favorite Band Tour with Farewell, Between The Trees, and Action Item.[22] They toured with Hawthorne Heights, Just Surrender, Monty Are I and Nightbeast during Hawthorne Heights' 2009 Never Sleep Again tour.[13]
[edit] Members
- Steve Soboslai – vocals, guitar (1998-Present)
- Chris Fafalios – bass, vocals (1998-Present)
- Paul Menotiades – guitar, vocals (1998-2004, 2009-Present)
- Cory Muro – drums, vocals (2010-Present)
[edit] Former members
- Greg Wood – guitar, vocals
- PJ Caruso – drums (1998-2009)
- Jon Belan – guitar, vocals, keyboards
- Pat Dee – drums, percussion (2009-2010)
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | How to Get Kicked Out of the Mall | self-released |
| June 1, 1999 | Punchline | self-released |
| February 24, 2004 | Action | Fueled by Ramen |
| April 11, 2006 | 37 Everywhere | Fueled by Ramen |
| September 16, 2008 | Just Say Yes | Modern Short Stories |
| August 10, 2010 | Delightfully Pleased | Modern Short Stories/TDR Records |
[edit] EPs
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Major Motion Picture | self-released |
| 2002 2003 (reissue) |
The Rewind EP | self-released Fueled by Ramen (reissue) |
| 2012 | So Nice To Meet You | Modern Short Stories |
[edit] Compilations
| Release date | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| December 1, 2009 | Night Lights | Modern Short Stories |
| Release date | Title | Label |
| September 2004 | Punk the Clock | PTC |
[edit] References
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007) |
- ^ http://www.merchline.com/punchline/productdisplay.8148.p.htm [Merchline.com - Punchline - "The Action DVD"]
- ^ Punchkids.com - Discography - Split Tracklisting
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=166639 [Absolutepunk.net - "Greg Wood Leaves Punchline"]
- ^ Myspace.com - Greg Wood
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=295329 [Absolutepunk.net - Punchline Leaves Fueled By Ramen]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=302190 [AbsolutePunk.net - "Punchline Album Title"]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=825022 [AbsolutePunk.net - "PJ Caruso Leaves Punchline]
- ^ http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=1986492&blogID=466454559 [Myspace.com - Punchline - Steve's Statement Regarding PJ's Departure]
- ^ http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=1986492&blogId=486405710 [Myspace.com Punchline Blog]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1035512 [Punchline AP.net Chat]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1293242 [Absolutepunk.net - New Punchline Tonight]
- ^ http://twitter.com/punchlion/status/3582069070 [Twitter.com - Punchline: Download "Heart of Gold"]
- ^ a b http://www.facebook.com/punchlinemusic?v=feed&story_fbid=133871374774 [Facebook.com - Punchline Music Page]
- ^ http://letsgopatdee.tumblr.com/post/584888689/my-announcement [Let's Go Pat Dee - Tumblr]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1706752 [AbsolutePunk.net - Punchline Plus Paul = New Album]
- ^ http://www.modernshortstories.net/lost.html [Punchline Has A Song About Lost]
- ^ http://twitter.com/modernshorties/status/18874337546
- ^ http://modernshortstories.tumblr.com
- ^ http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2582192
- ^ http://www.punknews.org/article/45716
- ^ http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=1001464&blogId=492790305 [Socratic Blog - Official June Tour Dates]
- ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=20192 [AbsolutePunk.net - Next Favorite Band Tour]
- "Fueled by Ramen - Bands - Punchline". http://www.fueledbyramen.com/bands/index.php?id=28. Retrieved August 3, 2005.
- "PunchMania". http://www.punchmania.net/. Retrieved August 4, 2005.
- "Antidote Apparel". http://www.antidoteapparel.com/. Retrieved April 8, 2006.
- "Press". http://www.gregwood.net/press.htm. Retrieved April 8, 2006.
- "Illout.com - Punchline Interview from pittpunk.com". http://www.illout.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41895. Retrieved April 9, 2006.
[edit] External links
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