The Wonder Years (band)

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The Wonder Years
The Wonder Years Live.jpg
The Wonder Years Performing live in 2009
Background information
Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Genres Pop punk
Years active 2005–present
Labels Hopeless, No Sleep
Website thewonderyearsband.com
Members Nick Steinborn
Dan Campbell
Josh Martin
Matt Brasch
Casey Cavaliere
Mike Kennedy
Past members Mikey Kelly

The Wonder Years is an American pop punk band from Lansdale, Pennsylvania that formed in June 2005. Since their conception, they have released four full length albums, two EPs, and several splits/compilations. The group is currently signed to Hopeless Records[1] and originally got their name from the television show of the same name.

Contents

History [edit]

Formation, the early years (2005-2006) [edit]

The Wonder Years were born in 2005 out of the remnants of an old Lansdale, PA band called The Premier. The Premier consisted of Soupy (Dan Campbell), Matt, Nick, Dave and CJ Morgan. Dave and CJ were the only members of The Premier that didn't join The Wonder Years.

The Wonder Years's first two years of existence amounted to two relatively unknown split EP's with Lansdale bands that are no longer together. Their first split with Emergency and I was released in 2005 and featured two songs that would later be included and re recorded on their first full length Get Stoked on It!. ("I Fell in Love with a Ninja Master" and "Buzz Aldrin: The Poster Boy for Second Place"). The other song on the split was "Cowboy Killers".

The Wonder Years quickly followed up their 2005 release by putting out another split, this time with a band called Bangarang! In a similar fashion to their split with Emergency and I, The Wonder Years's split with Bangarang! featured two songs that would be re-recorded and included on Get Stoked on It!. ("My Geraldine Lies Over the Delaware" and "Let's Moshercise!"). The other two songs were "I Ain't Sayin' He A Golddigga (Sike!)" and "Through Two Hearts".

Get Stoked on It! & Won't Be Pathetic Forever (2007 - 2009) [edit]

The Wonder Years signed to No Sleep Records in 2007. After completing their first tour of the United Kingdom with Never So True, The Wonder Years recorded their first full-length studio album, Get Stoked on It!. Get Stoked on It! was released on October 30, 2007 and caused the band's then-small fan base to grow significantly. In the spring of 2008, The Wonder Years released an EP titled, Won't Be Pathetic Forever. In 2009, The Wonder Years' released a split EP titled Distances with U.K. pop-punk band All or Nothing. The split consisted of only two songs by The Wonder Years, and it was after this release that keyboardist/vocalist Mikey Kelly left the band to pursue other goals.

The Upsides (2010 - 2011) [edit]

The Wonder Years's second full length album, The Upsides was released on January 26, 2010. The Upsides sold 1852 units in its first week, landing it on multiple Billboard charts: No. 5 on Alternative Artist, No. 9 on Top New Artist, No. 26 on Top Internet Album, and No. 43 on Indie Label Album.[2]

Also with the release of The Upsides was a 7" limited to only 500 copies and available with pre-order of "The Upsides" CD. This vinyl features a non album song entitled Leavenhouse. 11:30., which is about the early years of music for The Wonder Years and their local scene in Lansdale, PA. The title "Leavenhouse" refers to a house in which members of the Lansdale band "Leavenworth" lived and hung out at day or night.

A few months after the release of The Upsides, on May 27, The Wonder Years announced that they had signed to "Hopeless Records". Their first release after their signing was a split 7" with Fallen from the Sky, on which they covered "Zip Lock" by Lit.

The Wonder Years released a deluxe version of The Upsides on September 21, 2010. It included 4 new songs titled, "I Was Scared and I'm Sorry", "We Won't Bury You", "Dynamite Shovel (Campfire Version)", and "Logan Circle: A New Hope". "We Won't Bury You" was written about best friend Mike Pelone who was also in the band "Emergency and I." Mike Pelone died in August 2010.

In October 2010, The Wonder Years released a music video for the song "Melrose Diner" set to the theme of BAW Wrestling and starring actor Charlie Saxton as the wrestler "Lone Wolf".[3]

Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing (2011 - 2013) [edit]

In the fall of 2010, The Wonder Years confirmed that they were writing the follow up to The Upsides. On June 14, 2011 The Wonder Years released Suburbia: I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing on Hopeless Records. "Suburbia" is inspired by the poem America by Allen Ginsberg as well as the band's life following the release of The Upsides. The first single off the album titled "Local Man Ruins Everything" was released on April 12, 2011 on iTunes. The second single, "Don't Let Me Cave In, was released on iTunes and Amazon on May 3, 2011, along with a music video. The third single, "Coffee Eyes" was made available for streaming on the Alternative Press website on June 1, 2011. The record charted at number 73 on the Billboard Top 200 the week of its release, selling 8100 copies. On August 11, 2011 they released a music video for "Local Man Ruins Everything". The video consists of Hank The Pigeon "adventuring on his own" around Lansdale and Philadelphia.

The band released a split 6-inch with Stay Ahead of the Weather entitled "Punk Is Dead. Get A Job." on April 17, 2012 and re-released their debut full-length, Get Stoked On It!, on May 15, 2012. The album will only be available digitally through the record label's website. Campbell, who has been outspoken about his disappointment in the band's first album, said, "In our opinion, this record is a trainwreck. Chris paid to get it remastered forever ago and we kept trying to put off its inevitable re-release. He and I agreed that since its already available digitally, that no real harm can come of swapping out the old mixes with the better sounding ones as long as it never gets pressed in a physical form again. That's the long and short of it. If you like the record, enjoy the new mixes. If you hate the record, I'm on your side. We won't be playing any of these songs live in support of this. We don't even consider it a re-release. Just a swap out for a better mix."[4]

On December 3, the band announced on their official twitter and website that they will be releasing a compilation of all of their former EPs and Splits titled "Sleeping On Trash", which was released on February 12. They also announced that they were done writing their new album and would be entering the studio in January.

The Greatest Generation (2013 - present) [edit]

Prior to the release of the Greatest Generation the band played 4 shows in the span of 24 hours to promote the album. Before embarking on the Vans Warped Tour, the band will be playing some shows with Silverstein in Canada. The Wonder Years released their fourth LP, "The Greatest Generation", on May 14, via Hopeless Records. In May 2013, The Wonder Years played all 6 dates of Slam Dunk festival in the U.K and Ireland.

Tours [edit]

2009

  • A Loss For Words, Energy - The Ghostbustour - (headliner, 9/21 - 11/9, U.S.) [5]

2010

  • Set Your Goals, Comeback Kid, This Time Next Year - Kimbo Wants A Pepsi Tour - (supporting act, 4/16 - 4/26, U.S.)[6]
  • Four Year Strong, Fireworks - Enemy of Europe Tour - (supporting act, 6/1 - 6/9, U.K.) [7]
  • Streetlight Manifesto, The Supervillains, Crime In Stereo, Dan Potthast - Ship of Fools Tour - (supporting act, 6/23 - 7/30, U.S.)[8]
  • Tonight Alive, Skyway, Heroes For Hire - (Australia)
  • Four Year Strong, Comeback Kid, American Fangs, Mountain Man - Tonight We Feel Alive Tour - (supporting act, 10/3 - 11/6, U.S.)

2011

  • Good Charlotte, Four Year Strong, Framing Hanley - 2011 Kerrang! Tour - (opening act, 2/2 - 2/18, U.K.) [9]
  • Fireworks, Such Gold, Make Do And Mend, Living With Lions - Man Scout Jamboree Tour - (headliner, 4/8 - 5/7, U.S.)[10]
  • Warped Tour 2011 – Warped Tour 2011 (6/24 - 8/14, U.S. and Canada)
  • Valencia, Such Gold - A Whole Year In Airports Tour - (headliner, 9/12 - 9/23, U.K.)[11]
  • New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, Man Overboard, This Time Next Year - Pop Punk's Not Dead Tour - (supporting act, 10/6 - 11/20, U.S.) [12]

2012

  • Polar Bear Club, Transit, The Story So Far, A Loss For Words, Into It. Over It. - Glamour Kills Tour - (headliner, 3/9 - 4/20, U.S.) [13]
  • The Early November, The Swellers, Young Statues - (supporting act, 5/23 - 6/9, U.S.)[14]
  • Yellowcard, We Are The In Crowd - (supporting act, 11/2 - 12/2, U.S.) [15]

2013

  • Fireworks, Hostage Calm, Misser - (headliner, 3/8 - 3/29, U.S.) [16]
  • Warped Tour 2013 - Warped Tour 2013 (6/5 - 8/4, U.S. and Canada)[17]

Members [edit]

Current members
Former members
  • Mikey Kelly - keyboards, backing vocals

Discography [edit]

Studio full-lengths
Compilations
EPs and splits
  • 2005: Split with Emergency and I
  • 2006: Split with Bangarang
  • 2007: Tour EP
  • 2008: Won't Be Pathetic Forever 7"
  • 2009: Distances (split with All or Nothing)
  • 2009: I Refuse To Sink: A Collection Of Prior Recordings
  • 2010: Under the Influence, Vol. 13" (split with Fallen from the Sky)
  • 2010: The Wonder Years Vs. Heroes for Hire 7" (Australian release only)
  • 2012: Punk Is Dead. Get A Job. (split with Stay Ahead of The Weather)
Appearances on compilations
  • 2009: Carry the Torch (Kid Dynamite cover compilation)
  • 2011: VS The Earthquake (Benefit Compilation)
  • 2011: Take Action! Vol. 10 (compilation)
  • 2011: Hopeless Summer 2011 (Hopeless Records Compilation)
  • 2011: A Tribute To Alkaline Trio (Pacific Ridge Records)[18]
  • 2011: Pop Punk Isn't Dead (compilation)
  • 2012: Love Is Hopeless (Hopeless Records Valentine's Day compilation)
  • 2012: Another Hopeless Summer 2012 (Hopeless Records compilation)

Music videos [edit]

  • "Melrose Diner" (2010)
  • "Don't Let Me Cave In" (2011)
  • "Came Out Swinging" (2011)
  • "Local Man Ruins Everything" (2011)
  • "Living Room Song (Acoustic)" (2012)

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Artists - The Wonder Years". Hopeless Records. Retrieved 2011-05-04. 
  2. ^ "Congrats on Outselling Heidi Montag". AbsolutePunk. Retrieved 2010-02-04. 
  3. ^ YouTube - The Wonder Years - Melrose Diner - Official Video
  4. ^ Campbell, Dan. "The Wonder Years' Get Stoked On It To See Digital-Only Reissue via No Sleep Records". absolutepunk.net. Retrieved 12 August 2012. 
  5. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1310612
  6. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1559401
  7. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1651462
  8. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=1709132
  9. ^ http://www.kerrang.com/blog/2010/09/the_kerrang_relentless_energy_2.html
  10. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2116902
  11. ^ http://www.hellhoundmusic.com/the-wonder-years-present-a-whole-year-in-airports-with-special-guests/
  12. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2400362
  13. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2589682
  14. ^ http://www.punknews.org/article/46821/tours-the-early-november-the-wonder-years-the-swellers-young-statues
  15. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2836042
  16. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=2973002
  17. ^ http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3033451
  18. ^ "A Tribute To Alkaline Trio". Retrieved 2011-11-09.  Text " Pacific Ridge Records" ignored (help)

External links [edit]

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