Army of Freshmen

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Army of Freshmen
Origin Ventura, California, U.S.
Genre(s) Pop Punk
Power Pop
Rock
Years active 1997–present
Label(s) U.S.: Blue Hand Records
33rd Street Records
Japan: The Sonic Label/JVC Entertainment
Nutcase Entertainment
UK: Brand New Hero Records
Associated acts Bowling for Soup
Son Of Dork
Wheatus
Website http://www.armyoffreshmen.com/
Members
Chris Jay
Aaron Goldberg
Owen Bucey
Dan Clark
Kai Dodson
Mike Milligan

Army of Freshmen is an independent 6 piece pop punk band based out of Ventura, California that has played over 1,000 shows in 42 states and 10 countries and are widely known as the co-founders of the annual Get Happy Tour, along with Bowling for Soup.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early Years (1997-2001)

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' Nielsen at the Teltron Internet Cafe, a local coffehouse where Jay was performing 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.

[edit] Army of Freshmen (2001-2004)

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 popular 60's rock band Spirit. [2]

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 beginning of 2003, Nielsen 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 previous 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.

[edit] Beg, Borrow, Steal (2004-2006)

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. [3]

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. [4]

[edit] Under the Radar (2006-2008)

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 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 prior to the Download Festival.

That summer, the Get Happy Tour's second year in the United States commenced. In addition to Army of Freshmen, the lineup included Bowling For Soup, Quietdrive and Melee. Then, in October, the Get Happy Tour went to mainland Europe for shows in France, the Netherlands and Germany. Immediately thereafter, the tour continued on to United Kingdom with the lineup of Army of Freshmen, Bowling For Soup, The Bloodhound Gang and Zebrahead.

[edit] Above The Atmosphere (2008-Present)

In April of 2008, Army of Freshmen announced that recording was complete on their fourth album, Above the Atmosphere. The 10 song record was recorded in Los Angeles during February and March of 2008 and was released on June 2nd for internet pre-order and became available at all the shows of the UK tour. It is again being produced by Jay Ruston. The band’s website and You Tube channel posted several photo and video blogs during the recording. [5]

In early June 2008, Army of Freshmen will be touring the UK in support of this record. It will be their first headlining tour of the UK, in contrast to their previous tours as part of the Get Happy Tour and Good To Go Tour packages. Although this tour was booked by the people behind the Good To Go Tour, it will not be an official entry of that series and can be seen an unofficial Good To Go Tour. The tour appears to have no specific support acts that travel with the band to every show. Instead this tour will consist of local small bands within the area near the venue supporting the band for the one show until Army of Freshmen leave for the next show.

The new album will be available at all the UK shows and available to pre-order on iTunes.

[edit] Members

  • Chris Jay - vocals
  • Aaron Goldberg - guitar, vocals
  • Owen Bucey - keyboard, vocals
  • Dan Clark - keyboard, mini moog
  • Kai Dodson - bass
  • Mike Milligan - drums

[edit] Former Members

  • One Neilsen - bass
  • Mike Rini - drums

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • The Army of Freshmen (2001)
  • Beg, Borrow, Steal (2004)
  • At the End of the Day (2005) [UK only EP]
  • Under the Radar (2006)
  • Above The Atmosphere (2008)

[edit] 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, Dogstar featuring Keanu Reeves, Fall Out Boy, Fenix TX, Fountains of Wayne, Good Charlotte, Halifax, Hellogoodbye, Home Grown, The Impossibles, Kottonmouth Kings, Lagwagon, John Linnell (of They Might Be Giants), The Living End, Lucky Boys Confusion, Ludo, The Matches, MC Lars, Melee, Mest, Midtown, MxPx, Nerf Herder, Ozma, Plain White Ts, The Presidents of the United States of America, Pulley, Punchline, Reel Big Fish, River City High, Rocket Summer, Royal Crown Revue, Rufio, Say Anything, The Stereo, Something Corporate, Son Of Dork, The Specials, The Starting Line, Sugarcult, Sum 41, Ultimate Fakebook, The Untouchables, Wheatus, Yellowcard, and Zebrahead.

The band has a cameo in Bowling For Soup's video, "High School Never Ends." The video treatment/concept was written by Chris Jay.

AOF was 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.

There have had several guest appearances from other artists on their records:

  • Parry Gripp, lead singer of Nerf Herder, contributed vocals to the song “Hard To Say” off Beg, Borrow, Steal.
  • Jaret Reddick, lead singer of Bowling For Soup, contributed vocals to the song, “At the End of the Day” from Under The Radar. He also contributed minor background vocals to the songs “Wrinkle In Time,” “Down at the Shore” and “Maybe in the Midwest”.
  • Marko 72, guitarist of Sugarcult, contributes a guitar solo to the song, “Groundbreaking Sound” off Under The Radar.
  • Ben Harper, formerly of Yellowcard, contributes a guitar solo to “Waiting on Me” from Under the Radar.

Army of Freshmen’s song “Road Less Traveled” was quoted in the book High School Confidential written by Jeremy Iversen and published by Atria Books in 2006. Chris Jay and the band are also mentioned in the Thank You section.

[edit] Other Ventures

Army of Freshmen members have recently become involved in the production of other artists:

  • In 2006 Chris Jay and Aaron Goldberg produced a 3 song demo for New Jersey pop singer Sarah Ashleigh [6]. Jay discovered the female singer after being a guest judge at singing competition in his hometown of Cape May while visiting there on tour in 2005. All three songs were written and produced by the two AOF members. On the demo, Kai Dodson played bass, Mike Milligan played drums and Dan Clark played keyboard. Though essentially a female fronted AOF, the songs are total mainstream Top 40 pop in the vein of Kelly Clarkson. Chris and Aaron are scheduled to produce Ashley's second demo in spring of 2008.
  • Chris Jay and Aaron Goldberg also produced and co-wrote a 3 song demo with the New Jersey rock band EXIT4 in 2007. In 2008, they produced and co-wrote the band's full-length CD. Aaron and Owen contributed vocals to the disc as well. It is scheduled for a summer of 2008 release.
  • Aaron Goldberg also produced the debut record from fellow Ventura band Black List in 2006, and in early 2008, flew to England to produce the debut record of the English band Frontline [7].
  • In 2007, Mike Milligan produced and co-wrote the debut album "All We've Got Is This" by Chicago band Plunket [8]. Chris Jay, Aaron Goldberg, Owen Bucey and Mike Milligan all contributed vocals to several different Plunket songs.

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. [9] 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 to speak of the matter, and most Army of Freshmen fans and Beach Boy fans are unaware that the lawsuit ever existed. [10]

[edit] External links

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Get Happy Tour
Tour Founders
Army of Freshmen | Bowling for Soup
Other Get Happy Tour bands