| Artist vs. Poet | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Dallas, Texas, USA |
| Genres | Power pop, pop punk |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Labels | Fearless Records(2008-2011) Unsigned(2011-present) |
| Website | Official Myspace |
| Members | |
| Joe Kirkland Jason Dean Dylan Stevens |
|
| Past members | |
| Craig Calloway Cale Kanack Jeff Olsen Patrick Rigden Tarcy Thomason Joe Westbrook |
|
Artist vs. Poet is a power pop band from Dallas, Texas formed in late 2007.
Contents |
After the demise of his previous band, Enter the Collector,[1] Vocalist Tarcy Thomason advertised on MySpace.com about starting an acoustic project in the Fall of 2007. Guitarist/vocalist Craig Calloway was the first to respond. They wrote music and quickly converted the project into a full band. Drummer Joe Westbrook (also formerly of Enter the Collector) joined the band. Also added was bassist Jason Dean and finally guitarist/vocalist Joe Kirkland.
In 2008 they were signed by Fearless Records (Mayday Parade, The Maine). Artist vs. Poet released their debut, self-titled EP in November 2008, recorded by producer Mike Green, who has worked with Paramore, The Higher, and Danger Radio.[2] Their songs have been on MTV's The Real World and Parental Control.[3] Alternative Press has called them "one of the 100 bands you need to know" in both 2009 and 2010.[4] It was announced that Craig Calloway is leaving the band on a live ustream chat on September 23, 2010.
The band has traveled across the country supporting their album and were a part of the Atticus Walk the Plank Tour with A Change of Pace and The Classic Crime. They have also toured with My American Heart, The Graduate, Danger Radio, Mayday Parade, Breathe Carolina, Go Radio, The Maine, We the Kings, as well as being on the Guys Guys Guys Tour with Sing It Loud, The Summer Set, The Morning Light, and The Friday Night Boys. AVP played all summer on the Vans Warped Tour 2010 and will be touring fall 2010 on the Fearless Friends Tour.
On April 28, 2011, they announced that vocalist Tarcy Thomason and drummer Joe Westbrook are no longer with the band. Guitarist Joe Kirkland will take over as frontman and new guitarist Dylan Stevens has also been added. Thomason was the originator of the band, starting Artist Vs. Poet in 2007 with ex-guitarist Craig Calloway. Westbrook and bassist Jason Dean joined later that year. Kirkland came aboard in 2008 and helped write the group's only full-length to date—last year's Favorite Fix, via Fearless.
They released their second EP Damn Rough Night while on tour with Forever the Sickest Kids in 2009. Their first full-length album Favorite Fix was released on Fearless Records in March 2010.[5][6]
Favorite Fix reached No. 17 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.[7]
Artist vs. Poet covered Lady Gaga's song, Bad Romance, for the album Punk Goes Pop 3.
Early summer, Artist vs. Poet announced via a YouTube announcement video that Tarcy Thomason (lead vocals) and Joe Westbrook (drums) are leaving the band. Tarcy wishes to spend more time with his wife and child; Joe is pursuing further schooling. Craig Calloway (lead guitar) had already left the band earlier, so only Jason Dean (bass) and Joe Kirkland (rhythm guitar) were left. Despite the shocking revelation, Jason and Joe felt they were an important enough part of AVP to keep the band alive. New lead vocals/guitar will be Joe (who already has a solo project called The Follow Through), and a new rhythm guitarist was added named Dylan Stevens. He met with the band through a friend of theirs. Even with the new lineup, Artist vs. Poet is currently writing songs for a new album to release hopefully later in 2011.
They more recently posted on the band's tumblr a voting poll for fans to vote which song the band should cover. Artist vs. Poet is going to record/release the winning song.
Artist vs. Poet have officially covered Jason Derulo's "Ridin' Solo", Taylor Swift's "Mean", and Nicki Minaj's "Super Bass."
On December 7th 2011, it was announced by Fearless Records that Artist vs. Poet were no longer signed to the label. The band released a statement about it on their tumblr.[8]