| Lydia | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Gilbert, Arizona |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 2003-2010, 2011–Present |
| Labels |
HourZero |
| Associated acts | States, Gates, The Saturn Hands, The Cinema, Bears of Manitou, The Monday Mornings |
| Members | |
| Leighton Antelman : Lead Vocals, guitar Craig Taylor : drums |
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| Past members | |
| Dustin Forsgren : Bass Guitar Maria Sais De Sicilia : vocals, Keyboard Loren Brinton : Drums Evan Aranbul : Bass Guitar Tim Whitlock : Guitar Jed Dunning : Bass Guitar Mindy White : vocals, Keyboard Steve McGraw : Guitar |
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Lydia is an indie rock band from Gilbert, Arizona, formed in 2003.
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Leighton Antelman and Steve McGraw started writing music and booking shows when they were both in 7th grade.[1] The band really got their start as Rolo 15 while attending Greenfield Jr. High.[2] They then went on to change the name to Nextabest. At that time, the band consisted of Leighton Antleman, Tim Whitlock, William Bradford and Steve Mcgraw.[3] After that band broke up, Antelman and McGraw continued to write and play music. They then soon added drummer Loren Briton and bassist Dustin Forsgren.[4] The band came up with their name right before one of their first shows. Former member Mindy White explains the reasoning:[5]
"Steve said they were about to go on one night and didn’t even have a name and the guy said “well give me…something, anything” so he said Lydia."
Their first taste of fame was when a friend entered a demo of theirs into a contest which they won and were able to get a song on the Atticus: ...Dragging the Lake, Vol. 3 compilation CD.
Lydia was signed to the Arizona based record label HourZero, through which they released their debut album This December; It's One More and I'm Free.[6] Since then, they have toured extensively throughout the country and participated in the Zumiez Couch Tour, Vans Warped Tour, and The Bamboozle festival. They also played on the first annual Bamboozle Roadshow with Saves The Day, Armor For Sleep, Set Your Goals and Metro Station in 2008.
They released their second album, Illuminate on March 18, 2008.[7] They went on a late summer tour with The Dear Hunter, Eye Alaska and You, Me, and Everyone We Know.[8] It was announced on August 25, 2008 that the band had signed to Low Altitude Records and re-released Illuminate on October 21, 2008.[9] They went on tour with Copeland, Lovedrug, and Lights in November.
They shot a video for the song "I Woke Up Near The Sea" in December and released it online on February 24. The band went on their first headlining tour, called the "Illuminate Yourself Tour" in February with Black Gold and also did a West Coast headlining tour with PlayRadioPlay!, Eye Alaska and Brave Citizens.[10]
On October 12, 2009 they released a tour only EP titled Hotel Sessions which features 4 acoustically re-recorded songs off their first album.
It was announced on March 10, 2010 that Mindy White had decided to leave the band.[11] The band finished recording in the studio with producer Matt Malpass for their next release which was given a tentative release date of July 2010 [12]
She explained her leaving in an interview a couple months later[13]:
"It was kind of a long time coming. There were a lot of differences in the band, and I know that if you’re in something that has no heart in it besides your own, you’re in the wrong place. I stayed in it just to be doing what I love, which is singing and playing music. I hated the thought of the fans being upset about it, even though I would still be playing music; I just hoped they could understand. It came to the point where I had to make the plunge to leave and start my own band for my own safety and sanity."
Leighton later commented on her departure[14]:
"The band parting ways with Mindy was totally civil. There wasn’t any bad blood; I still talk to her all the time and we’re still good friends."
On May 11, 2010 a version of "We Clean Up So Well" was posted on their Myspace page with a note announcing that the band will break up after a nationwide tour in July. The tour was titled "The Lydia Finale: A Goodbye & Farewell Tour".[15]
"I am anxious to say this, in that I do not like disappointing anyone. But I do need to get this off my chest. The new music that is set to come out this July 2010, under the name Lydia, is going to be the last recordings ever put out by the band. We are very grateful to have been able to put out as much music as we have and to reach so many people. I assure you this is not something I’ve decided over a few months, but more so in the past year. This has been something I’ve been thinking about for quite some time now and it’s just the right place and time for me to move on to other things and projects."
In a later interview, Leighton explained the breakup a little bit more[16][17]:
"It's quite simple, the two original band members don't want to put out music together anymore. Simple as that."
"Right before we went on the farewell tour, about a week before we went, it kind of just came to heads with me and Steve, the two dudes that started the band. And so that was a little bit not what I wanted the band to end like, but shit happens and I’m sure every band has some bad turmoil that happens. Overall, I don’t have any regrets about it at all."
They released a new song off their final album, Assailants entitled "Empty Out Your Stomach" on May 27, 2010.[18] Assailants was released to online retailers on July 20, 2010. The album stayed in the Top 15 albums sold spot for over two days.[19]
It was announced on July 12, 2010 that guitarist Steve McGraw had decided to leave the band and would not be playing on their final tour.[20]
On September 15, 2010 a trailer was released for their first ever DVD, Lydia: A Goodbye and Farewell.[21] It was announced on December 22 that all of the footage for the DVD was lost in a hard drive crash.[22][23]
On September 30, they made announced plans to take their farewell tour to Australia in late November.[24] The band also released a music video for their song, "I've Never Seen A Witch".[25]
On May 17, it was announced that Leighton and Craig will bring out the band from hiatus to record a new album this summer under the name Lydia. Leighton explained a little bit more on what brought him to bring Lydia back:[26][27]
"I was pretty convinced that I was just going to do my own thing and just put it out under my own name. I was pretty set on that for a little while, but Craig was the one that convinced me to put it out under Lydia because we had come all these years with it and it would be a real shame just to let it die because of one person, which was the sole reason, if I’m being honest, that Lydia had to do a farewell tour and break up."
Craig explained some more[28]:
"Honestly, it was an obvious thing, for me, at least. Me and Leighton were going to keep making music regardless, and I just felt like there was no reason to waste this whole name we already have established. I guess the reunion, if you call it that came from us being like, we really enjoyed doing that."
They released a new song called "Dragging Your Feet in the Mud" on September 26, 2011.[29] The band released their latest album, Paint it Golden on October, 4 2011.[30]
The band released a cover of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" on December 20, 2011.[31]
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