| MxPx | |
|---|---|
MxPx receiving keys to Bremerton from Mayor Cary Bozeman, September 2006 |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Magnified Plaid |
| Origin | Bremerton, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Labels | Tooth and Nail, A&M, Fat Wreck Chords, SideOneDummy, Rock City Recording Company |
| Associated acts | The Cootees, Arthur, Tumbledown |
| Website | www.mxpx.com |
| Members | |
| Mike Herrera Tom Wisniewski Yuri Ruley |
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| Past members | |
| Andy Husted | |
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene.[1] The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles.
All the members of the band are Christians, and this is reflected in some of the band's songs. However, they prefer not to be called a Christian band.[2] On the topic of their faith, Mike Herrera has been quoted saying "We are Christian. It’s not a cult or something. It’s part of our story and I guess it’s different and controversial. But it’s a personal thing. It’s what we choose to believe. That’s all there is to it. We don’t preach to anyone."[3]
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MxPx began in July 1992 with the name Magnified Plaid. Initially, they started playing music inspired by Descendents, NOFX, Black Flag and other Southern California skate punk bands. The trio—Mike Herrera, Yuri Ruley, and Andy Husted—were classmates at Central Kitsap High School in nearby Silverdale, WA and were 15 years old when they formed. The name was a tribute to the original guitarist's fascination with plaid shirts but did not fit on the band's posters. Consequently, the name was abbreviated to M.P. But in Yuri Ruley's handwriting, periods appeared as "X"'s, and since he made up the show posters for the band, the four-letter moniker stuck.[4]
MxPx caught the attention of Tooth & Nail Records when they played a showcase for the label in 1993 in Herrera's parents' back yard. Mike Herrera had practiced so much before the first show that he lost his voice. Their first major album, Pokinatcha (1994), was released while the band members were still in high school. The album, though classified as christian punk, incorporated the quick styles of hardcore punk.
Guitarist Andy Husted soon left the band to finish college and was replaced by Tom Wisniewski. MxPx released two further albums with Tooth & Nail: Teenage Politics in 1995, and Life in General in 1996.
MxPx received a major distribution deal with A&M Records. This deal first saw a re-release of Life In General. MxPx then released two more studio albums jointly distributed by Tooth & Nail and A&M: Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo in 1998, and The Ever Passing Moment in 2000. Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo would be last album to incorporate hardcore punk for some years and with the release of The Ever Passing Moment, the band used frequent pop punk styles. MxPx had fulfilled their contract obligations with Tooth & Nail and decided to part ways.
Before Everything & After in 2003 was released exclusively by A&M, and marked a radical departure from their old sound.
In 2005 MxPx was dropped by A&M, signed with SideOneDummy Records, and released their seventh full-length album Panic.
In September 2006, MxPx and the City of Bremerton started a marketing effort revolving around the band's song "Move to Bremerton". Bremerton's Community Renewal Agency secured rights for the song to be played in a promotional website for the city, and MxPx played a concert at the downtown Admiral Theatre on September 16, 2006 with local bands The Divorce and Ruxton Towers. The band was also given keys to the city by Mayor Cary Bozeman in recognition of their contributions to Bremerton.[5][6]
MxPx spent the majority of 2005 and 2006 touring in support of their 7th album Panic. On November 21, 2006, Tooth & Nail Records re-released "Let It Happen", an earlier rarities compilation, in a "Deluxe Edition" which included a bonus DVD featuring 12 music videos, new artwork, and two new songs.
Let's Rock, MxPx's second rarities album, was released on Side One Dummy Records on October 24, 2006. The album consists of many previously unreleased songs, re-recorded b-sides and acoustic demos.
A six-song EP entitled Left Coast Punk EP was released on November 17.[7] A Christmas album, titled Punk Rawk Christmas, was also released on December 1, 2009.[8][9]
In late 2009, Mike Herrera teamed up with frontman of The Ataris, Kris Roe and the drummer of The Summer Obsession, Chris Wilson (formerly of Good Charlotte) for the MxPx All Stars tour in Japan and South East Asia. The ensemble toured cities like Tokyo, Yokohoma, Nagoya, Osaka, Kuala Lumpur and Bandung.
The band released a documentary entitled Both Ends Burning on December 1st, 2011.[10] [11] In addition, Mike, Tom, and Yuri are currently working on their ninth studio album.[12] On December 19, 2011, they announced that the album will be called Plans Within Plans.[13]
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