| Scary Kids Scaring Kids | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Gilbert, Arizona, USA |
| Genres | Post-hardcore, emo, experimental rock |
| Years active | 2002–2010 |
| Labels | Immortal, RCA |
| Associated acts | Chiodos, Escape the Fate, Patriot, The Hybrid Release, Mod Sun, Curses |
| Website | Official MySpace |
| Members | |
| Tyson Stevens Steve Kirby Chad Crawford Pouyan Afkary DJ Wilson Derek Smith |
|
| Past members | |
| Peter Costa Justin Salter James Ethridge Tanner Wayne |
|
Scary Kids Scaring Kids (abbreviated SKSK) was an American post-hardcore band formed in Gilbert, Arizona in 2002. The band's name comes from the Cap'n Jazz song of the same name.[1] The group disbanded following a farewell tour in 2010.[2]
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The band - which originally was composed of Tyson Stevens on bass and vocal (later to be strictly the vocalist), guitarists Chad Crawford, DJ Wilson (later to switch to bass) and Steve Kirby, Pouyan Afkary on keyboards, and drummer Peter Costa - recorded their self-financed debut EP, After Dark, while they were still in high school.[1] After Dark was eventually re-released by Immortal Records in 2005. After nearly disbanding, they decided to pursue the band full-time, hosting nude carwashes and taking out loans to finance their tours.
The band was then signed to Immortal Records, where they released their first full-length album. Entitled Scary Kids Scaring Kids ,the album was recorded during February and March 2005 with producer Brian McTernan, and released on June 28, 2005.
The City Sleeps In Flames, released on August 28, 2007 and produced by Don Gilmore (who previously worked on Dashboard Confessional, Linkin Park, and Good Charlotte records) in North Hollywood, California, was the result of much consideration and effort by the band, even though they had spent most of the year living on the road. The band specifically wanted the record to be a composed album, rather than a collection of songs thrown together. This is evidenced by transitions between songs, a prelude and an interlude, as well as references throughout the album to previous tracks on the record.
Lyrically, the record was a quest for the truth in its most organic form. "It's all about reaching deep within and pulling out who you truly are", Pouyan explains. The record encompasses several disparate yet linked themes, from retaining and appreciating individuality to standing up for what one believes in, and not backing down. "I think we really had time to make this album sound exactly the way we wanted to and focus on every track individually", explains Pouyan. "In the past, we've been so limited with time, but with this disc we could really focus on the small details that made a big difference to us." Pouyan spoke of the album saying, "We were so proud of this album that we had no other name for it. This is what Scary Kids is all about to this day."
In January 2008, the band was awarded a Libby Award by PETA for Best Newcomers. Scary Kids Scaring Kids received the award for their work in speaking up against Chicken Express for the PETA's 'I Am Not A Nugget' campaign.[3]
Scary Kids left Immortal Records before it collapsed and signed their major label deal with RCA records. During their fall tour with Anberlin, Straylight Run, and There For Tomorrow, the band announced they will be working on their third studio album at the tour's end. The album that was in the process of being recorded will not be released, per Tyson, who revealed the information at a live show on Feb. 11, 2010 in Buffalo, NY.
Lead singer Tyson took some urgent personal time off in the last 4 days of the 2009 Warped Tour and the band had replacement singer Craig Mabbitt of Escape the Fate, and Brandon Bolmer of Chiodos, ex-Yesterdays Rising, filling in on vocals for the rest of the tour, with some help from Cove Reber of Saosin .[4]
On November 30, 2009 Pouyan posted an official statement addressing the end of Scary Kids. Due to mutual agreement the band has chosen to go their separate ways.[5]
From Pouyan's blog:
WE ARE BREAKING UP WITH YOU.
POSTED BY Pouyan ON November 30, 2009 First of all we would like to thank everybody who has supported Scary Kids Scaring Kids since the moment we decided to pick up our instruments and leave our homes to travel the world. We have created a strong kinship with our fans, which are much more than people of the same interests; you've become our family away from home.
To get it out of the way quickly, yes we are breaking up and yes we will be embarking on our final tour in the month January. We are doing this to say goodbye in person to all the friends that have ever supported us and we’ll be making it even more special by touring with some of the bands that have become brothers to us on the road. The reason we are ending the band is very simple. We created this band together as juniors in high school and though we’ve been able to grow together for many years, inevitably we have also grown apart. We’ve had some very serious difficulties over the years as a lot of you can probably relate to as well. Life throws us all something different and we’ve decided that the best thing for us personally is to end the band on a positive note and start new chapters in our individual lives. We don’t want this thing that we've created to become the source of ultimate negativity and we’d rather remember the great times we've had together and move forward knowing we tried our best and had more good times than bad.
James Ethridge, the band's drummer in the last few years, didn't take part in the band's farewell tour in 2010. He was replaced by Derek Smith, who opened with his new hip hop act Mod Sun, as well as playing drums for Scary Kids. The album that the band was recording in 2009 will not be released to the public due to their breaking-up before putting vocals to the recorded music.
Chad Crawford has begun a new band with members of Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Taken by History, and Dreamer called Curses.
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [6] |
US Alt [7] |
US Rock [8] |
US Heat [9] |
US Indie [10] |
|||||
| The City Sleeps in Flames |
|
— | — | — | 50 | — | |||
| Scary Kids Scaring Kids |
|
80 | 23 | 23 | — | 6 | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| After Dark EP |
|
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | "The Only Medicine" | The City Sleeps In Flames |
| 2006 | "The City Sleeps In Flames" | |
| "My Darkest Hour" | ||
| 2007 | "Faces" | Scary Kids Scaring Kids |
| "Snake Devil" | ||
| "The Deep End" |