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*[[Drew Thomsen]] – bass
*[[Drew Thomsen]] – bass
*[[Danny Duncan]] – drums
*[[Danny Duncan]] – drums

;Former
*Kody Bolduc
*Todd Peurifoy- Deceased


==Discography==
==Discography==

Revision as of 08:42, 11 October 2008

We the Kings

We the Kings is an American pop/powerpop band from Bradenton, Florida. They are signed to the independent label S-Curve Records (distributed by EMI Music),[1] and their debut full-length was released in October 2007. Since then they have completed a variety of tours, most recently the Vans Warped Tour, and in October 2008 they are scheduled to begin another co-headlining tour with The Academy Is.... The band also sports their own miniature series of webisodes, called The King's Carriage, detailing life on their tour bus. The band will begin recording their new album in January of 2009.[citation needed]

History

The band members first met at Martha B. King Middle School in Bradenton, Florida; their name refers to this institution.[2] Later, while in his sophomore year at Manatee High School, Travis Clark started a band called Broken Image. At this time, Hunter, Drew, and Danny were all playing in other bands, but Travis "cherry picked" them to form his band.[3] However due to another couple of bands already calling themselves Broken Image, the name was changed to DeSoto, then, after a lawsuit ensued, to We the Kings.[4] The group began touring seriously while Travis, Danny and Hunter were in college, and they dropped out of college to do so, while Drew graduated early from high school. They completed a couple of tours with Boys Like Girls and Self Against City while still unsigned, and landed on the PureVolume Top 10 list after hiring a manager.[2][3] After continuing success via Internet sites such as MySpace, the group signed to S-Curve Records, who issued their debut self-titled album on October 2, 2007.[5][6][7] The album peaked at #3 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart and #151 on the Billboard 200.[8] The band has toured with bands such as Cobra Starship, Valencia, Just Surrender, Metro Station, Boys Like Girls, All Time Low, The Audition,[2] Cute Is What We Aim For, Danger Radio, Madina Lake, Mayday Parade, and Powerspace. The song "This Is Our Town" is featured in commercials for the new season of One Tree Hill, and on the show Newport Harbor. On February 4th, their song "Check Yes Juliet" was featured as the free single of the week on iTunes. On April 8th, their song "Check Yes Juliet" was featured in an episode of MTV's The Hills. When it came to making a music video for their song "This Is Our Town", they set up a contest allowing fans from the Florida area to submit videos of their town set to the song. The winner would be allowed to spend the day with them on August 30, when they played the Rays game. They were up for several VMAs in 2008, including Best Pop Video, Best Rock Video, Best New Artist, and Video of the Year. New VMA-themed King's Carriage videos were released seemingly to celebrate this fact. However, they did not secure the nomination in any of these categories.

Radio, magazine and television appearances

We the Kings have been featured on many well-known television and radio shows to date in their career. On May 3, 2008, they appeared on CBS's The Early Show to perform "Check Yes Juliet" and "Skyway Avenue."[9] Around this time they were also featured on MTV's Spring Break '08.[10]Finally, the band performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live on June 27, 2008.[11]They are also no stranger to radio and just recently hosted Radio Disney on August 20, 2008. Also they are coming out with a new song release called "By The Phone". The song was originated by Nick Molino of Forever And A Day.[12]

In summer 2008, We the Kings was featured in Alternative Press Magazine (AP). The band landed a three page article. They were also featured on the cover of Substream Music Press magazine, issue 10, along with the band Alesana. Their most recent appearance was in Kerrang! (Issue 1227), where the band landed themselves yet another page.

Musical influences

The band has cited many musicians as influences, such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Beatles. They have also named the modern-day Jimmy Eat World. In addition, other bands they have toured with receive special praise, among them Boys Like Girls and All Time Low.[13]

Tours

They toured in support of Cobra Starship in early 2008 along with Metro Station and The Cab.

We the Kings performed all dates of the Warped Tour 2008.[14]

We the Kings played on their first headlining tour "Long Hair Don't Care" with Valencia, The Cab, Sing It Loud, and Charlotte Sometimes during late March and throughout April.

In May and June, We the Kings supported Cute Is What We Aim For and Boys Like Girls on their UK tour.

On August 30 2008 they were a part of The Rays Summer Concert Series, playing on the field after a Tampa Bay Rays game. They will also be touring the UK after the completion of the Warped Tour.

Beginning on October 1 2008, they are scheduled to begin their "Bill & Trav's Bogus Journey" tour, co-headlined with The Academy Is... Bands Carolina Liar and Hey Monday are also guests on the tour.

The King's carriage

Showing off their sense of humor, the band has a series of miniature webisodes depicting life aboard their tour bus, called The King's Carriage. They show the different band members acting out a series of miniature, humorous plots that are usually only 2 or 3 minutes long. Videos released so far include "We're All Adults", "Danny's Allergy", "Bill's Bunk", "Are We Hazing", and "What's His Problem?", which can be viewed on Youtube or their Myspace profile. Other videos such as "VIP Future Champion Ride", and "55 Yards" are not technically part of the King's Carriage, but are basically the same thing. The band also produced "Strollerz" 1 and 2 which are based off the TV show Cribs, giving a tour of the inside of the bus. The videos are usually made by member Danny Duncan, using iMovie. On June 27 2008, the band released a teaser for their upcoming second season of The King's Carriage, which will begin at an unspecified time.

Pranks

According to Substream Music Press, We the Kings are "known throughout the indie music scene as some of the funniest guys around."[15] The band has pulled off a wide variety of pranks on a wide variety of people, including:

  • Acquiring 180 frozen hotdogs and throwing them at Gabe Saporta, lead singer of Cobra Starship.[15]
  • Dressing in child-sized ninja Halloween suits, and running through a CVS store. An undercover cop chased them out and held them at gunpoint, as 8 cops, 3 undercover cops, and the bomb squad arrived. While in the store drummer Danny Duncan had thrown a stink bomb which apparently sounded like a gunshot, and the officer incorrectly suspected them of robbery. They were ultimately charged with "wearing a mask in public" but aside from appearing for a day in court, they were not ultimately punished for the misunderstanding.[13][15]
  • Lighting a member of the band PowerSpace on fire[15]
  • Messing with the van locks on a number of Warped Tour busses, so that the doors would not close as they drove across the country.[15]
  • Kicking out a window in the band Mayday Parade's tour van.[15]
  • Using $800 worth of fireworks during another band's show.[15]
  • While on the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, after they thought that All Time Low had put a tampon in their bus' bathroom trashcan (it actually turned out to be ketchup), they released All Time Low's personal phone number on the tour to the public, and urged them to call at all hours of the night in retaliation.

Members

Current

Discography

Albums

Date of Release Title Label US Billboard 200 Peak
2005 Ivy Independently released -
2005 Friendship Is a Touchy Subject Independently released -
2006 Between the Ink and the Paper Independently released -
October 2007 We the Kings S-Curve Records #151

Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
The Billboard Hot 100 Pop 100 Airplay US Pop 100 Hot Digital Songs Mainstream Top 40
2007 "Skyway Avenue" – – – – – We the Kings
2008 "Check Yes Juliet" 70 35 37 46 25
2008 "Secret Valentine" – – – – –

References

  1. ^ EMI Music signs S-Curve Records to US distribution and global licensing agreement. EMIGroup.com, July 17, 2007. Accessed October 30, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c Hometown Men Among Kings. Sarasota Herald Tribune, September 27, 2007. Accessed October 23, 2007.
  3. ^ a b Clark, Travis. "Interview - We the Kings." Skratch Magazine. 7 Sept. 2008 Interview with Janelle Jones.
  4. ^ Clark, Travis. "Interview - We the Kings." Skratch Magazine. 7 Sept. 2008 Interview with Janelle Jones.
  5. ^ Review of We the Kings. Allmusic. Accessed October 23, 2007.
  6. ^ Review of We the Kings. Emotionalpunk.com. Accessed October 23, 2007.
  7. ^ Review of We the Kings. Driven Far Off, October 20, 2007. Accessed October 23, 2007.
  8. ^ Billboard, Allmusic.com
  9. ^ "We The Kings on the The Early Show." Youtube. 3 May 2008. 29 Aug. 2008 Youtube.
  10. ^ "We The Kings." Youtube. 20 July 2008. 29 Aug. 2008 Youtube
  11. ^ "We The Kings "Check Yes Juliet" on Jimmy Kimmel Live 6-27-08." Youtube. 28 June 2008. 29 Aug. 2008 Youtube.
  12. ^ "Check Yes Juliet (acoustic) by We the Kings live on Radio Disney." Youtube. 20 Aug. 2008. 29 Aug. 2008 They also appeared on Friday Night Premiere on MTV. Youtube.
  13. ^ a b estrellaonline.com members (2007). "We The Kings". estrellaonline.com. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  14. ^ Warped Tour 2008
  15. ^ a b c d e f g McManhon, Shea. "We the Kings: Court Jesters with an Eye on the Throne." Substream Music Press.

External links

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