 Description:
When punk rock judgment day comes, everyone knows which side of the fence BAYSIDE are will on… the egitimate one. The current state of rock music has left acts in a never-ending sea of “genres,” and this current state of affairs has resulted in numerous bands tailoring their look and sound into something that can be labeled. Artists are unjustly pigeonholed and careers are shortened as a result. But amazingly, BAYSIDE has prevailed as rock’s leading indefinable, working class, relatable rock heroes. Since their inception on Long Island one fateful winter day in 2000, BAYSIDE has become the voice for the misanthropic and the hopeful alike. Having released four studio albums with Victory Records since signing on in 2003, BAYSIDE has sold over a quarter-of-a-million records and has become one of the most likable bands in the industry. The nonfickle foursome remain loyal to their long-time fans, dubbed “The Cult”, yet they manage to convert new followers every day. The loyalty extends not only to their fans, but also to each other, as BAYSIDE stays together like a band of brothers, even during times of tragedy. In 2005, a tragic auto accident resulted in the death of John “Beatz” Holohan, the band’s drummer. The loss took an immense toll on the remaining members. After an understandable grieving period and the difficult task of choosing a replacement in Chris Guglielmo, the band buckled down and rediscovered their art. The result, appropriately titled The Walking Wounded, was released
in early February 2007 to critical acclaim. The album found the band not explicitly focusing on their tragic loss, but instead on survival and progression. BAYSIDE toured incessantly in support of The Walking Wounded and hit the mainstream with full force. Appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, MTV’s TRL and Steven’s Untitled Rock Show on Fuse shifted BAYSIDE into the limelight. The whirlwind, although welcomed, did result in a slightly unorthodox, at least for BAYSIDE, course to writing the follow-up, Shudder. “We had the least amount of time at home to work
on the songs that we’ve ever had,” says lead vocalist
Anthony Raneri. “But, this was the first time we actually had a little studio on the bus to write on tour, so we wound up spending almost a year on tour writing
for the album. This is definitely our best material to date.” One of 2008’s most anticipated records, Shudder will hit the masses this fall. BAYSIDE decided to take a different, sunny approach to recording this time around, opting to record the masterpiece, their
fourth full-length studio album, in a location quite different than what they were used to. As a result, the Santa Monica-based Red Bull Studios was chosen
as the venue and the album was recorded over a six week period of time with producer Dave Schiffman (Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Johnny Cash). Although the band recorded on the left coast as opposed to their usual right, the method ironically brought BAYSIDE back to a familiar place. “We really just wanted to make a record that would bring us back to our roots,” said Raneri. “I tried to take the knowledge of song writing that I have now and blend it with the raw energy and intuitions I wrote with when I was 17 and make a smart punk record. Whenever I had a doubt about where to go,
I would say ‘What would Bayside do?’ and I’d goback and listen to older Bayside stuff. We weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just put some new tires on it.” And that they did. BAYSIDE is proving yet again that they are the band that will stand the test of time. This is the band for this decade and on September 30th, be prepared to Shudder.
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