Interview with Tyler Albertson

Part 2 of my Mad Hops interview, this time with singer/guitarist Tyler Albertson. The same questions were asked.


QUESTION 1: when was the band officially formed?

Albertson: January 2011

2: How did you guys get going and start getting gigs?

Albertson: Practice, practice, and more practice until we were ready. Our first show was about a year ago at a local skate shop and we got it because we know the owners. With shows following that, we have either met people and gotten them through them, or booked them ourselves and played with bands we did not know personally yet. At each show we always meet great people with only good things to say. It means so much to us.

3: Why did you choose to play pop punk? basically, what about pop punk made you guys play it?

Albertson: Pop Punk was always something I loved. I remember back to when I was 7 and bought Simple Plan's debut record,"No Pads, No Helmets, Just Balls" and listening to it every single day and learning every word. The words that are said in pop punk songs are what really got me into it. The honesty of them is what makes them great. I could relate to them so much and I wanted to tell my own story, and that's what we're in the process of now. We're all telling our stories and our point of view and insights on things. We have so much more to experience, only being at 16. So that will just lead towards the further progression of the band.

4: How have you been able to get your recent album out to people?

Albertson: We focused primarily on an online release and promotion. We do have physical copies, but we feel the reach can expand with the internet being used as our tool. It's what all artists are doing these days to let the world know what's up with them. DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE AT MADHOPS.BANDCAMP.COM

5: Describe the ups and downs of being in a band like the Mad Hops.

Albertson: The ups exceed the downs. I'm honestly pleased just being able to play music that I love with people who do too. I will be honest though, the drive and passion sometimes seems to be more with some of us than others, and it can be frustrating. That would be it for the downs. Other than that, I love what I'm doing and where we're at and will hopefully end up.

6: What's the ultimate goal that you guys want to achieve with your music?

Albertson: I want someone to listen to our songs, come to a show, and tell us that they had an impact on them in some way. I want them to tell us they feel the same way, and know that with all the struggles we face, and some face more than others, they aren't alone. I just want to make an impact on people like the artists I love have on me.


Thank for taking the time out to do this with us.

REFLECTION FOR BOTH PARTS: What have you learned about the genre from these interviews with pop punk artists that you may not have known before?

CITATION:

Albertson, Tyler. Email interview. 13 May 2012.

Interview with Austin Gannon

As I had stated in the previous post, I interviewed two members of the Mad Hops. This is the interview I had via email with drummer Austin Gannon.


QUESTION 1: when was the band officially formed?

January 2011

2: How did you guys get going and start getting gigs?

Gannon: When i met Tyler we somehow ended up having a conversation about him playing guitar and he said that he already had a band. (Little did i know it wasn't really a serious thing). That night i saw a picture of our bassist Conan recording and i was like "I wanna do that." So i told Tyler the next day that i wanted to drum for his band. (I thought they already had a drummer with the non-serious band, but i wanted to let him know anyway). He said yea (i guess they didnt have a drummer) and we arranged to have practice at my house. We started playing blink songs and that was it. Our first show was at a skate shop right across the street from our school. From there it really was all about getting online and facebook pages to get shows. and thats still how we do it

3: Why did you choose to play pop punk? basically, what about pop punk made you guys play it?

Gannon: I was never really into the pop punk scene. I knew a lot of blink songs but i didnt like realize they were all sung by blink 182. (I was young, sue me) So when i got older i started to look up blink 182 and i found out that i knew every song, without knowing i knew them. Then one day Tyler asked me if i had heard of this band called The Wonder Years. I said no and when i got home i looked them up and i fell in love. The lyrics were honest and real. All the songs werent about girls and not a lot of people really knew them so i thought that was cool too. Now i try to write drum parts like the wonder years and other pop punk bands. Most songs are just fast. But theres others that are different and have complicated beats, which i adore. 

4: How have you been able to get your recent album out to people?

Gannon: Mostly online, we bring physical copies to shows and we gave a few to our close friends. But we figured online would be the best way to get our music out there since everyone is doing it now, so we might as well join the crowd. People in our school who actually listen to it say they like it. They tell us their favorite songs. its kinda cool really, im like very mini famous.


5: Describe the ups and downs of being in a band like the Mad Hops.

Hmmmm...well there are way more ups than downs. The ups are that i get to play music that i love with the people who feel the same way. Were all friends and we get along. We work well together, everyone has different ideas for songs or whatever it may be. The downs for me personally are that lack of passion some days. I'm currently in 2 other bands. Along with school and school band. All my days are planned out all the time even on the weekends (which is just awful). Some days i get up and i dont even wanna play music. Theres days where i want to quit and not play or take a break or whatever. But i know if i do, Ill wake up the next day and miss every second of it. But lack of passion turns into songs so its really full circle with music for me. Which is an up...so i guess you could say that my down is still up?

6: What's the ultimate goal that you guys want to achieve with your music? 

I want people to enjoy it. But at the same time i want the band to enjoy it. Writing music to make sure other people enjoy it is not what you should do. I'm not saying you should write it for yourself, but just write the songs you wanna write. If people dont like that kinda music, oh well. you cant please everybody. I want someone that i dont know come up to me and say "that was good." or you guys are really good." Its happened before, like with adults or friends or friends of friends. But its not the same. I want someone that i dont know and that is my age say "i love your songs." That tells me that someone else feels the same way i do and thats always a good feeling.




CITATION: 
Gannon, Austin. Email interview. 13 May 2012.

Interview with the Mad Hops background

Recently, I was able to interview suburban Chicago, Illinois pop punk band "The Mad Hops". The band, formed in January of 2011, is one of many that strives to maintain the true culture of the genre that may have been consumed in the hype of its mainstream success in the last 15-20 years. These bands aren't signed to major labels, and they don't fill 20,000 capacity arenas, but they play pop punk because they enjoy it. These are the bands that remind us of the fun that comes with playing music. Consisting of singer/vocalist Tyler Albertson, bassist/backing vocalist Conan Costa, and drummer Austin Gannon, they have made a name for themselves in the region the hard way: through personal connections, hard work getting shows to play, and simply owning the stage every time they go out to play. I was able to interview two of the three members of the band, and get their opinions of being in a band and why they chose to follow the pop punk path. (You can check out the Mad Hops' recently released album, For Real This Time, at madhops.bandcamp.com with a free download).

The Modern Sound

    The modern pop punk, or emo sound, as previously mentioned, centers around melody rather than energy. Its songs are generally at a slower pace than those of the 1990's, but are generally more powerful. These bands evolved from the 1990's bands after they discovered maturity in their music, and therefore, much of today's pop punk is more serious than humorous. The modern genre has also acquired a large female appeal, as many bands are fronted by singers with very colorful personalities (and in some cases, hair). There is a much larger amount of softer songs in the modern genre than in years past, which is attributed to the maturity that the bands have discovered. Two modern songs will be analyzed, showing the elements of how the music is presented today.
    A surprising, but influential song from My Chemical Romance's 2006 hit album, Welcome to the Black Parade, is "Teenagers". It is a very melodic but powerful song meant to point out many of the flaws of modern teenage society. Vocalist Gerard Way describes teenagers' fondness of drugs and sex and leads it all into the memorable lyric to begin the chorus, "teenagers scare the living s*** outta me". Way emphasizes the singer-first mentality of the modern bands by leading the song's melody through his lyrics throughout, except for a quick guitar solo after the second chorus. Fronted by a memorable guitar riff and chorus, it is a perfect example of the modern, melodic pop punk sound led by a charismatic singer and powerful band behind him.
    A very similar song to "Teenagers" that features the missing element of the modern pop punk sound is the final track from Paramore's 2005 album All We Know Is Falling, "My Heart". Basically a hard rocking love song, it is opened by a loud and powerful Josh Farro riff, leading into Hayley Williams singing along to a soft verse. A loud chorus leads to a repeated cycle of the two, which then leads to a quiet bridge. There, the listener can continually hear the phrase "this heart". Williams leads with the lyric "This heart, it beats, beats for only you", before the tempo and guitars pick up. At this point is where we find the missing element of the post-2004 sound: screamo. Guitarist Farro screams into the other microphone, mimicking the lyrics of Williams in an energizing way. The album starts and ends with heavy, guitar driven songs, and the screamo in "My Heart" is a perfectly powerful ending to the album, as well as a good model of what pop punk sounds like today.


(Song analysis done myself)


REFLECTION: Try to think of another song with screamo parts. Why do you think artists put these parts in their songs frequently?


CITATION:
Jones, C. A. (n.d.). What Is Emo Music?. EzineArticles Submission - Submit Your Best Quality Original Articles For Massive Exposure, Ezine Publishers Get 25 Free Article Reprints. Retrieved May 10, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-Emo-Music?&id=985608

The Evolution of the Frontman

    Since the inception of rock music, media and fan focus has generally centered on the singers of bands. With bands like the Beatles, where everyone had a singing role and shared equal importance, this was not the case. However, classic acts such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience and AC/DC were groups where the focus was on the lead guitarist and singer. For pop punk bands, this is also the case, as singers Billie Joe Armstrong, Hayley Williams, and others are considered the leaders of their respective bands and are the favorites of media and fans.
    The concept of the frontman began around the time of blues and the birth of rock. Legendary artists such as B.B. King and Elvis Presley used their mastery of the voice and guitar to become musical icons. As rock and punk became more energized in the 1970's, singers like Jimi Hendrix (also a guitar legend) and Iggy Pop (of the Stooges) seemed to assume control over their bands while not necessarily declaring themselves solo artists. When the earliest pop punk bands began and became popular, this was not necessarily the case, as they remained local and were in it for the group as a whole. Mainstream popularity, however, changed this.
    A singer that underwent significant change after assuming popularity is Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day. In the 1990's, he was known for throwing mud at Woodstock crowds and slipping into drug-induced rants on stage while looking like a true punk rocker along with his band. Around the time that American Idiot came out, however, Armstrong dyed his hair black and began to wear eyeliner and skinny jeans. This, as you may expect, made him a large fan club with the girls. The band dressed similarly and assimilated into the modern pop punk culture based on female appeal (with modern singers such as Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance). This made Armstrong the focus of media attention and music video airtime, which actually caused the band to conflict while recording 21st Century Breakdown. Paramore's split in 2010 was similar, as the Farro brothers quit due to the media focus on Hayley Williams and her open response to mainstream popularity. Dual vocal teams such as the men in blink-182 avoid these conflicts (especially considering Travis Barker is a drumming legend), but the frontman has evolved into the center of pop punk culture under the new wave of bands, led by Way, Williams, and the new Armstrong. 


REFLECTION: Imagine you were Billie Joe. What would you do if faced with the loss of success (this was during their period of commercial decline)? Would you stay the way you are or change your style to attract a larger audience?


CITATION:
Grierson, T. (n.d.). Rock Music History - What Is Rock Music - History of Rock Music. Mainstream Rock Music - Hard Rock Music - Rock Music Reviews. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://rock.about.com/od/rockmusic101


Billie Joe Armstrong - GeekStinkBreath.net. (n.d.). Green Day fan site - GeekStinkBreath.net. Retrieved May 5, 2012, from http://www.geekstinkbreath.net/greenday/billie-joe-armstrong/

Good Riddance

    Even as Green Day was involved in their commercial decline in the late 1990's, they produced popular music that resulted in platinum albums. 1997's Nimrod, a double platinum release, was the most diverse of these albums. It featured elements of southern rock, their classic pop punk sound, and even metal in the song "Take Back". However, one song catapulted the album to success and took pop punk to proms, weddings, and graduations. That song was the acoustic ballad, "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)".

    Billie Joe Armstrong wrote the song in 1997 as a response to his girlfriend's departure to Ecuador. It is noted for having a sarcastically warm tone while basically telling this person "good riddance". A song completely driven by Armstrong's acoustic guitar, the two and a half minute epic describes a turning point in someone's life and the memories that they will leave behind wherever life takes them. This makes it a fantastic graduation and wedding song, and has therefore become one of the most popular songs ever written. The song has multiple themes that can involve death, relationships, life in general, and even punk rock. Punk was about battling the normalities of society, and therefore, according to Mike Dirnt, "it was the most punk thing we could have done". While the song gave Green Day a larger taste of mainstream success, the song ultimately opened a new world to all of pop punk. The ballad was no longer looked at as untouchable, and many bands used it as an opportunity to mature and continue to improve their music and expand their audiences. Many songs, such as Paramore's "The Only Exception" and blink-182's "I Miss You" have since become classics, showcasing how "Good Riddance" singlehandedly opened the door for a new opportunity and changed the genre forever.

REFLECTION: Try to read or recall the lyrics in "Good Riddance". What themes do you take out of it?

CITATION:

Green Day song meanings: Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - GeekStinkBreath.net. (n.d.). Green Day fan site - GeekStinkBreath.net. Retrieved April 25, 2012, from http://www.geekstinkbreath.net/greenday/song-meanings/good-riddance-time-of-your-life/


(2010, December 10). Behind The Music Remastered [Television broadcast]. New York City: VH1.

The Second Wave Sound

    We've already examined the original sound of pop punk (see the post with the analysis of "Burnout" if you have not), but before determining how today's music is different, we must first examine the sound of the second wave. These bands served as a bridge between the old and new, and typically provided a sound geared towards speed and energy with humorous lyrics. Two of these songs will be looked at in this post, both conveniently on blink-182's Enema of the State album. First, the faster, energetic opening track, "Dumpweed", followed by the classic "What's My Age Again?" that served as a good example to the mainstream side of late 90's pop punk.
    "Dumpweed" is the first chronological track by the band to feature Travis Barker, and he makes his presence known from the start. The song is just over two minutes long, and is extremely fast, driven by Barker's insane ability behind the kit, a powerful Mark Hoppus bass track, and a technically sound, rather complicated guitar riff from Tom DeLonge. DeLonge takes care of the vocals, using his unique vocal tone to introduce the first verse very well. The lyrics tell the story of a man who needs to get rid of his girlfriend, using lines in the chorus such as "She's a f****** nightmare" and "I need a girl that I can train" to express that his girlfriend is a problem to him. This shows the humor that blink was capable of while conveying a sense of being serious, which contributes to the passion and energy of the song. The speed of the song and the drumming complexity is what generally stands out among listeners, but the song "What's My Age Again?" displays that blink-182 also had the melody to be a pop punk icon.
    "What's My Age Again?" tells the story of an adult who still acts like a child. Mark Hoppus sings, and describes the adult's night with his girlfriend and how he basically ignores her to watch television. While it is not as fast as "Dumpweed", the song is a very melodic hit that was actually the first single from the album. The song has extremely humorous lyrics that give a vivid image of this person's experiences, and following a slower middle portion, Hoppus caps the song off with the question, "What's My Age Again?", basically showing that the man can't help but be immature. These two combine to form the late 90's pop punk sound. Energetic, funny, and melodic, these are the ways that bands of this era manipulated their music to keep the genre alive and well. 


REFLECTION: Try to think of another song by blink-182 or any other band that fits into this late 90's to early 2000's category. How does that song further express the elements of the wave's music?


(Song analysis done by listening to and memorizing lyrics and instrumental tracks)


CITATION: Blink-182 | Bands & Artists | Rock Sound - New Music First. (n.d.). Rock Sound Magazine Online | Rock Sound - New Music First. Retrieved April 21, 2012, from http://www.rocksound.tv/artists/article/blink-182
  

Linkin Park

    The late 1990's saw the explosion of a new genre evolved from a combination of 80's metal and hip-hop. This genre, known as nu-metal, featured a straightforward, but powerful, sound that captured millions of people across America. Bands such as Limp Bizkit, Korn, and System of a Down built strong followings with their heavy songs that featured many of pop punk's essential themes and humor. The leader, though, was a group who came onto the scene in 2000, known as Linkin Park.

    Linkin Park was a unique band in that it was the first to feature a dual vocal combination consisting of a rapper, Mike Shinoda, and a singer, Chester Bennington. Their vocal chemistry served as the spark that lit up the band's flame, which quickly led to a contract with Warner Bros. Records. Their 2000 debut album, Hybrid Theory, became a chart topper and exposed the world to a whole new musical style. How does this relate to pop punk? Two reasons: 1. Linkin Park and many other nu-metal bands wrote songs about similar themes as pop punk songs and were often very angry, and 2. Nu-metal became popular right as the second wave of pop punk became a known commodity, and therefore served as a legitimate rival to the genre. Linkin Park was soon an arena headliner while still maintaining a middle-class mentality, which has only helped to increase their fanbase through kind treatment of their fans. Their 2003 release, Meteora (in all honesty, Meteora is my personal favorite album by any artist all time), continued their success, going multiplatinum. What this basically means is that bands like Linkin Park have been an important factor in confirming the fact that pop punk has actually played the sidekick in most cases to other genres, and that it has needed to adapt massively in order to stay alive. This is why the modern genre is so different from that of the early 1990's. The world is complex, as is music. Every genre and band feeds off of each other and adjusts to each other, and this is what pop punk and nu-metal have done to survive and thrive in American society.

REFLECTION:

Can you think of any other genres that may have caused pop punk to adjust for survival? If so, which ones?

CITATION:

Tyrangiel, Josh. "Linkin Park Steps Out." Time. Jan. 28 2002: n.p. SIRS Renaissance. Web. 14 Apr 2012.

The Original Sound

    The evolution of the pop punk genre cannot be described without describing first what it sounded like. As what has been previously mentioned, punk rock and post-punk were key influences of pop punk, although the earlier two were more gritty and intense. As classic punk dissolved, however, a three way fork in the road was established. A large group of bands in the 1980's went to hardcore punk, which was even more intense than 70's punk, featuring bands such as Black Flag and Bad Religion. Other groups shifted to a more pop-oriented sound that was often danceable and became a driving force in popular 80's music. Pop punk came right in between, taking the hard-edged classic punk sound and adding more pop melodies while still bringing intensity to the studio and stage. In order to describe this, we will break down the opening track of Green Day's Dookie record, "Burnout".
    "Burnout" is the prototypical early 90's pop punk song. It clocks in at around 2 minutes and jumps to the first verse in about two seconds. It features a simple but powerful guitar track throughout and lets bassist Mike Dirnt be heard, with a catchy bass line that adds to the melodic side of the genre. The lyrics are geared towards teenage aggression, a popular theme in the genre, expressing its punk side. After the second chorus of the song, a build-up sequence comes, indicating some sort of sped up and frenzied portion. What comes is actually a drum solo from drummer Tre Cool, that is used as a means of energizing listeners and fueling this teenage anger made famous by the 70's punk bands. The song serves as a solid outline for the classic pop punk sound, featuring elements of both parts of the genre and expressing themes about loneliness, anger, boredom, and personal relationships. These lyrics and the fast and powerful sound behind them is what catapulted the first wave of bands to commercial success, and what set the tone for all of the bands that followed.


REFLECTION:
Can you think of another song similar to "Burnout" that clarifies the sound that took pop punk to the top in the early 90's? If so, what song?


CITATION:


Lamb, �. (n.d.). Punk Pop Music: A Guide. Top 40, Latest Songs, New Music, Charts, and the Best In Pop. Retrieved April 2, 2012, from http://top40.about.com/od/popmusic101/

Website Information

The past few weeks of blog posts have been dedicated to researching the background information to pop punk music step by step. Recently, however, I have also created a website that places all of this information together chronologically in a way that will truly present the evolution of the genre as well as some other important information besides what is on here that I consider useful. The site can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/americanpoppunk/ and also includes pictures and videos that relate to the genre and give people unfamiliar with it a better idea of just what I have been talking about recently. So far, this research has been an interesting journey, and this site is what will take it to the next level in an attempt to truly understand how this genre of music has evolved.

Summary of Initial Findings

I had already known that pop punk had been a genre that has changed greatly since its upbringing in the late 1980's, but the research into the specific influences of the genre as well as influential bands and their adaptions to popularity have begun to show a more detailed view of pop punk as a whole. What this has done thus far is dive into internal topics and what changes the genre has undergone. However, one cannot simply understand these topics unless they know WHY they have occurred. While the initial research has been enlightening and has taught a large amount of information about this genre of music, more work must be done to make connections to the outside world and how they have fed off of each other and influenced one another. Another topic that must be studied is the local bands that maintain the same energy that the bands of the first wave had before gaining mainstream success. The last six weeks of research have been entertaining in getting to know much more about one of my favorite genres of music and the people that make it happen, but the research into the "why" and "how" of the essential question is about to be underway. Hold on tight, because the "RIOT!" is just getting started.

Wave 3: The Emo Age and the Great Orange Hope (2004-present)

    The year 2004 saw a rush of changes in the pop punk world. Green Day's comeback "American Idiot" (as well as Billie Joe Armstrong's switch to black hair and eyeliner on stage) turned them into alternative rock superstars once again. However, the sound became different, and it was shortly followed by a new wave of bands known as the "emo" bands. These bands, such as My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At The Disco, exploded into popularity around 2004 and showcased elements of a pop punk sound while creating a different image for themselves, as well as creating more mainstream, and in some cases, more female appealing, music. These bands now define the pop punk genre, and are led by alternative rock's favorite red-haired singer, Hayley Williams (referred to as the Great Orange Hope by singer-songwriter John Mayer), and her band, Paramore.
    Paramore formed in Franklin, Tennessee in 2004 with guitarist Josh Farro, drummer Zac Farro, Williams on vocals, and bassist Jeremy Davis. After writing their first song, "Conspiracy" they quickly went to the studio to record their debut album (Williams was already signed to a major label as a pop singer and decided to continue with the band instead). Davis left the band for personal reasons, which inspired the album's title, All We Know Is Falling, as well as the opening track "All We Know". While the album failed to chart, the band began to build some national popularity. Davis rejoined the band in 2006 and the band began work on their second album, RIOT! (for those following my previous posts, this explains the last line from my introductory post), shortly afterwards. The album was released to a 20th chart position and an explosion of popularity for the band, carried by songs such as "Misery Business", "crushcrushcrush", and "For a Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic". The band, with new rhythm guitarist Taylor York, began touring in the summer of 2007, but had to cancel dates due to personal issues, mainly stemming from media focus on Williams and the failed relationship between Josh Farro and Williams. In October 2008, they were featured on the soundtrack for the movie, "Twilight", with songs "I Caught Myself" and one of their most popular songs, "Decode". 
    2009 saw the recording of the band's third album begin. While the first two albums featured a very youthful edge to them (considering drummer Zac Farro was 13 years old when the band formed, this isn't very surprising), the new album, Brand New Eyes, featured a much more mature sound and more serious lyrics from Williams. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and drove them to being a legitimate arena act. After headlining 2010's Honda Civic Tour alongside Tegan and Sara, the foundation crumbled as it was announced that Josh and Zac Farro were leaving the band. Josh would go on to confirm this by posting on his Blogger account his side of the story as to why they left, calling Hayley "a manufactured product of a major label". Although their drummer and lead guitarist had left, Hayley, Jeremy, and Taylor forged on and in December 2011, released the Singles Club Extended Play. This featured four new songs, including "Monster", which was featured on the "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" soundtrack. The band is currently seeking a producer for their fourth studio album, where Taylor will contribute to lead and rhythm guitar tracks and possibly drum tracks as well. While the core of the band has been greatly altered, Paramore is still one of the most popular artists in American rock music today, and will continue to be an important force in American pop punk music going forward.


REFLECTION:
Why do you think bands like Paramore (with a lighter, more mainstream sound) define the pop punk genre today?


CITATION:
AceShowbiz.com. "Paramore Biography - Page 3." AceShowbiz.com - Celebrity gossip, celebrity photo, movie reviews, dvd, interviews, new release album and other entertainment news. AceShowbiz.com, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2012. <http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/paramore/biography.html

Don't Blink: A New Band Takes Over

    Green Day's influence started to wear thin after Nimrod came out. In a society where more attention was transferred to hip hop and R&B, some mystical force needed to descend from the heavens to save the pop punk genre. As the 90's wore on, that force became a reality in the form of three men: Mark Hoppus, Tom DeLonge, and Scott Raynor. They became known as blink-182, and took their enjoyable and to the point music straight to the top, changing the pop punk genre forever.
    The band formed in Poway, California in 1992 and quickly began writing songs and recording demos. Soon enough, they were in the studio to write their first full-length album by 1994. The album, entitled "Cheshire Cat" received local popularity and built the band a solid fanbase around the Poway area. The 1997 album "Dude Ranch" is what took them to new heights, garnering major label attention and producing the hit "Dammit", which would be featured as a playable track on Guitar Hero: World Tour (featuring Travis Barker as the drummer). They would eventually sign to MCA records to release their legendary third album "Enema of the State" in 1999. The album, featuring new drummer Travis Barker and classics such as "All The Small Things", "Adam's Song", and "What's My Age Again?" blasted into the ninth spot on the Billboard 200 and turned them into pop punk icons. They took the reigns from the struggling Green Day, coming off of a string of albums that were not as popular as Dookie. The band's fourth album "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" was released in 2001 to a number one spot on the charts and the solidification of their status as icons.
    2003's self titled album was a major departure from their previous style, featuring slower songs with much more serious and mature lyrics. However, the album was extremely well received by music critics and peaked at number one on the charts again. DeLonge became very unhappy with the rest of the band, particularly involving touring schedule and his lack of time spent with his family, and they entered an indefinite hiatus in 2005, only to reunite after a Travis Barker plane crash in 2009 while he was doing hip hop side projects. Reunion tours and a lengthy recording process soon followed, and 2011's "Neighborhoods" became yet another success, peaking at two on the Billboard 200 and building off the success and themes portrayed in the 2003 self titled album. blink-182 continues to be a dominant force in pop punk music, and along with other bands of their era such as New Found Glory, the Ataris, and Sum 41, heavily influenced today's bands that continue to keep the genre alive and well (which will be featured in the next post).




REFLECTION:
1. Why was the genre's influence shrinking prior to blink-182's explosion?
2. Which album was the first to peak at number one on the charts?
3. Considering DeLonge's 2005 departure reasons, would you be able to sacrifice time and family for an arduous touring schedule? Why or why not?


CITATION:
Much Music (2005). blink-182: Born To Be [Documentary]. United States: Much Music.

The First Wave: 1984-1997

    After the postpunk era and the influence of the Ramones began to dwindle, something was bound to explode into relevance and start a new revolution. In the late 1980's, that revolution became reality when a wave of bands such as Green Day, Rancid, and the Offspring began a melodic punk rock assault on their localities. This began the first wave of American pop punk music, and set the stage for a phenomenon that still thrives today.
    In 1987, guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Pritchard (AKA Mike Dirnt) formed a band called "Sweet Children" in a small town near Berkeley, California. After acquiring drummer John Kiffmeyer, the band began a conquest to play at a local club that was inspirational to them: 924 Gilman Street. The hardcore punk audience found the band's melodic, lighter songs as odd, but eventually grew on to the music and led the band to start touring around the country. The band then changed their name to "Green Day" and drummer Frank Edwin Wright III (better known as Tre Cool) replaced Kiffmeyer as he went on with his education. After the release of their debut album, "39/Smooth", and the follow-up "Kerplunk" on independent label Lookout! Records, the band garnered attention from major labels and eventually signed with Reprise Records. Though many fans saw this as selling out, the band's third album "Dookie" became a 10X platinum hit and catapulted Green Day and the genre into mainstream stardom in 1994. Fed up with old fan anger, their fourth album "Insomniac" was a much darker album that went on to go double platinum and feature the hit "Brain Stew". The release of "Nimrod" in 1997 saw a variation of styles ranging from pop punk to metal to an acoustic ballad in "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" but kept their success going as it too went double platinum.
    In 1991 in the same area as Green Day, the band Rancid was formed with members of influential 1980's ska band "Operation Ivy". The band, formed by Tim Armstrong on guitar, Matt Freeman on bass, and Brett Reed on drums, took the reigns as a dominant local pop punk band after Kerplunk had taken Green Day to a national scale. They were signed to indie label Epitaph Records, and eventually released their debut self-titled album in 1993. The 1994 follow-up "Let's Go" triggered some mainstream success for the band, peaking at number 97 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album eventually went gold, and the band received pressures to sign with major labels like Green Day had just done. They, however, never signed, and released their breakthrough "...And Out Come The Wolves" in 1995 to a 45th chart position and rave reviews from rock critics. While the other bands decided to take their talents to a global scale, Rancid remained stuck to its roots and maintains a strong fanbase wherever they may go as a result, most notably opening for blink-182 on 2011's Honda Civic Tour, which has featured bands such as My Chemical Romance, New Found Glory, and Paramore to name a few.
    1984 saw the formation of the final important first wave band, the Offspring. Known as Manic Subsidal for their first three years, the band became an indie label phenomenon. After recording multiple demos, they were signed to Nemesis Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1989. After signing with Epitaph Records, the band's third album "Smash" in 1994 catapulted the Offspring into mainstream success, selling over twelve million copies worldwide (an all time record for independent label albums). As the band began touring nationally and then globally, major label attention was gained, and the band eventually left Epitaph to join major label Columbia Records. In 1996, the band saw a slight stylistic change, but still sold over four million units with their fourth album "Ixnay on the Hombre". Since then, the Offspring have remained an influential pop punk band and still have mainstream success, earning them a spot among the greatest pop punk bands to ever exist.


REFLECTION:
1. Which of the featured bands never signed to a major label?
2. Taking into account the evolution of each band, how do you think the second wave of pop punk will be different and similar to the first?
3. If you had the choice to sign with a major label or stay with your current devoted fanbase at an indie label, which would you choose? Why?
    


CITATIONS:
"Green Day." U*X*L Biographies. Detroit: U*X*L, 2011. Student Resources in Context. Web. 2 Mar. 2012.


    The Offspring Biography - ARTISTdirect Music. (n.d.). Free Music Download, New Bands, Music Videos & Pictures, International Online Music & CD's: ARTISTdirect Network. Retrieved March 2, 2012, from http://www.artistdirect.com/artist/bio/the-offspring/474954

Ramones: America's Punk Pioneer

    No American punk band was more influential in the 1970's and 1980's than Queens, New York based band "The Ramones". Since forming in 1974, the band became the first truly iconic American punk band and they were a heavy influence on followers in the punk and pop punk scene. While each member's last name was Ramone on stage, none of the band members were related (they assumed pseudonyms on stage). The band toured virtually nonstop since 1976, the year of their first album's release, for about 20 years before calling it quits after the Lollapalooza festival in 1996. While each founding member is now dead, they left a legacy on the punk world that has been nearly impossible to match.
    The band members met in the Queens area in the early 1970's. John Cummings, Douglas Colvin, and Jeffry Hyman formed the band in 1974 with friend Thomas Erdelyi as manager. The band members assumed the names Johnny, Dee Dee, and Joey Ramone, respectively. As band members found difficulty singing and playing their instruments, though, Erdelyi became known as Tommy Ramone and took over the drummer role while Joey went to lead vocals. With bassist Dee Dee and guitarist Johnny, they began creating an assault of short but aggressive songs that earned them a wide audience across the Queens area, as they would often play the now renowned CBGB club in New York early in their career. Their debut album "Ramones" came out in 1976 and included the famous "Blitzkrieg Bop", which still stands as one of the greatest hard rock songs of all time. They continued their assault on the punk world, while not achieving much in terms of commercial success, throughout the remainder of the 1970's.
    As the years went on, the Ramones began shifting to a more pop influenced sound, best showcased by the song "I Wanna Be Sedated", which was featured on the 1978 album "Road to Ruin". The band then began to have tensions and many new members were necessary, leaving the band's future in serious doubt. In the 1980's, Ramones songs became much more politically angry, which was a major driving force behind the pop punk revolution (particularly in 2004, which will be discussed in a later post). However, original band members Tommy and Dee Dee had already left, and talks of disbanding began to erupt. The Ramones played their last show in 1996, still with the same aggression and style that they had 20 years prior. Since then, all 3 original members have died, but the band's sound, attitude, and demeanor became one of the most important influences on the first wave of pop punk bands in the United States, which will be introduced in the next post. This blog would not be possible without the Ramones, however, as without them, the pop punk sound may have never been what it is today.




RELFECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Were the Ramones actually Ramones?
2. Which album first showed the shift to a more pop influenced sound?
3. What elements did the Ramones have as a band that influenced the modern pop punk sound?




CITATION:
PARELES, J. (1995, August 9). POP REVIEW - POP REVIEW - The Ramones, 20 Years Later and Still the Same - Review - NYTimes.com. NY Times Advertisement. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/09/arts/pop-review-the-ramones-20-years-later-and-still-the-same.html...
 

The Postpunk Era: Predecessor to Pop Punk

     Throughout the 1970's, punk rock was a phenomenon throughout the developed world, with its main influence in the United Kingdom. There, bands like the Clash and the Sex Pistols satisfied the angry youth with their up-tempo, powerful music. As the years wore on, however, the influence dwindled, and many of the bands either broke up, or changed their musical style to gain commercial popularity (otherwise known as "selling out", which will be a commonly used term throughout the upcoming months). The breakup of the Sex Pistols in 1978 was a dagger to the punk community, and ultimately gave birth to the postpunk era. 


     Although many people felt hopeless that this new era would usher in another revolution, postpunk became a more commercial-friendly and intelligent genre. Ex-Sex Pistols singer John Lydon went on to form the band "Public Image Limited" shortly after the 1978 breakup, and they showcased this new element by creating a "more resilient and fertile, albeit less gloriously iconic, music," with fresh ideas and the same youth angst that took the earlier bands to the top. As years went on, industrial and goth genres began the glorification of pain within their music, as bands such as Nine Inch Nails became popular in the 1980's.
     
     In recent years, postpunk has actually seen a revival, mainly within the boundaries of the Indie rock bands such as Interpol and the Killers. For now, though, we are mainly concerned with what came after the original postpunk era ended in 1984. This era gave birth to many of the genres that still live and thrive today, such as ska and grunge. As for the third important follower of postpunk, I think you can infer that by yourself...


REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
1. Why do you think postpunk was more influential to the pop punk bands than original punk rock?
2. What do you think the quote "more resilient and fertile, albeit less gloriously iconic," means?
3. When an artist changes their style significantly to adapt to the times, do you consider it "selling out" or just taking the necessary steps to musically thrive? Why?






CITATION:


Reed, A. S. (2007, May). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Popular Music and Society, Volume 30, Number 2. Retrieved February 11, 2012, from the SIRS Issues Researcher database. 

Punk Goes Pop: Introduction

It's been a known fact for so many years that music has the ability to change lives. It can create inspiration for people, or give them feelings of power and happiness. Punk rock quickly emerged as one of the most extreme types of music, but gave millions of people around the world a feeling of aggression and empowerment. Two albums released in 1994 informed the world of a new genre which had already been growing since the late 1980's: pop punk. These two albums, "Smash" by the Offspring and "Dookie" by Green Day were classics that took the extreme punk rock sound made famous by 1970's bands such as the Ramones and the Clash, and tweaked it to be a more melodic, catchy genre with  endless three-chord riffs and the occasional guitar solo. In this blog, we will be closely examining the evolution of pop punk music in the United States and its impact on the population, with close emphasis on influential artists such as Green Day, blink-182, and Paramore. Let the "RIOT!" begin.


ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How has the genre of pop punk music evolved in America and impacted the population?