Welcome to the womb of creation where minds meld, riffs congeal, voices carry, lives alter, skin sheds and a modern rock multi-platinum success story swing, swing for the fences. But for The All-American Rejects, the road to When the World Comes Down, their third long form musical offering, has been anything but a straight line.
"This record hasn't been smooth sailing," confesses Nick, sporting a wry grin across his boyish face. "After the success of Move Along, we felt an innate need to challenge ourselves to grow. And to challenge our fans to grow with us. On the last record, all the songs were there before we even entered the studio. We were completely rehearsed. We just had to show up, play the parts, producer Howard Benson pushed the buttons and in six weeks, we were done. This LP is where we're at as people, not just artists, here and now. That's why we took the bus trips and locked ourselves away in remote cabins to recreate this sense of torture like we had in the past, before we sold any records."
Beyond a band, AAR is four friends who discovered one other and scored the American dream. Tyson and Nick founded the group and released the EP, Same Girl, New Songs in the summer of 2001. Mike and Chris joined in 2002 and the new quartet hit stores with their self-titled long play debut, The All-American Rejects on October 15, scoring commercial success with the single, "Swing Swing." They toured tirelessly and in July 2005, presented their fans with Move Along, a breakout effort featuring three smash hits, "Dirty Little Secret," "It Ends Tonight," and the LP's inspiring anthemic title track. From down home southern boys to multi-platinum stars, AAR broke through the pabulum of mainstream pop with a cache of great songs and an authentic connection to their adoring audience. While success can often damage the psyche, it just brought the Rejects closer together.
A common theme throughout the process of making the band's third record has been "What was the initial inspiration or thought for the song? Less is more has won out time and again." When the World Comes Down illustrates seasoned composition, vintage production and a fierce, experimental spirit that contemporary fans beyond the Rejects' passionate base will wholeheartedly and enthusiastically embrace.
"I want this record to be more than just good for us, I want it to be good for them, our fans," insists Ty. "In the end, we're just a band, close friends, who care deeply about what we do. When the bullshit eventually dies, love survives. I'm no rock star or hometown hero. I'm just a nobody. And like the song says, you're nobody 'til somebody loves you."
Official site: www.allamericanrejects.com.
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