Automatic Loveletter
Encyclopedia
Automatic Loveletter is a rock band, with acoustic and emo influences, based in the United States of America. The band formed in Tampa, Florida
, in 2007, led by vocalist and guitarist Juliet Simms
, her older brother and lead guitarist Tommy Simms, drummer Ryan Metcalf, and bassist Clint Fowler.
At 17 she spent a year in L.A. living out of a duffle bag driving a 1986 primer colored Crown Victoria cop car while trying to promote her music and record an album. Here she landed her first deal with baby indie label, Umbrella Ent. She had the opportunity to work with Richie Zito who produced and wrote for Elton John, the Motels, and Heart. He brought Juliet's recording to completion in August of 2005. One unmastered burn of her album in hand, her label still going through growing pains and unequipped to promote her -she left LA .
So in summer 2005 Juliet began a solo tour across the US back from L.A. ending up in Florida where she played many shows at last attracting major label offers through myspace as well as through a particular live performance where Sony's Laurie Lavine first spotted her.
A week before her performance for Laurie and her friends, in October 2005, Juliet was invited to New York City by the head of A and R Island Records who after hearing her live performance wanted to sign her and escorted her immediately to the Chairmen of Island, L.A. Reid.
During the same trip she showcased for Columbia and Jive but felt she came home when playing for Allison Hagendorf, Pete Geberga and others at Sony's EPIC label. She also played for Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Don Ienner, then President and CEO of the Sony Music Label Group, who validated her efforts with another offer.
With industry buzz ignited, Juliet was then flown to Los Angeles where she played for Capitol's A and R dept who wanted to sign her, as well as the president at Geffen where she was offered yet another major deal.
Playing both the main Bamboozle and Bamboozle Left in 2008 and the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, with 10 million listens on Myspace and over 300 live shows, Automatic Loveletter has earned their upcoming debut release . "Paramore
is the female-fronted draw of the day here at Bamboozle Left, but Automatic Loveletter's Juliet Simms more than held her own on the Nokia Ticket Rush stage. Clad in an obligatory black hoodie and strumming an acoustic guitar, she wailed her way through a frenetic half-hour set split by a solo acoustic ballad. Get this band on a main stage and she’ll be receiving automatic love letters by the truckload." LA Times
Automatic Loveletter was formed with Juliet Simms on guitar and lead vocals, Daniel Currier on drums and brother Tommy Simms playing bass and producing, with bassist Sean Noll sitting in on occasion in Tommy's home studio in the Tampa Bay area. The band was first called Stars and Scars and recorded its first rock song together in December 2005, naming the song after the band but written by lead singer Juliet Simms. They also recorded "Tin Lizzy", written by Tommy.
Juliet also finally acoustically laid down all of the songs she had been writing over the last three years for consideration for her first major label album. Signed by Allison Hagendorf now host of Fuse TVs "The Pop Show", then working at Epic Records, Juliet went on to form Automatic Loveletter while Epic struggled with the 2005 Payola Scandal and internal problems finally dropping over 70 bands in 2007. With Allison as Juliet's champion, Automatic Loveletter was not dropped but was also not supported for the next year and 1/2 touring in the drummer's Ford Excursion and making feather hair clips and burning their own copies of their Epic-produced CD with hand painted slip covers to help fund their tours.
Automatic Loveletter did record their album in 2007 with producer Matt Squire
(Panic! at the Disco
, Boys Like Girls
, All Time Low
, Cute is What We Aim For, The Cab
, The Maine). "He challenged me and I challenged him", Simms said. "I felt very comfortable and that's when the best of me comes out. The entire time was playful and fun and that's what rock n roll's about to me -- having a good time." Simms took her massive songbook to Squire and narrowed down the right tunes and crafted them to fit together, sometimes taking songs in entirely new directions. "The Answer", for instance, was originally a ballad, but became one of the more upbeat numbers on the album. Daniel Currier and lead guitarist Joe Nelson both played on the album, Sean Noll officially joining just before some of their first tours together and big brother Tommy occasionally touring with the band to play lead, or rhythm guitar in larger venues and outdoor concerts filling up the sound and the stage.
But the Squire Album was never fully released, however tracks like "The Answer", "Parker", "August 28Th 3:30 A.M.", "Hush" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes (Acoustic)" were all released on an EP Recover' and sold through Hot Topic and on-line distribution.
Up to and while touring with 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Automatic Loveletter held #1 or #2 position on the Myspace Music Emo chart for 6 months, hitting 10 million listens, hit #2 on Smart Punk for three weeks and Artisan News Reported them as The Next Big Thing. But after the tour when Epic was scheduled to release the album Automatic Loveletter (acronym A.LL.) were told to continue touring and asked by then President Charlie Walk to write more upbeat music. Instead, Juliet submitted a fan favorite "Black Ink Revenge" which was rejected several times for re-write until it became "My Goodbye" one of the tracks off the upcoming Sony release. "I had been signed to Epic for going on three years, toured in cars with my completely broke band and was feeling like I disappointed my fans who had been promised music for over a year so I sat in my room for four days re-writing and re-submitting that song like 5xs. I like "My Goodbye" a LOT but it was the result of a lot of pressure and the desire to get an album released." "My Goodbye", "The Day that Saved Us" and "Hush (New Version)" were quickly released as another self titled EP just before the final chapter with Epic Records when they fired all the members except Currier before the first headlining tour, held auditions for new members, hired Jacob Fatoroochi, James Bowen and Wayne Miller then half way through the tour called Juliet and told her that all of the pay for the band she was on tour with was being withdrawn and the band was dropped. A.LL.went on to sell out venues like the Knitting Factory in LA and San Francisco.."It was very liberating. After crying my eyes out for a couple hours I had some of my best shows ever on that tour."
Almost immediately the band was picked up by Sony Independent and Juliet asked to write for a new album produced by Josh Abraham
(Weezer
, 30 Seconds to Mars
, Velvet Revolver
). They are set to release their first full length album Truth or Dare on June 22 just before heading out on Vans Warped Tour 2010. She did a live version of Remembering Sunday for All Time Lows - Straight to DVD
Simms' voice can be heard on records from LoveHateHero
's "Theatre of Robots", Secondhand Serenade
's "Fix You" / "Hear Me Now", All Time Low
's "Remembering Sunday", and Cartel
's "Lose It", as well on the 2010 album Punk Goes Classic Rock
as a guest vocalist on Every Avenue
's cover of Eddie Money
's "Take Me Home Tonight
".
The pop rock singer Vita Chambers
has covered their song "Shut Your Mouth" for her debut EP.
August 1, 2011 Juliet Simms announced she would be on NBC
's The Voice
. On 9/8/11 A.LL released "Dream With Me" to support those who have lost a loved one in the 9/11 attacks and hoping for peace.
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, in 2007, led by vocalist and guitarist Juliet Simms
Juliet Simms
Juliet Simms is a singer/songwriter. She is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the band Automatic Loveletter.-Early life:...
, her older brother and lead guitarist Tommy Simms, drummer Ryan Metcalf, and bassist Clint Fowler.
History
After spending more time playing in divey venues and sleeping on floors than the average Indie band, 19 year old singer, songwriter Juliet Simms, will combine her beautifully unique vocal stylings and raw edge lyrics with her classic hooks to produce melodic rock ear candy on Sony/Epic Records.At 17 she spent a year in L.A. living out of a duffle bag driving a 1986 primer colored Crown Victoria cop car while trying to promote her music and record an album. Here she landed her first deal with baby indie label, Umbrella Ent. She had the opportunity to work with Richie Zito who produced and wrote for Elton John, the Motels, and Heart. He brought Juliet's recording to completion in August of 2005. One unmastered burn of her album in hand, her label still going through growing pains and unequipped to promote her -she left LA .
So in summer 2005 Juliet began a solo tour across the US back from L.A. ending up in Florida where she played many shows at last attracting major label offers through myspace as well as through a particular live performance where Sony's Laurie Lavine first spotted her.
A week before her performance for Laurie and her friends, in October 2005, Juliet was invited to New York City by the head of A and R Island Records who after hearing her live performance wanted to sign her and escorted her immediately to the Chairmen of Island, L.A. Reid.
During the same trip she showcased for Columbia and Jive but felt she came home when playing for Allison Hagendorf, Pete Geberga and others at Sony's EPIC label. She also played for Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Don Ienner, then President and CEO of the Sony Music Label Group, who validated her efforts with another offer.
With industry buzz ignited, Juliet was then flown to Los Angeles where she played for Capitol's A and R dept who wanted to sign her, as well as the president at Geffen where she was offered yet another major deal.
Playing both the main Bamboozle and Bamboozle Left in 2008 and the 2008 Vans Warped Tour, with 10 million listens on Myspace and over 300 live shows, Automatic Loveletter has earned their upcoming debut release . "Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
is the female-fronted draw of the day here at Bamboozle Left, but Automatic Loveletter's Juliet Simms more than held her own on the Nokia Ticket Rush stage. Clad in an obligatory black hoodie and strumming an acoustic guitar, she wailed her way through a frenetic half-hour set split by a solo acoustic ballad. Get this band on a main stage and she’ll be receiving automatic love letters by the truckload." LA Times
Automatic Loveletter was formed with Juliet Simms on guitar and lead vocals, Daniel Currier on drums and brother Tommy Simms playing bass and producing, with bassist Sean Noll sitting in on occasion in Tommy's home studio in the Tampa Bay area. The band was first called Stars and Scars and recorded its first rock song together in December 2005, naming the song after the band but written by lead singer Juliet Simms. They also recorded "Tin Lizzy", written by Tommy.
Juliet also finally acoustically laid down all of the songs she had been writing over the last three years for consideration for her first major label album. Signed by Allison Hagendorf now host of Fuse TVs "The Pop Show", then working at Epic Records, Juliet went on to form Automatic Loveletter while Epic struggled with the 2005 Payola Scandal and internal problems finally dropping over 70 bands in 2007. With Allison as Juliet's champion, Automatic Loveletter was not dropped but was also not supported for the next year and 1/2 touring in the drummer's Ford Excursion and making feather hair clips and burning their own copies of their Epic-produced CD with hand painted slip covers to help fund their tours.
Automatic Loveletter did record their album in 2007 with producer Matt Squire
Matt Squire
Matt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,...
(Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls is an American rock band from Massachusetts. Formed in 2005, the group gained mainstream recognition when it released its self-titled debut album. Boys Like Girls was the co-headliner with Good Charlotte for the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour 2008 that toured across the United...
, All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
, Cute is What We Aim For, The Cab
The Cab
The Cab is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Their debut album, Whisper War, was released on April 29, 2008. They have been called "The Band You Need to Know 2008" by Alternative Press magazine...
, The Maine). "He challenged me and I challenged him", Simms said. "I felt very comfortable and that's when the best of me comes out. The entire time was playful and fun and that's what rock n roll's about to me -- having a good time." Simms took her massive songbook to Squire and narrowed down the right tunes and crafted them to fit together, sometimes taking songs in entirely new directions. "The Answer", for instance, was originally a ballad, but became one of the more upbeat numbers on the album. Daniel Currier and lead guitarist Joe Nelson both played on the album, Sean Noll officially joining just before some of their first tours together and big brother Tommy occasionally touring with the band to play lead, or rhythm guitar in larger venues and outdoor concerts filling up the sound and the stage.
But the Squire Album was never fully released, however tracks like "The Answer", "Parker", "August 28Th 3:30 A.M.", "Hush" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes (Acoustic)" were all released on an EP Recover' and sold through Hot Topic and on-line distribution.
Up to and while touring with 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Automatic Loveletter held #1 or #2 position on the Myspace Music Emo chart for 6 months, hitting 10 million listens, hit #2 on Smart Punk for three weeks and Artisan News Reported them as The Next Big Thing. But after the tour when Epic was scheduled to release the album Automatic Loveletter (acronym A.LL.) were told to continue touring and asked by then President Charlie Walk to write more upbeat music. Instead, Juliet submitted a fan favorite "Black Ink Revenge" which was rejected several times for re-write until it became "My Goodbye" one of the tracks off the upcoming Sony release. "I had been signed to Epic for going on three years, toured in cars with my completely broke band and was feeling like I disappointed my fans who had been promised music for over a year so I sat in my room for four days re-writing and re-submitting that song like 5xs. I like "My Goodbye" a LOT but it was the result of a lot of pressure and the desire to get an album released." "My Goodbye", "The Day that Saved Us" and "Hush (New Version)" were quickly released as another self titled EP just before the final chapter with Epic Records when they fired all the members except Currier before the first headlining tour, held auditions for new members, hired Jacob Fatoroochi, James Bowen and Wayne Miller then half way through the tour called Juliet and told her that all of the pay for the band she was on tour with was being withdrawn and the band was dropped. A.LL.went on to sell out venues like the Knitting Factory in LA and San Francisco.."It was very liberating. After crying my eyes out for a couple hours I had some of my best shows ever on that tour."
Almost immediately the band was picked up by Sony Independent and Juliet asked to write for a new album produced by Josh Abraham
Josh Abraham
Josh Abraham is a Grammy-winning record producer and co-owner of Pulse Management and Check Your Pulse Publishing. He has produced songs and albums for many of the industry's most successful artists such as Velvet Revolver, 30 Seconds to Mars, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson and Courtney Love...
(Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
, Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
). They are set to release their first full length album Truth or Dare on June 22 just before heading out on Vans Warped Tour 2010. She did a live version of Remembering Sunday for All Time Lows - Straight to DVD
Simms' voice can be heard on records from LoveHateHero
LoveHateHero
LoveHateHero is a post-hardcore band from Burbank, California. They are signed to Ferret Records and have released three albums, Just Breathe in May 2005, White Lies in February 2007 and America Underwater in November 2009....
's "Theatre of Robots", Secondhand Serenade
Secondhand Serenade
Secondhand Serenade is an American acoustic rock band, led by vocalist and guitarist John Vesely. Vesely has released three studio albums to date under the name Secondhand Serenade: Awake in 2007, A Twist in My Story in 2008 and Hear Me Now in 2010...
's "Fix You" / "Hear Me Now", All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
's "Remembering Sunday", and Cartel
Cartel (band)
Cartel is a American pop rock band from Conyers, Georgia that formed in 2003. The band is best known for their single "Honestly", featured on their 2005 debut album Chroma, and for their 2007 appearance on MTV's Band in a Bubble....
's "Lose It", as well on the 2010 album Punk Goes Classic Rock
Punk Goes Classic Rock
Punk Goes Classic Rock is the ninth album in the Punk Goes... series, released by Fearless Records. It was released on April 27, 2010. This also features Your Love by The Outfield for the second time to be covered. And also has a Bonus Sampler CD with it...
as a guest vocalist on Every Avenue
Every Avenue
-History:Every Avenue formed in Marysville, Michigan in 2003. Early on, they changed lead singers, and the former lead singer James Beesley later became the group's tour manager, and is currently working with former drummer Mike Govaere. They self-released two EPs in 2004 and 2006 before signing to...
's cover of Eddie Money
Eddie Money
Eddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
's "Take Me Home Tonight
Take Me Home Tonight
"Take Me Home Tonight" is a song by American rock singer Eddie Money, from his album Can't Hold Back, released in 1986. It was released as a single and reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks...
".
The pop rock singer Vita Chambers
Vita Chambers
Vita Chambers is a Canadian-Barbadian singer signed to SRP Records. She began her career by posting a video and four original songs on her MySpace page. Her music is inspired by the songs that her cousin sang to her as a child. Shortly after, she was signed to SRP/Universal Motown in June 2009...
has covered their song "Shut Your Mouth" for her debut EP.
August 1, 2011 Juliet Simms announced she would be on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's The Voice
The Voice (U.S. TV series)
The Voice is an American reality talent show that premiered on April 26, 2011 on the NBC television network. Based on the reality singing competition The Voice of Holland, the series was created by Dutch television producer John de Mol. It is part of an international series...
. On 9/8/11 A.LL released "Dream With Me" to support those who have lost a loved one in the 9/11 attacks and hoping for peace.
Albums and extended plays
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
CAN Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||||
| 2006 | "Hush" | — | — | — | Recover EP (and Hot Topic re-release) |
||
| 2007 | "Make-Up Smeared Eyes" | — | — | — | |||
| 2010 | "Heart Song" | — | — | — | Truth or Dare | ||
| 2011 | "Story of My Life" | — | — | — | |||
| "Fade Away" | — | — | — | ||||
| 2011 | "Save Me" | — | — | — | The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On | ||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | "Hush (Original/2ndVersion)" | Luke Watson |
| 2008 | "Makeup Smeared Eyes" | ? |
| 2010 | "Heart Song" | Chad Feehan |
| 2011 | "Story Of My Life" | Ehashin |
Non-album songs
Personnel
- Juliet SimmsJuliet SimmsJuliet Simms is a singer/songwriter. She is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the band Automatic Loveletter.-Early life:...
- Lead vocals, guitar, rhythm guitar, arrangements (2003 - Present) - Tommy Simms - Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals, acoustic arrangements (2006 - Present) - Clint Fowler - BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2010 - Present)
Former members
- Jacob Fatoroochi
- James Bowen
- Wayne Miller
- Joseph Daniel Nelson Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
(2007 - 2008) - Sean Noll BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2007 - 2008) - Daniel Currier DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion(2006 - 2009) - Ryan Metcalf- DrumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion (2010 - 2011)
External links
- Official website
- Automatic Loveletter at PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...
- Automatic Loveletter at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Automatic Loveletter interview with Audio Addiction Magazine