Lifetime (band)
Encyclopedia
Lifetime is an American melodic hardcore
/emo
band from New Jersey
. Lifetime was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1997. In late 2005, they announced their reunion.
with its roots in the New York
/New Jersey
hardcore
scene. They are known to have met and lived in New Brunswick, New Jersey
during this time. In contrast to the negative, sometimes violent tone promulgated by their New York hardcore contemporaries, lyricist Katz emphasized more positive, personal themes in their two-minute songs.
In 1993, Lifetime released their first full length album, titled Background
, that bore only passing resemblance to their later, more melodic work. By 1995, the band achieved some form of stability with the addition of Pete Martin (guitar), David Palaitis (bass), and Scott Golley (drums). That same year, they released their second album, Hello Bastards
on Jade Tree Records
. Hello Bastards marked a slight shift in direction, incorporating more melodic punk leanings over a driving hardcore tempo. Ari Katz's lyrics, though sometimes undecipherable, dealt mainly with more introspective and personal themes such as relationships and youthful disaffection. Hello Bastards also includes a cover of "It's Not Funny Anymore" by the seminal 1980s alternative rock
band Hüsker Dü
, hinting at the band's musical influences.
In 1996, Lifetime issued a compilation of their 7" releases and unreleased songs, on Glue Records, also released in Europe by Day After Records. In 1997, the band completed its third full-length Jersey's Best Dancers
. With twelve songs clocking in at under 24 minutes, Jersey's Best Dancers continued in the same vein as Hello Bastards. However, after a short tour in support of their new album, Lifetime decided to disband in 1997.
After disbanding, Dan Yemin went on to become a member of two other punk bands, the short-lived Kid Dynamite
and Paint It Black
. Dave Palaitis, Ari Katz, and his wife Tannis Kristjanson went on to form the now defunct Zero Zero
. They now play in Miss TK and the Revenge.
featured the reunion of hardcore band 108. The final reunion show was held at The Stone Pony
in Asbury Park, New Jersey
, which featured opening bands The Loved Ones
and The Bouncing Souls
. Some profits from the show went to charities such as New Labor, The OUT Fund, the Nature Conservancy, and Linda Ann's Greyhound Rescue Inc.
Lifetime went on to play 3 more reunion shows in California over a weekend in January. The shows were at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on January 27, at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim on January 28, and at Slims in San Francisco on January 29.
November 17, 2005 brought the announcement from the band that they are officially reforming. The band posted the following statement on PunkNews.org:
The band played another reunion show at the 2006 South by Southwest
Festival in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2006. The show was free and donations went to breast cancer research by Shirts for a Cure.
In late March 2006, Lifetime signed onto Decaydance, Pete Wentz's imprint of Fueled by Ramen
Records, with the statement: "Pete and Decaydance are giving us an opportunity to the make the record we want to make while still staying in control of our music and our lives. They are behind us as artists and because of that, we're backing them as a label." Shortly after, Lifetime began writing and recording their fourth full-length album, titled Lifetime
, which was released by Decaydance on February 6, 2007. The band has since left the label and are now "free agents".
The band is Managed by veteran Artist Manager Mike Mowery of Outerloop Management in Washington, DC.
Melodic hardcore
Melodic hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on vocal melody. The genre is commonly defined with fast hardcore drum beats, complex guitar riffs and melodic singing with occasional screaming and shouting.-History:...
/emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
band from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Lifetime was formed in 1990 and disbanded in 1997. In late 2005, they announced their reunion.
History
The band was formed in 1990 by singer Ari Katz (ex-Enuf) and guitarist Dan YeminDan Yemin
Daniel Yemin, Ph.D is a vocalist and musician in the melodic hardcore punk scene.-Music and career:He played guitar in the early 1990s with the band Lifetime, and in the late 1990s with Kid Dynamite. Yemin also played in Ressurection...
with its roots in the New York
New York hardcore
New York hardcore refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New York City and to the subculture associated with that music. New York hardcore grew out of the hardcore scene established in Washington, D.C., by bands such as Bad Brains and Minor Threat. Hardcore '81 is an album by the...
/New Jersey
New Jersey hardcore
New Jersey Hardcore Punk refers to hardcore punk and metalcore music created in New Jersey and to the subculture associated with that music.-Evolution from punk rock:...
hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
scene. They are known to have met and lived in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
during this time. In contrast to the negative, sometimes violent tone promulgated by their New York hardcore contemporaries, lyricist Katz emphasized more positive, personal themes in their two-minute songs.
In 1993, Lifetime released their first full length album, titled Background
Background (album)
Background was the first LP released by Lifetime. It was recorded in 1992 and was originally released on January 1st, 1993 as New Age Records #15. The CD version was re-issued on July 1st, 1997 with 9 live bonus tracks. It is currently out of print although all the songs are available on the...
, that bore only passing resemblance to their later, more melodic work. By 1995, the band achieved some form of stability with the addition of Pete Martin (guitar), David Palaitis (bass), and Scott Golley (drums). That same year, they released their second album, Hello Bastards
Hello Bastards
Hello Bastards is the second full length album by melodic hardcore band Lifetime. It was recorded at Trax East Studio in New Jersey during May and June of 1995 and was released by Jade Tree Records on September 25, 1995. On February 20, 2010 No Idea Records re-released the album on 12" color vinyl...
on Jade Tree Records
Jade Tree Records
Jade Tree International, Inc. was an independent record label formed by Darren Walters and Tim Owen in August 1991, out of Wilmington, Delaware....
. Hello Bastards marked a slight shift in direction, incorporating more melodic punk leanings over a driving hardcore tempo. Ari Katz's lyrics, though sometimes undecipherable, dealt mainly with more introspective and personal themes such as relationships and youthful disaffection. Hello Bastards also includes a cover of "It's Not Funny Anymore" by the seminal 1980s alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
, hinting at the band's musical influences.
In 1996, Lifetime issued a compilation of their 7" releases and unreleased songs, on Glue Records, also released in Europe by Day After Records. In 1997, the band completed its third full-length Jersey's Best Dancers
Jersey's Best Dancers
Jersey's Best Dancers is the third full-length album by the New Jersey band Lifetime. It was released on June 10, 1997 and was the band's second LP release on Jade Tree Records.-Track listing:# "Turnpike Gates" – 2:20# "Young, Loud, and Scotty" – 1:59...
. With twelve songs clocking in at under 24 minutes, Jersey's Best Dancers continued in the same vein as Hello Bastards. However, after a short tour in support of their new album, Lifetime decided to disband in 1997.
After disbanding, Dan Yemin went on to become a member of two other punk bands, the short-lived Kid Dynamite
Kid Dynamite
Kid Dynamite was a Philadelphia-based melodic hardcore band consisting of drummer Dave Wagenschutz, guitarist Dan Yemin, vocalist Jason Shevchuk, and bassist Michael Cotterman, who replaced original bassist Steve Farrell. The band put out two full-lengths before lead singer Jason Shevchuk left the...
and Paint It Black
Paint It Black (band)
Paint It Black is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based modern hardcore punk band. Their music is often described as melodic hardcore, characterized by fast tempos, catchy melodies and emotionally charged vocals delivered via shouting and singing...
. Dave Palaitis, Ari Katz, and his wife Tannis Kristjanson went on to form the now defunct Zero Zero
Zero Zero
Zero Zero is a synth band, formed out of the New Jersey punk band Lifetime by Lifetime members Dave Palaitis-guitar & vocals , Ari Katz-vocals & drums, and Katz's wife Tannis Kristjanson -vocals & keyboards...
. They now play in Miss TK and the Revenge.
Reunion
Most recently, the band got together for a series of 3 well-received and long awaited reunion shows over the weekend of August 19 to August 21, 2005. The shows were a result of the cancellation of Hellfest, in which Lifetime was scheduled to play on August 20. Two shows took place in Philadelphia, one at The Trocadero TheatreTrocadero Theatre
The Trocadero Theatre, opened as the Arch Street Opera House in 1870, is a historic theater, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years, it has offered musical comedies, vaudeville and burlesque. Burlesque performer Mara Gaye performed at the Troc in the 1950s...
featured the reunion of hardcore band 108. The final reunion show was held at The Stone Pony
The Stone Pony
The Stone Pony, located in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is one of the world's best known music venues. It is known as a starting point for many musicians, first and foremost for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, who were the house-band for much of the mid-seventies, but also for New Jersey natives...
in Asbury Park, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, which featured opening bands The Loved Ones
The Loved Ones (American band)
The Loved Ones is a punk band based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in late 2003, the band currently consists of Dave Hause , David Walsh , Chris Gonzalez , and Mike Sneeringer...
and The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls
The Bouncing Souls are a punk rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 1987. By the time of their acknowledgment by the national punk rock scene, they had reignited a "pogo" element to New Jersey punk rock by playing fast light-hearted songs, a model followed by various other local...
. Some profits from the show went to charities such as New Labor, The OUT Fund, the Nature Conservancy, and Linda Ann's Greyhound Rescue Inc.
Lifetime went on to play 3 more reunion shows in California over a weekend in January. The shows were at the Troubadour in Los Angeles on January 27, at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim on January 28, and at Slims in San Francisco on January 29.
November 17, 2005 brought the announcement from the band that they are officially reforming. The band posted the following statement on PunkNews.org:
-
- "As some of you may know, Lifetime got back together to play HellFest this past August, after being given the opportunity (by the Fest’s organizers) to raise a large amount of money for the charities of our choice. We were readying ourselves for what could have been a pretty alienating experience, playing the Enormo-Dome in front of 8000 metal-core dudes, when much to everyone’s surprise, the Fest got canceled at the last minute.
-
- With the help of Margie Alban at Do It Booking and a host of other hardworking friends, we were able to scrape together 3 days of amazing and much more intimate shows. That weekend in August turned out to be a seriously transforming experience for this bunch of aging and sometimes cynical punks. Thanks to all the old friends and new kids who came out to sing along, I think the five of us felt transported back to a time when our lives were first changed by music.
-
- To make an already long story shorter, we have decided to play together again, not as the resurrected corpse of a one-off reunion show, but as a group of guys who love making music together. We will remain committed to our families and our other musical endeavors, so we’re unsure of how often you’ll hear from us, but you can expect more shows and more music in the coming year. We will be playing some shows in California at the end of January, 2006, in L.A. and San Francisco. Thanks for your support."
The band played another reunion show at the 2006 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Festival in Austin, Texas on March 17, 2006. The show was free and donations went to breast cancer research by Shirts for a Cure.
In late March 2006, Lifetime signed onto Decaydance, Pete Wentz's imprint of Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
Records, with the statement: "Pete and Decaydance are giving us an opportunity to the make the record we want to make while still staying in control of our music and our lives. They are behind us as artists and because of that, we're backing them as a label." Shortly after, Lifetime began writing and recording their fourth full-length album, titled Lifetime
Lifetime (album)
Lifetime is the fourth album by the influential New Jersey band Lifetime. The band broke up in 1997, but after reforming in 2005, began writing new material and released Lifetime in 2007, nearly a full decade after 1997's Jersey's Best Dancers...
, which was released by Decaydance on February 6, 2007. The band has since left the label and are now "free agents".
The band is Managed by veteran Artist Manager Mike Mowery of Outerloop Management in Washington, DC.
Discography
- BackgroundBackground (album)Background was the first LP released by Lifetime. It was recorded in 1992 and was originally released on January 1st, 1993 as New Age Records #15. The CD version was re-issued on July 1st, 1997 with 9 live bonus tracks. It is currently out of print although all the songs are available on the...
(1993) - Hello BastardsHello BastardsHello Bastards is the second full length album by melodic hardcore band Lifetime. It was recorded at Trax East Studio in New Jersey during May and June of 1995 and was released by Jade Tree Records on September 25, 1995. On February 20, 2010 No Idea Records re-released the album on 12" color vinyl...
(1995) - Jersey's Best DancersJersey's Best DancersJersey's Best Dancers is the third full-length album by the New Jersey band Lifetime. It was released on June 10, 1997 and was the band's second LP release on Jade Tree Records.-Track listing:# "Turnpike Gates" – 2:20# "Young, Loud, and Scotty" – 1:59...
(1997) - LifetimeLifetime (album)Lifetime is the fourth album by the influential New Jersey band Lifetime. The band broke up in 1997, but after reforming in 2005, began writing new material and released Lifetime in 2007, nearly a full decade after 1997's Jersey's Best Dancers...
(2007)
Current
- Ari Katz – vocals
- Dan YeminDan YeminDaniel Yemin, Ph.D is a vocalist and musician in the melodic hardcore punk scene.-Music and career:He played guitar in the early 1990s with the band Lifetime, and in the late 1990s with Kid Dynamite. Yemin also played in Ressurection...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Pete Martin – guitar
- Dave Palaitis – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Scott Golley – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s
Former
- Chris Corvino – bass
- Justin Janisch – bass
- Linda Kay – bass
- Chris Daly – drums
- David Wagenshutz – drums
- Scott St. Hiliare – guitar
External links
- Lifetime on the Jade Tree Records website
- [ Lifetime] on Allmusic
- A July 2006 interview with the band
- An article that features a brief write-up along with pictures of the reunion weekend
- Oral History of Lifetime. Online extended version of article featured in Alternative Press Issue #203. Interviews with band members, Jade Tree employees and famous fans that detail the rise and fall of the band.