Much the Same
Encyclopedia
Much the Same was a punk rock
band from the suburbs of Chicago
, Illinois
, United States. Their style is based on the fast, melodic skate punk of the mid-to-late 1990s made popular by bands such as NOFX
, Lagwagon
, and No Use for a Name
.
The band began in 1999 under the name Don't Look Down and changed to Much The Same in 2001 after a legal dispute with the now-defunct New Jersey
band Don't Look Down. They released Quitters Never Win
on A-F Records
in 2003 and Survive in 2006.
The band announced their break-up on April 23, 2007 following their first and only European tour.
They reunited for a final farewell performance on March 26, 2011 at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago. The sold out show featured both fan favorite songs and a few the band rarely, if ever, played live.
Soon afterward, Andy left to play guitar in SKG, and their bassist Adam Mufich took his place. This lineup went on to play their first appearance on the Vans
Warped Tour
in Chicago
in 2000. Andy Simon later rejoined as a second guitarist in September 2000, only to leave again with Adam six months later, but not before recording the band's first CD, the Caught Off Guard
EP. Franky Tsoukalas and Matt Haraburda replaced them before the EP was released and their picture appears in the booklet despite the fact that they did not record the songs. Six months later the incestuous emigration continued as Matt left to join Andy Simon's new band and SKG's singer/guitarist Dan O'Gorman was invited to join Much The Same.
In December 2001 the new lineup recorded a 3-song demo which eventually got the band signed to Anti-Flag
's label A-F Records
, where they released their first full-length album, Quitters Never Win
in 2003. During a later tour with A Wilhelm Scream
and Break the Silence
, Mook decided he was no longer interested in the touring life and left the band to pursue his new clothing company, Offset Clothing. The band found Jevin after his St. Louis, Missouri
band Form Follows Failure had broken up, and invited him to join. This lineup recorded the Nitro Records
release Survive. In April 2007, after the band's European tour, Chris left the band for personal reasons, with guitarist Dan O'Gorman leaving soon after, prompting the official break-up of the band.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from the suburbs of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States. Their style is based on the fast, melodic skate punk of the mid-to-late 1990s made popular by bands such as NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
, Lagwagon
Lagwagon
Lagwagon is an American punk rock band originally from Goleta, just outside Santa Barbara, California. They formed in 1990 and went on hiatus and reunited several times over the years...
, and No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name
No Use for a Name is a punk rock band from San Jose, California, United States formed in 1987 by Chris Dodge , Steve Papoutsis , Rory Koff and John Meyers...
.
The band began in 1999 under the name Don't Look Down and changed to Much The Same in 2001 after a legal dispute with the now-defunct 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...
band Don't Look Down. They released Quitters Never Win
Quitters Never Win
Quitters Never Win is the first full-length studio album by Much the Same.-Track listing:# "Wish" – 3:00# "Conclusion" – 2:31# "New Years" – 2:31# "Liar" – 3:03# "Masquerade" – 3:06# "Hits Home" – 3:21# "Quitters Never Win" – 3:14...
on A-F Records
A-F Records
A-F Records is an independent record label originated by the band Anti-Flag, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. This label was created to help expose more political punk rock bands to a greater audience...
in 2003 and Survive in 2006.
The band announced their break-up on April 23, 2007 following their first and only European tour.
They reunited for a final farewell performance on March 26, 2011 at Reggie's Rock Club in Chicago. The sold out show featured both fan favorite songs and a few the band rarely, if ever, played live.
Origin of Band Name
After determining that the band would have to change their name, a rushed search for a new name commenced, producing largely unsatisfactory results. In frustration, McGrath started searching through a thesaurus for any word or phrase that stood out, and "much the same" stuck out due to its appearance in the lyrics of his side band's song "Big Surprise." The band decided the name was fitting, since it described the change of name as being irrelevant to the music of the band, and also served as self-deprecation acknowledging their similarity to many other popular punk bands of the time.Member Changes
Lead singer and guitarist Chris "Gunner" McGrath and bassist Andy Simon started playing songs together with various people and band names beginning in 1997. When Chris decided to put out a local punk rock compilation entitled Fun With Dirt, he recruited SKG's drummer, Mike "Mook" Snoreck, to learn and record the song, and he joined immediately afterward. This marked the official beginning of the band's career.Soon afterward, Andy left to play guitar in SKG, and their bassist Adam Mufich took his place. This lineup went on to play their first appearance on the Vans
Vans
Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.- History :On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, brothers Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, and three other partners opened up their first store...
Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 2000. Andy Simon later rejoined as a second guitarist in September 2000, only to leave again with Adam six months later, but not before recording the band's first CD, the Caught Off Guard
Caught Off Guard
Caught Off Guard is the first official album by Much the Same. At the time, the band was called Don't Look Down. This EP is now out of print and only available at with a bonus track from the same recording session.-Track listing:# "Moto" – 2:24...
EP. Franky Tsoukalas and Matt Haraburda replaced them before the EP was released and their picture appears in the booklet despite the fact that they did not record the songs. Six months later the incestuous emigration continued as Matt left to join Andy Simon's new band and SKG's singer/guitarist Dan O'Gorman was invited to join Much The Same.
In December 2001 the new lineup recorded a 3-song demo which eventually got the band signed to Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
's label A-F Records
A-F Records
A-F Records is an independent record label originated by the band Anti-Flag, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. This label was created to help expose more political punk rock bands to a greater audience...
, where they released their first full-length album, Quitters Never Win
Quitters Never Win
Quitters Never Win is the first full-length studio album by Much the Same.-Track listing:# "Wish" – 3:00# "Conclusion" – 2:31# "New Years" – 2:31# "Liar" – 3:03# "Masquerade" – 3:06# "Hits Home" – 3:21# "Quitters Never Win" – 3:14...
in 2003. During a later tour with A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
and Break the Silence
Break the Silence
"Break The Silence" is the debut and winning single of South African Idols co-winner Jason Hartman. The single was available for digital download via the Nokia Music Store on 4 May 2009. It has since entered major South African radio charts with healthy debuts....
, Mook decided he was no longer interested in the touring life and left the band to pursue his new clothing company, Offset Clothing. The band found Jevin after his St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
band Form Follows Failure had broken up, and invited him to join. This lineup recorded the Nitro Records
Nitro Records
Nitro Records is an independent record label created and owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel . They started the label in 1994. The label is famous for being an incubator for punk rock artists who have subsequently become successful, most notably AFI...
release Survive. In April 2007, after the band's European tour, Chris left the band for personal reasons, with guitarist Dan O'Gorman leaving soon after, prompting the official break-up of the band.
Studio albums
- Caught Off GuardCaught Off GuardCaught Off Guard is the first official album by Much the Same. At the time, the band was called Don't Look Down. This EP is now out of print and only available at with a bonus track from the same recording session.-Track listing:# "Moto" – 2:24...
EP (2001, Tank Records) - Quitters Never WinQuitters Never WinQuitters Never Win is the first full-length studio album by Much the Same.-Track listing:# "Wish" – 3:00# "Conclusion" – 2:31# "New Years" – 2:31# "Liar" – 3:03# "Masquerade" – 3:06# "Hits Home" – 3:21# "Quitters Never Win" – 3:14...
(2003, A-F RecordsA-F RecordsA-F Records is an independent record label originated by the band Anti-Flag, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. This label was created to help expose more political punk rock bands to a greater audience...
) - Survive (2006, Nitro RecordsNitro RecordsNitro Records is an independent record label created and owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel . They started the label in 1994. The label is famous for being an incubator for punk rock artists who have subsequently become successful, most notably AFI...
)
Compilations
- Fun With Dirt: The Greatest Bands You've Never Heard (1999, Fun With Dirt Records)
- "Father & Son" (Original Version)
- Fun With Dirt 2: Songs You'll Like If You Have Good Taste (2000, Fun With Dirt Records)
- "Sample"
- 2 Sugar Sampler Vol. 2 (2002, Jumpstart Records)
- "Quitters Never Win" (Demo version)
- "One of a Kind" (Demo version)
- I Killed Punk Rock (2006, Bouncing Betty Records)
- "The Greatest Betrayal" (Demo Version)
- HAIR: Chicago Punk Cuts (2006, Thick RecordsThick RecordsTHICK RECORDS is a Chicago based independent record label formed in 1994 by Detroit native Zak Einstein. Early label releases include influential albums from Chicago ska-punkers The Blue Meanies, Alton, IL’s Judge Nothing, and the Omaha based Commander Venus, whose members included Conor Oberst,...
)- "The Greatest Betrayal" (Alternate demo version)
Trivia
- In their song "Wish" they use a quote from the film Boondock Saints.
- In their song "Moto" they use a quote from the film That Thing You Do!That Thing You Do!That Thing You Do! is a 1996 comedy-drama musical film written and directed by Tom Hanks. Set in the summer of 1964, the movie tells the story of the quick rise and fall of a one-hit wonder rock band...
. - Though having nothing to do with the movie, the title of "Miss the Pain" was inspired by a line in the movie SwingersSwingers (1996 film)Swingers is a 1996 comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival...
. - On the Japanese import of their album Survive there is a bonus track entitled "Seasons Change" featuring guest vocals and guitar by Nick Diener, lead singer of The SwellersThe SwellersThe Swellers are an American punk rock band from Flint, Michigan. Their music draws influence from melodic punk rock bands as well as alternative and indie rock from the 90s.-Band history:...
.