Relient K
Encyclopedia
Relient K is an American rock
band formed in 1998 in Canton
, Ohio
by Matt Thiessen
, Brian Pittman
, and Matt Hoopes
during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University. The band is named after guitarist Hoopes' automobile, a Plymouth Reliant
K car
, with the spelling intentionally altered to avoid trademark infringement over the Reliant name.
The group is associated with the Contemporary Christian Music
culture, most notably the Christian rock
and Christian punk
scene. Despite being a Christian
band the group has performed alongside secular artists. The band has reached critical success with mainstream
pop punk
and alternative rock
. The band's sound incorporates piano and acoustic
elements. Since its formation, Relient K has released
six studio album
s, seven EP
s, two Christmas
albums, and one collection of rarities. The band has received numerous awards including a Grammy Award
nomination in 2003 for Best Rock Gospel Album and two Dove Awards.
Relient K is best known commercially for their two studio albums which peaked in the top 15 of the US Billboard 200
chart. After signing with Capitol Records
, they broke into the mainstream in 2004 with the release of Mmhmm
, which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200
. In 2007, their fifth album brought the most success for Relient K, Five Score and Seven Years Ago
debuted at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 60,000 records in its debut week. The band has sold over 2 million records, with three albums being given gold certification
by the RIAA. The band is also highly successful throughout the Christian Albums and Contemporary Christian Music charts. Their newest album Is for Karaoke
was released on October 4, 2011.
, Matt Hoopes
and Brian Pittman
in 1998, Todd Frascone joined for a short time in 1998 as a drummer. However, Frascone left the band after recording the demo
All Work and No Play
. The demo was recorded by Mark Lee Townsend
, the former live guitar player for dc Talk
. Townsend had met the band members because his daughter, Danielle, was friends with the band. Danielle eventually married guitarist Matt Hoopes.
All Work and No Play caught the attention of dc Talk
's Toby McKeehan
(tobyMac), who later signed the band to his label, Gotee Records
. With the label Relient K released their debut EP
, 2000 A.D.D.
in 2000, with Stephen Cushman
on drums. Soon after, they released Relient K
, their first full-length CD. It was distinctly Christian rock
and featured lyrics with a wide range of pop-culture references. Cushman left later that year to join the Christian metal
band Narcissus. Brett Schoneman of Christian rock band Philmore
filled in temporarily, followed by Jared Byers
, drummer of the Christian rock band Bleach, until Dave Douglas
joined in December 2000.
In an interview, Matt Thiessen said that when the band started, he was the only one who sang, but he knew Matt Hoopes could sing as well. Hoopes was reluctant, but Thiessen said he "got it out of him". As a result, Hoopes became the primary back-up vocalist.
, in 2001. Though there were still plenty of pop-culture references on this album, it contained many more softer songs and slightly lighter guitars. They would continue chords through tracks in order to fluidly transition in between songs, a trend that continued on their later albums.
Anatomy landed them in the Christian rock limelight, and Relient K was offered a clothing deal with Abercrombie & Fitch
in 2001. Gotee, their label, accepted the offer on Relient K's behalf; Pittman recalls, "The choice was never really given to us. The label made the choice." After significant pressure from conservative Christian
organizations such as Focus on the Family
, Gotee backed out of the contract.
Relient K was then asked to do a rendition of the popular VeggieTales
song "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
" for the 2002 feature length VeggieTales movie Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
. The song was released on three different albums, two in single form. The first version also included their song "Breakdown" being sung by Larry the Cucumber. There was also a promotional version which included the original version of "Breakdown". A cut-down version (missing the bridge) was included on the Christian rock compilation Veggie Rocks!. This song mixes the sounds of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, and their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do.
. The album had multiple covers of different colors, each depicting a vehicle in some kind of wreck. As pop-culture references became less specific, sound and vocals became far more defined. Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (often called Two Lefts by fans) combined the soft, meaningful songs of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek and threw in fast-paced songs with deep lyrics. It was nominated for a Grammy
in the category of "Best Rock Gospel Album" and won the Dove Award for "Modern Rock Album of the Year" in 2004.
During this time, Relient K also released a limited edition red vinyl
EP
entitled The Vinyl Countdown
, only released in one printing. The EP included two versions of the song, "Five Iron Frenzy is Either Dead or Dying." The album was dedicated to Jesse Alkire, contest winner and friend of Matthew Thiessen, who inspired the song "The Vinyl Countdown."
Since Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was released in March 2003, Relient K released a bonus disc for Christmas, entitled Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
. The album was packaged with Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do from November 2003 to December 2003.
, in late 2004. Pop-culture references were even less specific than on their third album, if present at all. The album was significantly more on the serious side with very few of the silly songs the band was known for. The album had the band experimenting with their sound a bit more, which included incorporating piano, hardcore punk
and some pop music
. In July 2005, the album was certified gold for shipping over 500,000 copies. It is reported that it has sold approximately 796,000 copies. Driven by newfound recognition from Mmhmm, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was also certified gold in spring 2005. Also, it was announced in 2006 that their second record, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, had reached the Gold rank as well as certified by the RIAA.
Shortly before Mmhmms release, longtime bassist Brian Pittman
left the band, citing that he was tired of touring and wanted to start a landscaping company. He also joined Christian metal
band Inhale Exhale
shortly afterward. Matt Thiessen announced Pittman's departure in fall 2004, saying:
"After almost seven years of being in Relient K, our cherished and lifelong friend, Brian Pittman has decided to move on to other things. That IS crazy, huh? Brian decided to leave the band in July, so we've had plenty of time to let the initial shock die down. We're aware that a lot of you already knew, so we apologize for not announcing this sooner. There were many reasons. He thought long and hard about his decision, and he came to the conclusion that he would like to do other things than play bass for the band. We respect him for it. We'd be lying to say that we're not all completely bummed that Brian won't be a part of Relient K anymore. And though we know things won't be the same without him, it must be said that we have always valued our friendships with him more than our on-stage relationship.
Anyway, all of us still hang out, and its like nothing is different at all. I feel like that's how you know that you've made a friend that will be there for the rest of your days. We want to thank Brian for all the years he gave the band. You're the best, buddy.
Pittman reunited with the band for one final show, which was the release party for "Mmhmm" at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio
on November 1, 2004. John Warne
, lead singer and guitarist of Ace Troubleshooter
, filled in as bassist for the remainder of 2004 and became full-time bassist in 2005. Also in 2005, Jon Schneck joined as a third guitarist, as well as a banjo and bell player, to create a fuller, more distinctive sound. This was also because the band planned to add more piano, and having another guitarist gave Matt Thiessen the freedom to do that.
Mmhmm features two Top 40 hits which both made it on MTV
's Top Ten. The track "Be My Escape
" is the band's most popular mainstream song to date. Its music video entered MTV's Top Ten, and landed them an appearance on The Tonight Show
and Jimmy Kimmel Live
. "Be My Escape" is also featured on Now! 19
, a popular secular and quasi-annual compilation series. It was classified as a gold single in October 2005. The music video
for "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" has also made its way onto the Total Request Live
countdown, many top 40 radio stations, and was included on Now! 21. Mmhmm was awarded a Dove Award in 2006 for the "Rock Album of the Year." The band was also nominated for "Artist of the Year" and "Band of the Year" at GMA Canada
's 2006 Covenant Awards.
, started on June 18, 2006 and continued for parts of July and August. Some tracks on the album were produced by Howard Benson
, (The All-American Rejects
, My Chemical Romance
, P.O.D.
). "Four score and seven years ago" is the first line of the Gettysburg Address
, the famous speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln
during the American Civil War
. Thiessen had said that the title of the album comes from the fact that it's the band's fifth album, it is the first time all five of them are on a record together, and it has been seven years since they made their first record.
While the band hoped for a November 2006 release, the official release date was announced as March 6, 2007. The album is considered, by the band, to be their happiest record to date. On March 2, 2007 the entire album (except the last track, "Deathbed") was made available for streaming on the band's MySpace
. Five Score and Seven Years Ago debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200
chart, selling about 64,000 copies in its first week.
The band's first single from the album, "Must Have Done Something Right
," was released on the iTunes Store on November 28, 2006 and to radio on January 9, 2007. "Forgiven" was the first radio single directed at Christian stations. "Forgiven" was the most added song on Christian radio and entered Billboards Hot Christian Songs chart on January 11, 2007. The single received enough airplay to be the fourth most played song on Christian Hit Radio (CHR) stations in 2007 according to R&R magazine
.
The second single from the album, "The Best Thing
," was released to radio on April 10, 2007, taking the 7th most adds in its first week. Thiessen has said that "The Best Thing" is "the anti-Daniel Powter
"Bad Day
" song. It's straight-up positive." A video was filmed for the single. The second single released on Christian CHR radio stations was "Give Until There's Nothing Left", which was the 20th most played song on CHR radio stations in 2007.
In the early morning of June 28, 2007, Relient K's bus caught on fire from an oil spill from the engine. Everyone escaped safely, but the band lost many instruments, laptops, cameras, phones, iPods, clothes, and merchandise. Matt Thiessen said he lost a laptop that had roughly 100 unfinished songs on it, and Dave Douglas lost his Battlefield drum set. In the midst of it, the band still laughed at the situation, calling it "cinematic". On a blog post on their website, Matt Thiessen stated that the next day after the fire, the band went to view the damage of their van and found that while 85% of their gear was intact, Douglas's drum kit set was not salvageable. A member of the Switchfoot forums first announced it, asking everyone to pray for the band. The band had just played Creation Northeast, and had to cancel their appearance at Cornerstone Festival
in Illinois, which the band has named as one of their favorite shows to do. They did, however, play their next scheduled show in Greeley, CO on June 30, 2007. In the months following, the band played more Christian rock festivals.
The band released Let It Snow, Baby... Let It Reindeer
, a Christmas
album, on October 23, 2007. The CD contained all of the tracks from Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
as well as six new songs. This Christmas themed re-release was met with a peak of No. 96 on the Billboard 200
.
Relient K, Switchfoot and Ruth recently recorded a song together, "Rebuild". It is available for download on Switchfoot's website; fans can choose between paying for the song (with proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity) or downloading it for free.
On October 18, 2007 drummer Dave Douglas announced his departure on the band's website due to a desire to pursue his side-project Gypsy Parade with his wife Rachel. There is no animosity between any of the members, and he finished to tour with the band until his last show on December 29, 2007. On February 12, 2008 it was announced that Ethan Luck
, former guitarist of The O.C. Supertones
and for Demon Hunter
, would be replacing Douglas as the band's new drummer. Luck and Warne were in a short-lived band together called Guerilla Rodeo.
The recording of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" which Relient K recorded for the 2002 movie, Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, was reused in The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
.
. The double EP is contained on a single disc and contains the The Nashville Tennis EP and The Bird and the Bee Sides
. The Nashville Tennis EP included 13 tracks of new material that allowed the band to explore their sound a bit by allowing other band members, besides Thiessen and Hoopes, to compose/record a few tracks, as well as adding some influences from country
and ska
music. The Bird and the Bee Sides contained tracks that had previously been released on hard-to-come-by records. The The Bird and the Bee Sides won the 2009 GMA Canada
Covenant Award
for Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year. In turning in the EP, Relient K officially fulfilled their contract with Gotee Records and subsequently signed to and now manage Mono Vs. Stereo (an imprint of Gotee Records
).
at Dark Horse Recording in Tennessee. After recording a few tracks, they stated that they would travel to California to record some more tracks with John Feldmann
. Webisodes released weekly via the band's MySpace
and Facebook
pages show the recording progress in the studio. On May 8, 2009, Thiessen announced on his Twitter account that the new album would be called Forget and Not Slow Down
, which is also the title of a song on the album.
Forget and Not Slow Down was available for pre-order, with the option of having a faux VIP-Pass signed by members of the band, and t-shirt, and a poster featuring the names of all who pre-ordered the album. On September 29, the album was made available for stream off of AbsolutePunk. It was released on October 6, 2009.
A bonus song was offered to customers who bought the album from Amazon.com's MP3 store. The song is entitled "Terminals" and was produced by Owl City
's Adam Young. The song is now available for download without purchasing the full album.
, which features all the tracks from both EPs.
On October 7, RCA Music Group
announced it was disbanding Jive Records
along with Arista Records
and J Records
. With the shutdown, the band (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their upcoming new album) on the RCA Records
brand.
Touring members
Former members
advice—presented in the attitude found in their music. The title of the book is taken from the last line of the song "Mood Rings," which is found on their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
.
. The cartoon features all five band members, and takes place in a fictional land known as Woodland Forest. It is animated by bassist
John Warne
. There have only been two episodes thus far, and can be found on YouTube. The cartoons also feature "Merle the Squirrel," singing the Woodland Forest theme song, as well as "Crosby the Reindeer," singing O Holy Night
.
s and eleven video podcasts. The nine audio podcasts were made during the band's time on the Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour. They included interviews with the band members, their guitar techs, and various other people who help them on tour. There were also interviews with the other touring bands, The Rocket Summer
and Maxeen
.
The five video podcasts include various scenes in the studio, as well as the band doing things outside the studio, much like the video podcasts made by Switchfoot. The first two video podcasts showed the band in the studio preparing for the recording of Five Score and Seven Years Ago
, and Dave Douglas recording the drum
parts, respectively. The third video podcast was a collection of footage and discussions from the Nintendo Fusion Tour, and a Mario Kart DS
Tournament between the five band members. The fourth video podcast showed Jon Schneck and Dave Douglas preparing for a boxing match (which is also included and completed in the Wal-Mart "Devastation and Reform" video), and the fifth video podcast showed the completion of the battle. There is a sixth unreleased video podcast including John Warne fulfilling his lifelong dream of walking into a room with the AutoZone
Theme Song playing. It shows Warne recording the song with the assistance of Dave Douglas and Jon Schneck. It can be found on YouTube at the present time, and it is currently unofficially released on the site, as it has not made it to the band's official site. Their eighth video podcast is about the band going to see millions of bats fly at sundown. The last podcast is a short video showing the band playing a game they made up called"Gum Golf" which they came up during the release of their Christmas album " Let it Snow, Baby... let it Reindeer." Just recently Relient K released four podcasts telling of their new album.
Former drummer Dave Douglas created a project called Agnes, a solo rock project that somewhat resembles the sound of Relient K's earlier music with his own twist. Douglas also started a project called Gypsy Parade
, a softer project that he started with his wife, Rachel. They have released two demo songs on their MySpace with more expected. Douglas amicably left Relient K to further pursue this project. Gypsy Parade has since disbanded, Attack Cat
taking its place.
Ethan Luck, the current drummer, was involved with the Christian metal
band Demon Hunter
until late 2009, but he also has a side project called My Red Hot Nightmare which included drummer Josh Abbott, who was the drummer for Bassist John Warne's band, Ace Troubleshooter for the band's entire existence. Luck also played guitar in the Christian Ska band The O.C. Supertones
and is featured on a few of their albums, including Loud and Clear and Live! Volume One
.
Three tracks were featured on the compilation album My Other Band, Vol. 1
on Mono vs Stereo records in 2006, from Matt Thiessen's side project Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, Dave Douglas' side project Agnes, and Ethan Luck's My Red Hot Nightmare project. Relient K was part of a fundraiser called "Habitat for Humanity" with other Christian bands. Matt Thiessen and Jon Foreman (Switchfoot's lead singer and guitarist) wrote a song called "Rebuild" to help raise even more money.
In 2011, John Warne became a member of Yellow Second
.
Kelly Clarkson
's new CD, All I Ever Wanted
, features Matt Thiessen who co-wrote along with Katy Perry
the song "Longshot!".
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 1998 in Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
by Matt Thiessen
Matt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
, Brian Pittman
Brian Pittman
Brian Lee Pittman is an American musician most notable as the former bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K, of which he was a founding member...
, and Matt Hoopes
Matt Hoopes
Matthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University. The band is named after guitarist Hoopes' automobile, a Plymouth Reliant
Plymouth Reliant
The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called "K-cars" manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation, introduced for the 1981 model year. The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner, which was the short-lived successor automobile to the highly regarded Plymouth Valiant...
K car
Chrysler K platform
The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...
, with the spelling intentionally altered to avoid trademark infringement over the Reliant name.
The group is associated with the Contemporary Christian Music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
culture, most notably the Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
and Christian punk
Christian punk
Christian punk is a form of Christian music and a subgenre of punk rock with some degree of Christian lyrical content. Much disagreement persists about the boundaries of the subgenre, and the extent that their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies among bands...
scene. Despite being a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
band the group has performed alongside secular artists. The band has reached critical success with mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
and 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...
. The band's sound incorporates piano and acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
elements. Since its formation, Relient K has released
Relient K discography
The discography of Relient K, an American Christian rock band, mainly consists of six studio albums, eight EPs, nine singles, two Christmas albums, two compilation albums and a B-side.-Studio albums:-Extended plays:-Compilation albums:-B-sides:...
six studio album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s, seven EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
s, two Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
albums, and one collection of rarities. The band has received numerous awards including a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination in 2003 for Best Rock Gospel Album and two Dove Awards.
Relient K is best known commercially for their two studio albums which peaked in the top 15 of the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart. After signing with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, they broke into the mainstream in 2004 with the release of Mmhmm
Mmhmm
Mmhmm is the fourth full-length album by Christian rock band Relient K, released in November 2004. This album is especially notable for two reasons: First, it marked their debut on Capitol; and second, it was Brian Pittman's last album with the band...
, which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. In 2007, their fifth album brought the most success for Relient K, Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Five Score and Seven Years Ago is the fifth full-length album by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. It is also the first Relient K album released without...
debuted at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 60,000 records in its debut week. The band has sold over 2 million records, with three albums being given gold certification
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the RIAA. The band is also highly successful throughout the Christian Albums and Contemporary Christian Music charts. Their newest album Is for Karaoke
Is for Karaoke
Is For Karaoke is a 2011 cover album by American rock band Relient K. The first seven songs were released on July 28 as Is for Karaoke EP, and on October 4 the remaining songs were released as Is for Karaoke Pt...
was released on October 4, 2011.
All Work and No Play and Relient K (1998–2000)
After Relient K was founded by Matt ThiessenMatt Thiessen
Matthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
, Matt Hoopes
Matt Hoopes
Matthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
and Brian Pittman
Brian Pittman
Brian Lee Pittman is an American musician most notable as the former bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K, of which he was a founding member...
in 1998, Todd Frascone joined for a short time in 1998 as a drummer. However, Frascone left the band after recording the demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
All Work and No Play
All Work and No Play
All Work & No Play is the demo CD released by the Christian rock band Relient K in 1998. It caught the attention of dcTalk's Toby McKeehan, who subsequently signed them to Gotee Records....
. The demo was recorded by Mark Lee Townsend
Mark Lee Townsend
Mark Lee Townsend is known best as guitarist for the Christian rock band dc Talk, playing with them from 1996 until their hiatus in 2001. Mark's career started as a member/singer/guitarist/songwriter for the 80's Pop/Christian band Bash 'N The Code from 1986 through 1991. In between dc Talk tours,...
, the former live guitar player for dc Talk
Dc Talk
DC Talk , is a Grammy-winning Christian rock music trio. The group was formed in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They have released five major studio albums together: DC Talk , Nu Thang , Free at Last , Jesus Freak , and Supernatural...
. Townsend had met the band members because his daughter, Danielle, was friends with the band. Danielle eventually married guitarist Matt Hoopes.
All Work and No Play caught the attention of dc Talk
Dc Talk
DC Talk , is a Grammy-winning Christian rock music trio. The group was formed in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith. They have released five major studio albums together: DC Talk , Nu Thang , Free at Last , Jesus Freak , and Supernatural...
's Toby McKeehan
Toby McKeehan
Toby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
(tobyMac), who later signed the band to his label, Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
. With the label Relient K released their debut EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, 2000 A.D.D.
2000 A.D.D.
-Credits:* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, guitar* Matt Hoopes – guitar, backing vocals* Brian Pittman – bass* Stephen Cushman – drums, backing vocals...
in 2000, with Stephen Cushman
Stephen Cushman
Stephen Cushman is the former drummer for the US Christian rock band Relient K. He drummed for the band's first full-length album, a self-titled debut. He left the band in 2000 and joined Ohio-based Narcissus. After he left, Dave Douglas joined Relient K as the new drummer.Cushman's style of...
on drums. Soon after, they released Relient K
Relient K (album)
Relient K is the first full-length album released by punk group Relient K. Many of the tracks are newer versions of those found on their 1998 demo All Work & No Play. Typical of early Relient K albums, the lyrics use pop culture references for teaching and to illustrate Biblical principles...
, their first full-length CD. It was distinctly Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
and featured lyrics with a wide range of pop-culture references. Cushman left later that year to join the Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Narcissus. Brett Schoneman of Christian rock band Philmore
Philmore
Philmore was a Christian rock band that formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the late 1990s. At one point they were known for their t-shirts that said “Philmore is an OK band.” The lead singer, Justin Greiman, was also the lead guitarist; his guitar had the Union Jack on it . His brother Kayle played bass...
filled in temporarily, followed by Jared Byers
Jared Byers
Jared Byers is the former drummer of the popular Christian rock band Bleach. He was the band's drummer from 2000 to 2004 replacing Matt Gingrich. Byers also filled in as the drummer for the Christian rock band Relient K for a short time in 2000...
, drummer of the Christian rock band Bleach, until Dave Douglas
Dave Douglas (drummer)
Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
joined in December 2000.
In an interview, Matt Thiessen said that when the band started, he was the only one who sang, but he knew Matt Hoopes could sing as well. Hoopes was reluctant, but Thiessen said he "got it out of him". As a result, Hoopes became the primary back-up vocalist.
The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek (2001–2002)
The band released their second album, The Anatomy of the Tongue in CheekThe Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek
The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek is the second full-length album released by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on August 28, 2001, and peaked at #158 on the Billboard 200. On June 26, 2006, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000 units in the...
, in 2001. Though there were still plenty of pop-culture references on this album, it contained many more softer songs and slightly lighter guitars. They would continue chords through tracks in order to fluidly transition in between songs, a trend that continued on their later albums.
Anatomy landed them in the Christian rock limelight, and Relient K was offered a clothing deal with Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22. It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally....
in 2001. Gotee, their label, accepted the offer on Relient K's behalf; Pittman recalls, "The choice was never really given to us. The label made the choice." After significant pressure from conservative Christian
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
organizations such as Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
, Gotee backed out of the contract.
Relient K was then asked to do a rendition of the popular VeggieTales
VeggieTales
VeggieTales is an American series of children's computer animated films featuring anthropomorphic vegetables in stories conveying moral themes based on Christianity...
song "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" is a single released by Christian rock band Relient K. It is a cover of a song originally performed by the cast of VeggieTales. It was later included in the 2003 compilation album Veggie Rocks!...
" for the 2002 feature length VeggieTales movie Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie
Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2002 American computer-animated film based on VeggieTales, produced by Big Idea Productions, Lions Gate Films and FHE Pictures. It is the first feature-length film in the VeggieTales series....
. The song was released on three different albums, two in single form. The first version also included their song "Breakdown" being sung by Larry the Cucumber. There was also a promotional version which included the original version of "Breakdown". A cut-down version (missing the bridge) was included on the Christian rock compilation Veggie Rocks!. This song mixes the sounds of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, and their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do.
Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (2003)
In 2003, Relient K released Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three DoTwo Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do is the third full-length album released by Christian rock band Relient K. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album, but the award that year ended up being won by Worldwide by Audio Adrenaline...
. The album had multiple covers of different colors, each depicting a vehicle in some kind of wreck. As pop-culture references became less specific, sound and vocals became far more defined. Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (often called Two Lefts by fans) combined the soft, meaningful songs of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek and threw in fast-paced songs with deep lyrics. It was nominated for a Grammy
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the category of "Best Rock Gospel Album" and won the Dove Award for "Modern Rock Album of the Year" in 2004.
During this time, Relient K also released a limited edition red vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
entitled The Vinyl Countdown
The Vinyl Countdown
The Vinyl Countdown is the fourth EP by Christian rock band Relient K, released exclusively on a clear red 7" vinyl record on Mono Vs Stereo Records. It was released in 2003, a few months after the band's third full-length album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was released...
, only released in one printing. The EP included two versions of the song, "Five Iron Frenzy is Either Dead or Dying." The album was dedicated to Jesse Alkire, contest winner and friend of Matthew Thiessen, who inspired the song "The Vinyl Countdown."
Since Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was released in March 2003, Relient K released a bonus disc for Christmas, entitled Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand is the first Christmas album released by Christian rock band Relient K. It was released in many stores as a combo pack with later copies of their previous full-length album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do....
. The album was packaged with Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do from November 2003 to December 2003.
Mmhmm (2004–2006)
The group released their fourth album, MmhmmMmhmm
Mmhmm is the fourth full-length album by Christian rock band Relient K, released in November 2004. This album is especially notable for two reasons: First, it marked their debut on Capitol; and second, it was Brian Pittman's last album with the band...
, in late 2004. Pop-culture references were even less specific than on their third album, if present at all. The album was significantly more on the serious side with very few of the silly songs the band was known for. The album had the band experimenting with their sound a bit more, which included incorporating piano, hardcore punk
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...
and some pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. In July 2005, the album was certified gold for shipping over 500,000 copies. It is reported that it has sold approximately 796,000 copies. Driven by newfound recognition from Mmhmm, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was also certified gold in spring 2005. Also, it was announced in 2006 that their second record, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, had reached the Gold rank as well as certified by the RIAA.
Shortly before Mmhmms release, longtime bassist Brian Pittman
Brian Pittman
Brian Lee Pittman is an American musician most notable as the former bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K, of which he was a founding member...
left the band, citing that he was tired of touring and wanted to start a landscaping company. He also joined Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Inhale Exhale
Inhale Exhale
Inhale Exhale is a Christian metalcore band from Cleveland, Ohio.-Formation/The Lost. The Sick. The Sacred.:The band was formed in 2005 by Guitarist John LaRussa and bassist Brian Pittman...
shortly afterward. Matt Thiessen announced Pittman's departure in fall 2004, saying:
"After almost seven years of being in Relient K, our cherished and lifelong friend, Brian Pittman has decided to move on to other things. That IS crazy, huh? Brian decided to leave the band in July, so we've had plenty of time to let the initial shock die down. We're aware that a lot of you already knew, so we apologize for not announcing this sooner. There were many reasons. He thought long and hard about his decision, and he came to the conclusion that he would like to do other things than play bass for the band. We respect him for it. We'd be lying to say that we're not all completely bummed that Brian won't be a part of Relient K anymore. And though we know things won't be the same without him, it must be said that we have always valued our friendships with him more than our on-stage relationship.
Anyway, all of us still hang out, and its like nothing is different at all. I feel like that's how you know that you've made a friend that will be there for the rest of your days. We want to thank Brian for all the years he gave the band. You're the best, buddy.
Pittman reunited with the band for one final show, which was the release party for "Mmhmm" at the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on November 1, 2004. John Warne
John Warne
John Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
, lead singer and guitarist of Ace Troubleshooter
Ace Troubleshooter
Ace Troubleshooter was a pop punk band signed to Tooth & Nail Records. According to John Warne, he came up with the band's name after reading the phrase ace troubleshooter in a history book.-Death of Ace:...
, filled in as bassist for the remainder of 2004 and became full-time bassist in 2005. Also in 2005, Jon Schneck joined as a third guitarist, as well as a banjo and bell player, to create a fuller, more distinctive sound. This was also because the band planned to add more piano, and having another guitarist gave Matt Thiessen the freedom to do that.
Mmhmm features two Top 40 hits which both made it on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Top Ten. The track "Be My Escape
Be My Escape
"Be My Escape" is the first single from Christian rock band Relient K's fourth full-length album, Mmhmm. It was certified a platinum single in November of 2005 and is usually referred to as Relient K's most popular mainstream song, other than "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been". The song is Relient K's...
" is the band's most popular mainstream song to date. Its music video entered MTV's Top Ten, and landed them an appearance on The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
and Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
. "Be My Escape" is also featured on Now! 19
Now That's What I Call Music!
Now That's What I Call Music! is a series of various artists compilation albums released in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Polygram /EMI/Sony Music/Virgin Records ; spinoff series were later introduced in South Africa and many other countries worldwide, including the United States...
, a popular secular and quasi-annual compilation series. It was classified as a gold single in October 2005. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" has also made its way onto the Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
countdown, many top 40 radio stations, and was included on Now! 21. Mmhmm was awarded a Dove Award in 2006 for the "Rock Album of the Year." The band was also nominated for "Artist of the Year" and "Band of the Year" at GMA Canada
GMA Canada
GMA Canada is the Gospel Music Association of Canada . Created in 1974, the organization is a not for profit association whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music arts in Canada...
's 2006 Covenant Awards.
Five Score and Seven Years Ago (2007)
Recording sessions for another studio album, Five Score and Seven Years AgoFive Score and Seven Years Ago
Five Score and Seven Years Ago is the fifth full-length album by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. It is also the first Relient K album released without...
, started on June 18, 2006 and continued for parts of July and August. Some tracks on the album were produced by Howard Benson
Howard Benson
Howard Benson is a two-time Grammy-nominated music producer and aerospace engineer.-Biography:Howard Benson has a degree in materials engineering from Drexel University and studied composition at the Philadelphia College for Performing Arts. Later he worked for Garrett AiResearch, where he worked...
, (The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor....
, My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
, P.O.D.
P.O.D.
Payable on Death is an American Christian metal band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. Their Christian faith is an important part of their music.They have released seven studio albums and...
). "Four score and seven years ago" is the first line of the Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and is one of the most well-known speeches in United States history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery...
, the famous speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Thiessen had said that the title of the album comes from the fact that it's the band's fifth album, it is the first time all five of them are on a record together, and it has been seven years since they made their first record.
While the band hoped for a November 2006 release, the official release date was announced as March 6, 2007. The album is considered, by the band, to be their happiest record to date. On March 2, 2007 the entire album (except the last track, "Deathbed") was made available for streaming on the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. Five Score and Seven Years Ago debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, selling about 64,000 copies in its first week.
The band's first single from the album, "Must Have Done Something Right
Must Have Done Something Right
"Must Have Done Something Right" is the lead single off Relient K's fifth album, Five Score and Seven Years Ago. The song was officially released to radio in January 2007, along with the music video, which was shot in December 2006 and released on February 6, 2007. The song was released to iTunes...
," was released on the iTunes Store on November 28, 2006 and to radio on January 9, 2007. "Forgiven" was the first radio single directed at Christian stations. "Forgiven" was the most added song on Christian radio and entered Billboards Hot Christian Songs chart on January 11, 2007. The single received enough airplay to be the fourth most played song on Christian Hit Radio (CHR) stations in 2007 according to R&R magazine
R&R (magazine)
R&R was a weekly music trade publication that followed the radio industry and tracked the monitoring of current songs by format, station and audience cumes...
.
The second single from the album, "The Best Thing
The Best Thing
"The Best Thing" is the second single off Relient K's fifth studio album, Five Score and Seven Years Ago. The band's manager announced it on their messageboard on March 17, 2007 along with Capitol announcing it on several websites . The song was performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on April...
," was released to radio on April 10, 2007, taking the 7th most adds in its first week. Thiessen has said that "The Best Thing" is "the anti-Daniel Powter
Daniel Powter
Daniel Richard Powter is a Canadian recording artist. He is known for his hit "Bad Day", which spent five weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. Powter became the only act to register the #1 hit of the year but chart no other Hot 100 hit.- Life and career :Powter grew up in Vernon, in the...
"Bad Day
Bad Day (Daniel Powter song)
"Bad Day" is a song written and performed by Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Powter. It was released as the first single from his second album Daniel Powter and achieved the #1 spot in the U.S. and Ireland. In the U.S...
" song. It's straight-up positive." A video was filmed for the single. The second single released on Christian CHR radio stations was "Give Until There's Nothing Left", which was the 20th most played song on CHR radio stations in 2007.
In the early morning of June 28, 2007, Relient K's bus caught on fire from an oil spill from the engine. Everyone escaped safely, but the band lost many instruments, laptops, cameras, phones, iPods, clothes, and merchandise. Matt Thiessen said he lost a laptop that had roughly 100 unfinished songs on it, and Dave Douglas lost his Battlefield drum set. In the midst of it, the band still laughed at the situation, calling it "cinematic". On a blog post on their website, Matt Thiessen stated that the next day after the fire, the band went to view the damage of their van and found that while 85% of their gear was intact, Douglas's drum kit set was not salvageable. A member of the Switchfoot forums first announced it, asking everyone to pray for the band. The band had just played Creation Northeast, and had to cancel their appearance at Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival
Cornerstone Festival is a Christian music festival put on by Jesus People USA and held annually around the 4th of July near Bushnell, Illinois. In a given year, many artists that play at Cornerstone also play at other events such as Creation Festival and mainstream festivals and tours such as the...
in Illinois, which the band has named as one of their favorite shows to do. They did, however, play their next scheduled show in Greeley, CO on June 30, 2007. In the months following, the band played more Christian rock festivals.
The band released Let It Snow, Baby... Let It Reindeer
Let it Snow, Baby... Let it Reindeer
-Credits:* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano* Matt Hoopes – lead guitar, backing vocals* Brian Pittman – bass * Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals * John Warne - bass, backing vocals...
, a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
album, on October 23, 2007. The CD contained all of the tracks from Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand
Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand is the first Christmas album released by Christian rock band Relient K. It was released in many stores as a combo pack with later copies of their previous full-length album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do....
as well as six new songs. This Christmas themed re-release was met with a peak of No. 96 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
.
Relient K, Switchfoot and Ruth recently recorded a song together, "Rebuild". It is available for download on Switchfoot's website; fans can choose between paying for the song (with proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity) or downloading it for free.
On October 18, 2007 drummer Dave Douglas announced his departure on the band's website due to a desire to pursue his side-project Gypsy Parade with his wife Rachel. There is no animosity between any of the members, and he finished to tour with the band until his last show on December 29, 2007. On February 12, 2008 it was announced that Ethan Luck
Ethan Luck
Ethan John Luck is a guitarist, photographer, and drummer who has played in many bands, most prominently, the ska band The O.C. Supertones....
, former guitarist of The O.C. Supertones
The O.C. Supertones
The Orange County Supertones is a Christian ska band hailing from Orange County, California. The band was signed to Tooth & Nail Records before becoming an independent band for its final tour...
and for Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christians and express their love for Jesus in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark...
, would be replacing Douglas as the band's new drummer. Luck and Warne were in a short-lived band together called Guerilla Rodeo.
The recording of "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" which Relient K recorded for the 2002 movie, Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie, was reused in The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2008 American animated feature-length family adventure film directed by Mike Nawrocki and written by Phil Vischer. Produced through Big Idea Productions animation studio and the animation by Starz Animation, it is the second film featuring...
.
The Bird and the Bee Sides (2008)
On July 1, 2008 Relient K released a double EPDouble EP
A double extended play is the name typically given to vinyl records or CDs released as a set of two discs, each of which would normally qualify as an EP. The name is thus analogous to double album...
. The double EP is contained on a single disc and contains the The Nashville Tennis EP and The Bird and the Bee Sides
The Bird and the Bee Sides
-The Bird and the Bee Sides:-Bonus material:Those who pre-ordered The Bird and the Bee Sides received two "instant song downloads" , a Relient K and Gotee Records sticker pack, and a collector's-edition postcard....
. The Nashville Tennis EP included 13 tracks of new material that allowed the band to explore their sound a bit by allowing other band members, besides Thiessen and Hoopes, to compose/record a few tracks, as well as adding some influences from country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
and ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
music. The Bird and the Bee Sides contained tracks that had previously been released on hard-to-come-by records. The The Bird and the Bee Sides won the 2009 GMA Canada
GMA Canada
GMA Canada is the Gospel Music Association of Canada . Created in 1974, the organization is a not for profit association whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music arts in Canada...
Covenant Award
Covenant Awards
The Covenant Awards are handed out annually by GMA Canada, the Gospel Music Association of Canada . Created in 1974, the association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote the growth and ministry of Christian music arts in Canada...
for Modern Rock/Alternative Album Of The Year. In turning in the EP, Relient K officially fulfilled their contract with Gotee Records and subsequently signed to and now manage Mono Vs. Stereo (an imprint of Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
).
Forget and Not Slow Down (2009)
In early 2009, the band began to write music for an album to be released later in 2009. Thiessen stated that they were keen on finishing the album for a 2009 release and had begun recording the new album with their "favorite" producer, Mark Lee TownsendMark Lee Townsend
Mark Lee Townsend is known best as guitarist for the Christian rock band dc Talk, playing with them from 1996 until their hiatus in 2001. Mark's career started as a member/singer/guitarist/songwriter for the 80's Pop/Christian band Bash 'N The Code from 1986 through 1991. In between dc Talk tours,...
at Dark Horse Recording in Tennessee. After recording a few tracks, they stated that they would travel to California to record some more tracks with John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
. Webisodes released weekly via the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
and Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
pages show the recording progress in the studio. On May 8, 2009, Thiessen announced on his Twitter account that the new album would be called Forget and Not Slow Down
Forget and Not Slow Down
Forget and Not Slow Down is the sixth full-length studio album by American rock band Relient K, released on October 6, 2009. It is the band's first album since the departure of longtime drummer Dave Douglas at the end of 2007. Ethan Luck was his replacement as the drummer for the band. The album is...
, which is also the title of a song on the album.
Forget and Not Slow Down was available for pre-order, with the option of having a faux VIP-Pass signed by members of the band, and t-shirt, and a poster featuring the names of all who pre-ordered the album. On September 29, the album was made available for stream off of AbsolutePunk. It was released on October 6, 2009.
A bonus song was offered to customers who bought the album from Amazon.com's MP3 store. The song is entitled "Terminals" and was produced by Owl City
Owl City
Owl City is an American electronica musical project by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Adam Young formed in 2007 in Owatonna, Minnesota. Young created the project while experimenting with music in his parents' basement...
's Adam Young. The song is now available for download without purchasing the full album.
Is for Karaoke EPs and cover album (2011)
On April 11, 2011, the band posted on their Facebook page that they had entered the studio to record a cover album. On June 14, 2011, Alt Press reported the EP would be called K Is for Karaoke and displayed the album artwork. The band revealed one album song per day on their Facebook page. The first album, Is for Karaoke EP, was made available for download on June 28, 2011 through the Amazon MP3 store. It was also available through iTunes or as a physical CD on the Vans Warped Tour and Rock The Universe at Universal Studios. On October 4, 2011 they released a second EP, Is for Karaoke EP, Part 2, and also the full-length album, Is for KaraokeIs for Karaoke
Is For Karaoke is a 2011 cover album by American rock band Relient K. The first seven songs were released on July 28 as Is for Karaoke EP, and on October 4 the remaining songs were released as Is for Karaoke Pt...
, which features all the tracks from both EPs.
Untitled Album (Spring/Summer 2012)
In several interviews on Youtube, both Matt Thiessen and other band members have stated they plan to enter the studio in November to write and record the new Relient K record, which they hope will be released in the Spring of 2012.On October 7, RCA Music Group
RCA Music Group
RCA Music Group was an umbrella group of labels distributed by Sony Music Entertainment that existed between March 2004 and 2009 and for a short period of time between July 2011 and October 2011 until all RCA Music Group labels were merged with RCA Records....
announced it was disbanding Jive Records
Jive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
along with Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
and J Records
J Records
J Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:...
. With the shutdown, the band (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) will release their future material (including their upcoming new album) on the RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
brand.
Band members
Current members- Matt HoopesMatt HoopesMatthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
– 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...
s, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(since 1998) - Ethan LuckEthan LuckEthan John Luck is a guitarist, photographer, and drummer who has played in many bands, most prominently, the ska band The O.C. Supertones....
– 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 ....
, backing vocals (since 2008) - Jon Schneck – guitars, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, bellsGlockenspielA glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano. In this way, it is similar to the xylophone; however, the xylophone's bars are made of wood, while the glockenspiel's are metal plates or tubes, and making it a metallophone...
, omnichordOmnichordThe Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument, introduced in 1981 and manufactured by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate, and buttons for major, minor, and diminished chords...
, NordNord (Clavia)Nord is a Swedish virtual analog synthesizer and organ manufacturer. Nord keyboards are handmade in Sweden by Clavia DMI AB.-The company:Clavia was founded in 1983 by Hans Nordelius together with Mikael Carlsson in Stockholm, Sweden...
, backing vocals (since 2005) - Matt ThiessenMatt ThiessenMatthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, guitars, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(since 1998) - John WarneJohn WarneJohn Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (since 2004)
Touring members
- Justin YorkJustin YorkJustin Daniel York is the brother of guitarist Taylor York of Paramore and was the guitarist of Christian rock band Tait. He joined the band in 2001 when he was barely 19 years old, replacing Pete Stewart. He subsequently left the band in 2006...
- guitars (since 2010)
Former members
- Dave DouglasDave Douglas (drummer)Dave Douglas is a musician, most widely known for being in the Christian music industry as the former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Douglas joined the band after their former drummer, Stephen Cushman, departed in late 2000. Douglas had been playing the drums and doing background...
- drums, backing vocals (2000–2007) - Brian PittmanBrian PittmanBrian Lee Pittman is an American musician most notable as the former bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K, of which he was a founding member...
– bass guitar (1998–2004) - Brett Schoneman - drums (2000)
- Jared ByersJared ByersJared Byers is the former drummer of the popular Christian rock band Bleach. He was the band's drummer from 2000 to 2004 replacing Matt Gingrich. Byers also filled in as the drummer for the Christian rock band Relient K for a short time in 2000...
- drums (2000) - Stephen CushmanStephen CushmanStephen Cushman is the former drummer for the US Christian rock band Relient K. He drummed for the band's first full-length album, a self-titled debut. He left the band in 2000 and joined Ohio-based Narcissus. After he left, Dave Douglas joined Relient K as the new drummer.Cushman's style of...
– drums, backing vocals (1998–2000) - Todd Frascone – drums (1998)
Tours and live performances
- In 2004 Relient K headlined the annual Parachute Music FestivalParachute music festivalThe Parachute Music Festival is a Christian music festival held annually at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton, New Zealand.The festival is run by Parachute Music and lasts for four days and three nights. 'Parachute' is the Southern Hemisphere's largest Christian music festival, primarily...
in New Zealand. - Relient K performed in the 2005, 2008, and 2011 VansVansVans 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 TourWarped TourThe 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...
. - Between September and November 2006, Relient K played on the Nintendo Fusion TourNintendo Fusion TourNintendo Fusion Tour is a touring rock music and video game festival sponsored by Nintendo, which began in 2003.Nintendo's Fusion Tour has provided early exposure for then-developing bands such as Evanescence, Story of the Year, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Anberlin and Panic! at the Disco...
with Hawthorne HeightsHawthorne HeightsHawthorne Heights is an American rock band from Dayton, Ohio, formed in 2001. Their line-up currently consists of lead-singer and rhythm guitarist JT Woodruff, lead-guitarist and vocalist Micah Carli, bassist and backing vocalist Matt Ridenour, and drummer Eron Bucciarelli...
, EmeryEmery (band)Emery is an American four-piece post-hardcore band from Rock Hill, South Carolina currently signed to both Tooth & Nail Records and Solid State Records and based in Seattle, Washington. Emery was founded in Rock Hill, South Carolina with the original lineup consisting of Toby Morrell, Devin...
, Plain White T'sPlain White T'sPlain White T's is an American Pop rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 1997 by high school friends Tom Higgenson and Ken Fletcher, the group had a mostly underground following in Chicago basements, clubs, and bars in its early years, and underwent numerous personnel changes.The band is best...
, and The SleepingThe SleepingThe Sleeping is an American rock band from Long Island, New York, formed in 2003. The band was founded by Cameron Keym, Sal Mignano, and Joe Zizzo from the remains of Skycamefalling, after auditioning twenty-two potential singers, they came across Doug Robinson, former singer/guitarist of the band...
. - The band also took part in McDonald's Summer 2007 music tour. Every band involved in the tour has the chance to be involved in a future McDonald's ad. Votes by viewers will be counted to decide who will win. All live shows are available for viewing.
- Relient K and Switchfoot both played at the Los Angeles premiere of the movie Evan AlmightyEvan AlmightyEvan Almighty is a 2007 American religious comedy film and the stand-alone sequel to Bruce Almighty . The film was directed by Tom Shadyac, written by Steve Oedekerk, and starring Steve Carell as the title character. Morgan Freeman also reprised his role as God from the original film. Production of...
on June 22, 2007. They also played at the Lizard Fair in Midland, MichiganMidland, MichiganMidland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
on August 15, 2007 with Chris DaughtryChris DaughtryChristopher Adam "Chris" Daughtry is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Daughtry and as the fourth-place finalist on the fifth season of American Idol, from which he was eliminated on May 10, 2006...
. - "Must Have Done Something Right" and "The Best Thing" were performed on Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno respectively. Relient K appeared again on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on December 17, 2008. They performed their cover "Sleigh Ride" from Let It Snow, Baby... Let It Reindeer. Actor Tom WilsonThomas F. WilsonThomas F. Wilson is an American actor, writer, musician, painter, voice-over artist and stand-up comedian. He is best known for playing Biff Tannen in the Back to the Future trilogy and Coach Ben Fredricks on NBC's Freaks and Geeks.-Early life:Thomas Francis Wilson, Jr. was...
accompanied the band. - As of September 8, 2008, Relient K was on tour with Ludo, featuring This ProvidenceThis ProvidenceThis Providence is a four-piece Alternative Rock band from Seattle, Washington. The band consists of Dan Young , David Blaise , Gavin Phillips , and Andy Horst .-Formation and early history:...
and House of HeroesHouse of HeroesHouse of Heroes is an alternative rock band from Columbus, Ohio. They were also known by the name No Tagbacks. They are generally considered to be Christian rock, though their lyrics are not always transparently Christian...
. The tour was title "The Uncle Fest Tour" and was during the month of October, with a few in early November. The last tour date was November 2. - In November and early December 2008, Relient K joined TobyMacTobyMacToby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
and Family Force 5Family Force 5Family Force 5 is a Christian crunk rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. They consist of Solomon "Soul Glow Activatur" Olds, Jacob "Crouton" Olds, Joshua "Fatty" Olds, Nathan "Nadaddy" Currin, and Derek "Chap Stique" Mount...
on a month long tour called The Winter Wonder Slam Tour 2008. - Relient K toured with Runner Runner and Owl City in May 2009.
- Relient K toured throughout Australia in September 2009 alongside LecraeLecraeLecrae Moore is an American Christian Hip Hop artist signed to Reach Records, the record label that he co-founded. Thus far Lecrae has released five solo studio albums, and his latest Rehab: The Overdose was released on January 11, 2011...
, Reggie Dabbs and Australian band New Empire as part of an annual national Youth AliveYouth AliveYouth Alive is a not-for-profit multi-denominational Christian organisation dedicated to reaching the youth of Australia with the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is run on a state-based structure with offices in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia...
event. - Relient K toured with Barcelona and Copeland that started on October 1, 2009, in New Haven, CT called the Three-Hour Tour, named after a reference to the theme song of the TV sitcom, Gilligan's Island.
- In September 2009, Relient K made an appearance at Big Exo Day, and played several songs including some from the new album 'forget and not slow down'.
- In late 2009, Relient K went on the 2009 Winter Wonder Slam tour with tobyMacTobyMacToby McKeehan , better known by his stage name TobyMac , is a Christian recording artist, music producer, hip-hop/pop artist, singer-songwriter, and author....
. Early on, Matt HoopesMatt HoopesMatthew Ryan Hoopes is the lead guitarist of Relient K, a Christian rock band that was formed in 1998. Hoopes has played guitar and performed backing vocals for Relient K for twelve years. Hoopes has slowly developed into the band's lead guitarist over the years, despite Matt Thiessen playing lead...
left the tour for a family matter. On December 16, Matt ThiessenMatt ThiessenMatthew Arnold Thiessen is a Canadian-American musician, known for being co-founder, lead singer, guitarist, pianist, and primary songwriter for the Christian rock band Relient K. With Relient K, he has released six full-length albums, including three that were certified Gold, and three that...
's mother had a severe heart attack and he too left the tour. Tim Skipper of House of HeroesHouse of HeroesHouse of Heroes is an alternative rock band from Columbus, Ohio. They were also known by the name No Tagbacks. They are generally considered to be Christian rock, though their lyrics are not always transparently Christian...
filled Matt's place for the four remaining shows. Relient K had never lost the two Matts before on tour. - Relient K opened for ParamoreParamoreParamore 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...
's 2010 Spring tour. - Relient K are playing select dates on the 2010 Honda Civic TourHonda Civic TourThe Honda Civic Tour is an annual concert tour, sponsored by Honda Motor Company which began in 2001. Each year, the headlining band or bands customize a Honda Civic for concert patrons to win in a raffle.-First Half:*Headliner: blink-182...
. - Opening for ParamoreParamoreParamore 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...
's 2010 New Zealand/Australia tour starting from October 7, 2010 together with New Zealand band Jury and The Saints. - Relient K will be touring with SherwoodSherwood-United Kingdom:*Sherwood Forest, north of the city of Nottingham, England; the place where the legendary Robin Hood is said to have lived*Sherwood, Nottingham, a residential area of Nottingham*Sherwood -United States:...
and Deas VailDeas Vail-History:Noted for having musical similarities to Death Cab for Cutie, Mew, Copeland, and Mae, Deas Vail was formed in the university town of Russellville, Arkansas in 2003. After a couple of years of touring, Deas Vail signed to Brave New World Records in 2005. In the fall of 2006, they released...
December 1–17, 2010 and playing acoustic sets. - Relient K toured on the Vans Warped Tour 2011 from June 24 through August 14.
- As a part of "Faith Day," Relient K performed a post-game show in Cleveland, Ohio when the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
faced the Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on May 14, 2011.
The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind
In 2004, Relient K released a book entitled The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind. The book clues in the confused male Relient K fans on some of the inner workings of the female species, and clues in the confused female Relient K fans on some of the thoughts of males. The band gives advice on the opposite sex through personal experience, stereotypes (including The Rock Chick and Vanilla Pudding), and BiblicalBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
advice—presented in the attitude found in their music. The title of the book is taken from the last line of the song "Mood Rings," which is found on their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do
Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do is the third full-length album released by Christian rock band Relient K. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album, but the award that year ended up being won by Worldwide by Audio Adrenaline...
.
Woodland Forest
In June 2006, Relient K released the first episode of their own flash cartoonFlash cartoon
A Flash animation or Flash cartoon is an animated film which is created using Adobe Flash or similar animation software and often distributed in the .swf file format. The term Flash animation not only refers to the file format but to a certain kind of movement and visual style which, in many...
. The cartoon features all five band members, and takes place in a fictional land known as Woodland Forest. It is animated by bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
John Warne
John Warne
John Warne is an American musician who has been active in the Christian rock scene since 1996. He is best known for being the bassist for the Christian rock band Relient K as well as being a founding member of the Christian punk band Ace Troubleshooter...
. There have only been two episodes thus far, and can be found on YouTube. The cartoons also feature "Merle the Squirrel," singing the Woodland Forest theme song, as well as "Crosby the Reindeer," singing O Holy Night
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
.
Podcasts
Relient K has made a total of nine audio podcastPodcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
s and eleven video podcasts. The nine audio podcasts were made during the band's time on the Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour. They included interviews with the band members, their guitar techs, and various other people who help them on tour. There were also interviews with the other touring bands, The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer is the solo-project of Bryce Avary who is based in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. Avary is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and producer. He writes and produces every song on his records, and plays every instrument on them....
and Maxeen
Maxeen
Maxeen was a three-piece rock band based out of Long Beach, California.Signed to SideOneDummy Records in 2003, Maxeen released their debut eponymous album which was on an enhanced CD containing a photo slideshow with images by Leah Klinge and Jay Matsueda. In 2004, they signed to Warner Bros...
.
The five video podcasts include various scenes in the studio, as well as the band doing things outside the studio, much like the video podcasts made by Switchfoot. The first two video podcasts showed the band in the studio preparing for the recording of Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Five Score and Seven Years Ago
Five Score and Seven Years Ago is the fifth full-length album by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. It is also the first Relient K album released without...
, and Dave Douglas recording the drum
Drum
The 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...
parts, respectively. The third video podcast was a collection of footage and discussions from the Nintendo Fusion Tour, and a Mario Kart DS
Mario Kart DS
is a racing game developed and published by Nintendo. It was released for the Nintendo DS handheld game console in North America, Australia, and Europe on November 14, 2005, and in Japan on December 8, 2005. The game is the fifth installment in the Mario Kart series of video games, and the first to...
Tournament between the five band members. The fourth video podcast showed Jon Schneck and Dave Douglas preparing for a boxing match (which is also included and completed in the Wal-Mart "Devastation and Reform" video), and the fifth video podcast showed the completion of the battle. There is a sixth unreleased video podcast including John Warne fulfilling his lifelong dream of walking into a room with the AutoZone
AutoZone
AutoZone is a retailer and distributor of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Originally a division of Memphis-based wholesale grocer Malone & Hyde, the company went under the name Auto Shack...
Theme Song playing. It shows Warne recording the song with the assistance of Dave Douglas and Jon Schneck. It can be found on YouTube at the present time, and it is currently unofficially released on the site, as it has not made it to the band's official site. Their eighth video podcast is about the band going to see millions of bats fly at sundown. The last podcast is a short video showing the band playing a game they made up called"Gum Golf" which they came up during the release of their Christmas album " Let it Snow, Baby... let it Reindeer." Just recently Relient K released four podcasts telling of their new album.
Related projects
Outside of Relient K, Matt Thiessen has a piano-focused solo project called Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes. He started it in 1998, around the time Relient K was started. He has released seven songs either online or on various CD releases. Thiessen also has The Makeout Girls, a less serious side project that features himself and his friend, Kevan Peden. They have released one known song, which was the hidden track known as "Silly Shoes" from Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do.Former drummer Dave Douglas created a project called Agnes, a solo rock project that somewhat resembles the sound of Relient K's earlier music with his own twist. Douglas also started a project called Gypsy Parade
Gypsy Parade
Gypsy Parade was a side project by Dave Douglas, former drummer of the Christian rock band Relient K. Unlike his other side project, Agnes, Douglas performed for Gypsy Parade with, Rachel Hoskins. They recorded a few songs for the project, and released them on their MySpace...
, a softer project that he started with his wife, Rachel. They have released two demo songs on their MySpace with more expected. Douglas amicably left Relient K to further pursue this project. Gypsy Parade has since disbanded, Attack Cat
Attack Cat
Attack Cat is an American pop/rock duo formed in 2008 in Cleveland, Ohio, by The Dandy Outlaws: former Relient K drummer Dave Douglas, and Rachel "Red Bright" Hoskins. They have released two EPs: When the Moon Was Big and Dandy Outlaws...
taking its place.
Ethan Luck, the current drummer, was involved with the Christian metal
Christian metal
Christian metal, also known as white metal, is a form of heavy metal music usually defined by its message in a song's lyrics as well as the band's dedication to Christianity...
band Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter
Demon Hunter is an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, started in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. All of Demon Hunter's members are Christians and express their love for Jesus in many of their songs. Although the brothers created the band, only one remains, Don Clark...
until late 2009, but he also has a side project called My Red Hot Nightmare which included drummer Josh Abbott, who was the drummer for Bassist John Warne's band, Ace Troubleshooter for the band's entire existence. Luck also played guitar in the Christian Ska band The O.C. Supertones
The O.C. Supertones
The Orange County Supertones is a Christian ska band hailing from Orange County, California. The band was signed to Tooth & Nail Records before becoming an independent band for its final tour...
and is featured on a few of their albums, including Loud and Clear and Live! Volume One
Live! Volume One
Live! Volume One is the fifth album released by The O.C. Supertones. It was recorded during four different show on the Loud and Clear tour in 2001. Although not pictured, Adam Ferry was the drummer at the time but was not pictured due to his departure...
.
Three tracks were featured on the compilation album My Other Band, Vol. 1
My Other Band, Vol. 1
My Other Band, Vol. 1 is a CD featuring side projects from various members of various Christian rock bands.-Track listing:My Red Hot Nightmare*1. Hold Fast, Hold Strong*2. The Worst In Me*3. Weight Of Another...
on Mono vs Stereo records in 2006, from Matt Thiessen's side project Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, Dave Douglas' side project Agnes, and Ethan Luck's My Red Hot Nightmare project. Relient K was part of a fundraiser called "Habitat for Humanity" with other Christian bands. Matt Thiessen and Jon Foreman (Switchfoot's lead singer and guitarist) wrote a song called "Rebuild" to help raise even more money.
In 2011, John Warne became a member of Yellow Second
Yellow Second
Yellow Second was a melodic power pop band from Denver, Colorado formed in 1999 by Scott Kerr and Andrew Verdecchio, both former members of the Christian ska band Five Iron Frenzy....
.
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
's new CD, All I Ever Wanted
All I Ever Wanted (album)
All I Ever Wanted is the fourth studio album by American pop rock singer-songwriter Kelly Clarkson, released on March 6, 2009 in Australia and Germany and the United States on March 10. It was her second album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200...
, features Matt Thiessen who co-wrote along with Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
the song "Longshot!".
Philanthropy
Relient K starred in the educational Drug Prevention Film, "Natural High 4" http://www.naturalhigh.org/. They provided advice to young adults to stay off of drugs and to pursue their personal best.Studio albums
- Relient KRelient K (album)Relient K is the first full-length album released by punk group Relient K. Many of the tracks are newer versions of those found on their 1998 demo All Work & No Play. Typical of early Relient K albums, the lyrics use pop culture references for teaching and to illustrate Biblical principles...
(2000) - The Anatomy of the Tongue in CheekThe Anatomy of the Tongue in CheekThe Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek is the second full-length album released by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on August 28, 2001, and peaked at #158 on the Billboard 200. On June 26, 2006, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 500,000 units in the...
(2001) - Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three DoTwo Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three DoTwo Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do is the third full-length album released by Christian rock band Relient K. The album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Gospel Album, but the award that year ended up being won by Worldwide by Audio Adrenaline...
(2003) - MmhmmMmhmmMmhmm is the fourth full-length album by Christian rock band Relient K, released in November 2004. This album is especially notable for two reasons: First, it marked their debut on Capitol; and second, it was Brian Pittman's last album with the band...
(2004) - Five Score and Seven Years AgoFive Score and Seven Years AgoFive Score and Seven Years Ago is the fifth full-length album by the Christian rock band Relient K. It was released on March 6, 2007, and is the first full-length album by the band to feature bassist John Warne and guitarist Jon Schneck. It is also the first Relient K album released without...
(2007) - Let It Snow, Baby... Let It ReindeerLet it Snow, Baby... Let it Reindeer-Credits:* Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano* Matt Hoopes – lead guitar, backing vocals* Brian Pittman – bass * Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals * John Warne - bass, backing vocals...
(2007)
- Forget and Not Slow DownForget and Not Slow DownForget and Not Slow Down is the sixth full-length studio album by American rock band Relient K, released on October 6, 2009. It is the band's first album since the departure of longtime drummer Dave Douglas at the end of 2007. Ethan Luck was his replacement as the drummer for the band. The album is...
(2009)