The All-American Rejects
Encyclopedia
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 guitar
ist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitar
ist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer
Chris Gaylor.
The band achieved mainstream success with their debut self-titled studio album, The All-American Rejects
, released in 2003. The album was certified platinum
by the RIAA
and spawned the hit single "Swing, Swing
". The band's second album, Move Along
(2005), brought the band more mainstream success. The album produced three hit singles; "It Ends Tonight
", "Dirty Little Secret
" and "Move Along
", all of which charted in the top fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100
chart. Both "Move Along" and "Dirty Little Secret" sold over two million digital downloads in the United States. The album itself was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The All-American Rejects' third album, When the World Comes Down
, was released on December 16, 2008. The album was certified gold by the RIAA. The first single, "Gives You Hell
", became the band's first song to be successful internationally: it peaked at number-four on the Hot 100 chart, number-three on the Australian ARIA Singles chart
and charted in the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart
. On March 21, 2011, the RIAA certified "Gives You Hell" 4× multi-platinum for sales of over 4 million in the United States.
Since the start of their career, The All-American Rejects have sold over 10 million albums world wide. The All-American Rejects were ranked #73 on the "Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s" and #183 on Billboard magazine's "Billboard 200 Artists of the Decade" list.
, Oklahoma
, in 1999 while members Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler were still in high school. The two originally met in 1997 at a club where an early band of Wheeler's was performing. It was here that Ritter offered himself for bass duties. Eventually Ritter and Wheeler decided to form The All-American Rejects.
In 2000, still in high school, the band made a demo simply labeled The All-American Rejects, with Jesse Tabish as vocalist/guitarist, Tyson Ritter as vocalist/bassist and Nick Wheeler on drums. The demo CD was engineered, mixed and mastered by Wheeler, and was recorded/mastered at Oops! I Crapped My Pants studio in Stillwater. It was also managed by Half-A-Cup Entertainment. The demo is now commonly referred to as The Blue Disc or The Blue Album. The CD consisted of twelve songs, a few of which would be included on the Same Girl, New Songs demo made in 2001. Jesse Tabish later split from the group. Ritter and Wheeler put together the Same Girl, New Songs
EP, which was soon sent to independent Doghouse Records
, where an intern saved the disc from the trash, and revealed it to the label owner. The All-American Rejects were soon signed to a recording contract.
In 2001, with producer Tim O'Hier, they recorded their self-titled debut album, The All-American Rejects
. The album and its first single, "Swing, Swing
", were released towards the end of 2002. The band began looking for additional members for a live act. Edmond, Oklahoma resident Mike Kennerty joined on as rhythm guitarist soon before the album was released. Soon after, the band was having problems with drummer Tim Campbell. Campbell was later replaced by drummer Chris Gaylor, who knew and played in another band with Kennerty.
The band was then signed by DreamWorks Records
. The band hit the road for eight shows in January, and DreamWorks issued a broader-scale distribution of the debut LP. The album peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200. The single "Swing, Swing" was also re-issued, which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #60 as well as #8 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart. The single "The Last Song" was also released spring 2003, and climbed to #29 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
chart.
In Spring 2003, The All-American Rejects set out on their first headlining tour, called the Too Bad For Hell Tour. In later 2003, The All-American Rejects released, Live from Oklahoma... The Too Bad for Hell DVD!
, their first live DVD – which was later certified Gold by the RIAA. During this time, they performed on the Vans Warped Tour. They would later be part of the lineup again in summer 2005. In November, The All-American Rejects joined the band Motion City Soundtrack
for six shows in the United Kingdom, the first date on the 16th, and the last on the 22nd.
, produced by Howard Benson
. The album's first single, "Dirty Little Secret
", was released that summer to radio stations.
At the end of 2005, The All-American Rejects embarked on The Rise of the Fall Tour along with The Academy Is...
and Rooney
. Then, on December 13, The Bite Back EP was released on the iTunes music store, and on New Year's Eve 2005, the band performed The Cars
' "Good Times Roll
" with Fall Out Boy
on MTV.
In 2006, the second single and title track
from Move Along, was released. Within the first weeks after premiering their video, it had been on the Total Request Live
countdown, hitting number-one four days in a row. The single did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
until almost six months after its release, in June. On March 15, 2006, the All-American Rejects began a tour of the United States that wrapped up on May 13, 2006. On May 25, The All-American Rejects performed at the first ever VH1 Rock Honors
, covering Def Leppard
's "Photograph
". In July the band sent a promotional single from Move Along, called "Top of the World" to modern rock radio. A music video was created for it from clips of The All-American Rejects on tour and in concert.
"Move Along
" was also used to help promote Lego
BIONICLE
's Inika toy sets in the summer of 2006. The band also participated in a promotion for the sets called "Free the Band". The overall priority of the promotion was that the Rejects got kidnapped by the villainous Piraka whilst sailing on a yacht and people had to assist the Inika on finding and rescuing the band via the website 'freetheband.com'. A competition could also be entered where the winners would receive BIONICLE and All-American Rejects merchandise alike.
In September 2006, a third headlining single, "It Ends Tonight
", was released from Move Along. The video debuted at #10 on the VH1 Top 20 countdown. The video also peaked at #2 on TRL
. Later in the year The All-American Rejects launched the Tournado tour in support of Move Along. The tour kicked off at Hartford, Connecticut
on October 27, and wrapped up at Champaign, Illinois
on December 20.
That New Year's Eve, The All-American Rejects performed on a special on Las Vegas' Fremont Street, which also included the bands OK Go
, Five for Fighting
, Rock Star Supernova, and Chicago
.
on "The Future Has Arrived", which was included on the soundtrack of Disney
film Meet the Robinsons
. The song was created in conjunction with the film's musical score.
On July 17, 2007 The All-American Rejects released their second live DVD, titled Tournado
, with content from the 2006 headlining tour of the same name. In December 2007, the songs "Move Along" and "Dirty Little Secret" were released as downloadable content in the video game Rock Band. In the summer of 2008, The All-American Rejects canceled their dates on that year's Warped Tour to complete When the World Comes Down
. The demo for the song "Real World" was selected for the soundtrack of Madden 09. Also during the summer, they covered "Jack's Lament" from The Nightmare Before Christmas
, which was featured on Nightmare Revisited
. The finished album version of the song "I Wanna" appeared in the movie, The House Bunny
, which was released to theaters on August 22, 2008. Vocalist/bassist Tyson Ritter played a role in the film, and offered up "I Wanna" for the soundtrack.
On September 30, 2008 the first single from When the World Comes Down
, "Gives You Hell
" was released on October 8, 2008. The All-American Rejects were inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
, and were awarded with "Rising Star http://www.billboard.com/song/the-all-american-rejects/gives-you-hell/12141775#/song/the-all-american-rejects/gives-you-hell/12141775 Gives You Hell peaked at #1 on Pop charts on billboard.com and also peaked #1 on iTunes charts and #5 most downloaded song of the 2009 year, and the #1 most played song of the year 2009.
". The music video for "Gives You Hell" was released November fifth and reached number one on VH1
's Top 20 Countdown. On the sixth, in support of "Gives You Hell", the band started the Gives You Hell Tour, which hit many small venues and clubs. Then, on the eighteenth "Mona Lisa (When the World Comes Down)", another song from the band's upcoming album, was released digitally on iTunes. In the first week of December, the album version of "Real World" was made available for download on Rock Band for the Xbox 360
/PlayStation 3
.
Finally, three years after Move Along
was released, the group's third album, When the World Comes Down (produced by Eric Valentine
), was released on December 16, 2008. After the Gives You Hell Tour wrapped up, the band embarked on a world tour until coming back to the states to start the I Wanna Rock Tour, which hit many major venues in the United States.
In May 2009 The All-American Rejects released a second single in the United States, entitled "The Wind Blows", which achieved moderate success. "I Wanna" was released internationally on July 8 to Australia and the United Kingdom. Another song from When the World Comes Down
, "Real World", was featured on the "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
" soundtrack released on June 23, 2009, but is not featured in the film. In July, "Real World" was released as a promotional single in the United States, followed by "I Wanna" as a headliner. In late summer The All-American Rejects joined Weezer
, Fall Out Boy
and Taking Back Sunday
for the second half of the Blink-182 Reunion Tour
.
On 15 August The All-American Rejects made history, performing alongside Hoobastank
, Raygun
, Boys Like Girls
, Pixie Lott
and Kasabian as one of the live acts at Asia's very first MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia
concert. This performance gained them recognition in Malaysia. When the World Comes Down soon sold over 15,000 digital and physical copies in the country. On August 21 the "I Wanna" single was issued to Austria and Germany.
In October 2009, The All-American Rejects were forced to cancel shows due to an injury to frontman Tyson Ritter. He performed from a wheelchair with his leg in a brace on September 27 during a show in Tampa, Florida, amid reports suggesting the singer had undergone knee surgery to remove a tumor that had been there for many months. Ritter's leg became infected, and he remained hospitalized for five days. Ritter made a full recovery in time to return to kick off the Battle Of The Bands Tour with Taking Back Sunday, with the first date at MSU
in Michigan.
The All-American Rejects announced that they will be performing their last show in support of When the World Comes Down at Hollywood, California on December 14. Since the date soon sold out, the band added a second date at the venue for the next day. However, the band will play one more show at the "Jingle Bell Bash" in Seattle on December 19.
performances at Super Bowl XLIV
and a special set aired in February. The band also wrote and recorded the song "The Poison" for the Almost Alice
compilation, a collection of songs representing the 2010 Tim Burton
film Alice in Wonderland
. From June 25 to July 18, The All-American Rejects toured the United States and Canada as part of the Warped Tour 2010
festival.
Later that year, the band began writing for a fourth studio album. The band's songwriters Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter went on numerous writing retreats into secluded parts of the United States; a tradition of writing used on their previously-released albums. Recording for The All-American Rejects's fourth album wrapped up in June 2011, with mixing commencing the following August and concluding in early September. According to lead singer Tyson Ritter, the album will be much different compared to their past releases - including their previous album, When the World Comes Down, from which the band became more experimental with their sound.
During an interview with MTV in October 2011, Ritter confirmed that the band's fourth album will be released on February 7, 2012. "It’s going to be the year of the Rejects," he teased. "[Our album release] is going to coincide with the Mayan end of the world thing, so the last song you’ll die to will be one of ours." Ritter went on to comment that the first single of the record would either be a "balls-out glam rock" song or an "ear worm that is going to eat your brain". On November 14, 2011 Ritter announced via his Twitter
that ex Taking Back Sunday
bassist Matt Rubano had joined the band as their bass player for live performances.
On December 1, 2011, The All-American Rejects confirmed via their Twitter and Facebook
pages that they are shooting a music video for their as-of-yet unknown lead single from their upcoming fourth studio album on December 3, and that will be released two days after filming on December 5.
, bass guitar
(1999–present)
Nick Wheeler – lead guitar
, backing vocals
(1999–present)
Mike Kennerty – rhythm guitar
, backing vocals (2002–present)
Chris Gaylor – drums
, percussion
(2002–present)
and Gibson
guitars, The All-American Rejects use numerous models. The band uses Sennheiser
microphones, Ernie Ball
guitar strings, and Dunlop
Picks.
Lead singer and bassist Tyson Ritter uses two models of Fender
; one is a Black P-Bass, and the other model is the recently discontinued Jaguar Bass
. Ritter also uses Gibson models, including the Gibson Thunderbird
and the Epiphone
Flying V.
The lead guitarist of The All-American Rejects, Nick Wheeler, primarily uses Gibson guitars. Wheeler's main guitar is the Gibson Firebird
. He primarily uses a Vintage Sunburst Firebird V. Wheeler owns a rare cherry Firebird VII, which he no longer uses for live shows, as well as a custom Firebird, which is painted in blue glitter. He owns eight Firebirds overall. He also uses a Classic Gibson Firebird. Wheeler frequently uses a Gibson ES-335
. This guitar is notably used live for the intro of "Top of the World", taking the place of the classical guitar
originally used in the "Top of the World" recording. It is also commonly used in the songs "It Ends Tonight", "Real World", "Stab My Back", "My Paper Heart", "Gives You Hell" and "Dance Inside". Another guitar that Wheeler favors is the Gibson EDS-1275
doubleneck guitar, which he uses live on "The Wind Blows". He has also been known to occasionally use the Gibson Flying V
, namely for the performing "The Last Song" live.
Rhythm guitarist Mike Kennerty has used the Gibson SG
since joining the band, and also uses Washburn Guitars
. Another guitar that Kennerty favors is the PRS Guitars
Mira X which came out in early 2009.
Chris Gaylor, drummer for the band, uses Remo
heads for his drums. Gaylor used to endorse Tama drums, but now he endorses C&C drums. He has a set with a Rootbeer Sparkle wood finish, as well as an acrylic kit. Gaylor's most-current set-up contains seven drums. He uses a 12×7 rack tom, 14×10, 16×12, and 18×14 floor toms, a 14×6.5 Nickel-Over-Brass snare, a 12×7 effects snare, and a 24×16 bass drum. Gaylor uses Tama hardware.
Also, Gaylor uses Vater
Universal drumsticks, and his cymbals are Sabian. His hi-hats are Sabian 14-inch HHX Evolution. His 3 crashes he uses are an 18 inch HHXplosion crash, a 19 inch AAXplosion crash, and a 20-inch HHX stage crash. Gaylor also uses 22-inch HH Power Bell ride cymbal. Gaylor also includes an LP cowbell in his set. The drummer also uses an Alesis
ADAT HD24 for recording purposes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
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 Stillwater
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The 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...
and bass guitarist
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...
Tyson Ritter, lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
ist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Chris Gaylor.
The band achieved mainstream success with their debut self-titled studio album, The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects (album)
-Chart performance:AlbumSingles-Certifications and sales:After The All-American Rejects major label debut on February 4, 2003, the album sold steadily in the United States. By March 24, 2003 The All-American Rejects had sold around 217,000 copies. On April 21, 2003, the RIAA awarded the album with...
, released in 2003. The album was certified platinum
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
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
and spawned the hit single "Swing, Swing
Swing, Swing
"Swing, Swing" is the title of a song written and recorded by American alternative rock group The All-American Rejects. It was released in December 2002 as their first single from their debut album The All-American Rejects.-Composition:...
". The band's second album, Move Along
Move Along
-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
(2005), brought the band more mainstream success. The album produced three hit singles; "It Ends Tonight
It Ends Tonight
-Charts:The single peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, making "It Ends Tonight" the band's third top 20 hit. Due to the popularity of the song in the United States, sales for Move Along started to increase. It skyrocketed the album from #88 to #47 in the week of November 8, 2006. "It Ends...
", "Dirty Little Secret
Dirty Little Secret
"Dirty Little Secret" is the first single by the rock band The All-American Rejects from their second studio album Move Along. It was released on June 6, 2005, to modern rock radio stations, and later to contemporary hit radio on July 12. "Dirty Little Secret" is an electric pop rock song that...
" and "Move Along
Move Along (song)
"Move Along" is the title track and second single taken from The All-American Rejects' second studio album of the same name. "Move Along" is the band's most enduring single. The track stayed in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 50 for 39 weeks because of the amount of time it took to surface...
", all of which charted in the top fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart. Both "Move Along" and "Dirty Little Secret" sold over two million digital downloads in the United States. The album itself was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The All-American Rejects' third album, When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down is the third studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on December 16, 2008. It was produced by Eric Valentine who has recorded with the likes of Maroon 5. When the World Comes Down was the band's first album that was recorded mostly using tape...
, was released on December 16, 2008. The album was certified gold by the RIAA. The first single, "Gives You Hell
Gives You Hell
7" Vinyl Picture Disc*Side A: "Gives You Hell" *Side B: "On the Floor" -Music video:The main music video for the single, was directed by Marc Webb. Lead vocalist Tyson Ritter plays the dual roles of a traditional family man and his rowdy next-door neighbor who fronts a noisy garage band, which...
", became the band's first song to be successful internationally: it peaked at number-four on the Hot 100 chart, number-three on the Australian ARIA Singles chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and charted in the top twenty of the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. On March 21, 2011, the RIAA certified "Gives You Hell" 4× multi-platinum for sales of over 4 million in the United States.
Since the start of their career, The All-American Rejects have sold over 10 million albums world wide. The All-American Rejects were ranked #73 on the "Hot 100 Artists of the 2000s" and #183 on Billboard magazine's "Billboard 200 Artists of the Decade" list.
1999–2004: Formation and The All-American Rejects
The band formed in StillwaterStillwater, Oklahoma
Stillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, in 1999 while members Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler were still in high school. The two originally met in 1997 at a club where an early band of Wheeler's was performing. It was here that Ritter offered himself for bass duties. Eventually Ritter and Wheeler decided to form The All-American Rejects.
In 2000, still in high school, the band made a demo simply labeled The All-American Rejects, with Jesse Tabish as vocalist/guitarist, Tyson Ritter as vocalist/bassist and Nick Wheeler on drums. The demo CD was engineered, mixed and mastered by Wheeler, and was recorded/mastered at Oops! I Crapped My Pants studio in Stillwater. It was also managed by Half-A-Cup Entertainment. The demo is now commonly referred to as The Blue Disc or The Blue Album. The CD consisted of twelve songs, a few of which would be included on the Same Girl, New Songs demo made in 2001. Jesse Tabish later split from the group. Ritter and Wheeler put together the Same Girl, New Songs
Same Girl, New Songs
Notes*Then [former] member Jesse Tabish provided the lead guitar and some vocals on the demo. The only song that features only Tabish's vocals and none of Ritter's is "I'm on the Football Team"....
EP, which was soon sent to independent Doghouse Records
Doghouse Records
Doghouse Records is a Toledo, Ohio based record label, now run out of the New York City office. Since 2004 Doghouse has been a part of the Warner Music Group....
, where an intern saved the disc from the trash, and revealed it to the label owner. The All-American Rejects were soon signed to a recording contract.
In 2001, with producer Tim O'Hier, they recorded their self-titled debut album, The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects (album)
-Chart performance:AlbumSingles-Certifications and sales:After The All-American Rejects major label debut on February 4, 2003, the album sold steadily in the United States. By March 24, 2003 The All-American Rejects had sold around 217,000 copies. On April 21, 2003, the RIAA awarded the album with...
. The album and its first single, "Swing, Swing
Swing, Swing
"Swing, Swing" is the title of a song written and recorded by American alternative rock group The All-American Rejects. It was released in December 2002 as their first single from their debut album The All-American Rejects.-Composition:...
", were released towards the end of 2002. The band began looking for additional members for a live act. Edmond, Oklahoma resident Mike Kennerty joined on as rhythm guitarist soon before the album was released. Soon after, the band was having problems with drummer Tim Campbell. Campbell was later replaced by drummer Chris Gaylor, who knew and played in another band with Kennerty.
The band was then signed by DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records was an American record label. Founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG, the label operated until 2005 when it was shut down...
. The band hit the road for eight shows in January, and DreamWorks issued a broader-scale distribution of the debut LP. The album peaked at #25 on the Billboard 200. The single "Swing, Swing" was also re-issued, which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #60 as well as #8 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart. The single "The Last Song" was also released spring 2003, and climbed to #29 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart.
In Spring 2003, The All-American Rejects set out on their first headlining tour, called the Too Bad For Hell Tour. In later 2003, The All-American Rejects released, Live from Oklahoma... The Too Bad for Hell DVD!
Live from Oklahoma... The Too Bad for Hell DVD!
Live from Oklahoma... The Too Bad for Hell DVD! is The All-American Rejects's first official DVD release. It was recorded at the Brady Theater in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 30, 2003. The DVD set also includes the "Swing, Swing" and "The Last Song" music videos, as well as "Lost In Stillwater", a short...
, their first live DVD – which was later certified Gold by the RIAA. During this time, they performed on the Vans Warped Tour. They would later be part of the lineup again in summer 2005. In November, The All-American Rejects joined the band Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack is an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1997. The band consists of founding members Justin Pierre and Joshua Cain , along with keyboardist and moog synthesist Jesse Johnson, bassist and backing vocalist Matthew Taylor, and drummer, percussionist and...
for six shows in the United Kingdom, the first date on the 16th, and the last on the 22nd.
2005–06: Move Along
In July 2005, The All-American Rejects released their second studio album, Move AlongMove Along
-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
, 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 album's first single, "Dirty Little Secret
Dirty Little Secret
"Dirty Little Secret" is the first single by the rock band The All-American Rejects from their second studio album Move Along. It was released on June 6, 2005, to modern rock radio stations, and later to contemporary hit radio on July 12. "Dirty Little Secret" is an electric pop rock song that...
", was released that summer to radio stations.
At the end of 2005, The All-American Rejects embarked on The Rise of the Fall Tour along with The Academy Is...
The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... was an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. Before dispersing, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. They were originally known as "The Academy", but added the "Is..." in 2004 to avoid legal complications with other...
and Rooney
Rooney (band)
Rooney is an American rock band from Los Angeles, currently self-produced and formerly signed to Geffen Records. The band is now composed of Robert Schwartzman , Louie Stephens , Taylor Locke , Ned Brower , and Brandon Schwartzel...
. Then, on December 13, The Bite Back EP was released on the iTunes music store, and on New Year's Eve 2005, the band performed The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
' "Good Times Roll
Good Times Roll
"Good Times Roll" is a song by American rock band The Cars. It is the first track from their 1978 debut album The Cars, produced by Roy Thomas Baker...
" with Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
on MTV.
In 2006, the second single and title track
Move Along (song)
"Move Along" is the title track and second single taken from The All-American Rejects' second studio album of the same name. "Move Along" is the band's most enduring single. The track stayed in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 50 for 39 weeks because of the amount of time it took to surface...
from Move Along, was released. Within the first weeks after premiering their video, it had been on 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, hitting number-one four days in a row. The single did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
until almost six months after its release, in June. On March 15, 2006, the All-American Rejects began a tour of the United States that wrapped up on May 13, 2006. On May 25, The All-American Rejects performed at the first ever VH1 Rock Honors
VH1 Rock Honors
The VH1 Rock Honors were an annual ceremony paying homage to bands who influenced the sound of rock music. The events began in 2006, and the final event took place in 2008. The general format of each show is for modern bands to "pay tribute" to classic greats of the rock/metal world , after which...
, covering Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
's "Photograph
Photograph (Def Leppard song)
"Photograph" is a 1983 single by British hard rock band Def Leppard from their album Pyromania. It was written as a tribute to the late actress Marilyn Monroe, as singer Joe Elliott often stated before playing the song live onstage. When released as a single it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top...
". In July the band sent a promotional single from Move Along, called "Top of the World" to modern rock radio. A music video was created for it from clips of The All-American Rejects on tour and in concert.
"Move Along
Move Along
-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
" was also used to help promote Lego
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
BIONICLE
Bionicle
Bionicle is a line of toys by the LEGO Group marketed primarily for 5- to 16-year-olds. The line was launched on December 30, 2000 in Europe and June/July 2001 in Canada and the United States. "Bionicle" is a portmanteau constructed from the words "biological" and "chronicle"...
's Inika toy sets in the summer of 2006. The band also participated in a promotion for the sets called "Free the Band". The overall priority of the promotion was that the Rejects got kidnapped by the villainous Piraka whilst sailing on a yacht and people had to assist the Inika on finding and rescuing the band via the website 'freetheband.com'. A competition could also be entered where the winners would receive BIONICLE and All-American Rejects merchandise alike.
In September 2006, a third headlining single, "It Ends Tonight
It Ends Tonight
-Charts:The single peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, making "It Ends Tonight" the band's third top 20 hit. Due to the popularity of the song in the United States, sales for Move Along started to increase. It skyrocketed the album from #88 to #47 in the week of November 8, 2006. "It Ends...
", was released from Move Along. The video debuted at #10 on the VH1 Top 20 countdown. The video also peaked at #2 on TRL
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...
. Later in the year The All-American Rejects launched the Tournado tour in support of Move Along. The tour kicked off at Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
on October 27, and wrapped up at Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
on December 20.
That New Year's Eve, The All-American Rejects performed on a special on Las Vegas' Fremont Street, which also included the bands OK Go
OK Go
OK Go is a rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, USA, now residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band is composed of Damian Kulash , Tim Nordwind , Dan Konopka and Andy Ross , who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan...
, Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting
Five for Fighting is the stage name of American singer-songwriter John Ondrasik. He is best known for his piano-based rock, such as the Top 40 songs "Superman " , "100 Years" , and "The Riddle" .-Early years:...
, Rock Star Supernova, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
2007–09: When the World Comes Down
The All-American Rejects began writing material for their third studio album in December 2006. The band also collaborated with composer Danny ElfmanDanny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
on "The Future Has Arrived", which was included on the soundtrack of Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
film Meet the Robinsons
Meet the Robinsons
Meet the Robinsons is a 2007 American computer-animated family film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures on March 30, 2007. The forty-seventh animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, the film was released in both the United States and the...
. The song was created in conjunction with the film's musical score.
On July 17, 2007 The All-American Rejects released their second live DVD, titled Tournado
Tournado
Tournado is the second DVD by The All-American Rejects, following the band's 2006 headlining tour, Tournado. It was released on July 17, 2007. It contains a 70-minute, full-length live concert shot at Roy Wilkens Auditorium in Saint Paul, Minnesota, during the Tournado tour...
, with content from the 2006 headlining tour of the same name. In December 2007, the songs "Move Along" and "Dirty Little Secret" were released as downloadable content in the video game Rock Band. In the summer of 2008, The All-American Rejects canceled their dates on that year's Warped Tour to complete When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down is the third studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on December 16, 2008. It was produced by Eric Valentine who has recorded with the likes of Maroon 5. When the World Comes Down was the band's first album that was recorded mostly using tape...
. The demo for the song "Real World" was selected for the soundtrack of Madden 09. Also during the summer, they covered "Jack's Lament" from The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas, often promoted as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, is a 1993 stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, a being from "Halloween Town" who opens a portal to...
, which was featured on Nightmare Revisited
Nightmare Revisited
- Personnel :1. "Overture"2. "Opening"3. "This Is Halloween"4. "Jack's Lament"- Personnel :1. "Overture": Produced by DeVotchKa: Mixed by Greg Macrae2. "Opening": Produced by Danny Elfman: Narration recorded and mixed by Noah Snyder...
. The finished album version of the song "I Wanna" appeared in the movie, The House Bunny
The House Bunny
The House Bunny is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Fred Wolf, written by Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, and starring Anna Faris as a former Playboy bunny who signs up to be the "house mother" of an unpopular university sorority after being conned by a rival into believing she's now...
, which was released to theaters on August 22, 2008. Vocalist/bassist Tyson Ritter played a role in the film, and offered up "I Wanna" for the soundtrack.
On September 30, 2008 the first single from When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down is the third studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on December 16, 2008. It was produced by Eric Valentine who has recorded with the likes of Maroon 5. When the World Comes Down was the band's first album that was recorded mostly using tape...
, "Gives You Hell
Gives You Hell
7" Vinyl Picture Disc*Side A: "Gives You Hell" *Side B: "On the Floor" -Music video:The main music video for the single, was directed by Marc Webb. Lead vocalist Tyson Ritter plays the dual roles of a traditional family man and his rowdy next-door neighbor who fronts a noisy garage band, which...
" was released on October 8, 2008. The All-American Rejects were inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame
The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, located in Muskogee, Oklahoma, honors Oklahoma musicians for their lifetime achievements in music. The induction ceremony and concert is held each year in Muskogee...
, and were awarded with "Rising Star http://www.billboard.com/song/the-all-american-rejects/gives-you-hell/12141775#/song/the-all-american-rejects/gives-you-hell/12141775 Gives You Hell peaked at #1 on Pop charts on billboard.com and also peaked #1 on iTunes charts and #5 most downloaded song of the 2009 year, and the #1 most played song of the year 2009.
". The music video for "Gives You Hell" was released November fifth and reached number one on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Top 20 Countdown. On the sixth, in support of "Gives You Hell", the band started the Gives You Hell Tour, which hit many small venues and clubs. Then, on the eighteenth "Mona Lisa (When the World Comes Down)", another song from the band's upcoming album, was released digitally on iTunes. In the first week of December, the album version of "Real World" was made available for download on Rock Band for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
/PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
.
Finally, three years after Move Along
Move Along
-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
was released, the group's third album, When the World Comes Down (produced by Eric Valentine
Eric Valentine
Eric Valentine is an American record producer, who began his career as drummer and producer in the heavy metal band T-Ride and has subsequently produced albums for artists such as Good Charlotte, Lostprophets, Taking Back Sunday, Nickel Creek, Queens of the Stone Age, Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth,...
), was released on December 16, 2008. After the Gives You Hell Tour wrapped up, the band embarked on a world tour until coming back to the states to start the I Wanna Rock Tour, which hit many major venues in the United States.
In May 2009 The All-American Rejects released a second single in the United States, entitled "The Wind Blows", which achieved moderate success. "I Wanna" was released internationally on July 8 to Australia and the United Kingdom. Another song from When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down
When the World Comes Down is the third studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on December 16, 2008. It was produced by Eric Valentine who has recorded with the likes of Maroon 5. When the World Comes Down was the band's first album that was recorded mostly using tape...
, "Real World", was featured on the "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album is a compilation album of various artists music from the 2009 live-action Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The official single is "New Divide" by Linkin Park. It was rumored that Dead by Sunrise would be releasing a track called "Crawl Back In"...
" soundtrack released on June 23, 2009, but is not featured in the film. In July, "Real World" was released as a promotional single in the United States, followed by "I Wanna" as a headliner. In late summer The All-American Rejects joined Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
and Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
for the second half of the Blink-182 Reunion Tour
Blink-182 Reunion Tour
Blink-182 in Concert was the tenth concert tour by American pop punk band Blink-182. It is the band's first tour since their hiatus in 2004. Bandmember Mark Hoppus jokingly referred to the tour as One Way Ticket to Boneville, a name they got from a fan on a KROQ interview...
.
On 15 August The All-American Rejects made history, performing alongside Hoobastank
Hoobastank
Hoobastank is an American rock band, best known for their 2004 hit "The Reason" and other hits "Crawling in the Dark" and "Running Away". They formed in 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, with singer Doug Robb, guitarist Dan Estrin, drummer Chris Hesse, and original bassist Markku Lappalainen. They...
, Raygun
Raygun (band)
Raygun was a British band currently signed to RCA Records.-History:Guitarist The Adj used to work as a fishmonger at a supermarket when he was 16....
, Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls is an American rock band from Massachusetts. Formed in 2005, the group gained mainstream recognition when it released its self-titled debut album. Boys Like Girls was the co-headliner with Good Charlotte for the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour 2008 that toured across the United...
, Pixie Lott
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott is an English singer-songwriter, dancer and actress. Her debut single "Mama Do" was released in June 2009 and went straight to number one in the UK Singles Chart. Her second single "Boys and Girls", also topped the UK charts in September 2009. Her debut album Turn It...
and Kasabian as one of the live acts at Asia's very first MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia
MTV World Stage Live in Malaysia
MTV World Stage is a global series that brings multi-genre talents with global relevance to an audience in over 550 million households. Recorded "live" at the most exclusive gigs, world renowned music festivals and unique concert locations from around the world, MTV World Stage is the "front row...
concert. This performance gained them recognition in Malaysia. When the World Comes Down soon sold over 15,000 digital and physical copies in the country. On August 21 the "I Wanna" single was issued to Austria and Germany.
In October 2009, The All-American Rejects were forced to cancel shows due to an injury to frontman Tyson Ritter. He performed from a wheelchair with his leg in a brace on September 27 during a show in Tampa, Florida, amid reports suggesting the singer had undergone knee surgery to remove a tumor that had been there for many months. Ritter's leg became infected, and he remained hospitalized for five days. Ritter made a full recovery in time to return to kick off the Battle Of The Bands Tour with Taking Back Sunday, with the first date at MSU
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in Michigan.
The All-American Rejects announced that they will be performing their last show in support of When the World Comes Down at Hollywood, California on December 14. Since the date soon sold out, the band added a second date at the venue for the next day. However, the band will play one more show at the "Jingle Bell Bash" in Seattle on December 19.
2010–present: Fourth studio album
In February 2010, The All-American Rejects performed at the Winter Olympics at the Whistler Medals Plaza. They also had DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
performances at Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
and a special set aired in February. The band also wrote and recorded the song "The Poison" for the Almost Alice
Almost Alice
-Charts:-References:...
compilation, a collection of songs representing the 2010 Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
film Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)
Alice in Wonderland is a 2010 American computer-animated/live action fantasy adventure film directed by Tim Burton, written by Linda Woolverton, and released by Walt Disney Pictures...
. From June 25 to July 18, The All-American Rejects toured the United States and Canada as part of the Warped Tour 2010
Warped Tour 2010
Warped Tour 2010 is the 16th installment of the annual Summer Warped Tour festival. Vans Shoes was again the tour's primary sponsor. The first bands were announced on December 18. The 43-date tour kicks off on June 25, 2010 in Carson, California and ends August 15, 2010 in Hillsboro, Oregon.On...
festival.
Later that year, the band began writing for a fourth studio album. The band's songwriters Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter went on numerous writing retreats into secluded parts of the United States; a tradition of writing used on their previously-released albums. Recording for The All-American Rejects's fourth album wrapped up in June 2011, with mixing commencing the following August and concluding in early September. According to lead singer Tyson Ritter, the album will be much different compared to their past releases - including their previous album, When the World Comes Down, from which the band became more experimental with their sound.
During an interview with MTV in October 2011, Ritter confirmed that the band's fourth album will be released on February 7, 2012. "It’s going to be the year of the Rejects," he teased. "[Our album release] is going to coincide with the Mayan end of the world thing, so the last song you’ll die to will be one of ours." Ritter went on to comment that the first single of the record would either be a "balls-out glam rock" song or an "ear worm that is going to eat your brain". On November 14, 2011 Ritter announced via his Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that ex Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is a rock band from Long Island, NY, formed in 1999 by guitarist Eddie Reyes. Current members of the band are Adam Lazzara , John Nolan , Eddie Reyes , Shaun Cooper and Mark O'Connell ....
bassist Matt Rubano had joined the band as their bass player for live performances.
On December 1, 2011, The All-American Rejects confirmed via their Twitter 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 that they are shooting a music video for their as-of-yet unknown lead single from their upcoming fourth studio album on December 3, and that will be released two days after filming on December 5.
Band members
Tyson Ritter – lead vocalsLead vocalist
The 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...
, bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1999–present)
- Tyson Jay Ritter, born April 24, 1984 in Stillwater, OklahomaStillwater, OklahomaStillwater is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of U.S. 177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 45,688. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical...
, is co-founder of The All-American Rejects. He lived in Destin, FloridaDestin, FloridaDestin is a city located in Okaloosa County, Florida. It is a principal city of the Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.Located on Florida's Emerald Coast, Destin is known for its white beaches and emerald green waters...
after the success of The All-American Rejects, and moved to Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 2009 where he lived briefly. In May 2010 Ritter moved back to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Aside from his role in the band, Ritter has worked as a film and television actor. He performed as himself in the American television medical drama House, M.D., appearing in the episode "Fetal Position" which aired April 3, 2007 on the Fox Network. He also appeared with his other band members in television series SmallvilleSmallvilleSmallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...
season six episode 3, titled "Wither", performing "It Ends TonightIt Ends Tonight-Charts:The single peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, making "It Ends Tonight" the band's third top 20 hit. Due to the popularity of the song in the United States, sales for Move Along started to increase. It skyrocketed the album from #88 to #47 in the week of November 8, 2006. "It Ends...
". He also appeared in his first film, The House BunnyThe House BunnyThe House Bunny is a 2008 romantic comedy film directed by Fred Wolf, written by Kirsten Smith and Karen McCullah Lutz, and starring Anna Faris as a former Playboy bunny who signs up to be the "house mother" of an unpopular university sorority after being conned by a rival into believing she's now...
, in 2008. In June 2010, Tyson Ritter sung a duet with R&B singer TimbalandTimbalandTimothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
with the song "I'm in Love With You". The song features as a bonus track on Timbaland's EP Shock Value II: The Singles. Tyson Ritter started his own charity called "Don't Hate On Haiti" to raise money to get water to the people in Haiti, by designing a t-shirt. He is very passionate about Haiti, as he has stated in many interviews and on his personal Twitter account. At Warped Tour 2010, he "sold his body" to raise money, by taking pictures, giving autographs, sidestage passes and even kisses for donating money. In June 2011 he began a campaign for Haiti that entails him keeping silent for 30 days. Many people have began to sponsor his silence by giving money for every day he keeps quiet. "In the end, we're just a band, close friends, who care deeply about what we do," says Tyson.
Nick Wheeler – lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1999–present)
- Nickolas Don Wheeler was born on March 20, 1982 Stillwater, Oklahoma and lived there until moving to his current residence in Destin, Florida. He is co-founder of The All-American Rejects.
Mike Kennerty – rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, backing vocals (2002–present)
- Michael Brian Kennerty, born on July 20, 1980, in Houston, Texas, grew up and lives in Edmond, OklahomaEdmond, OklahomaEdmond is a city in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the population was 81,405, making it the sixth largest city in the state of Oklahoma....
. He joined the All-American Rejects in 2002 after The All-American Rejects had been completed. Kennerty is a founding member and guitarist of the punkPunk rockPunk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band "These Enzymes", along with bandmate and drummer, Chris Gaylor. The side project was started after a 2003 tour in England, and includes other members Neil Rubenstein and Andrew Palmer. He produced and played guitar on Ben WeaselBen WeaselBen Weasel is a punk rock musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of bands Screeching Weasel and The Riverdales...
's album These Ones Are BitterThese Ones Are BitterThese Ones Are Bitter is the second solo-album by former Screeching Weasel frontman Ben Weasel.The album also features musicians Dan Andriano , Mike Kennerty, and Chris Gaylor...
. He is also the owner of Edmond Records, which specializes in colored vinyl pressings, including Ben Weasel's latest album.
Chris Gaylor – drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(2002–present)
- Christopher James Gaylor, born April 11, 1979, lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. After joining the band in 2002, Gaylor has added a muscular edge to the band's drums. Gaylor is a co-founding member and drummer of "These Enzymes", and played drums on the Ben Weasel album These Ones Are Bitter.
Equipment
Using mainly FenderFender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
and Gibson
Gibson
Gibson may refer to:* Gibson Amphitheatre* Gibson Appliance* Gibson Girl* Gibson Guitar Corporation* Gibson * Gibson Generating Station-Places:In the United States:* Gibson, Arkansas* Gibson, Georgia* Gibson, Iowa* Gibson, Louisiana...
guitars, The All-American Rejects use numerous models. The band uses Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG is a private German audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of both consumer and high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories, and avionics headsets for consumer, professional, and business...
microphones, Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball
Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...
guitar strings, and Dunlop
Dunlop Manufacturing
Dunlop Manufacturing, Inc., known colloquially as Jim Dunlop, is a manufacturer of musical accessories based in Benicia, California. Originally founded in 1965 by Jim Dunlop, Sr., the company has grown from a small home operation to being a large manufacturer of music gear for over 40 years.- Way...
Picks.
Lead singer and bassist Tyson Ritter uses two models of Fender
Fender
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, commonly referred to as simply Fender, of Scottsdale, Arizona is a manufacturer of stringed instruments and amplifiers, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the Stratocaster and the Telecaster...
; one is a Black P-Bass, and the other model is the recently discontinued Jaguar Bass
Fender Jaguar Bass
The Fender Jaguar Bass is an electric bass guitar manufactured in Japan by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.-Design:In appearance, the Jaguar Bass is largely faithful to the original Fender Jaguar, with exception of the neck, bridge, and pickups taken from the Fender Jazz Bass...
. Ritter also uses Gibson models, including the Gibson Thunderbird
Gibson Thunderbird
The Gibson Thunderbird is an electric bass guitar made by Gibson.-Background and introduction:The Gibson Thunderbird was introduced in 1963. At the time, Fender had been the leader in the electric bass market since their introduction of the Precision Bass twelve years earlier.The Thunderbird was...
and the Epiphone
Epiphone
The Epiphone Company is a musical instrument manufacturer founded in 1873 by Anastasios Stathopoulos. Epiphone was bought by Chicago Musical Instrument Company, which also owned Gibson Guitar Corporation, in 1957. Epiphone was Gibson's main rival in the archtop market...
Flying V.
The lead guitarist of The All-American Rejects, Nick Wheeler, primarily uses Gibson guitars. Wheeler's main guitar is the Gibson Firebird
Gibson Firebird
The Gibson Firebird is a solid-body electric guitar manufactured by Gibson from 1963 to the present.-History:The Gibson Guitar Corporation released several new styles during the 1950s to compete with Fender's instruments, such as the Telecaster and Stratocaster. After success with the Les Paul in...
. He primarily uses a Vintage Sunburst Firebird V. Wheeler owns a rare cherry Firebird VII, which he no longer uses for live shows, as well as a custom Firebird, which is painted in blue glitter. He owns eight Firebirds overall. He also uses a Classic Gibson Firebird. Wheeler frequently uses a Gibson ES-335
Gibson ES-335
The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial thinline arched-top semi-acoustic electric guitar. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES series in 1958, it is neither hollow nor solid; instead, a solid wood block runs through the center of its body...
. This guitar is notably used live for the intro of "Top of the World", taking the place of the classical guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
originally used in the "Top of the World" recording. It is also commonly used in the songs "It Ends Tonight", "Real World", "Stab My Back", "My Paper Heart", "Gives You Hell" and "Dance Inside". Another guitar that Wheeler favors is the Gibson EDS-1275
Gibson EDS-1275
The Gibson EDS-1275 is a doubleneck Gibson electric guitar introduced in 1963 and still in production. Popularized by both rock and jazz musicians such as Jimmy Page and John McLaughlin, it was called "the coolest guitar in rock."-History:...
doubleneck guitar, which he uses live on "The Wind Blows". He has also been known to occasionally use the Gibson Flying V
Gibson Flying V
-External links:*, , , , and , from the Gibson website*, a June 2001 article from Guitar Collector magazine*, a tribute site that lists all models and re-issues and most notable players**...
, namely for the performing "The Last Song" live.
Rhythm guitarist Mike Kennerty has used the Gibson SG
Gibson SG
At the launch of the SG in 1961, Gibson offered four variants of the SG; the SG Junior , the SG Special, the SG Standard, and the top-of-the-line SG Custom. However, Gibson's current core variants as of 2010 are the SG Standard and the SG Special...
since joining the band, and also uses Washburn Guitars
Washburn Guitars
Washburn Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer. It was established in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. Washburn is a part of U.S. Music Corporation.- History :...
. Another guitar that Kennerty favors is the PRS Guitars
PRS Guitars
PRS Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer headquartered in Stevensville, Maryland. PRS Guitars was founded by guitarist and luthier Paul Reed Smith in 1985. The company is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end electric guitars.-Materials:...
Mira X which came out in early 2009.
Chris Gaylor, drummer for the band, uses Remo
Remo
Remo is a male given name of Latin origin - see Romulus and Remus.Remo may also refer to:* Remo, an American drum skin company* Remo , another name for the German wine grape Riesling* Remo language, a Panoan language of Brazil and Peru...
heads for his drums. Gaylor used to endorse Tama drums, but now he endorses C&C drums. He has a set with a Rootbeer Sparkle wood finish, as well as an acrylic kit. Gaylor's most-current set-up contains seven drums. He uses a 12×7 rack tom, 14×10, 16×12, and 18×14 floor toms, a 14×6.5 Nickel-Over-Brass snare, a 12×7 effects snare, and a 24×16 bass drum. Gaylor uses Tama hardware.
Also, Gaylor uses Vater
Vater
Vater Percussion is an American drumstick and percussion accessory manufacturing company. It was founded by Clarence Vater, and is currently run by his two grandsons Alan and Ron Vater. Although the company began producing sticks in 1956, it did not officially become Vater Percussion until much later...
Universal drumsticks, and his cymbals are Sabian. His hi-hats are Sabian 14-inch HHX Evolution. His 3 crashes he uses are an 18 inch HHXplosion crash, a 19 inch AAXplosion crash, and a 20-inch HHX stage crash. Gaylor also uses 22-inch HH Power Bell ride cymbal. Gaylor also includes an LP cowbell in his set. The drummer also uses an Alesis
Alesis
Alesis is a company based in Cumberland, Rhode Island, that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, digital audio processors, audio mixers, digital audio interfaces, recording equipment, drum machines, professional audio and electronic percussion products...
ADAT HD24 for recording purposes.
Discography
Studio albums- 2003: The All-American RejectsThe All-American Rejects (album)-Chart performance:AlbumSingles-Certifications and sales:After The All-American Rejects major label debut on February 4, 2003, the album sold steadily in the United States. By March 24, 2003 The All-American Rejects had sold around 217,000 copies. On April 21, 2003, the RIAA awarded the album with...
- 2005: Move AlongMove Along-Chart performance:Move Along charted on the US Billboard 200 for 97 weeks. The record debuted and peaked at #6 on the chart. 84 of those 97 weeks the album was inside the top 100. In UK the album charted below Top 75 for a week in July 2005, peaking at #138, before re-entering the chart in...
- 2008: When the World Comes DownWhen the World Comes DownWhen the World Comes Down is the third studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, released on December 16, 2008. It was produced by Eric Valentine who has recorded with the likes of Maroon 5. When the World Comes Down was the band's first album that was recorded mostly using tape...
Awards and nominations
External links
- The All-American Rejects at Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
- Mike Kennerty Interview at Shave Magazine