The Juliana Theory
Encyclopedia
The Juliana Theory are an American rock quintet from Greensburg
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...

 and Latrobe
Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Latrobe is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States, approximately southeast of Pittsburgh.The city population was 7,634 as of the 2000 census . It is located near the Pennsylvania's scenic Chestnut Ridge. Latrobe was incorporated as a borough in 1854, and as a city in 1999...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. The Juliana Theory signed to Christian record label Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...

 despite not being a Christian band. The group later signed to Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 for the release of the album Love. The Juliana Theory released their final studio album on independent label Paper Fist before disbanding in 2006. The band has eight reunion shows scheduled for Summer 2010.

Formation

The Juliana Theory was formed in 1997 by Joshua Fiedler
Joshua Fiedler
Joshua Fiedler is a musician from Latrobe, Pennsylvania who is best known for playing guitar in the band The Juliana Theory. He currently plays in the group he founded, .- Personal life :...

 and Neil Hebrank (formerly of the band Noisome) along with Chad Monticue
Chad Alan
Chad Alan is a musician, known for providing lead vocals for the band Pensive, and also for playing bass guitar and providing backing vocals for the bands The Juliana Theory Derek White and the Monophobics...

 (former singer for Pensive), Jeremiah Momper, and Brett Detar
Brett Detar
Brett Detar is an American singer, musician, and producer best known as lead singer of the now defunct rock band The Juliana Theory and as former guitarist/bassist for metalcore band Zao...

 (who also split his time as a guitarist for Zao and Pensive at the time).

Detar, Monticue and Walters were childhood friends while Kosker and Fiedler met Detar as classmates at a nearby high school. The members formed The Juliana Theory in 1997 as a side-project while they played in other bands. "We really started out as a joke," recalls Detar. "Slowly, we started to like the music we were making in The Juliana Theory more than the music we were making in our regular bands. Eventually, everyone committed to make this their full-time band".

According to an interview on the website Tapout Zine, there was never a real concept behind the band's name. "We used to have an elaborate story that we told involving sociology students and a huge experiment involving music and people's responses to it, but we got tired of telling the story. The band was supposed to be a side project that wouldn't last and we just came up with a name before our first show. It has no meaning at all". In an interview lead singer Brett Detar told Lina Lecaro of the Los Angeles Times that the band's name was "pretty stupid," adding, "Let's just say this: Every band has a name and for better or worse, this is ours".

Their first performance was at a concert at Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College
Saint Vincent College is a four-year, coeducational, Roman Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, located about 40 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. It was founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, Germany. It was the first Benedictine monastery in the...

 booked by Christopher Pecoraro, as an opening act, but their fame grew quickly. They were spotted by Brandon Ebel of Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...

 on the Cornerstone Music Festival impromptu stage, which showcased unsigned talent. A split EP with the band Dawson High on Arise Records marked the band's recorded debut. Shortly after The Juliana Theory signed a multi-album deal with Seattle-based Tooth & Nail records.

Their first unofficial performance was at a mutual friend's 16th birthday party on July 27th, 1996 at a private residence on Waterworks Road in Latrobe, PA where they were asked to leave as they spoke out against underage smoking and drinking.

The Tooth & Nail years

After spending time on the road touring, the band signed with the independent record label Tooth & Nail. The label released The Juliana Theory's debut studio album "Understand This is a Dream" on March 23, 1999. Around this time Joshua Kosker
Joshua Kosker
Joshua Kosker is best known as a musician, playing guitar and providing backing vocals for the The Juliana Theory. A native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Joshua was influenced by music when he and grade school friend Stanley Stepanic, a known local noise musician, decided to vent pre-teen angst...

, originally of the group Dawson High, replaced Momper when he left the band after the band's first record was released. The following year The Juliana Theory and Tooth & Nail released the follow-up record Emotion is Dead (2000). Together, the albums sold around 130,000 units.

After the release of Emotion is Dead, Tooth and Nail and the Juliana Theory clashed heads in terms of creative and promotional areas of the groups marketing. "Most things that we asked them to do for us they couldn't do or didn't do. Now, almost everything we asked for at the time is just protocol for the label. They do all of the stuff we wanted them to do back then very well now." The group left to find a new label shortly afterwards.

The Epic era

In 2001, the Juliana Theory signed a recording contract with Epic/Sony. Dates on the 2001 Warped Tour followed. On October 23, 2001 the Juliana Theory released six new songs as the Music from Another Room
Music from Another Room (album)
Music from Another Room is an EP recorded by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on October 23, 2001 on Tooth and Nail Records.-Track listing:#"This Is the End of Your Life" - 5:53#"Moments..." - 4:11...

EP on Tooth and Nail records.

A change in the line up meant that original drummer Neil Hebrank was replaced by Josh "Chip" Walters before the recording of Love, the band's third-full length album for Epic Records.

Recorded at locations in California and also at lead singer Brett's home Studio at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Love was produced by Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...

 who also worked with successful acts Live
Live (band)
Live is an American rock band from York, Pennsylvania, composed of Chad Taylor , Patrick Dahlheimer , and Chad Gracey . Lead singer and principal songwriter Ed Kowalczyk left the band in November 2009....

 and No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...

. Love sold over 100,000 albums with little radio or label support behind it. This led to over 260 tour dates the year of its release and the record debuted on Billboard 200 chart at number 71 and remained in the top 200 for 5 weeks.

Around the time of the release of Love, the band co-headlined a tour with Something Corporate
Something Corporate
Something Corporate is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. Their current line-up includes pianist and vocalist Andrew McMahon, guitarist Josh Partington, bassist Kevin Page and drummer Brian Ireland....

 for tour dates which included New York, Los Angeles and many cities in between. Between January and March 2003 both the Juliana Theory and Something Corporate shared the stage, along with support act Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington that formed in 1998. They released an EP, 6 Kisses, A Blatant Reminder of Why We Are Alive, in 1999 and two albums, Blackout Analysis in 2000 and White Knuckled Substance in 2001, before signing their first major label deal...

 all three groups had moved from independent to major record labels since the release of their previous records.

In a 2003 interview Brett Detar shared his thoughts about the group's time with Sony. "It's not nearly as good as we had hoped," he said. "We've never really had a great time at any record label we've been at".

The band soon parted ways with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 after the release of the Love album and signed a deal with Rykodisc
Rykodisc
Rykodisc Records is an American record label. It is owned by Warner Music Group, operates as a unit of WMG's Independent Label Group and is distributed through Alternative Distribution Alliance.-Company history:...

. In a MySpace blog written by Detar, he explains that after a change in management and direction of the label, "...at the last second we wormed our way out of the deal and headed into the studio with our own funds and with the help of Josh Karchmer, our manager."

Paper Fist

Following the separation of the group from Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 the band subsequently began their own label affiliated with Abacus Recordings called Paper Fist (in reference to The Juliana Theory song, "To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children"). Their fourth studio album Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is the fourth and final studio album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on September 13, 2005 as a joint release from Abacus Records and the band's own Paperfist Records. It also includes a bonus DVD which features the making of the...

was released on September 13, 2005.
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is the fourth and final studio album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on September 13, 2005 as a joint release from Abacus Records and the band's own Paperfist Records. It also includes a bonus DVD which features the making of the...

was produced and recorded by John Travis and was co-produced by frontman Brett Detar. The album was recorded at Seedy underbelly Studios, Valley Village California between November 2004 and December 2004 and also at studio 66 in Greensburg, Pennsylvania between the months of December 2004 and January 2005.

The two CD release of Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is the fourth and final studio album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on September 13, 2005 as a joint release from Abacus Records and the band's own Paperfist Records. It also includes a bonus DVD which features the making of the...

features a 25 minute making of documentary filmed by the band, Jeff Calhoun and Jason Hopkins. In the documentary Brett shared that around 30 pieces of music and 25 complete songs were made in preparation of the finished record.

In the documentary they band claim that the record is driven by the four songs, four pillars (or the quadrology) which hold the rest of record, the songs they specify include: "This Is a Lovesong... For the Loveless", "This Valentine Aint' No Saint", "French Kiss Off" and "Shotgun Serenade".

Chad shares in regard to the album "I can honestly say we made a record about love, cars, drinking, and drugs and sex and murder, all those things are elements of our record and I think that's pretty cool, what else do you want to listen to?, there's nothing better to listen to". Brett also shares that the record benefits from having "bite and venom" and that "the album lyrically packs a lot more punch".

The DVD features four previously unreleased exclusive tracks only available with the two CD set. The songs are "Over The Earth", "Slowly Flying Solo", "Opposite Parallel Poles" and "Can't Suspend It".

Breakup

On February 9, 2006, After years of touring and recording "The Juliana Theory Is Dead" was the official statement from the band on their official website and also on the band's MySpace page. Reasons cited for the groups disbandment include issues with record labels Tooth and Nail and Epic. As of August 2009 the post has received 1057 Kudos.

Post-breakup

An official MySpace blog posted on February 8, 2007 gave an update on Josh Fiedler starting new band Vesta and Josh "Chip" Walters playing drums in his new band called Crushing Ground. http://www.myspace.com/92847292

On March 23, 2010, Mightier Than Sword Records
Mightier Than Sword Records
Mightier Than Sword Records is an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. Its releases are not confined to any particular genre, though most fall within the punk/hardcore genre and also socially/politically conscious bands. A majority of releases are on vinyl...

 released Understand This Is A Dream
Understand This Is a Dream
Understand This is a Dream is the first album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania Emo band The Juliana Theory released on March 23, 1999 on Tooth and Nail Records.# "This is Not a Love Song" - 3:13# "Duane Joseph" - 4:01# "August in Bethany" - 4:21...

 on vinyl as the second installment in their 10th Anniversary Series.

An August 16, 2009 Drive By Media story teased that The Juliana Theory may be reforming after comments left by the official Juliana Theory Twitter page suggested "good things are coming. we promise".

On October 5, 2009 former lead singer Brett Detar posted an announcement on his official website that a Juliana Theory Rarities & B-Sides Album was in the works and will be available sometime in the near future.

Reunion

On December 14, 2009 the band announced that they will be playing 2 reunion shows in the summer of 2010 to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the release of "Emotion Is Dead." They plan on playing the entire record, in order, as well as a selection of other fan favorites.

A Facebook update on January 20, 2010 gave the seven final tour dates that the band will be playing:


Friday August 20, 2010 – New York, NY – Highline Ballroom

Saturday August 21, 2010 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr Small’s Theater

Sunday August 22, 2010 – Philadelphia, PA – The Trocadero

Friday August 27, 2010 – Pomona, CA – The Glasshouse

Saturday August 28, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA – The El Rey Theater

Sunday August 29, 2010 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent

Thursday September 9, 2010 - Brooklyn, NY
Saturday September 11, 2010 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Altar Bar


On January 25, 2010 a NYC show was announced at Highline Ballroom for Friday, August 20, 2010. The band will be playing "Emotion Is Dead" as well as a greatest hits set.

In August 2010, the band released a 28 song B-sides and Rarities album for online purchase only. The album was mastered by Jonathan Gunnell
Jonathan Gunnell
Jonathan Phillip Gunnell is an American musician, audio engineer, record producer, and educator. In 1994, Jon and his family moved to Irwin, Pennsylvania where he began his musical career...

 who had been working with Vesta on their debut release.

On Saturday September 11, 2010 the band said one final goodnight at The Altar Bar in Pittsburgh where they donated all of the ticket sales to the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

Vesta

In 2008 Juliana Theory Alumni Joshua Fiedler, Joshua Kosker and Chad Monticue began writing and recording music with a new band called Vesta. The group played their first show on April 25, 2009 in Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green, Ohio
Bowling Green is the county seat of Wood County in the U.S. state of Ohio. At the time of the 2010 census, the population of Bowling Green was 30,028. It is part of the Toledo, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bowling Green is the home of Bowling Green State University...

.
Around this time the group was working on their first album. The recording was done by Pittsburgh musician and recording engineer, Jonathan Gunnell
Jonathan Gunnell
Jonathan Phillip Gunnell is an American musician, audio engineer, record producer, and educator. In 1994, Jon and his family moved to Irwin, Pennsylvania where he began his musical career...

.

On October 6, 2009 Vesta, released their debut album independently called "0.1 Daylight's Coming."

Band members

  • Brett Detar
    Brett Detar
    Brett Detar is an American singer, musician, and producer best known as lead singer of the now defunct rock band The Juliana Theory and as former guitarist/bassist for metalcore band Zao...

     - vocals, guitars, keyboards, programming
  • Chad Alan (Chad Monticue)
    Chad Alan
    Chad Alan is a musician, known for providing lead vocals for the band Pensive, and also for playing bass guitar and providing backing vocals for the bands The Juliana Theory Derek White and the Monophobics...

     - bass, backing vocals
  • Joshua Fiedler
    Joshua Fiedler
    Joshua Fiedler is a musician from Latrobe, Pennsylvania who is best known for playing guitar in the band The Juliana Theory. He currently plays in the group he founded, .- Personal life :...

     - guitars, backing vocals
  • Joshua Kosker
    Joshua Kosker
    Joshua Kosker is best known as a musician, playing guitar and providing backing vocals for the The Juliana Theory. A native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Joshua was influenced by music when he and grade school friend Stanley Stepanic, a known local noise musician, decided to vent pre-teen angst...

     - guitars, backing vocals
  • Josh "Chip" Walters - drums

Former members

  • Neil Hebrank - drums 1997-2000 (joined Confident Years)
  • Jeremiah Momper - guitar 1997-1999

Studio albums

  • Understand This Is a Dream
    Understand This Is a Dream
    Understand This is a Dream is the first album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania Emo band The Juliana Theory released on March 23, 1999 on Tooth and Nail Records.# "This is Not a Love Song" - 3:13# "Duane Joseph" - 4:01# "August in Bethany" - 4:21...

    (1999), Tooth and Nail Records
  • Emotion Is Dead
    Emotion Is Dead
    Emotion Is Dead is the second studio album by the Greensburg, Pennsylvania, band The Juliana Theory, released on August 29, 2000, on Tooth & Nail Records.-Track listing:# "Into the Dark" – 4:03# "Don't Push Love Away" – 3:17...

    (2000), Tooth and Nail Records
  • Love
    Love (The Juliana Theory album)
    Love was the third album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on February 4, 2003 on Epic Records.-Track listing:#"Bring It Low"#"Do You Believe Me?"#"Shell of a Man"#"Repeating, Repeating"#"Congratulations"...

    (2003), Epic Records
    Epic Records
    Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

     U.S. #71
  • Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
    Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat
    Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is the fourth and final studio album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on September 13, 2005 as a joint release from Abacus Records and the band's own Paperfist Records. It also includes a bonus DVD which features the making of the...

    (2005), Abacus Recordings

EPs

  • The Juliana Theory / Dawson High Split
    The Juliana Theory / Dawson High Split
    The Juliana Theory / Dawson High is a split album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania based indie-rock bands The Juliana Theory and Dawson High released in 1998 on Arise Records.-Track listing:The Juliana Theory#D.J.#Speechless#Pictures, Stars And Dreams...

    (1998), Arise Records
  • The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey AM 3 Way Split
    The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey AM 3 Way Split
    The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey Am 3 Way Split is an EP by the indie-rock bands The Juliana Theory, Onelinedrawing and The Grey AM, released on January 10, 2000 on Onedaysavior Records. The split was originally planned to include New York emo band, Inside, but the band broke up...

    (2000), Onedaysavior Records
  • Music from Another Room
    Music from Another Room (album)
    Music from Another Room is an EP recorded by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory, released on October 23, 2001 on Tooth and Nail Records.-Track listing:#"This Is the End of Your Life" - 5:53#"Moments..." - 4:11...

    (2001), Tooth and Nail Records

Live and compilation albums

  • MTV Road Rules Vol. 1 (2002), Bring It Low, Roadrunner Records
    Roadrunner Records
    Roadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...

  • Live 10.13.2001
    Live 10.13.2001
    Live 10.13.2001 was the first Live album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on August 5, 2003 on Tooth and Nail Records.-Track listing:#To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children#Duane Joseph#Music Box Superhero#P.S...

    (2003), Live recording from 2001, Tooth and Nail Records
  • A Small Noise
    A Small Noise
    A Small Noise is an unofficial Compilation album by The Juliana Theory. Released by Tooth and Nail with disapproval from the band members, it is not included on their official website discography.-Track listing:#Duane Joseph#For Evangeline...

    (2006), Selection of tracks from first two studio albums, Tooth and Nail Records
  • 28 B-Sides And Rarities (2010), Outtakes and demos, also includes their tracks taken from The Juliana Theory / Dawson High Split
    The Juliana Theory / Dawson High Split
    The Juliana Theory / Dawson High is a split album by Greensburg, Pennsylvania based indie-rock bands The Juliana Theory and Dawson High released in 1998 on Arise Records.-Track listing:The Juliana Theory#D.J.#Speechless#Pictures, Stars And Dreams...

    and The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey AM 3-Way Split
    The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey AM 3 Way Split
    The Juliana Theory / Onelinedrawing / The Grey Am 3 Way Split is an EP by the indie-rock bands The Juliana Theory, Onelinedrawing and The Grey AM, released on January 10, 2000 on Onedaysavior Records. The split was originally planned to include New York emo band, Inside, but the band broke up...

    , Paper Fist
    Brett Detar
    Brett Detar is an American singer, musician, and producer best known as lead singer of the now defunct rock band The Juliana Theory and as former guitarist/bassist for metalcore band Zao...


Special edition Instant Live albums

  • Troubadour - West Hollywood Ca 11/3/05
    Troubadour - West Hollywood Ca 11/3/05
    Troubadour - West Hollywood Ca 11/3/05 is a live recorded CD by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on February 14, 2006 on Instant Live Rec..-Track listing:Disc 1:#Shotgun Serenade...

    (2006), Instant Live Rec.
    Instant Live
    Instant Live is a service by Live Nation which provides for the distribution of digital live recordings of concerts and music events, available soon after a performance has ended...

  • Scrappy's - Tucson Az 11/8/05
    Scrappy's - Tucson Az 11/8/05
    Scrappy's - Tucson Az 11/8/05 is a live recorded CD by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on February 14, 2006 on Instant Live.-Track listing:Disc 1:#Shotgun Serenade#To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children...

    (2006), Instant Live Rec.
    Instant Live
    Instant Live is a service by Live Nation which provides for the distribution of digital live recordings of concerts and music events, available soon after a performance has ended...

  • Numbskull - San Luis Obispo Ca 11/2/05
    Numbskull - San Luis Obispo Ca 11/2/05
    Numbskull - San Luis Obispo Ca 11/2/05 is a live recorded CD by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on April 11, 2006 on Instant Live Rec..-Track listing:Disc 1:#Shotgun Serenade...

    (2006), Instant Live Rec.
    Instant Live
    Instant Live is a service by Live Nation which provides for the distribution of digital live recordings of concerts and music events, available soon after a performance has ended...

  • Neckbeard's - Tempe Az 11/7/05
    Neckbeard's - Tempe Az 11/7/05
    Neckbeard's - Tempe Az 11/7/05 is a live recorded CD by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on April 11, 2006 on Instant Live.-Track listing:Disc 1:#Shotgun Serenade#To the Tune of 5,000 Screaming Children...

    (2006), Instant Live Rec.
    Instant Live
    Instant Live is a service by Live Nation which provides for the distribution of digital live recordings of concerts and music events, available soon after a performance has ended...

  • Chain Reaction - Anaheim Ca 11/5/05
    Chain Reaction - Anaheim Ca 11/5/05
    Chain Reaction - Anaheim Ca 11/5/05 is a live recorded CD by Greensburg, Pennsylvania indie-rock band The Juliana Theory released on April 11, 2006 on Instant Live Rec..-Track listing:Disc 1:#Shotgun Serenade...

    (2006), Instant Live Rec.
    Instant Live
    Instant Live is a service by Live Nation which provides for the distribution of digital live recordings of concerts and music events, available soon after a performance has ended...


External links

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