The Used
Encyclopedia
The Used is an American rock
band from Orem, Utah
. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records
the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album
. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death
, in September 2004 and their third album, Lies for the Liars
, in May 2007. An EP, Shallow Believer
, was released in February 2008 that featured most of the band's B-sides to date. They spent the entire year of 2008 working on their fourth studio album, which was released on August 31, 2009, called Artwork
. A fifth album, titled Vulnerable, is slated for release in February 2012 from the band's in-house label, Dental Records. The band has achieved both Gold and Platinum statuses in more than six countries worldwide and has sold over 3 million records worldwide.
, Quinn Allman and Jeph Howard engaged into the plan of starting the band and had music already prepared, but did not have lyrics and required a vocalist. Auditions for singers were held at Jeph Howard's residence. Upon observations, the band was not satisfied with any of the results that the vocalists displayed and described the auditions as "terrible". Although, when Allman confronted Bert McCracken
, he asked if he was interested in joining the band. Upon McCracken's meeting of the other band members, he was impressed with the material they created. After being given music that the band had written, McCracken wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day to record a demo version of the song. McCracken was then officially confirmed as being the band's vocalist. Throughout all of this, the band members suffered from poverty
, homelessness
, and substance abuse
. They even panhandled for change in order to buy food to stay alive. The members decided on their band name as being "Used" when their friends claimed they felt "used" when contact was lost between them and band members due to them becoming more involved in the band.
The Used continued to write songs together and recorded a demo album in drummer Branden Steineckert's bedroom titled Demos from the Basement. Steineckert sent their songs to producer John Feldmann
from the ska
group, Goldfinger
. After he heard the song "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", he gained an interest into having the band signed to a label. Feldmann flew the band to Los Angeles taking them out of their home state for the first time in their lives and played the songs for various record executives to try to get them signed, however, the first few weren't interested and it left John discouraged. Eventually, many copies of the demo were received by many record label representatives who found an interest into signing them. With many labels at The Used's choice, they decided to sign to Reprise Records
in late 2001.
band had already trademarked the name "Used," so they decided to add "The" to their name, thus deciding "The Used". Their self-titled debut album
was released on June 25, 2002, and was produced by John Feldmann. The album received mixed reviews and featured four singles: "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", "The Taste of Ink
", "Buried Myself Alive
", and "Blue and Yellow
", with the latter three entering the charts. The album has been certified gold. The Used would go on to play Warped Tour
, Ozzfest
, and Projekt Revolution
, as well as Box Car Racer
's first and only tour. During these tours, they had a 5th member, a touring guitarist by the name of Greg Bester. He was forced to return to his home country when he couldn't get a working Visa
. The band received much recognition when Bert McCracken dated Kelly Osbourne
. These events brought the band much fanfare and popularity. In July 2003, The Used released a compilation CD/DVD combo package titled Maybe Memories
. The CD features live, rare, previously unreleased tracks, and demo material while the DVD features the history of the band, member bios, and part of a live concert. Upon its high sales, Maybe Memories has been certified platinum.
, released as a reference to the tragedy McCracken dealt with during the recording. The song "Hard to Say" was a reference to McCracken's ex-girlfriend; although the song was written years earlier, its dedication was only then declared. In Love and Death received generally favorable reviews and spawned three singles: "Take It Away", "All That I've Got
" (which earned them their first MuchMusic Video Award nomination
), and "I Caught Fire
", before being re-released in 2005. "Under Pressure
" (a Queen
and David Bowie
cover song performed with My Chemical Romance
) was featured as a bonus track on the re-release. The album has been certified gold. After finishing up an international tour for the album, The Used took about 8 months off before starting to work on their next album.
of New Transit Direction
would replace Steineckert. Branden has since joined Rancid
to replace former drummer Brett Reed.
On February 6, 2007, The Used released a live double-album, Berth
, which includes a DVD that features the entire concert of their performance at the Taste of Chaos 2005
tour in Vancouver
and a disc that features it on audio. The DVD also includes a biography of the band and four music videos. The biography depicts the band in the position of where they were after the release of Maybe Memories and what lead them into creating In Love and Death. The sellings of Berth lead it to be certified as gold
. The Used spent most of the early part of 2007 on the Taste of Chaos
tour, before their third album, Lies for the Liars was released May 22, 2007. They headlined the Give It a Name
festival and in June, The Used played the MuchMusic Video Awards
for the first time ever, and also received their second nomination
for Best International Group Video, for "The Bird and the Worm
". The Used were scheduled to play Warped Tour
in June and July, in support of their album, but were forced to cancel due to McCracken's required surgery, of which required the removal of a node from his vocal cords. After McCracken recovered, the band played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September. Lies for the Liars charted in the top 5 in more than seven countries, and there were 4 singles released: "The Bird and the Worm
", "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)", "Pretty Handsome Awkward
", and "Paralyzed". Although Dan Whitesides
was chosen as the new drummer, Dean Butterworth
of Good Charlotte
recorded drums for the album. With a six-month recording process, it was the longest session The Used had ever done for an album. Lies for the Liars generally received mixed reviews. Originally, Lies for the Liars was expected to be a double-album 19 songs were recorded, but this plan was canceled after they decided to save the songs for a future release. Before the release of Lies for the Liars, The Used had planned on releasing an EP
of the album's B-sides. On February 19, 2008 the EP was released, titled Shallow Believer
; it was only released on digital music stores and it has charted #14 on iTunes' Top 100 albums.
, Indonesia
; Seoul
, South Korea
; and the 'Spare the Air Festival' in California
. The album was produced by Panic at the Disco's producer Matt Squire
, making this their first studio album not produced by John Feldmann. They decided to go with a different producer because they want the album to be different from everything else that they've done in the past. It is also the first studio album by The Used to feature Dan Whitesides
as the drummer since he joined the band in 2006. In Alternative Press, McCracken stated "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been.", it also revealed information about the concept of the album: "This record is about coming to grips with how much you really hate yourself and knowing you can never hate yourself to the full extent, so you're free to hate yourself as much as you want to". McCracken went on to say "we [had not] been this excited about an album since our self titled back in 2002." The album was named "Artwork
" and was released along with a DVD for the pre-order and first run of the album in stores. after. The cover of "Burning down the House" by the Talking Heads
was released on the Warner Bros. cover compilation album Covered, A Revolution in Sound
, and will also be featured on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album
. They played at the Bamboozle Festival (New Jersey) May 2009. The single "Blood on My Hands
" was released on iTunes June 31, and was accessible to be streamed for one day only on the band's website. On July 21, the pre-order was available.
Artwork became available world wide on August 31, 2009. The band played a major US tour in October and November 2009, and is now engaged in an arena tour supporting Three Days Grace
in Canada. The band premiered the music video for the song "Empty with You" on December 9, 2009 via TwitVid.
They embarked on tour in support of "Artwork" in late 2009 with The Almost and Drive A, and on another supporting tour in early 2010 with Atreyu and Drive A.
On March 2, 2010, The Used released 2 EPs exclusive to iTunes.
On March 11, 2010, The Used announced that they are heading out on a US tour along with Chiodos
and New Medicine
. This tour begins on April 13.
, screamo
, post-hardcore
, alternative rock
, pop-punk, punk rock
and even as hard rock
, heavy metal
, alternative metal
and metalcore
.
Frontman Bert McCracken
has said the band does not consider themselves emo or screamo, saying instead, "We're a rock band that's all we've ever been".
For their album Artwork
, McCracken described their genre as "Gross Pop", saying: "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been. Quinn Allman has said about "Gross pop" as: "It's gonna be pretty raw. I think a lot of the stuff is very much more poetic and lyrical, and the sound is more retro and raw with less production".
Former members
Session and touring members
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 from Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
. The band was founded in 2001 and signed to Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
the same year. They rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their self-titled debut album
The Used (album)
The Used is the self-titled debut album by American rock band The Used. It was released on June 25, 2002 and has since been certified gold in the US.- Track listing :- Multimedia content :...
. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death
In Love and Death
In Love and Death is the second studio album by American rock band The Used. It was released on September 28, 2004 and has since been certified gold. It is their most well-received and successful album to date. This was the first album for which Alex Pardee did the artwork, and he has done all...
, in September 2004 and their third album, Lies for the Liars
Lies for the Liars
Lies for the Liars is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band The Used. It was released on May 22, 2007. It, along with their newest studio album, Artwork, are their only studio albums to date that have not been certified gold....
, in May 2007. An EP, Shallow Believer
Shallow Believer
*Track 6 is a self-titled B-side, tracks 4 and 9 are In Love and Death B-sides, and tracks 1-3, 5, 7-8, and 10-11 are Lies for the Liars B-sides.-Personnel:The Used* Bert McCracken — Lead vocals, piano, keyboard* Jeph Howard — Bass, backing vocals...
, was released in February 2008 that featured most of the band's B-sides to date. They spent the entire year of 2008 working on their fourth studio album, which was released on August 31, 2009, called Artwork
Artwork (album)
Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.-Writing and recording:...
. A fifth album, titled Vulnerable, is slated for release in February 2012 from the band's in-house label, Dental Records. The band has achieved both Gold and Platinum statuses in more than six countries worldwide and has sold over 3 million records worldwide.
Formation and Demos from the Basement (2001)
The Used was founded in January 2001 with the recruitment of members that were a part of several other bands throughout the 1990s. Founding members Branden SteineckertBranden Steineckert
Branden Steineckert , is the drummer for the punk rock band Rancid. He was previously the drummer of The Used, but it was announced on September 12, 2006 that he was no longer a part of the band.-Biography:...
, Quinn Allman and Jeph Howard engaged into the plan of starting the band and had music already prepared, but did not have lyrics and required a vocalist. Auditions for singers were held at Jeph Howard's residence. Upon observations, the band was not satisfied with any of the results that the vocalists displayed and described the auditions as "terrible". Although, when Allman confronted Bert McCracken
Bert McCracken
Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
, he asked if he was interested in joining the band. Upon McCracken's meeting of the other band members, he was impressed with the material they created. After being given music that the band had written, McCracken wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day to record a demo version of the song. McCracken was then officially confirmed as being the band's vocalist. Throughout all of this, the band members suffered from poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, and substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
. They even panhandled for change in order to buy food to stay alive. The members decided on their band name as being "Used" when their friends claimed they felt "used" when contact was lost between them and band members due to them becoming more involved in the band.
The Used continued to write songs together and recorded a demo album in drummer Branden Steineckert's bedroom titled Demos from the Basement. Steineckert sent their songs to producer John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
from the ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
group, Goldfinger
Goldfinger (band)
Goldfinger is a Los Angeles pop punk/ska punk band that formed in 1994. Currently, the band is composed of vocalist/guitarist John Feldmann, guitarist Charlie Paulson, bassist Kelly LeMieux, and drummer Darrin Pfeiffer...
. After he heard the song "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", he gained an interest into having the band signed to a label. Feldmann flew the band to Los Angeles taking them out of their home state for the first time in their lives and played the songs for various record executives to try to get them signed, however, the first few weren't interested and it left John discouraged. Eventually, many copies of the demo were received by many record label representatives who found an interest into signing them. With many labels at The Used's choice, they decided to sign to Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
in late 2001.
Self-titled album and Maybe Memories (2002-2003)
In 2002, it was discovered that a BostonBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
band had already trademarked the name "Used," so they decided to add "The" to their name, thus deciding "The Used". Their self-titled debut album
The Used (album)
The Used is the self-titled debut album by American rock band The Used. It was released on June 25, 2002 and has since been certified gold in the US.- Track listing :- Multimedia content :...
was released on June 25, 2002, and was produced by John Feldmann. The album received mixed reviews and featured four singles: "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", "The Taste of Ink
The Taste of Ink
"The Taste of Ink" is the second single from The Used's self-titled debut album The Used. The video was released in fall 2002 and the single was released on March 10, 2003....
", "Buried Myself Alive
Buried Myself Alive
"Buried Myself Alive" is the third single from The Used's self-titled debut album The Used. The song is often regarded as one of the band's signature songs along with "All That I've Got".-Music video:...
", and "Blue and Yellow
Blue and Yellow
"Blue and Yellow" is the fourth single from The Used's self-titled debut album The Used. This song is about the friendship between Bert and Quinn.-Song Meaning:About the song, lead singer Bert McCracken said:...
", with the latter three entering the charts. The album has been certified gold. The Used would go on to play Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
, Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
, and Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution
Projekt Revolution is a music festival hosted by Linkin Park, bringing artists of various genres of music together. Linkin Park started Projekt Revolution in the year 2002 with just one stage...
, as well as Box Car Racer
Box Car Racer
Box Car Racer was a short-lived American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California, formed in 2002. The band was a side-project of guitarist/vocalist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker of Blink-182, along with lead guitarist David Kennedy of Hazen Street, and touring bassist Anthony Celestino...
's first and only tour. During these tours, they had a 5th member, a touring guitarist by the name of Greg Bester. He was forced to return to his home country when he couldn't get a working Visa
Visa (document)
A visa is a document showing that a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to permission of an immigration official at the time of actual entry. The authorization may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant's passport...
. The band received much recognition when Bert McCracken dated Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Michelle Lee Osbourne is an English media personality, television personality, host, judge, fashion designer, singer, and actress, best known for being the daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne...
. These events brought the band much fanfare and popularity. In July 2003, The Used released a compilation CD/DVD combo package titled Maybe Memories
Maybe Memories
Maybe Memories is a compilation album by American rock band The Used. It was released on July 15, 2003 and has since been certified platinum...
. The CD features live, rare, previously unreleased tracks, and demo material while the DVD features the history of the band, member bios, and part of a live concert. Upon its high sales, Maybe Memories has been certified platinum.
In Love and Death (2004-2005)
In 2004, lead vocalist Bert McCracken's ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, died of a drug overdose. Their second studio album was thus named In Love and DeathIn Love and Death
In Love and Death is the second studio album by American rock band The Used. It was released on September 28, 2004 and has since been certified gold. It is their most well-received and successful album to date. This was the first album for which Alex Pardee did the artwork, and he has done all...
, released as a reference to the tragedy McCracken dealt with during the recording. The song "Hard to Say" was a reference to McCracken's ex-girlfriend; although the song was written years earlier, its dedication was only then declared. In Love and Death received generally favorable reviews and spawned three singles: "Take It Away", "All That I've Got
All That I've Got
"All That I've Got" is the second single taken from The Used's second studio album, In Love and Death. "All That I've Got" was dedicated to Bert McCracken's dog, David Bowie, who was hit by a truck during the making of the album. An acoustic version was later released on iTunes...
" (which earned them their first MuchMusic Video Award nomination
2005 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2005 MuchMusic Video Awards were held on June 19, 2005 and featured performances by k-os, Alexisonfire, Billy Talent, Arcade Fire, Ciara and others...
), and "I Caught Fire
I Caught Fire
"I Caught Fire" is the third single released by The Used from their album In Love and Death, released in 2004. The song had the subtitle "In Your Eyes" appended to it when it was released as a single; the original song title was simply "I Caught Fire" when In Love and Death was first...
", before being re-released in 2005. "Under Pressure
Under Pressure
"Under Pressure" is a 1981 song recorded by Queen and David Bowie. It marked Bowie's first released collaboration with another recording artist as a performer, and is featured on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart. It was also number 31 on VH1's 100 Greatest...
" (a Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
and David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
cover song performed with My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
) was featured as a bonus track on the re-release. The album has been certified gold. After finishing up an international tour for the album, The Used took about 8 months off before starting to work on their next album.
Lies for the Liars (2006-2007)
On September 12, 2006, The Used announced and confirmed that Branden was no longer a member of the band. They said they felt they needed to move forward without him, and that there was a personality conflict between Branden and another band member; however, they did say that they love Branden and wish him the best in whatever he does in the future. In late 2006, it was announced drummer Dan WhitesidesDan Whitesides
Daniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
of New Transit Direction
New Transit Direction
The New Transit Direction is an indie band from Salt Lake City, Utah, formed in 2000.They have performed as an opening act with The Used, Taking Back Sunday, The Blood Brothers and Form of Rocket....
would replace Steineckert. Branden has since joined Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
to replace former drummer Brett Reed.
On February 6, 2007, The Used released a live double-album, Berth
Berth (album)
Berth is a live album by American post-hardcore band The Used that was released on February 6, 2007. It has since been certified gold.- Information :...
, which includes a DVD that features the entire concert of their performance at the Taste of Chaos 2005
Taste of Chaos 2005
Taste of Chaos 2005 was the first of the Taste of Chaos tours created by Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman.-2005 North American Tour: Main Stage:*The Used*My Chemical Romance*Killswitch Engage*Senses Fail*Saosin - Second Half of Tour...
tour in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and a disc that features it on audio. The DVD also includes a biography of the band and four music videos. The biography depicts the band in the position of where they were after the release of Maybe Memories and what lead them into creating In Love and Death. The sellings of Berth lead it to be certified as gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. The Used spent most of the early part of 2007 on the Taste of Chaos
Taste of Chaos 2007
Taste of Chaos 2007 was the third of the Taste of Chaos tours created by Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman. In 2007, the tour won the Best Festival/Tour Award at the Rock on Request Awards.-2007 Line-Up:*The Used*30 Seconds to Mars*Senses Fail*Saosin...
tour, before their third album, Lies for the Liars was released May 22, 2007. They headlined the Give It a Name
Give it a Name
Give it a Name, also known as GIAN, , named after an At the Drive-In song, was an annual British rock music festival, normally held on the weekend nearest to the end of April. The first festival took place on May 2, 2005 at Alexandra Palace, North London...
festival and in June, The Used played the MuchMusic Video Awards
MuchMusic Video Awards
The MuchMusic Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian music video channel MuchMusic to honour the year's best music videos....
for the first time ever, and also received their second nomination
2007 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2007 MuchMusic Video Awards were held in Toronto, Ontario at MuchMusic's headquarters on June 17, 2007 and featured performances by Fergie, Maroon 5, The Used, Avril Lavigne, Finger Eleven, Hilary Duff, and others. The most nominated artists were Billy Talent and Nickelback with five...
for Best International Group Video, for "The Bird and the Worm
The Bird and the Worm
"The Bird and the Worm" is a song by The Used, released as the first single from their third studio album, Lies for the Liars. It is their highest charting single to date, hitting #9 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and #7 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, equaling...
". The Used were scheduled to play Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
in June and July, in support of their album, but were forced to cancel due to McCracken's required surgery, of which required the removal of a node from his vocal cords. After McCracken recovered, the band played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September. Lies for the Liars charted in the top 5 in more than seven countries, and there were 4 singles released: "The Bird and the Worm
The Bird and the Worm
"The Bird and the Worm" is a song by The Used, released as the first single from their third studio album, Lies for the Liars. It is their highest charting single to date, hitting #9 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and #7 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, equaling...
", "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)", "Pretty Handsome Awkward
Pretty Handsome Awkward
"Pretty Handsome Awkward" is the third single from The Used's third studio album, Lies for the Liars. It is also featured on the Transformers movie soundtrack as well as a downloadable track on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. The single peaked at #37 on the U.S. Hot Modern Rock Tracks...
", and "Paralyzed". Although Dan Whitesides
Dan Whitesides
Daniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
was chosen as the new drummer, Dean Butterworth
Dean Butterworth
Dean "Deano" Butterworth is a professional drummer. He played for popular singer Morrissey and was announced as the official drummer for the band Good Charlotte in March 2005 after they parted with their previous drummer, Chris Wilson in 2005...
of Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte is an American rock band from Waldorf, Maryland that formed in 1996. Since 1998, the band's constant members have been lead vocalist Joel Madden, lead guitarist and back-up vocalist Benji Madden, bass guitarist Paul Thomas and rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Billy Martin...
recorded drums for the album. With a six-month recording process, it was the longest session The Used had ever done for an album. Lies for the Liars generally received mixed reviews. Originally, Lies for the Liars was expected to be a double-album 19 songs were recorded, but this plan was canceled after they decided to save the songs for a future release. Before the release of Lies for the Liars, The Used had planned on releasing an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
of the album's B-sides. On February 19, 2008 the EP was released, titled Shallow Believer
Shallow Believer
*Track 6 is a self-titled B-side, tracks 4 and 9 are In Love and Death B-sides, and tracks 1-3, 5, 7-8, and 10-11 are Lies for the Liars B-sides.-Personnel:The Used* Bert McCracken — Lead vocals, piano, keyboard* Jeph Howard — Bass, backing vocals...
; it was only released on digital music stores and it has charted #14 on iTunes' Top 100 albums.
Artwork (2008-2009)
The Used worked on their fourth studio album throughout all of 2008. They took several breaks while working on the album to be the headlining band on the inaugural "Get a Life Tour" and to play shows JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
; Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
; and the 'Spare the Air Festival' in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The album was produced by Panic at the Disco's producer Matt Squire
Matt Squire
Matt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,...
, making this their first studio album not produced by John Feldmann. They decided to go with a different producer because they want the album to be different from everything else that they've done in the past. It is also the first studio album by The Used to feature Dan Whitesides
Dan Whitesides
Daniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
as the drummer since he joined the band in 2006. In Alternative Press, McCracken stated "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been.", it also revealed information about the concept of the album: "This record is about coming to grips with how much you really hate yourself and knowing you can never hate yourself to the full extent, so you're free to hate yourself as much as you want to". McCracken went on to say "we [had not] been this excited about an album since our self titled back in 2002." The album was named "Artwork
Artwork (album)
Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.-Writing and recording:...
" and was released along with a DVD for the pre-order and first run of the album in stores. after. The cover of "Burning down the House" by the 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...
was released on the Warner Bros. cover compilation album Covered, A Revolution in Sound
Covered, A Revolution in Sound
Covered, A Revolution in Sound is a tribute album produced and released by Warner Bros. Records to commemorate its 50th anniversary as a record label. The album consists of some of the greatest hits from previous and current artists from the late 20th century, while the songs featured on the album...
, and will also be featured on Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Album
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"...
. They played at the Bamboozle Festival (New Jersey) May 2009. The single "Blood on My Hands
Blood on My Hands
"Blood on My Hands" is the first single from The Used fourth studio album Artwork. The single was released on June 30, 2009 via 12" picture disc vinyl and digital download, and began airing on the radio starting July 14, 2009...
" was released on iTunes June 31, and was accessible to be streamed for one day only on the band's website. On July 21, the pre-order was available.
Artwork became available world wide on August 31, 2009. The band played a major US tour in October and November 2009, and is now engaged in an arena tour supporting Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace
Three Days Grace is a Canadian rock band, formed in Norwood, Ontario, Canada in 1992, originally under the name Groundswell. After a breakup in late 1997, the band regrouped in the same year under its current name and with a line-up consisting of guitarist and lead vocalist Adam Gontier, drummer...
in Canada. The band premiered the music video for the song "Empty with You" on December 9, 2009 via TwitVid.
They embarked on tour in support of "Artwork" in late 2009 with The Almost and Drive A, and on another supporting tour in early 2010 with Atreyu and Drive A.
On March 2, 2010, The Used released 2 EPs exclusive to iTunes.
On March 11, 2010, The Used announced that they are heading out on a US tour along with Chiodos
Chiodos
Chiodos is an American post hardcore band from Davison, Michigan. Formed in 2001, the group was originally known as "The Chiodos Bros," the band's name was a tribute to filmmakers Stephen, Charles, and Edward Chiodo, responsible for the film Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Chiodos released their...
and New Medicine
New Medicine
New Medicine is an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 2009. They signed to Photo Finish Records after forming the new Band . Their debut album, Race You to the Bottom was released September 18, 2010.-Studio albums:-Singles:...
. This tour begins on April 13.
Dental Records and Vulnerable (2010–present)
In April 2010, The Used cancelled their upcoming international tour dates and also began writing material for a follow up to Artwork. Sporadically throughout the year 2011, the band gave updates on the recording process with producer John Feldmann through various social networks. Recording and officially releasing the new album was significantly delayed after The Used left Warner Bros./Reprise—their record label group of ten years—and was now under new management. According to Howard, "We were kind of waiting to see if we were going to do this record on Warner or not. We kind of had to wait and see what happened about that before we started recording." Deciding not to release the material through Warner, The Used formed their own label dubbed Dental Records, and will release their fifth studio album Vulnerable in February 2012.Musical style
The Used's music has been classified under many sub-genres of rock. Their musical style has been labeled as emoEmo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
, screamo
Screamo
Screamo, though used loosely to generally describe music that features screamed vocals, is actually a musical subgenre of hardcore punk which predominantly evolved from emo, among other genres, in the early 1990s...
, post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
, alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, pop-punk, punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
and even as hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
and metalcore
Metalcore
Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...
.
Frontman Bert McCracken
Bert McCracken
Robert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
has said the band does not consider themselves emo or screamo, saying instead, "We're a rock band that's all we've ever been".
For their album Artwork
Artwork (album)
Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.-Writing and recording:...
, McCracken described their genre as "Gross Pop", saying: "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been. Quinn Allman has said about "Gross pop" as: "It's gonna be pretty raw. I think a lot of the stuff is very much more poetic and lyrical, and the sound is more retro and raw with less production".
Band members
Current members- Quinn Allman — guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2001–present) - Jeph Howard — bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals (2001–present) - Bert McCrackenBert McCrackenRobert Edward "Bert" McCracken is the lead singer and songwriter of the American alternative rock band The Used.-Biography:McCracken was born in Provo but grew up in Orem, Utah, USA, and was raised in a Mormon family...
— lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, piano, keyboards (2001–present) - Dan WhitesidesDan WhitesidesDaniel Whitesides is the drummer of American rock band The Used. He replaced former drummer and founder of the band Branden Steineckert who left the band in the summer of 2006. Whitesides had previously played with New Transit Direction for about seven years.-Early life and career:Whitesides began...
— drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion (2006–present)
Former members
- Branden SteineckertBranden SteineckertBranden Steineckert , is the drummer for the punk rock band Rancid. He was previously the drummer of The Used, but it was announced on September 12, 2006 that he was no longer a part of the band.-Biography:...
— drums, backing vocals (2001–2006)
Session and touring members
- Greg Bester — rhythm guitar (2002–2003)
- Dean ButterworthDean ButterworthDean "Deano" Butterworth is a professional drummer. He played for popular singer Morrissey and was announced as the official drummer for the band Good Charlotte in March 2005 after they parted with their previous drummer, Chris Wilson in 2005...
— drums, percussion (2006–2007)
Discography
Studio albums- The UsedThe Used (album)The Used is the self-titled debut album by American rock band The Used. It was released on June 25, 2002 and has since been certified gold in the US.- Track listing :- Multimedia content :...
(2002) - In Love and DeathIn Love and DeathIn Love and Death is the second studio album by American rock band The Used. It was released on September 28, 2004 and has since been certified gold. It is their most well-received and successful album to date. This was the first album for which Alex Pardee did the artwork, and he has done all...
(2004) - Lies for the LiarsLies for the LiarsLies for the Liars is the third studio album by American post-hardcore band The Used. It was released on May 22, 2007. It, along with their newest studio album, Artwork, are their only studio albums to date that have not been certified gold....
(2007) - ArtworkArtwork (album)Artwork is the fourth studio album by American rock band The Used, released through Reprise in the United States and the UK on August 31, 2009.-Writing and recording:...
(2009) - Vulnerable (2012)