Wakefield (band)
Encyclopedia
Wakefield is a 4 piece rock band from Mechanicsville, Maryland
. The band consists of singer Ryan Escolopio, his brother and former Good Charlotte
drummer, Aaron Escolopio
, their cousin and bass player Mike Schoolden (Pasadena, Md native), and guitarist J.D. Tennyson.
, Wood's Holy Grounds in Severna Park, Maryland
, and My Brother's Place in Waldorf, Maryland
. In 2001 they supported Good Charlotte
at a show sponsored by 99.1 WHFS
. It took place at Arundel High School
as a reward for the amount of canned food the students (headed by the Arundel Key Club
) had collected for the needy in Maryland. Often plagued by comparisons to Good Charlotte's sound (and hooks) when Good Charlotte was signed in 2001 the pressure was on for Wakefield to get a deal. The final push came when Good Charlotte's original drummer Aaron Escolopio, left Good Charlotte
to play with his brother, singer Ryan Escolopio in Wakefield. The band played their first show with Aaron on the drums at the famous club CBGB
in New York on June 6, 2001. During their early years, the band toured with several notable bands, including MxPx
and Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
. The band recorded a full album of their current songs at the Atlantic studios in California, but Wakefield was dropped from Atlantic before the album was released. The band was then signed by Arista Records
, where they would release their debut record American Made on May 6, 2003. American Made featured a combination of several new songs and older fan-favorite songs. In support of the record, Wakefield spent many months on the road, touring with bands like The All-American Rejects
, Home Grown
, Riddlin kids, and Reel Big Fish
.
The first single off American Made was Say You Will, a pop punk
song that made it into the rotation of many rock music and Top 40 radio stations. The band also recorded a music video for the song, which received airplay mostly on MTV2
and Fuse TV
. In June 2003, the video was voted as the Nickelodeon Video Pick of the Week.
song Real Wild Child appeared on the soundtrack for Eurotrip
, titled Wild One. They also did a music video to "Wild One" for the extras on Tak and the power of JuJu.
The band also made an uncredited appearance in the Olsen Twins movie New York Minute
. Ryan, JD, and Mike appeared as the studio band for drummer Roxy (played by Mary-Kate), and Aaron appeared as the band's producer. The band recorded a cover of the David Bowie
song Suffragette City
for the New York Minute soundtrack.
on June 14, 2005. Their first single off the album was C'mon Baby. Also appearing on the album is the song After School Special, which was written and produced by Butch Walker
.
Wakefield bassist Mike Schoolden has also toured with the band New Years Day
.
Mechanicsville, Maryland
For the Census Designated area in Montgomery County formerly known as Mechanicsville see Olney, MarylandMechanicsville is an unincorporated community in St. Mary's County, Maryland. It is adjacent to the community of Charlotte Hall, which is known for its agriculture, Amish population, large...
. The band consists of singer Ryan Escolopio, his brother and former 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...
drummer, Aaron Escolopio
Aaron Escolopio
Aaron Escolopio is the current drummer of the band Wakefield. He joined Wakefield after leaving his previous band, Good Charlotte, to play with his brother. Aaron also went to La Plata High School with Paul Thomas, Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte...
, their cousin and bass player Mike Schoolden (Pasadena, Md native), and guitarist J.D. Tennyson.
Early years
Ryan, JD, and Mike formed the band with their friend Mark in 2000. In their early days, the band played clubs such as Piezano's Pizza, St. Margaret's Church, and the Crabcake Factory in Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Wood's Holy Grounds in Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park, Maryland
Severna Park is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 28,507 at the 2000 census.-History:Robinson House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.-Geography:...
, and My Brother's Place in Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Charles County, Maryland, United States. It is south-southeast of Washington, D.C. The population of the census-designated area only was 67,752 at the 2010 census...
. In 2001 they supported 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...
at a show sponsored by 99.1 WHFS
WHFS
WHFS was the call sign for three different FM stations in the Washington, D.C./Baltimore, Maryland markets on various frequencies for nearly 50 years. The first and longest run was a progressive rock station and was usually, and affectionately, referred to as 'HFS...
. It took place at Arundel High School
Arundel High School
Arundel High School is a public high school located in Gambrills in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.The school is part of the Anne Arundel County Public School system, and is the primary high school for Gambrills and portions of the Odenton and Crofton areas. Originally, the school was the Anne...
as a reward for the amount of canned food the students (headed by the Arundel Key Club
Key Club
Key Club International is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. It is a student-led organization whose goal is to teach leadership through serving others. Key Club International is a part of the Kiwanis International family of service-leadership programs...
) had collected for the needy in Maryland. Often plagued by comparisons to Good Charlotte's sound (and hooks) when Good Charlotte was signed in 2001 the pressure was on for Wakefield to get a deal. The final push came when Good Charlotte's original drummer Aaron Escolopio, left 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...
to play with his brother, singer Ryan Escolopio in Wakefield. The band played their first show with Aaron on the drums at the famous club CBGB
CBGB
CBGB was a music club at 315 Bowery at Bleecker Street in the borough of Manhattan in New York City.Founded by Hilly Kristal in 1973, it was originally intended to feature its namesake musical styles, but became a forum for American punk and New Wave bands like Ramones, Misfits, Television, the...
in New York on June 6, 2001. During their early years, the band toured with several notable bands, including MxPx
MxPx
MxPx is a pop punk band from Bremerton, Washington with connections to the Christian punk scene. The band has recorded eight studio albums, four EPs, four compilation albums, a live album, a VHS tape, a DVD and released 20 singles....
and Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
American Made
Shortly after Aaron joined the band, Wakefield announced on August 12, 2001, that they'd been signed to a record deal with Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. The band recorded a full album of their current songs at the Atlantic studios in California, but Wakefield was dropped from Atlantic before the album was released. The band was then signed by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, where they would release their debut record American Made on May 6, 2003. American Made featured a combination of several new songs and older fan-favorite songs. In support of the record, Wakefield spent many months on the road, touring with bands like The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma in 1999. The band consists of lead vocalist and bass guitarist Tyson Ritter, lead guitarist, Nick Wheeler, rhythm guitarist, Mike Kennerty, and drummer Chris Gaylor....
, Home Grown
Home Grown
Home Grown was an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They released three full-length albums and several EPs before disbanding in 2005. Their music is often characterized as pop punk, lyrically favoring humor and silly or satirical subjects.-Formation:Home Grown was...
, Riddlin kids, and Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish
Reel Big Fish is an American ska punk band from Huntington Beach, California, best known for the 1997 hit "Sell Out". The band gained mainstream recognition in the mid-to-late 1990s, during the third wave of ska with the release of the gold certified album Turn the Radio Off. Soon after, the band...
.
The first single off American Made was Say You Will, a pop punk
Pop punk
Pop punk is a fusion music genre that combines elements of punk rock with pop music, to varying degrees. Allmusic describes the genre as a strand of alternative rock, which typically merges pop melodies with speedy punk tempos, chord changes and loud guitars...
song that made it into the rotation of many rock music and Top 40 radio stations. The band also recorded a music video for the song, which received airplay mostly on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
and Fuse TV
Fuse TV
Fuse is an American national television network dedicated exclusively to music. It features original series and specials, exclusive interviews, live concerts and video blocks....
. In June 2003, the video was voted as the Nickelodeon Video Pick of the Week.
2005 releases
Wakefield made several appearances in pop culture following the success of American Made. Their cover of the Iggy PopIggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
song Real Wild Child appeared on the soundtrack for Eurotrip
EuroTrip
EuroTrip is a 2004 teen comedy film directed by Jeff Schaffer and written by Alec Berg, David Mandel and Schaffer. The main plot follows Scotty "Scott" Thomas from Hudson, Ohio who travels across Europe to search for his German pen pal Mieke , whom he initially mistakes for a man named Mike...
, titled Wild One. They also did a music video to "Wild One" for the extras on Tak and the power of JuJu.
The band also made an uncredited appearance in the Olsen Twins movie New York Minute
New York Minute (film)
New York Minute is a 2004 American teen comedy film starring Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen and Eugene Levy. It was directed by Dennie Gordon and released on May 7, 2004. In the film Mary-Kate and Ashley play twins with opposing personalities who have a series of misadventures around New York City...
. Ryan, JD, and Mike appeared as the studio band for drummer Roxy (played by Mary-Kate), and Aaron appeared as the band's producer. The band recorded a cover of the 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...
song Suffragette City
Suffragette City
“Suffragette City” is a song by David Bowie. Originally from the 1972 The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars album, it was later issued as a single in 1976 to promote the Changesonebowie compilation in the UK, with the US single edit of “Stay” on the B-side...
for the New York Minute soundtrack.
Which Side Are You On?
Wakefield released their second album, titled Which Side Are You On? on Jive RecordsJive Records
Jive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
on June 14, 2005. Their first single off the album was C'mon Baby. Also appearing on the album is the song After School Special, which was written and produced by Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
.
Current
On March 11, 2008, the band announced that they were recording new music in a blog on their Myspace page. Wakefield is currently in the studio recording their new album which will be releases by Maryland based Indie label iBot Records.Wakefield bassist Mike Schoolden has also toured with the band New Years Day
New Years Day (band)
New Years Day is an American rock band formed in 2005 in Anaheim, California and currently recording for Hollywood Waste Records. After building a reputation through promotion on the social networking website MySpace, the band released their debut EP in 2006. Their debut album My Dear followed in...
.