Taking Back Sunday are one of the most well-known and respected bands within the emo/rock/indie umbrella – and with 3 albums and various line-up changes under their belts, it seems they’re not stopping anytime soon.
The Early Days of Taking Back Sunday
TBS formed in Long Island, New York in 1999 and began recording their debut EP. The line-up of the band actually changed during the recording process, with the removal of bassist Jesse Lacey (singer of Brand New) and drummer Stevie D. Their places were taken by Adam Lazarra and Mark O’Connell respectively, and the band released the Taking Back Sunday EP in February 2001.
The record received little or no attention, eventually leading to lead vocalist Antonio Longo being thrown out of the band. The line-up was then ready for their album debut – Adam Lazarra as lead singer, Eddie Reyes as rhythm guitarist, John Nolan as lead guitarist/ back-up vocalist, newly recruited Shaun Cooper on bass guitar and Mark O’Connell still banging the skins.
Tell All Your Friends – Taking Back Sunday’s Debut Album
Once the band had recovered from the various shake-ups they steadied themselves and secured a recording deal with alternative label Victory Records. This was the beginning of something huge – the hugely respected album ‘Tell All Your Friends’ – was about to be brought into the world.
Produced by Sal Villaneuva and released March 26th 2002, the record received critical acclaim and is to this day regarded as one of the crowning achievements of turn-of-the-century emo, heralded by fans as marking the golden age of Taking Back Sunday.
The Loss of John Nolan and Shaun Cooper
For personal reasons, guitarist John Nolan and bassist Shaun Cooper left the band in 2003. They went on to form the band Straylight Run, and found their own success further down the road. Alas, TBS were too stubborn to quit just yet and recruited another guitarist in the form of Fred Mascherino, and their third bassist in as many years – Matt Rubano.
Where You Want To Be – a Major Label Debut for Taking Back Sunday
Once the band had once again stabilized, they signed a lucrative contract with major record label, Warner Brothers Records – and released their second album, ‘Where You Want To Be’, on July 27th 2004. Fans were, expectedly so, a little dubious about TBS’s apparent change in sound, however the album still proved a success and the new line-up became well accepted.
Modern Day Taking Back Sunday – Louder Now!
More recently, in 2006, the band released their third full-length effort, ‘Louder Now’, which catapulted them into the spotlight. This meant the band was now becoming far more an emo staple than simply a lowly independent band trying to get by. It seems this is a bitter point for many of the original fans of ‘Tell All Your Friends’, but it should only be a credit to the band that they now receive a great deal of mainstream attention.
Departure of Fred Mascherino
In October 2007 it was announced that guitarist Fred would be leaving to pursue his solo career in the band The Color Fred. Once again, TBS are left with a hole in their ranks – and as yet no-one has filled that void. They do, however, assure fans that a new album is in the works and should be released Summer 2008. Only time will tell if TBS can survive once again; however it’s nothing new to them so their resilience should soon see them back on the road to musical stardom once more.
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