United States
When punk rock judgment day comes, everyone knows which side of the fence BAYSIDE will be on… the legitimate one. The current state of rock music has left acts in a never-ending sea of “genres,” and this current state of affairs has resulted in numerous bands tailoring their look and sound into something that can be labeled. Artists are unjustly pigeonholed and careers are shortened as a result. But amazingly, BAYSIDE has prevailed as rock’s leading indefinable, working class, relateable rock heroes.
Since their inception on Long Island one fateful winter day in 2000, BAYSIDE has become the voice for the misanthropic and the hopeful alike. Having released four studio albums with Victory Records since signing on in 2003, BAYSIDE has sold over a quarter-of-a-million records and has become one of the most likable bands in the industry. The non-fickle foursome remain loyal to their long-time fans, dubbed “The Cult”, yet they manage to convert new followers every day. The loyalty extends not only to their fans, but also to each other, as BAYSIDE stays together like a band of brothers, even during times of tragedy.
In 2005, a tragic auto accident resulted in the death of John “Beatz” Holohan, the band’s drummer. The loss took an immense toll on the remaining members. After an understandable grieving period and the difficult task of choosing a replacement in Chris Guglielmo, the band buckled down and rediscovered their art. The result, appropriately titled The Walking Wounded, was released in early February 2007 to critical acclaim. The album found the band not explicitly focusing on their tragic loss, but instead on survival and progression. BAYSIDE toured incessantly in support of The Walking Wounded and hit the mainstream with full force. Appearances on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, MTV’s TRL and Steven’s Untitled Rock Show on Fuse shifted BAYSIDE into the limelight. The whirlwind, although welcomed, did result in a slightly unorthodox, at least for BAYSIDE, course to writing the follow-up, Shudder.
Shudder hit the masses on September 30th, 2008. BAYSIDE decided to take a different, sunny approach to recording this time around, opting to record the masterpiece, their fourth full-length studio album, in a location quite different than what they were used to. As a result, the Santa Monica-based Red Bull Studios was chosen as the venue and the album was recorded over a six week period of time with producer Dave Schiffman (Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Johnny Cash). Although the band recorded on the left coast as opposed to their usual right, the method ironically brought BAYSIDE back to a familiar place.
Alongside the release of Shudder was the release of Live At The Bayside Social Club, a collection of recordings from their August 2008 performance in New York City. The live album includes songs from each of their studio albums and is a must have for Bayside fans everywhere who crave hearing their high energy live show between tours.
Bayside finished its fourth stint on the Vans Warped Tour during the summer of 2009. There has been much speculation about Bayside's post-Victory Records future. The band plans on beginning work on its new album which it plans on releasing in early 2011. With no hints at a title, studio, producer or even a label for the project, Alternative Press magazine has already named the mystery Bayside album one of the most anticipated albums of 2010 in its annual feature.
By way of his blog, Twitter account and various interviews, there has also been talk of a solo release from frontman Anthony Raneri. On December 4, 2009, at 12:00 am he released a demo version of "The Ballad of Bill the Saint" on his personal Myspace page, the first recorded song from his upcoming solo album. Additional information regarding the album's release remains undisclosed.
On March 10, 2010, the Alternative Press website released news that Bayside has signed to the record label Wind-up Records, projecting the bands next release to be fall of the same year. The band began tracking their fifth album and Wind Up Records debut on June 1st 2010 at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock, NY. For the upcoming album, the band has enlisted the help of legendary British rock producer Gil Norton, who is best known for his work with the Foo Fighters, The Pixies, Counting Crows, Echo and the Bunnymen, Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional. In a recent interview,Anthony states that the new album is slated for a February 2011 release. In September of 2010 the band announced through their Formspring account that the new album will be called "Killing Time" and will be released on February 22, 2011.
