Something Corporate
Biography
Of the myriad young alt-rock bands to arise in the early 2000s, Something Corporate stood out with their piano-fueled songcraft and crossover potential. On one hand, the bandmembers were barely out of high school when the esteemed California-based punk label Drive-Thru signed them, which helped Something Corporate connect with a large audience of West Coast teenage hipsters looking for a band to claim as their own. On the other hand, the band didn't play punk rock; they played polished, literate, radio-ready alt-rock -- a marketable sound that MCA recognized just before connecting with the band for a debut EP, Audioboxer. Released in late 2001, Audioboxer featured only six songs yet showcased the band's promise as it synthesized alt-rock guitar crunch with a bit of impassioned emo-styled songwriting and singing. It also didn't hurt that the band boasted a bona fide poster boy in songwriter/pianist/vocalist Andrew McMahon, a blossoming talent who would later launch his own act, Jack's Mannequin.
Before the Orange County band became Something Corporate, McMahon, drummer Brian Ireland, and bassist Clutch played in a different ground that they'd formed for a high-school "battle of the bands" competition. Although they won the battle, the band didn't last very long. McMahon then met guitarist Josh Partington at a high-school party; with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, the teens started jamming together as Something Corporate. They soon added guitarist William Tell and began playing local clubs, which eventually lead to one-off gigs opening for bands like Sugar Ray and Better Than Ezra.
Drive-Thru noticed the buzz and came knocking. Even though the label was known primarily as a youth punk label -- and Something Corporate were far from that -- the partnership made sense; Drive-Thru recognized the band's potential as a crossover act and Something Corporate recognized the label's reputation as a respected indie. MCA then came into the picture primarily as a distributor, though the major label did use its clout to market the band. Their summer-tinged debut full-length, Leaving Through the Window, shared both label's logos and appeared in spring 2002. Subsequent touring followed before their somewhat darker sophomore effort, North, was issued in October 2003.
Guitarist William Tell amicably left the group in early 2004 to work on solo material, shortly before Something Corporate headed out on a nationwide co-headlining tour with Yellowcard. Bob Anderson (formerly of River City High) replaced Tell on the tour, allowing the band to replicate many of the album's vocal harmonies in a live setting. A concert DVD entitled Live at the Ventura Theater was released in November 2004.
A hiatus followed, during which McMahon returned to California and launched his solo project, Jack's Mannequin. The debut Mannequin record came out in late summer 2005, but a supporting tour was canceled after McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in June. Touring for both bands was then put on hold while he went through treatment; by the year's end, he had recovered from a successful bone marrow transplant from his sister. McMahon then turned his full attention to the Jack's Mannequin project, whose debut album, Everything in Transit, had broken into the Billboard Top 40. Another Jack's Mannequin album arrived in 2008, leaving Something Corporate's future undecided. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Selected Discography
jack's mannequin is better, the exception that proves that solo acts suck compared to the band they were in (that and john lennon, realy can't say that he was worse than the beatles...)
|
||
heard good things about this band, but the song "I want to save you" is terrible....
|
||
I was wondering why this band sounded almost the same as Jack's Mannequin and now it just makes more sense...
|
||
They were amazing, I saw them in concert a few times and once in Cali with Jacks Mannequin! F**KING AMAZING!!!
|
||
I woke up in a car is a cool song.
|
||
LOVE LOVE LOVE this band !!!!! :D andrew is my hero!!!!!
|
||
this band...
like first time i heard them about a minute ago okay? I WANNA LISTEN TO MORE AND MORRRRE! |
||
i saw jack's mannequin about a month ago and they played cavanaugh park...it was freaking incredible
|
||
I've loved this band ever since I discovered them in '03 when North came out. I really hope one day they DO reunite for some last shows.
|
||
omg, they are my favorite band in the whole freaking world. and i discovered them AFTER they broke up. i discovered them on here, in july. my favorite song from them is most def hurricane! =)
|
||
im waiting for them to have a band reunion so i can go see them in concert. i really hope it happens, they are my favorite band
|
||
i adore them. I've been listening to them for like four years solid, I'm so sad they don't tour anymore
|
||
wow, one of the best rough edge pop tunes ive heard on pandora,,,,, , , , a ten
|
||
That's crazy! I KNEW his voice sounded like the lead from something corporate but I never put the two together! Ha...I'm slow.
|
||
First band I ever saw live! Josh Partington's dad was my mom's boss so I got to meet them. I miss them =(
|
||
This has nothing what so ever to do with this band, but has anyone else noticed that add with the girl in violet dress laying supposedly unconscious on the ground at the top of the screen? What is all that about?
|
||
| report abuse |




