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FEATURESOMETHING CORPORATE… THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN!by Corine Jurgerson
Records hitting the Billboard charts and headlining sold out tours may simply be dreams for some bands, but for Drive-Thru/Geffen Records’ Something Corporate, those hopes have translated into consistent realities over the past several years. What started as a band that formed to play a local “Battle of the Bands” competition has now evolved into a widely received, exceptional rock band. Their first album, Leaving Through the Window, was released in 2002 and has sold upwards of 250,000 copies. With hits like “iF yoU C Jordan” and “Punk Rock Princess” being spread by word of mouth to teenagers and college kids alike, the band soon found themselves touring for a solid two years in support of the record. Opening for acts like Sugar Ray, Better than Ezra and Good Charlotte, then headlining tours of their own, these guys from Southern California have been consistently winning over fans one city at a time. This same band that lists artists such as Elton John, Ben Folds and the Beatles as their influences -- is now being listed as an influence to up-and-coming bands across the country. The guys of Something Corporate are Andrew McMahon on piano and vocals, Josh Partington on guitar, Clutch on bass guitar, and Brian Ireland on drums. This past October, the band released their second album, North. The follow-up to Leaving Through the Window holds somewhat of a darker sound than its predecessor, however it has still been a hit with the fans and critics, debuting at a respectable #22 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart. With songs like “Only Ashes” and “Me and the Moon”, it’s apparent that this band has grown lyrically from their first album. The fun-loving “Jordan”-like edge is still alive in songs like “21 and Invincible”, but as a whole, the album’s tracks are of an entirely different entity. To date, North has sold over 250,000 copies and has spawned singles that have been featured on television shows such as Fox’s “The O.C.” and CBS’ “JAG.” So what is it about this band that allows them to continue to sell out shows, sell records and develop a tight fan base? Could it be their unique sound: furious guitars and wicked drumbeats coupled with brilliant piano melodies? Perhaps it’s their stage presence? There is no doubt that these guys were meant to be rock stars. From lead singer Andrew McMahon bouncing off of the piano (literally) to playing it up to the crowd, a Something Corporate show makes you remember what rock and roll is all about: kicking some ass and having a great time doing it. If it’s not their sound or their stage antics, maybe it’s the personal edge of their music. You won’t find a “made for radio” song from Something Corporate. No “Milkshakes” or “Thongs” in these lyrics. Songwriters Josh Partington and Andrew McMahon hold nothing back when scribing their lyrics. Listening to songs such as “Ruthless” from North or the fan favorite “Konstantine” catapults the listener deep into the minds of the two songwriters. When asked about how he felt about sharing such personal thoughts with fans through music, Partington explained, “I think that Andrew and I have always kind of written songs out of trying to cope with our own problems. It’s like one of those things where it’s more of a therapeutic thing than it’s been for entertainment value. I think that it’s kind of the only way that we know how to write songs – so that’s how we do it. I guess it’s a little weird that a bunch of people know about every relationship we’ve ever had, but so what? Big deal.” It’s this no-holds barred attitude that will continue to push this band to the top. Personal lyrics like those of “Ruthless” and “Konstantine” very well may be why some consider this band “emo”. Tunes like “iF yoU C Jordan” and “Punk Rock Princess”, as well as their affiliation with Drive-Thru Records pushes them over the line to punk. So which is it? When posed the question, Partington explained, “I think people struggle to give bands a genre, when really it just comes down to they’re just bands. I think we’re just a rock band. If you want to call us an emo band, fine. If people want to call us a punk band, that’s fine. They’re pretty wrong, but only in regards, because look at real punk bands. If I was in a real punk band and I heard that Something Corporate was being called a punk band, I wouldn’t be all that stoked. If people listen to the music, they’ll know what we sound like.” Music aside, these guys are just a normal, down-to-earth group. You won’t find outrageous demands on their backstage rider. These guys like to keep it simple. When asked about what kinds of things they like to have backstage, Partington joked, “Beer and water, in that order. Soap. Yeah. It’s not that interesting. We have hummus on our rider now, which I’m really stoked on.” Partington had much thanks to express to fans in Chicago. “Chicago is actually one of the first cities we ever toured outside of California. This will be like our 13th time or something like that. Thank you so much to them [the fans] because they supported our band outside of our hometown. I think Chicago is one of our biggest markets.” After the tour with Yellowcard, the band hopes to head back to the studio to record a new album. “Andrew and I have enough written for probably six more albums,” Partington said. “And we’ll probably use all new stuff that we haven’t even written yet, because we’re like that.” Something Corporate perform with Yellowcard at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre on April 23rd | ||
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Their latest single, “Ruthless,” hit the airwaves for radio play on March 15th, along with a video for MTV. Although rhythm guitarist William Tell has recently departed the band to pursue a solo career, the band has pushed on, continuing to tour, this time co-headlining with Yellowcard. All facts considered, this band is truly ready to explode the music charts.