Breaking Pangaea was an American
emo pop
Emo pop (also known as emo pop punk and pop-emo) is a fusion genre combining emo with the melodies of pop punk and/or pop music. Emo pop features a music style with more concise songs and hook-filled choruses. Emo pop began in the 1990s with ban ...
band from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
, United States. The band gained a small but passionate following from early 2000 to 2003, especially among college students.
The band released their debut EP and full length album on Florida's
Undecided Records
Undecided Records was an American independent record label established in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny. The record company was founded in Loxahatchee, Florida but its headquarters moved around in various parts of Palm Beach Coun ...
and released a follow up EP on
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand.
The label originally existed solel ...
.
History
The band was started by an 18-year-old
Will Noon
Straylight Run is an emo band based in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. The band released two albums, ''Straylight Run'' and ''The Needles the Space'', as well as three EPs, ''Prepare to Be Wrong'', ''About Time'', and ''Un Mas Dos''. In 2010, ...
, who met
Fred Mascherino
Frederick Paul Mascherino (born July 27, 1974) is an American musician best known for his work as lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist in alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday. He is currently active with the band The Color Fred, and also know ...
at a concert of Mascherino's former band Brody. Noon and Mascherino decided to form a band, and when Mascherino brought in bassist
Clint Stelfox the trio set to work. They played their first concert in January 2000, opening for
The Movielife
The Movielife is a Long Island punk rock band composed of vocalist Vinnie Caruana, guitarist Brandon Reilly, and drummer Brett Romnes. The band originally formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2003, but announced their official reunion in December 201 ...
and
Silent Majority
The silent majority is an unspecified large group of people in a country or group who do not express their opinions publicly. The term was popularized by U.S. President Richard Nixon in a televised address on November 3, 1969, in which he said, " ...
. They then set out to create their first EP, entitled ''Take Apart the Words'', in September 2000. Undecided Records later decided they wanted to distribute the EP, which the band toured on for a year on three self-booked tours.
In the fall of 2001, Breaking Pangaea released their debut album, ''Cannon to a Whisper'', with
Undecided Records
Undecided Records was an American independent record label established in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny. The record company was founded in Loxahatchee, Florida but its headquarters moved around in various parts of Palm Beach Coun ...
. Produced by Mike Fanuele and recorded in College Park, Maryland, the album was a hit with college students. At the peak of its popularity, it was #23 on the College Music Chart. The band spent about a year touring this album, setting off late 2001 and continuing well into 2002, opening for such acts as
Recover,
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria are an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York, formed in 1995. The band consists of Claudio Sanchez (vocals, guitars, keyboards), Travis Stever (guitars, vocals), Josh Eppard (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), ...
,
Hey Mercedes
Hey Mercedes was an alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois, United States, formed after the dissolution of Braid by its former members Bob Nanna, Todd Bell, and Damon Atkinson.
History Early years and ''Everynight ...
and
Further Seems Forever
Further Seems Forever is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over its initial eight-year run the band experienced several lineup changes, resulting in a different lead vocalist performing on each of their first three ...
. In October and November, the band embarked on a headlining US tour. In December, the band played a handful of US shows with the Exit, and
Liars Academy
Liars Academy Is a rock band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2000.Loftus, JohnnyLiars Academy Biography, Allmusic. Retrieved September 2, 2017 They have released their material on Equal Vision Records and Goodwill Records. The band has includ ...
.
In February 2003, the band supported
Hey Mercedes
Hey Mercedes was an alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois, United States, formed after the dissolution of Braid by its former members Bob Nanna, Todd Bell, and Damon Atkinson.
History Early years and ''Everynight ...
on their headlining US tour, which was followed by a tour with
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, which ran into March. The band spent a week of shows supporting
Taking Back Sunday
Taking Back Sunday is an American rock band from Long Island, New York. The band was formed by guitarist Eddie Reyes and bassist Jesse Lacey in 1999. The band's members currently are Adam Lazzara (lead vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar, keybo ...
. In March and April, the band toured across the US with
Armor for Sleep,
This Day Forward, and
Northstar Northstar may refer to:
* Polaris, a star
Arts and entertainment
* Northstar (band), an emo band from Alabama
* Northstar (rap group), a rap group affiliated with the Wu-Tang Clan
* "Northstar", a 2019 song by XXXTentacion from the album ''Bad Vi ...
, leading to an appearance at Skate and Surf Fest. On 6 May, Breaking Pangaea recorded their next, and final, EP called ''Phoenix''. This time, however, it was recorded with
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand.
The label originally existed solel ...
. The album was recorded in Big Blue Meenie Studios, where Taking Back Sunday and
Thursday
Thursday is the day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries which adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the fifth day of the week.
Name
''Se ...
have worked. The band's planned shows with
Brand New and
Onelinedrawing
Jonah Rzadzinski Matranga (born Jonah Sonz Matranga, August 11, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who has released a variety of solo material under his own name and onelinedrawing, and has previously been part of the bands ...
were cancelled for unknown reasons. They toured with
Rx Bandits
Rx Bandits are an American four-piece band based in Seal Beach, California, United States. The band formed in 1995 in Orange County, California. They have appeared on the Vans Warped Tour, at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, Coachella Valle ...
in July and August. Mascherino later joined Taking Back Sunday as guitarist.
Having lost their lead singer and guitarist, Noon and Stelfox called it quits. Soon after, Noon was approached by ex-Taking Back Sunday members
John Nolan and
Shaun Cooper
Shaun David Cooper (born 5 October 1983) is an English retired professional Association football, footballer. He is currently an assistant manager at club AFC Bournemouth.
Career
Cooper was a product of Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth's youth sys ...
to join their new band
Straylight Run
Straylight Run is an emo band based in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. The band released two albums, '' Straylight Run'' and ''The Needles the Space'', as well as three EPs, ''Prepare to Be Wrong'', ''About Time'', and ''Un Mas Dos''. In 2010 ...
. Eager to continue playing music, Noon accepted the offer. Stelfox went on to play guitar for the Maryland based band, Zella Mayzell and Amarie Coma.
Breaking Pangaea played in January 2004 at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia,
where Mascherino told the audience that it would not be their final show.
In February, 2019 the band announced a one off reunion show on April 14, 2019, at Ortlieb's in Philadelphia.
Band members
*
Fred Mascherino
Frederick Paul Mascherino (born July 27, 1974) is an American musician best known for his work as lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist in alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday. He is currently active with the band The Color Fred, and also know ...
- Guitar, Vocals
*
Clint Stelfox - Bass
*
Will Noon
Straylight Run is an emo band based in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York. The band released two albums, ''Straylight Run'' and ''The Needles the Space'', as well as three EPs, ''Prepare to Be Wrong'', ''About Time'', and ''Un Mas Dos''. In 2010, ...
- Drums
Discography
* ''
Take Apart the Words
''Take Apart The Words'' is the debut EP by Philadelphia emo/indie rock band Breaking Pangaea. It was released in 2000 on Undecided Records. "Lullaby" was later re-recorded and rearranged for Mascherino's later band, Terrible Things.
Track listi ...
'' EP - (2000) (
Undecided Records
Undecided Records was an American independent record label established in 1998 by Clifford Wiener and Alexander Kenny. The record company was founded in Loxahatchee, Florida but its headquarters moved around in various parts of Palm Beach Coun ...
)
* ''
Cannon to a Whisper
''Cannon to a Whisper'' is the only studio album by Philadelphia-emo/indie rock band Breaking Pangaea. It was released in 2001 on Undecided Records. The first pre-chorus of "Wedding Dress" was later re-used as the chorus of "My Blue Heaven" in Fr ...
'' - (2001) (Undecided Records)
* ''Phoenix'' EP - (2003) (
Equal Vision Records
Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand.
The label originally existed solel ...
)
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Musical groups from Pennsylvania
Musical groups established in 2000
Musical groups disestablished in 2004
Musical groups reestablished in 2019
Musical groups disestablished in 2019
Equal Vision Records artists
Undecided Records artists