The Anniversary is an American band formed in
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, Douglas County, Kansas, United States, and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas River, Kansas and Waka ...
, in 1997 by Josh Berwanger, James David, Christian Jankowski, Adrianne Verhoeven and
Justin Roelofs. The Anniversary was the solidification of a line-up that had been in flux for a year. After two years of playing shows across with the Midwest with bands that included
The Get Up Kids
The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album '' Something to Write Home Abo ...
,
Braid and
Superchunk, The Anniversary signed to Vagrant Records.
Originally perceived as a
poppy
A poppy is a flowering plant in the subfamily Papaveroideae of the family Papaveraceae. Poppies are herbaceous plants, often grown for their colourful flowers. One species of poppy, ''Papaver somniferum'', is the source of the narcotic drug opi ...
, keyboard-driven
emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
band with the release of their debut album ''
Designing a Nervous Breakdown'' in 2000, they developed a stronger, classic rock-influenced sound with the release of a split CD with
Superdrag in 2001 and their second full length, 2002’s ''
Your Majesty
Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...
''. After touring heavily throughout 2002 and 2003, The Anniversary began demoing tracks for what would be their third full length. But four years of constant touring and personal strains within the group led to the band’s demise in early 2004.
Four and a half years after their breakup, ''Devil on Our Side'' — a compilation of b-sides and unreleased tracks — was released by
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is hom ...
.
History
Formation (1997–1999)
In 1997 Anniversary formed as a five-piece band in Lawrence, Kansas. Josh Berwanger,
Justin Roelofs and Adrianne Verhoeven began playing together in 1996 as The Broadcast. In January 1997, the band recorded a few songs including "Crazy Makes Us Sane". After struggling to keep a permanent rhythm section, Chris "Janko" Jankowski and Jim David solidified the line-up later that year as the band changed their name to The Anniversary, partly because a British group already had the rights to the name The Broadcast.
Featuring Justin and Josh on guitar and vocals, Adrianne on keyboard and vocals, Jim on bass and Janko on drums, The Anniversary developed and refined their signature sound – sentimental guy/girl vocals, complemented by dueling guitar lines, with synth pop overlays and catchy choruses – with heavy touring throughout the
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States, also referred to as the Midwest or the American Midwest, is one of four census regions of the United States Census Bureau (also known as "Region 2"). It occupies the northern central part of the United States. I ...
in 1997–1999. In January 1998 six songs were recorded at Kingsize Studios in Chicago. In October of that year six more songs were recorded for a debut EP on Kansas City-based
Urinine Records URININE Records was an independent record label started by Sid Sowder in Indianapolis in 1994. The record label shared its name with his zine. In the years that followed, the record label would move with Sowder to Kansas City and ultimately to ...
.
The Get Up Kids
The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album '' Something to Write Home Abo ...
approached them in the spring of 1999 with a deal to record a full-length album on their new Heroes & Villains imprint on
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is hom ...
which they accepted.
''Designing a Nervous Breakdown'' (1999–2001)
During ten days in July 1999 The Anniversary returned to Kingsize to record their debut full length, ''
Designing a Nervous Breakdown''. Later that July, at
Red House Studios
Ed Rose is an American sound engineer and record producer. He has worked extensively with groups in the modern emo and pop punk scenes. He also co-owns Black Lodge Recording with Rob Pope and his brother Ryan Pope, members of the emo band The G ...
in
Eudora,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
two more songs were recorded, one of which appeared in November 1999 on a split 7-inch with
The Get Up Kids
The Get Up Kids are an American rock band from Olathe, Kansas. Formed in 1995, the band was a major player in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album '' Something to Write Home Abo ...
entitled
Central Standard Time/Vasil + Bluey to precede the debut and help to build a national fan base.
''
Designing a Nervous Breakdown'' was released on January 20, 2000, and The Anniversary soon after departed on their first national tour with fellow band The Get Up Kids on January 26, currently popular for their album
Something to Write Home About
''Something to Write Home About'' is the second studio album by American rock band the Get Up Kids, released on September 28, 1999, through Vagrant Records and the band's own label Heroes & Villains Records. Following the promotional tours for t ...
Touring relentlessly throughout 2000 and 2001, the band still found time to break away and record new songs. In March 2000 The Anniversary returned to Red House Studios to record a song later released on a split 7” with
Hot Rod Circuit
Hot Rod Circuit (HRC) is an American emo band from Auburn, Alabama, established in 1997.
History
Early years
The band was originally known as ''Antidote'' under which they released the album ''Mr. Glenboski'', which won the group the award of ...
. In August three more songs were recorded at Red House – one released on the ''Another Year on the Streets'' Vagrant sampler, and two that were featured in the January 2001
Sub Pop Singles Club.
''Your Majesty'' (2001–2003)
As they continued to tour and write new songs they gradually developed a more mature, classic rock influenced sound. In June 2001 The Anniversary recorded their second full-length album, ''
Your Majesty
Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...
'', at Sonora Records in Los Feliz, California. ''
Your Majesty
Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...
'' marked a departure for the band, leaving the poppy, catchy melodies behind in favor of a more polished riff-driven classic rock sound.
Originally slated for a September 2001 release, the album was delayed because of a legal matter between
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is hom ...
and their distributor. During this time, The Anniversary recorded three new songs in September 2001 for a split CD with
Superdrag, the first in a series of split releases from Vagrant bands. The Superdrag split was released on November 13, 2001, to coincide with a national tour together, and ''
Your Majesty
Majesty (abbreviated HM for His Majesty or Her Majesty, oral address Your Majesty; from the Latin ''maiestas'', meaning "greatness") is used as a manner of address by many monarchs, usually kings or queens. Where used, the style outranks the st ...
'' followed shortly thereafter on January 22, 2002.
In between tours, a few tracks were demoed in
Rob Pope
Robert Pope is an American musician, best known as the bassist for Spoon and The Get Up Kids.
History
Rob Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Ryan and future Get Up Kids band ...
’s basement in the fall of 2002. However, rather than re-signing a new contract, Vagrant Records dropped The Anniversary in early 2003 because of personal tensions with the label and other bands on the roster. But picking up right where they left off, through extensive touring with the likes of
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and ...
and
Guided by Voices, The Anniversary continued to develop their live sound as shows incorporated new songs and re-visited and re-worked past crowd favorites, transforming them into a psychedelic jam loaded with classic rock riffs and gutter rock swagger.
Breakup (2003–2004)
During the spring and summer of 2003 the band began producing demos for songs intended for their third full-length album. Around this time, they had signed to new management and received an offer from
DreamWorks Records
DreamWorks Records (often referred in copyright notices as SKG Music, LLC) was an American record label founded in 1996 by David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg as a subsidiary of DreamWorks Pictures. The label operated until 200 ...
. The Anniversary continued to explore their songwriting prowess as they incorporated elements of reggae, blues, and even country. Before embarking on an October–November tour, they headed to Hideaway Studios in Sedalia, Colorado to record two tracks for the album. However, tensions within the band had been growing for some time, and The Anniversary played what would become their final show in San Antonio, Texas on November 23, 2003.
The band officially broke up in January 2004, and posted the following message on their website on February 6:
Hello everyone.
Due to a number of reasons, The Anniversary has broken up. This may take some of you by surprise, but it was a long time coming. We'll be selling stuff online a little longer so buy it up now because their iccollector's items. Thank you all for your support in our efforts to make the music world a better place. We just weren't prepared for it. Please feel free to check out this website www.theholyghosts.com. It's another project that Josh, Jim, myself, Casey from Hot Rod Circuit
Hot Rod Circuit (HRC) is an American emo band from Auburn, Alabama, established in 1997.
History
Early years
The band was originally known as ''Antidote'' under which they released the album ''Mr. Glenboski'', which won the group the award of ...
, and T.K. Webb are working on. Justin is working on some solo stuff right now. Here's a link to some of his new songs, click. Those of you on the e-mail list will receive updates from The Holy Ghosts from now on. Take care all and pleasant thoughts. Questions or comments may be addressed to theanniversary@hotmail.com.
Peace out, Janko
Solo projects (2004-2007)
Justin Roelofs formed a solo project called
White Flight
White flight or white exodus is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the United States. They refer ...
and released his debut album on
Range Life Records
Range Life Records is an independent record label originally based in Lawrence, Kansas, but now based in San Francisco. It was founded in 2005 by Zach Hangauer. The label name was inspired by the Pavement song " Range Life". The design director ...
on March 6, 2007.
Adrianne Verhoeven played in
Fourth Of July
Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States ...
and
Art In Manila before recording (as "Dri") a solo record called "Smoke Rings", which came out on
Range Life Records
Range Life Records is an independent record label originally based in Lawrence, Kansas, but now based in San Francisco. It was founded in 2005 by Zach Hangauer. The label name was inspired by the Pavement song " Range Life". The design director ...
on November 6, 2007.
Josh Berwanger formed a band called
The Only Children, which released "Change Of Living" in 2004 and "Keeper of Youth" in 2007.
''Devil on Our Side'' and possible reformation (2008–present)
Nearly four years after the farewell messages were sent, a new blog was posted on The Anniversary's MySpace page on January 1, 2008, the first official communication from the band since the breakup. The band announced ''Devil on Our Side'', a double disc compilation of unreleased songs, B-sides and rarities, released by
Vagrant Records
Vagrant Records is an American record label based in California. It was founded in 1995 by Rich Egan and Jon Cohen. The label focuses on rock, but features artists in a variety of other genres including folk, soul, electronic, and pop. It is hom ...
on June 24, 2008.
In 2008, Justin Roelofs recorded a sophomore
White Flight
White flight or white exodus is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the United States. They refer ...
record called "White Ark", which was never officially released. The "White Ark" singles "Panther" and "Children of the Light" were released in 2010, digitally on
Range Life Records
Range Life Records is an independent record label originally based in Lawrence, Kansas, but now based in San Francisco. It was founded in 2005 by Zach Hangauer. The label name was inspired by the Pavement song " Range Life". The design director ...
and as a 7-inch in the UK on Make Mine., In 2014 Justin and co-producer
E*vax
Evan Peter Mast, also known by his stage name E*vax or E.VAX, is an American electronic music artist and one-half of the New York-based electronic rock band Ratatat, alongside Mike Stroud.
Career
Mast met his Ratatat bandmate Mike Stroud when t ...
of
Ratatat
Ratatat ( ) is a Brooklyn-based electronic rock duo consisting of Mike Stroud (guitar, melodica, synthesizers, percussion) and producer Evan Mast (bass, synthesizers, percussion).
History
Beginnings and first album, ''Ratatat'' (2001–2005 ...
released a single as ABUELA on the label Canvasback.
In 2009 Adrianne and husband/producer Alex deLanda, formed a band based out of San Francisco called Extra Classic. Extra Classic has released two albums: 2011's ''Your Light Like White Lightning, Your Light Like A Laser Beam'', released by Manimal Vinyl and
Burger Records
Burger Records was an American independent record label and record store in Fullerton, California, United States. The label was founded in 2007 by Sean Bohrman and Lee Rickard, members of the power pop band Thee Makeout Party. The record/video s ...
and 2014's "Showcase", released on their own imprint, Nopal Records.
Berwanger released the album "Strange Stains" (as Josh Berwanger) in 2013 on Good Land Records and the EP "Demonios" (as Berwanger) in 2015 on High Dive Records.
On March 22, 2016, the band created separate Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts each with a profile picture that simply showed the band's logo and the year 2016, apparently teasing something on the horizon.
On March 28, 2016, it was announced that The Anniversary would join headliners Dashboard Confessional and Taking Back Sunday at the Taste of Chaos Festival on July 16, 2016, in San Bernardino, CA.
On September 8, 2016, the band kicked off its reunion tour in Boston, Massachusetts, at The Brighton Music Hall.
Band members
*Josh Berwanger - vocals,
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
*
Justin Roelofs - vocals, guitar
*Adrianne Verhoeven -
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
,
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
*James David -
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
*Christian Jankowski -
drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
s
*Ricky Salthouse - guitar (replaced Justin on 2016 and later reunion tours)
Discography
Compilation appearances
References
Citations
Sources
*
External links
The AnniversaryThe Anniversaryat Vagrant Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anniversary, The
Alternative rock groups from Kansas
American emo musical groups
Musical groups established in 1997
Musical groups disestablished in 2004
Musical groups reestablished in 2016