Alexisonfire: 2001–2003
Alexisonfire was formed in late 2001 as the result of a three-band break up. Pettit was playing bass in a tech-metal band called Condemning Salemn, Green was a lead singer and guitar player in Helicon Blue, and MacNeil and Steele played in a Pop-punk band called Plan 9. These bands broke up at more or less the same time, and Pettit, Steele, MacNeil, and Green all still had the drive to play and succeed. They recruited drummer Jesse Ingelevics, and formed Alexisonfire. The band's name was derived from Alexis Fire, the world's only lactating contortionist stripper. This caused problems when she discovered that they were using her website name as their band name, and she threatened to sue the band for copyright infringement. However, it was discovered that the moniker was not registered, and no further action took place. The band released its first EP, Math Sheet Demos in 2002, so named because the CD was wrapped in former drummer Jesse Ingelevics' math homework. The group caught its first break when they caught the attention of recording engineer Greg Below and Montreal journalist Mitch Joel. The pair were setting up a record label called Distort Entertainment at the time, and coincidentally they were looking for artists. Below was working with EMI at the same time and he used this to record the band at the company's in-house studio and land them a co-publishing and distribution deal.
On September 9, 2002, Alexisonfire was released, the cover art featuring two Catholic school girls engaged in a knife fight,[10] which was also the band's description of their music.Although there was a distribution deal with EMI, the album's success was mostly attributed to word-of-mouth. The band proceeded to tour support their album, crossing Canada twice, and began stepping into the United States and European scenes, playing with Billy Talent, GWAR, Juliana Theory, Godsmack, and Glassjaw. Alexisonfire was certified gold in Canada, marking 50,000+ sales.
Watch Out!: 2004–2005
Main article: Watch Out!
Alexisonfire had attracted considerable attention from major record labels, due to the success of their self-titled debut. However, when they started considering making a second album, the band felt that, for artistic reasons, they should remain independent, as it would give them better chances of developing and deciding their direction[citation needed]. They would remain with Distort Entertainment, and instead of using a famous producer, they recorded the album with Julius Butty at his studio near Hamilton, Ontario.
Watch Out! was released on June 29, 2004, and was immediately successful. It debuted at #6 on the Nielsen Soundscan Top 200, and received gold certification in Canada in twelve weeks.The good critical reception came from the fact that the band was more focused from the eighteen months of touring, helping them harness more aggression, release more emotion, and fine-tune all the tracks. This lay in comparison to their debut album, which was mostly first drafts.
“ I think if you do it long enough, then you get better at it. You're on the road a lot and you just get better. Also, we had a great producer, Julius Butty. We learned what we like to play. We're no longer virgins to the studio. We're just not quite the band we were a long time ago. ”
—George Pettit, MusicEmissions.com interview
Crisis: 2006–2007
While touring in support of the album with Johnny Truant and The Blood Roses in Glasgow, Scotland in October 2005, each member of all three bands had the word "Yeti" tattooed on themselves. On an episode of the MuchMusic program The New Music, Pettit and Green revealed that the inspiration for their "Yeti" tattoos came from the 1988 Gary Oldman film The Firm.
On August 22, 2006 the band released their third studio album, Crisis, which Allmusic considers their best to date. The album was marked with a CD release party, where the band performed on a boat in London, England. In support of the album, the band toured across most of Canada with Every Time I Die, Cancer Bats and Attack in Black; the latter was signed to the band's independent label Distort Entertainment. Immediately following that was an American tour with Moneen, Cancer Bats, and A Change of Pace. They were one of the most popular bands in canada.
In a recent interview, vocalist George Pettit states that he is unaware of the direction that the band will head in for their next album, but that "The next record, I think, is us pretty much wanting to put the knife in screamo. I don't want to be the band that saves it, I want to be the band that kills it."
Though they were usually on tour with Anti-Flag, Norma Jean was their replacement for a short while, however Anti-Flag returned, alongside the bands Saosin, and The Bled. On their UK tour in November 2007, the band was supported by Saosin, The Ghost of a Thousand and Your Rigamortus.
Old Crows / Young Cardinals: 2008–present
In July 2008, rumors were circulating about Alexisonfire on the verge of a breakup. Comments jokingly made by Wade MacNeil in an Australian interview on Triple J's short.fast.loud caused a stir with fans of the band:
Since Dallas moved to Los Angeles we don't really talk anymore. So I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see. I don't want to say Alexisonfire is breaking up on your radio show. But ahhh..... I'm just going to say Alexisonfire is definitely breaking up.
—Wade MacNeil, triple j interview
MacNeil's joke was later explained in a press release from Distort Entertainment and the band:
What started as a couple of jokes to the media has definitely escalated into something bigger. We thought it would be time to send out a little press release to set the record straight. Alexisonfire IS NOT breaking up. We are currently writing new material for our next record and we are all deeply in love with each other.
Alexisonfire revealed the title to their new album at a show in Hamilton, Ontario on December 20, 2008. The album, due for release in 2009, was called Young Cardinals at that point in time. The band discussed the musical direction of the new album in an article:
Fans have a chance to hear Alexisonfire on the boundary of a "new, weird" stuff. Alexisonfire is really heavy and that's what we love about it. But I've got a bunch of new ideas that I think will fit with us that are a lot different. I kind of want to try and make these slower songs I've written seem really heavy atmospherically. On our last album, I never would have thought to try that because the record was so aggressive, but I'm going to try and take us into some new, weird territories.
—London Free Press
Alexisonfire began recording Old Crows / Young Cardinals (with slightly altered title) on February 1, 2009 and by March 1, 2009 the recording process was near completion; Only leads, overdubs, and vocals were left before mixing and mastering. As of March 11, 2009 the studio blog confirmed 2 track titles: "Midnight Regulations" and "Emerald St."
On March 31, 2009 it was confirmed that Alexisonfire signed to Dine Alone Records.[23] The band is confirmed to play Warped Tour 2009.
Alexisonfire was a part of Warped Tour for the 2009 season. During that tour they did signings for the non-profit organization Music Saves Lives where they met with fans who gained special access to the band by donating blood.
On April 20, 2009 Alexisonfire released their first song "Young Cardinals" from their forthcoming album. It was further announced that the album would be released on June 23, 2009.
On September 22, 2009 at the XM Verge Music Awards, Dallas Green announced that Alexisonfire will be releasing an EP titled "Dog's Blood" in the Fall of 2010.
During the Autumn of 2009 the band embarked on the Eastpak Antidote Tour in Europe along with Anti-Flag, Four Year Strong and The Ghost Of A Thousand, and in October it was announced that they were also joining Billy Talent and Against Me! on tour in Canada in March 2010.
Playing a free all-ages show at the 2010 Winter Olympics venue Live City Yaletown on February 16th, the band was forced to cancel their show 10 seconds into the first song after the crush of the audience broke a barricade and people were trampled. 19 concert-goers suffered injuries including broken bones.
Side projects
The members of the band have many side projects:
City and Colour
City and Colour is Dallas Green's highly successful folk side project, under which he has released two EPs Missing EP and The Death of Me; two studio albums, Sometimes and Bring Me Your Love; and a live album, Live; all under the label Dine Alone Records. The Alexisonfire song, "Where No One Knows", was originally (in part) a song by Dallas Green (as City and Colour), where lyrics from the song feature on the track "Sam Malone". Similarly, Dallas Green is said to have written "Side Walk When She Walks" as City and Colour before it was recorded by Alexisonfire. The name derives from Dallas Green's name, Dallas being a city, and Green being a colour. With this project, he has recorded collaborations with The Tragically Hip's Gordon Downie and Attack in Black. It has also won Dallas two Juno Awards for "New Artist of the Year" in 2007 and "Songwriter of the Year" in 2009.
Black Lungs
Black Lungs is a band formed by Wade MacNeil. Originally its members were George Pettit, Jordan "Ratbeard" Hastings and Sean McNabb of the band the Creepshow and the now dissolved band Jersey. After playing a few shows the band dissolved leaving only Wade MacNeil, after which it essentially became MacNeil's solo project. Sammi Bogdanski, Wade's ex-girlfriend's sister, contributed piano to his debut album Send Flowers, which was released on May 20, 2008 by Dine Alone Records.
In early 2008, Wade announced he would be touring with Cancer Bats and A Textbook Tragedy. The Black Lungs live band for this tour was made up of Liam from Cancer Bats on drums, George from Alexisonfire on bass, and guitar tech Harris on keyboard. The tour took in eastern Canada, focusing mostly on Ontario and Quebec with a few stops in PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Afterwards Black lungs also toured the way across Canada with Cancer Bats and Johnny Truant. Pat Pengelly, formerly, of Bedouin Soundclash, replaced Liam on drums.
Bergenfield Four
George Pettit played a show on September 1, 2006 in a band with members of Attack in Black, Keep It Up and Fucked Up. Named after the suicides in Bergenfield, New Jersey. The quartet has recently released their first 7" on LowDown Records.
Fucked Up
Main article: Fucked Up
George Pettit, from time to time, plays bass for the Toronto hardcore band Fucked Up. He and bandmate Dallas Green have also both contributed guest vocals on their first and second albums respectively.
Hunter
Drummer Jordan Hastings plays in the hardcore punk supergroup Hunter with friends from Moneen. The band was formed in early 2009 in Brampton, Ontario[28]. Hunter was played on Toronto's Edge on Punk-o-rama a day after Young Cardinals played for the first time on the same station.
