Secondhand Serenade

Infobox musical artist
Name = Secondhand Serenade


Img_capt = John Vesely
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Menlo Park, California, USA
Genre = Acoustic rock
Alternative rock
Emo

Years_active = 2004–present
Label = Warner/Glassnote
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.myspace.com/secondhandserenade Official Myspace]
Current_members = John Vesely
Past_member [] s =
Instruments = Guitar
Piano/Keyboards
Voice

Secondhand Serenade is an American acoustic rock solo project fronted by vocalist and guitarist John Vesely. The solo project began in California, USA, in 2004. Vesely has released two studio albums to date under the name Secondhand Serenade, "Awake" in 2007 and "A Twist in My Story" in 2008. The debut album used multitrack recording to create the sound of a band using technology,cite web|url=http://wm07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dxfyxqurldae|title=Awake Review|last=Mason|first=Stewart|publisher=All Music.com|accessdate=2008-06-05] the second album took a different path, using a proper band and an orchestra to establish a more accomplished sound.cite web|url=http://www.melodic.net/newsOne.asp?newsId=9523|title=Secondhand Serenade goes full band on new album|last=Roth|first=Kaj|publisher=Melodic.net|accessdate=2008-06-05]

History

Early history and first release

John Vesely formed Secondhand Serenade in his home town of Menlo Park in California, USA, in 2004. Vesely was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area in a musical family and as the son of a professional jazz musician father, commenting that "getting into music was a natural thing" for him. He spent 8 years playing as a bassist in local bands, featuring in a number of acts ranging in style from ska and hardcore to rock and pop.cite web|url=http://www.zeromag.com/articles/article_view.php?id=860|title=Locals Only: Secondhand Serenade|publisher=Zero Mag.com|last=Shapiro|first=Julianne|accessdate=2008-06-05] After years of playing bass, he opted for an acoustic guitar and began writing his own songs when he met his wife. She had wanted him to play a song and "serenading her with a bass guitar was out of the question", he has admitted he found his "true calling" when he picked up the guitar.

The pseudonym Secondhand Serenade is a reference to the way in which his songs are 'serenades' sung to his wife. People around the world are merely getting to hear the songs 'second-hand'.

In 2005, Vesely released his debut album titled "Awake". It was recorded as a demo, after booking a few days at a San Francisco studio earlier in 2005, "using just an acoustic guitar and his multi-tracked vocals".cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/shayquillen/ci_8281695?source=rss|title=Peninsula's John Vesely finds success as Secondhand Serenade|publisher=Mercury News.com|last=Quillen|first=Shay|accessdate=2008-06-05] The album was promoted through the Secondhand Serenade Myspace page and by playing local shows. The CD's were originally sold through mail order with a PayPal account by Vesely, eventually he signed up with distributor TuneCore, making Secondhand Serenade's songs available on music portals including iTunes.cite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003549834|title=Digital Distribution Provides Boost to Heatseeking Artist|last=Ben-Yehuda|first=Ayala|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-06-05]

The album experienced tremendous online support, and by the end of 2006 Secondhand Serenade had received millions of plays on Myspace and had been the social-networking site's No. 1 Independent Artist for months. Financially, he was said to be bringing in up to $20,000 a month from downloads and merchandise sales out of his home. He sold over 15,000 copies of the album on his own,cite web|url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/press_releases/secondhand_serenades_debut_album_enters_at_16_on_billboard.html|title=Secondhand Serenade's Debut Album Enters At #16 On Billboard|last=Press Release|publisher=Ultimate Guitar.com|accessdate=2008-06-05] and on the strength of these sales and the support, naturally, the labels came knocking. Secondhand Serenade was signed by longtime label executive Daniel Glass, on his new label Glassnote Records, which is distributed through Warners Independent Label Group. In 2006, Rolling Stone announced Secondhand Serenade as #3 in the magazine's reader's poll for "Best Myspace Artist."

Awake re-release

In early 2007, "Awake" was reissued by Glassnote Records with an additional two songs. It was released on February 6 and gave Vesely his first chartings, debuting at #16 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart. Added success lead to it peaking at #164 on the Billboard 200, #3 on the Top Heatseekers and #19 on the Top Independent Albums chart.

In support of his first label release, Vesely was featured on MTV's "You Hear It First," AOL Music's "Breakers" Yahoo! Music's "Who's Next?" and appeared on talk show "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". He also played numerous shows, including tours with the likes of Hawthorne Heights and The All-American Rejects and at music festivals South By Southwest and along side My Chemical Romance and Linkin Park at Bamboozle.

Secondhand Serenade released only one song as a single from the debut album, "Vulnerable". The song spawned a music video, which was created by Frank Borin who was responsible for the Red Hot Chili Peppers' video for hit single "Dani California". "Vulnerable" peaked at #83 on the Billboard Hot 100, #64 on the Pop 100 and #56 on the Hot Digital Songs charts.

"A Twist in My Story"

"A Twist in My Story" was released on February 19, 2008 and features songs from Awake such as "Maybe" and "Your Call," but reproduced with a full band. The bulk of the album however is a list of new songs written by John Vesely and recorded with a full band. Two tracks on "A Twist In My Story" were produced by famed producer Butch Walker, while the others were produced by former Nine Inch Nails member Danny Lohner. The first single, "Fall For You," was released January 21, 2008. The album was leaked, and was made available for download one month before its official release. On January 28, 2008 the music video for the first single from the album "Fall For You" premiered on the popular MTV show TRL. In support of the release, Secondhand Serenade spent most of March and April touring with American bands Making April, Automatic Loveletter, and The White Tie Affair. Members of his touring band include John Harvey on bass guitar, Lucas Vesely (Vesely's Brother) on keys, Alex Sier on lead guitar, and Tom Breyfoggle on drums.

The first EP by Secondhand Serenade will be released later in 2008, titled "From Me to You". The iTunes music store release will contain four exclusive songs, including a cover of the Coldplay song "Fix You". Vesely has also said he will be filming a music video for the next single, "Your Call".cite web|url=http://booshmagazine.com/articles/cat/12/item/107|title=Twelve Questions; Secondhand Serenade Talks about Ink, Soon to be Released EP and New Music Video!|publisher=Booshmagazine.com|accessdate=2008-08-13]

Discography

Studio albums

* 2007: "Awake"
** #164 Billboard 200, #3 Top Heatseekers, #19 Top Independentcite web|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/retrieve_chart_history.do?model.chartFormatGroupName=Albums&model.vnuArtistId=813088&model.vnuAlbumId=1101973|title=Secondhand Serenade Albums Chart History|publisher=Billboard.com|accessdate=2008-06-05]
* 2008: "A Twist in My Story"
** #44 Billboard 200, #6 Top Independent

Extended plays

* 2008: "From Me to You"

ingles

References

External links

* [http://www.myspace.com/secondhandserenade Official Myspace]
* [http://www.themusicedge.com/moxie/news/spotartist/secondhand-serenade-grasp.shtml Interview with Secondhand Serenade at "TheMusicEdge".com, 3/3/06]
* [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache:5RlWQ1vmmJ4J:www.billboard.com/bbcom/breakenter/article_display.jsp%3Fvnu_content_id%3D1003549834+%22daniel+glass%22+%22glassnote+records%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=8&gl=us "Secondhand Serenade; Digital Distribution Provides Boost To Heatseeking Artist," "Billboard", 2/23/07]
* [http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2007-3-16-vesely "Local makes MySpace his space," "Palo Alto Daily News", 3/16/07]
* [http://music.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1281513.php/Secondhand_Serenade_confirms_%932007_Couch_Tour%94_with_Monty_Are_I_ "Secondhand Serenade confirms "2007 Couch Tour" with Monty Are I," "Monsters and Critics", 3/22/07]
* [http://media.www.daily49er.com/media/storage/paper1042/news/2007/03/28/Diversions/Secondhand.Serenade.Brings.Raw.Emotion.FirstHand-2808636.shtml "Secondhand Serenade brings raw emotion first-hand," "Daily 49er", 3/28/07]
* [http://top40-charts.com/news.php?nid=31682 "Secondhand Serenade Named 'MTV Discover & Download Artist'; Band Now featured on Yahoo! 'Who's Next?' and AOL 'Breakers' Online Competitions," "top-40 charts", 3/29/07]