Four Year Strong

Infobox musical artist
Name = Four Year Strong


Img_capt = Dan, Alan, & Joe (not pictured: Jake & Josh)
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Worcester, Massachusetts, USA | Genre = Pop punk Melodic Hardcore
Years_active = 2001–present
Label = I Surrender Records Decaydance Records
URL = http://www.fouryearstrongmusic.com
Current_members = Dan O'Connor Alan Day Joe Weiss Jake Massucco Josh Lyford

Four Year Strong is a five-piece American Pop Punk / Hardcore punk band from Worcester, Massachusetts. 3/5 of the band were in the original lineup that dates back to 2001. Dan, Alan and Jake all attended Doherty Memorial High School in Worcester and met through mutual friends. After the departure of the original bassist some 2 or 3 years after formation, they met Joe and asked him to fill the gap. Their early work never included any keyboards or synthesizers, but after a while they began to incorporate it into their music. The band cycled through many keyboardists, but recruited their current keyboardist Josh Lyford in late 2006. Over the past years, the band has done multiple national tours, sharing the stage with such bands as The Starting Line, Hellogoodbye, From First to Last, Every Time I Die, Hidden in Plain View, All Time Low, Bayside and Steel Train. The band toured Australia in June 2008 with Rex Banner.

The band's 2007 release "Rise or Die Trying" hit #31 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart in 2007. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:0nfwxq9rldhe~T5 Chart Positions] , Allmusic.com] Four Year Strong was signed to Decaydance in February 2008.cite web |url = http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=295223|title = signed |date=2008-02-08 |publisher = kaityface] .

Musical Style

The band's sound can be described as a blend of Pop punk, Hardcore, and powerpop. The band simply developed their sound off the idea of playing 'exactly what they want to hear' or music that they would listen to, but no one else was playing at the time. [ [http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=4356:Four Year Strong] , Absolutepunk.com] The band has cited their influences as being Lifetime, Saves the Day, Gorilla Biscuits, and New Found Glory to name a few. Though the band would primarily start out as a post-hardcore and emo outfit, the release of their demo in 2004 would mark a shift from post-hardcore to more synthesizer-heavy tracks, where the band would began to embrace the styles of powerpop and general punk rock. Prior to the release of "Rise or Die Trying" the band would also incorporate more facets of modern hardcore, such as double bass drums, breakdowns, and screaming vocals with the addition of synthesizers. Since a number of the band's songs are composed of hardcore breakdowns, soaring choruses, and upbeat tempos, many fans have mistakenly dubbed their musical style as 'Happy Hardcore,' though in reality this refers to a type of dance music popular in the mid-90's.

Band Members

Current Members Dan O'Connor - "Guitar / Vocals" Alan Day - "Guitar / Vocals" Joe Weiss - "Bass" Jackson "Jake" Massucco - "Drums" Josh Lyford - "Synth" Former Members Teddy Petsas - "Vocals" Ardie Petsas - "Bass" Bryan Gregoire - "Vocals" John Dagnello - "Guitar" Eric Stone - "Synth" Tim Savas - "Synth" Chris Curran - "Synth" [cite web |url = http://www.g2gnow.com/PR/FYSInterview.html|title = 2003 Interview |date=2003 |publisher = four year strong]

Discography

Four Year Strong, though more widely known for the music made from the year 2004 onward, have multiple releases (dating back as far as 2002) in their catalog. "Rise or Die Trying" marks their label debut. In addition to these records, Four Year Strong is also notorious for leaking pre-album material of their own, whether as a "secret song" or new album demo. They go as follows:

Full lengths

Demos/EPs

Compilations

*The Sounds of Summer Sampler Vol. 2
**Appears with the song "Bada Bing! Wit' a Pipe!".

*Warped Tour Compilation 2008
**Also "Bada Bing! Wit' a Pipe!".

*
**"Dumpweed" (blink-182 cover)

Unreleased songs

# "Angels With Filthy Souls" (Reworked as "The Takeover")
# "Angels With Even Filthier Souls" (Reworked as "Maniac (R.O.D)")
# "Can You Blow Me Where the Pampers Is?" (Reworked as "Prepare To Be Digitally Manipulated")
# "Death is the Only Adventure We Have Left" (Reworked as "Catastrophe")
# "Heroes Fade Kid, Legends Never Die" (Reworked as 'Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die")
# "Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die (Alternate version)" [Featured on "Punk the Clock" compilation]
# "Sparkle Motion"
# "Your Ego is Writing Cheques Your Body Can't Cash"

Trivia

*The band was originally named A Four Year Strong.

PRP: How did you come up with the name "Four Year Strong"? FYS: When the band was formed by Teddy, Dan and Teddy wanted a name that described the bond that they had with their group of friends and how they would always be that way. So they came up with (A) Four Year Strong, which means friendships through high school. Then they took off the "A" at the beginning, and Four Year Strong was formed. "Question taken from [http://www.g2gnow.com/PR/FYSInterview.html FYS Interview] "

*The band has been known to use all wood grain guitars, including the bass. Alan's guitar has a bright green pick guard, the only bright color on the guitars.

*Dan O'Connor was previously a member of Massachusetts hardcore band Bury Your Dead.

*Jake Massucco was also the drummer for the Massachusetts hardcore band I Rise.

*Though Alan was originally the band's lead vocalist, him and Dan O'Connor would switch lead and backing vocal duties during the in production of their 2004 demo. From that point onward, Dan would become the band's primary vocalist.

*Four Year Strong is known for using lines from various movies as their song titles:
"Wrecked Him? Damn Near Killed 'Em!" - Black Sheep (1996 film).
"Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die" - The Sandlot.
"If He's Here, Who's Runnin' Hell" - Van Wilder.
"Abandon Ship Or Abandon All Hope" - Pirates Of The Carribean (film)
"You Ego Is Writing Checks Your Body Can't Cash" - Top Gun (film)
"Can You Blow Me Where the Pampers Is?" - PCU (film)
"Angels With Filthy Souls" - Home Alone
"Angels With Even Filthier Souls" -
"Sparkle Motion" - Donnie Darko

References

External links

* [http://www.fouryearstrongmusic.com Four Year Strong's official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/fouryearstrong Four Year Strong's MySpace page]
* [http://www.purevolume.com/fouryearstrong Four Year Strong's PureVolume page]
* [http://www.virb.com/fouryearstrong Four Year Strong's Virb Page]
* [http://www.rockmidgets.com/features.php?&id=1324&page=3 Four Year Strong Interview on Rockmidgets.com]