Relient K

Relient K is a Christian rock band formed in 1997 in Canton, Ohio and named after guitarist Matt Hoopes's Plymouth Reliant K car.

Members

Matt Thiessen – lead vocals, guitar, piano
Matt Hoopes – guitar, backing vocals
Dave Douglas – drums, backing vocals
John Warne – bass, backing vocals
Jon Schneck – guitar, banjo, bells, backing vocals

Former Members

Todd Frescone – drums (1998)
Stephen Cushman – drums, backing vocals (1998-2000)
Jared Byers – drums (2000)
Brian Pittman – bass (1997-2004)

Band History

Line-up changes

Relient K was founded in 1997 by Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes on guitar, and Brian Pittman on bass. Todd Frescone joined for a short time on the drums in 1998. After All Work and No Play, Todd Frescone was replaced by Stephen Cushman. Cushman played drums on the 2000 A.D.D., and on the self-titled album in 2000, but left later that year. Jared Byers, drummer of Bleach, filled in as the temporary drummer, until Dave Douglas joined in December of 2000. This lineup remained static from the release of The Creepy EP and The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek in 2001, through the release of Mmhmm in 2004, after which Brian Pittman left to start a landscaping company. John Warne, lead singer and guitarist of Ace Troubleshooter, filled in as bassist for the remainder of 2004. He became full-time bassist in 2005. Also in 2005, Jon Schneck joined as a third guitarist, as well as a banjo and bell player, to create a fuller, more distinctive sound.

Evolution of sound

1998–2002: Beginnings

Relient K's demo, All Work and No Play, caught the attention of dc Talk's Toby McKeehan. After he signed the band to his label, Gotee Records, Relient K released their debut EP entitled 2000 A.D.D. EP in 2000. Later that year, they released Relient K, their first full-length and self-titled CD. It was distinctly Christian rock and featured lyrics with a wide range of pop-culture references.

In 2001, the band released their sophomore album, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek. This album launched both Relient K and their sound to a whole new level. There were still plenty of pop-culture references on this album, which was evident in the song "Sadie Hawkins Dance." It contained many more softer songs and slightly lighter guitars. They would continue chords through tracks in order to fluidly transition in between songs, a trend that continued on their later albums.

2002–2005: Rising popularity and mainstream success

Anatomy landed them in the Christian rock limelight, as they were then asked to do their rendition of the popular VeggieTales song "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" for the 2002 VeggieTales movie A Veggie Tales Movie. This song mixes the sounds of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek and their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do.

In 2003, Relient K released Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do. The album had multiple different covers of different colors, each depicting a car in some kind of wreck. As pop-culture references became less specific, sound and vocals became far more defined. Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do (often called Two Lefts by fans) combined the soft, meaningful songs of The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek and threw in fast-paced songs with deep lyrics. It was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Christian Modern Rock Album.

Since Two Lefts was released in March of 2003, Relient K released a bonus disc for Christmas, entitled Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand. The album was packaged with Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do from November 2003 to December 2003.

In late 2004, the group released their long-expected fourth album, Mmhmm. Pop-culture references were even less specific than on their third album, if not nonexistent. The album was significantly more on the serious side with very few of the silly songs the band was known for. The album is much more piano-driven in parts (including an entire song, "Let It All Out"), but more hardrock in others ("Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet"). In July 2005, the album was certified gold. Also, driven by newfound recognition from Mmhmm, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do was also certified gold in spring 2005. It has been announced that their second record, The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek, also just reached gold. It is awaiting certification by the RIAA.

The track "Be My Escape," which can be found on Mmhmm, is the band's most popular mainstream song to date. Its music video entered MTV's Top Ten, and landed them an appearance on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live. "Be My Escape" is also featured on Now! 19, a popular secular and quasi-annual compilation series. The music video for "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been," also from Mmhmm, has also made its way onto the TRL countdown, many top 40 radio stations, and was included on Now! 21. It was classified as a platinum and gold internet single in November of 2005.

In early June 2005, the band was featured on MTV's 10 Spot Drop, which gave the band a boost in its popularity, as did their Spring 2005 tour opening for Simple Plan and Good Charlotte.

In November 2005 Relient K released their first EP on Capital Records: Apathetic EP. The EP featured three new songs and three acoustic versions of other Relient K songs. It also featured the song "The Thief" by Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes. The EP was dedicated to their friend, Aaron Marrs, who died at sea in January of that year. He had been on the cover of the band's previous EP, the Employee of the Month EP.

2006–present

Matt Thiessen, their lead singer and primary songwriter, has recently stated that they are now rehearsing songs for their new full-length record, aimed for a release some time in the fall of 2006 ^*. Recording will start sometime in the summer, with some tracks being produced by Howard Benson (All-American Rejects, My Chemical Romance). Thiessen stated during the bands' performance at the Ichthus Music Festival 2006 that they were to start working on their new album starting on Sunday June 18, 2006. At the Spirit Song 2006 Music Festival at Paramount's Kings Island, Thiessen also stated that the band was shooting for a November 2006 release for their next album. The band has begun to perform songs from their upcoming album at their shows, such as "Bite My Tongue."

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Label(s)	Status
2000	Relient K	Gotee
2001	The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek	Gotee	Gold
2003	Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do	Gotee	Gold
2004	Mmhmm	Capitol Gotee Mono Vs Stereo	Gold

EPs

Year	Title	Label(s)
2000	2000 A.D.D.	Gotee
2001	The Creepy EP	Gotee
2002	Employee of the Month EP	Gotee
2003	The Vinyl Countdown	Mono Vs Stereo
2005	Apathetic EP	Gotee Capitol

Other

Year	Title	Type	Label(s)
1998	All Work and No Play	Demo	Independent
2003	Relient K Karaoke, Vol. 1	Karaoke CD	Gotee
2003	Deck the Halls, Bruise Your Hand	Christmas CD	Gotee

Singles

Year	Title	Label(s)
2002	The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything	Gotee
2005	Be My Escape	Gotee Capitol
2005	Who I Am Hates Who I've Been	Gotee Capitol

Music Videos

Year	Title	Album	Source
2000	"My Girlfriend"	Relient K	YouTube Go
2001	"Pressing On"	The Anatomy of the Tongue in Cheek	YouTube Go
2003	"Chapstick, Chapped Lips, and Things Like Chemistry"	Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do	YouTube Go
2005	"Be My Escape"	Mmhmm	RelientK.com
2005	"Who I Am Hates Who I've Been"	Mmhmm	RelientK.com

Compilations

Year	Album	Song(s)	Label(s)
2000	Take Time to Listen: Volume 5	"Hello McFly"	5 Minute Walk
2000	Gotee Records Freshmen Class 2000	"My Girlfriend" "Hello McFly" "Softer to Me" "Breakdown"	Gotee
2001	hearitfirst.com New Music Sampler	"Pressing On"	Sparrow
2001	Happy Christmas, Vol. 3	"Santa Claus Is Thumbing to Town"	BEC
2002	ConGRADulations! 2002	"Pressing On"	Interlinc
2004	Congratulations Class of 2004	"Hallelujah Chorus"	EMI
2004	VeggieTales: Veggie Rocks!	"The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything"	ForeFront
2005	Punk Goes 80's	"Manic Monday"	Fearless
2005	Now That's What I Call Music!, Vol. 19	"Be My Escape"	EMI
2005	Happy Christmas, Vol. 4	"I Celebrate the Day"	Tooth & Nail
2006	ConGRADulations! 2006	"Be My Escape"	Interlinc
2006	Now That's What I Call Music!, Vol. 21	"Who I Am Hates Who I've Been"	EMI
2006	X Worship 2006	"I Am Understood?"	ForeFront
2006	2006 Warped Tour	"Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet?"	Side One Dummy Records
2006	Freaked!	"Between You and Me"	Gotee Records

Tribute Albums

Year	Title	Label(s)
2005	String Quartet Tribute to Relient K	Vitamin

Other projects

The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind

In 2004, Relient K released a book entitled The Complex Infrastructure Known as the Female Mind, dealing with the female problems that have plagued the life of their biggest fan Chris Douglas. The band gives advice on the opposite sex through personal experience, stereotypes, and Biblical advice—presented in the fun attitude found in their music. The title of the book is taken from the last line of the song "Mood Rings," which is found on their third album, Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do.

Woodland Forest

In June 2006, Relient K released the first episode of their own flash cartoon. The cartoon features all five band members, and takes place in a fictional land known as Woodland Forest. It is animated by bassist John Warne. Episodes will continue to be released on a regular basis, and can be found on the band's MySpace.

Trivia

Relient K had a large plastic buffalo, dubbed Dermike Mabado, which crowd surfed at shows. The band found it in a dumpster in Buffalo, New York. It may have been an homage to fellow Christian punk crossover band MxPx's 1998 album Slowly Going The Way Of The Buffalo. Some time before the band's major-label debut, Dermike was removed from appearing at shows. Another mascot, Twinkie Sean, replaced it for a short period of time. It is said that Dermike now resides in Matt Thiessen's garage.
During 'The Matt Hoopes Birthday Tour' in 2006 Jon Schneck recorded podcasts for the band, featuring recaps of the day and interviews with members of the band.
Relient K changed the spelling from the Reliant K car to avoid copyright infringement, but later found out that it didn't even apply. They kept the name as it was anyway, because they thought that misspelling it would be funny.
3 of the 5 band members have tattoos. Jon Schneck has the most of the band members (the most well-known one being the cross on his right wrist), John Warne has a phoenix on his upper right arm, and Dave Douglas has the word "Innocence" down the back of his left arm.
Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and former bass player Brian Pittman have known each other since they were in 2nd grade.
The chords beginning "In Love with the 80's" are the same as in the chorus of "Mood Rings," both from Two Lefts Don't Make a Right...but Three Do. Additionally, the acoustic guitar intro on "High of 75" is a faster version of the intro of "Be My Escape," both from Mmhmm. Other similar chords include the end of "Wake Up Call", and parts of "Failure to Excommunicate".
Matt Hoopes not only still has his old Plymouth Reliant, but Matt Thiessen has said that after the band started, he bought his own Reliant K.
Both Matt Thiessen and Dave Douglas each have two of their own side projects, respectively. Matt Thiessen has Matthew Thiessen and the Earthquakes, a soft and emotional project that primarily features the piano, and The Makeout Girls, a goofier side project that features his friend, Kevan Pedan. Dave Douglas has Agnes, a rock project that features the sound of Relient K's earlier music, and Gypsy Parade, a softer project that he started with his wife.

External links

Relient K | Relient K | Relient K

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