The important stuff: we formed in 1997 and since then have gone through various band names, member changes, and other seemingly unavoidable hurdles young bands often encounter in order to survive. I believe the original intent of the band was to be a "noisecore emo band." Hahaha, whatever that is. That idea was something kind of new and fresh at the time and since we were all fans of both heavy and melodic music it seemed natural to incorporate both elements. Since then the core of the band has been established in the form of Ryan, Chris, Jeffrey, and myself.
Our first official release as Poison The Well was a CDEP titled "Distance Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder." This showcases the first music we wrote as a band. Once that was released we started a consistent touring regiment; working around our school schedules to bring our music to anyone that would listen. Nothing could have bonded us together like those first few tours that we spent losing money, playing to 15 kids, sleeping on sticky floors, living off the Amaco special everyday, and having the absolute time of our lives. Over the course of 4 years we have gradually built everything we have from the ground up. We rarely saw breaks in the form of big support tours, label help etc, but instead chose to get out there and do it ourselves. To this day I still laugh when an interviewer asks "So how did it feel to blow up in hardcore?" I feel like we did anything but! Ahhhhh if only they knew the whole story.
Moving right along, in October of 1999 we recorded "The Opposite of December" in Pompano, FL. Three weeks after we had started the recording, it was finished and we had signed to Trustkill Records, a label revered by both us and the hardcore scene. We started touring every chance we could. By the summer of 2000, we were all out of high school and were ready to take on the band full time. This meant sacrificing job security, relationships, and financial stability: we were psyched! Nothing excited us more than giving 100% of our time to what we love.
Jut as "The Opposite of December" is a progression from the "Distance" EP, our latest offering, "Tear From The Red," showcases yet another step in the evolution of our sound. Musically, we are as ambitious as we have ever been; thicker, heavier, more melodic, and angrier, "Tear From The Red" is our most focused record to date. This record shows that we are not a band that is willing to stagnate, but a band that has always and will always strive to write the best material we can, pushing the envelope for both the listener and ourselves. We write without thoughts of mainstream success or indie credibility. We aren't here to change the world or any of that crap, we are here so that you can put in our record, sit back, and feel good about what you're hearing. No conspiracies, no plots, no bullshit; just honest music, something you can always expect from us. If you are alive and breathing, we'll most likely be playing a city near you within the next year or two. If you are interested, come see the music from the s ource.
Thanks for reading.
-Derek
