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Say Anything is the pop-punk brainchild of singer/songwriter Max Bemis. The band first started up while its members were still in high school and has had a rotating cast of characters throughout its existence, with the most recent lineup featuring Bemis (guitar/vocals), Coby Linder (drums), and Alex Kent (bass). The group first appeared with two self-released and self-produced EPs, Junior Varsity! and Menorah/Majora, the latter being released online, and a full-length album, Baseball. These releases saw the band leaning more toward the emo rock/pop-punk formula made popular by bands like blink-182 and Saves the Day. Unsatisfied with these now out of print releases, Bemis refuses to re-release the albums and rarely if ever plays the songs live. Thus, it is fitting to assume that the Say Anything of today did not really appear until 2004 with their multifaceted and highly personal debut on Doghouse Records, ...Is a Real Boy. The album, a self-described punk rock musical, was produced by Tim O'Heir (Dinosaur Jr., the All-American Rejects) and Stephen Trask (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Both during and after the album's recording, Bemis, who suffers from bipolar disorder, struggled with stress that eventually caused Say Anything to drop off two tours in 2005, including an opening slot with their idols, Saves the Day. Despite the setback, the guys signed with J Records that same year and reissued ...Is a Real Boy in February 2006. The re-release boasted two discs: the original, untouched record along with a bonus EP. The EP contained songs from the recording sessions of a never-released AIDS benefit record alongside original demos and re-recordings of previous songs. A North American headlining tour followed the reissue. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide |
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