Formation and From the Depths of Dreams EP (2002 - 2003)
The formation of Senses Fail started with Buddy Nielsen, who in 2002 started recruiting members through an advertisement on the Internet, a year before the formation of the band. Dan Trapp read the article and though he was only fifteen at the time, brought friends Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki from a band he had played with previously. Later, the bass player Mike Glita, former drummer for Tokyo Rose joined the lineup.The band took their musical influences of punk, metal, and hardcore and mixed them with poetry, emotion, literature, religion, eastern philosophy and spirituality to create their own sound and image. The name "Senses Fail" is derived from the Buddhist belief in Nirvana. Lead singer Nielsen explains, "In Buddhism, they believe that being alive is hell, and the only way to reach Nirvana is to ultimately have no attachments to anything. So, people go out and live in the middle of the woods and they don't eat and don't drink. They just meditate because they've reached such a high level where they're not attached to love, relationships or anything. And if you want to reach the highest level of being and see God, you have to have all your senses fail."
The band began building a local fan base while playing any gig they could find from skate parks and clubs to churches, then soon entered the studio and started to record. Their first release, From the Depths of Dreams, was a six-track EP that was originally released on ECA Records on August 16, 2002. It originally started as two three-song demo CDs, but was later joined together to make one release by producer John Naclerio. The independent release did very well and caught the attention of some record labels. They signed to Drive-Thru Records, and reissued their EP April 29, 2003 with two extra tracks, better mixing and new cover art. This release saw much success, and sold enough copies to peak at #144 on the Billboard chart. In support of the EP, Senses Fail toured with such bands as Finch, The Used, Millencolin, and The Starting Line.
Let It Enfold You (2004 - 2005)
Senses Fail started working on their debut album, Let It Enfold You in early 2004. During this time, lead singer and song writer Buddy Nielsen was 20. They worked with producer Steve Evetts (Saves the Day, A Static Lullaby, Every Time I Die) on their new label Vagrant Records. The lyrics are derived from a wide variety of sources. The title of the album was taken from a poem written by Charles Bukowski, the song "Irony of Dying on Your Birthday" is about the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, and parts of the song "Slow Dance" include lines of the Dao De Jing. Nielsen stated that, "We just love making music and writing good songs. I feel like I've got a lot more to say and we've got a lot more to contribute. But even if things ended tomorrow, we've gotten 10 times further than we ever expected to get and that makes us feel like we've succeeded regardless of what happens from here on." Let It Enfold You was released on September 7, 2004 on Vagrant and Drive Thru Records. The album has sold over 300,000 copies.
Let It Enfold You saw the release of two singles: "Buried a Lie" and "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning." The music video for "Buried a Lie" was filmed on the set of a soap opera called "Guiding Light." Nielsen's mother shot the video and was also the link between Senses Fail and the soap as she used to act in the show. The release of the video started attracting mainstream success for the band. During this time period Senses Fail could be found in magazines such as Kerrang!, Rolling Stone, Spin and were even featured on the cover of Alternative Press.
The band toured extensively in support of the release. They were added to Warped Tour in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and played on the main stage for the latter two editions of the tour. They were also included on the first Taste of Chaos tour in 2005 with such notable acts as The Used, My Chemical Romance, and Killswitch Engage. They also headlined a few tours of their own during this time with The Early November from Drive Thru and Emanuel from Vagrant.
The album was reissued in November 2005 with bonus tracks and new album art. In addition to the original track listing, it featured acoustic versions of songs from the album, an unreleased track, and a cover of Suicidal Tendencies' Institutionalized.
In 2005, the band's web site announced the departure, by mutual agreement, of guitarist Dave Miller. He was replaced by Heath Saraceno, previously the guitarist and vocalist of the band Midtown. Subsequent interviews with band members made it clear that Miller did not leave voluntarily.[citation needed] Miller started his own record label called DMI (Dave Miller Industries) in September 2006.
Still Searching (2006 - 2007)
After taking a break from touring, and acquiring a new lineup, Senses Fail began to write their second studio album. The new album, titled Still Searching was produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Cave In) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. This album eased up on the aggression on previous albums and showed more emotion. On the subject of the new songs, Nielson explained, "I like my lyrics to be open to interpretation, but I didn’t want to paint pictures of things no one was going to understand; I want our fans to be able to relate. At some point, we all start examining our lives. If you don’t, there’s something wrong with you."
In support of the new album, the band toured on the Taste of Chaos again. In 2006 they toured with the Taste of Chaos International, and in 2007 Senses Fail returned to North America for the 2007 Taste of Chaos tour. In the summer of 2007 they also participated in a few dates of the Zumiez Couch Tour along side From Autumn to Ashes. They headlined in late 2006 with Saosin and Bleeding Through as supporters. On October 5, 2007, Senses Fail began a 33-city co-headlining tour with New Found Glory which started in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also in the tour was Set Your Goals. The tour ended on November 24, 2007 in San Diego, California.
On November 13, 2007, Senses Fail released a deluxe version of Still Searching, which featured new art, behind-the-scenes DVD featuring footage from the band's headlining tour last fall, two additional previously digital-only songs, three new songs, and a cover of The Cranberries's song 'Salvation'.
On December 8th, 2007, Senses Fail's bassist Mike Glita left the band to pursue his side project Knights in Paris. He has announced, on Myspace, that he will join the band Vampire for Hire, now known as Love Automatic, and continue to pursue the side project.
Life Is Not a Waiting Room (2008 - present)
The band has finished their follow-up album to Still Searching. They played one show on January 24, 2008 in New York at the Knitting Factory. Jason Black of Hot Water Music played bass as a replacement for Mike Glita. Senses Fail played the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 4.
The new album, Life Is Not a Waiting Room was released on October 7, 2008 through Vagrant.
According to a Myspace bulletin by the band, it will begin a nationwide tour on October 8, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. The tour will also feature Dance Gavin Dance, Sky Eats Airplane and Foxy Shazam.
On the November 21st, Senses Fail did an online interview with Ultimate Guitar based on the album's success.
Members
James "Buddy" Nielsen – Lead Vocals, Lyrics
Garrett Zablocki – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Dan Trapp – Drums, Percussion
Heath Saraceno – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Former members
Dave Miller – Guitars (subsequently started his own record label, Dave Miller Industries)
James Gill – Bass (subsequently played in Amory)
Mike Glita – Bass, Vocals (subsequently pursued his side project, Knights in Paris, now bassist in Love Automatic)
Temporary member
Jason Black of Hot Water Music - Bass
The formation of Senses Fail started with Buddy Nielsen, who in 2002 started recruiting members through an advertisement on the Internet, a year before the formation of the band. Dan Trapp read the article and though he was only fifteen at the time, brought friends Dave Miller and Garrett Zablocki from a band he had played with previously. Later, the bass player Mike Glita, former drummer for Tokyo Rose joined the lineup.The band took their musical influences of punk, metal, and hardcore and mixed them with poetry, emotion, literature, religion, eastern philosophy and spirituality to create their own sound and image. The name "Senses Fail" is derived from the Buddhist belief in Nirvana. Lead singer Nielsen explains, "In Buddhism, they believe that being alive is hell, and the only way to reach Nirvana is to ultimately have no attachments to anything. So, people go out and live in the middle of the woods and they don't eat and don't drink. They just meditate because they've reached such a high level where they're not attached to love, relationships or anything. And if you want to reach the highest level of being and see God, you have to have all your senses fail."
The band began building a local fan base while playing any gig they could find from skate parks and clubs to churches, then soon entered the studio and started to record. Their first release, From the Depths of Dreams, was a six-track EP that was originally released on ECA Records on August 16, 2002. It originally started as two three-song demo CDs, but was later joined together to make one release by producer John Naclerio. The independent release did very well and caught the attention of some record labels. They signed to Drive-Thru Records, and reissued their EP April 29, 2003 with two extra tracks, better mixing and new cover art. This release saw much success, and sold enough copies to peak at #144 on the Billboard chart. In support of the EP, Senses Fail toured with such bands as Finch, The Used, Millencolin, and The Starting Line.
Let It Enfold You (2004 - 2005)
Senses Fail started working on their debut album, Let It Enfold You in early 2004. During this time, lead singer and song writer Buddy Nielsen was 20. They worked with producer Steve Evetts (Saves the Day, A Static Lullaby, Every Time I Die) on their new label Vagrant Records. The lyrics are derived from a wide variety of sources. The title of the album was taken from a poem written by Charles Bukowski, the song "Irony of Dying on Your Birthday" is about the work of mythologist Joseph Campbell, and parts of the song "Slow Dance" include lines of the Dao De Jing. Nielsen stated that, "We just love making music and writing good songs. I feel like I've got a lot more to say and we've got a lot more to contribute. But even if things ended tomorrow, we've gotten 10 times further than we ever expected to get and that makes us feel like we've succeeded regardless of what happens from here on." Let It Enfold You was released on September 7, 2004 on Vagrant and Drive Thru Records. The album has sold over 300,000 copies.
Let It Enfold You saw the release of two singles: "Buried a Lie" and "Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning." The music video for "Buried a Lie" was filmed on the set of a soap opera called "Guiding Light." Nielsen's mother shot the video and was also the link between Senses Fail and the soap as she used to act in the show. The release of the video started attracting mainstream success for the band. During this time period Senses Fail could be found in magazines such as Kerrang!, Rolling Stone, Spin and were even featured on the cover of Alternative Press.
The band toured extensively in support of the release. They were added to Warped Tour in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and played on the main stage for the latter two editions of the tour. They were also included on the first Taste of Chaos tour in 2005 with such notable acts as The Used, My Chemical Romance, and Killswitch Engage. They also headlined a few tours of their own during this time with The Early November from Drive Thru and Emanuel from Vagrant.
The album was reissued in November 2005 with bonus tracks and new album art. In addition to the original track listing, it featured acoustic versions of songs from the album, an unreleased track, and a cover of Suicidal Tendencies' Institutionalized.
In 2005, the band's web site announced the departure, by mutual agreement, of guitarist Dave Miller. He was replaced by Heath Saraceno, previously the guitarist and vocalist of the band Midtown. Subsequent interviews with band members made it clear that Miller did not leave voluntarily.[citation needed] Miller started his own record label called DMI (Dave Miller Industries) in September 2006.
Still Searching (2006 - 2007)
After taking a break from touring, and acquiring a new lineup, Senses Fail began to write their second studio album. The new album, titled Still Searching was produced by Brian McTernan (Thrice, Cave In) and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. This album eased up on the aggression on previous albums and showed more emotion. On the subject of the new songs, Nielson explained, "I like my lyrics to be open to interpretation, but I didn’t want to paint pictures of things no one was going to understand; I want our fans to be able to relate. At some point, we all start examining our lives. If you don’t, there’s something wrong with you."
In support of the new album, the band toured on the Taste of Chaos again. In 2006 they toured with the Taste of Chaos International, and in 2007 Senses Fail returned to North America for the 2007 Taste of Chaos tour. In the summer of 2007 they also participated in a few dates of the Zumiez Couch Tour along side From Autumn to Ashes. They headlined in late 2006 with Saosin and Bleeding Through as supporters. On October 5, 2007, Senses Fail began a 33-city co-headlining tour with New Found Glory which started in Las Vegas, Nevada. Also in the tour was Set Your Goals. The tour ended on November 24, 2007 in San Diego, California.
On November 13, 2007, Senses Fail released a deluxe version of Still Searching, which featured new art, behind-the-scenes DVD featuring footage from the band's headlining tour last fall, two additional previously digital-only songs, three new songs, and a cover of The Cranberries's song 'Salvation'.
On December 8th, 2007, Senses Fail's bassist Mike Glita left the band to pursue his side project Knights in Paris. He has announced, on Myspace, that he will join the band Vampire for Hire, now known as Love Automatic, and continue to pursue the side project.
Life Is Not a Waiting Room (2008 - present)
The band has finished their follow-up album to Still Searching. They played one show on January 24, 2008 in New York at the Knitting Factory. Jason Black of Hot Water Music played bass as a replacement for Mike Glita. Senses Fail played the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey on May 4.
The new album, Life Is Not a Waiting Room was released on October 7, 2008 through Vagrant.
According to a Myspace bulletin by the band, it will begin a nationwide tour on October 8, 2008 in Richmond, Virginia. The tour will also feature Dance Gavin Dance, Sky Eats Airplane and Foxy Shazam.
On the November 21st, Senses Fail did an online interview with Ultimate Guitar based on the album's success.
Members
James "Buddy" Nielsen – Lead Vocals, Lyrics
Garrett Zablocki – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Dan Trapp – Drums, Percussion
Heath Saraceno – Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Former members
Dave Miller – Guitars (subsequently started his own record label, Dave Miller Industries)
James Gill – Bass (subsequently played in Amory)
Mike Glita – Bass, Vocals (subsequently pursued his side project, Knights in Paris, now bassist in Love Automatic)
Temporary member
Jason Black of Hot Water Music - Bass
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