Smile Empty Soul
Encyclopedia
Smile Empty Soul is an American post-grunge
band from Santa Clarita
, California
.
area. The band, originally a three-piece group, consisted of vocalist and guitarist Sean Danielsen, bassist Ryan Martin and drummer Derek Gledhill.
After playing numerous hometown gigs, Smile Empty Soul ventured to the Sunset Strip
, and later passed a demo to John Parker of the Los Angeles
indie label, ThroBack Records. That later led to a record deal with Jason Flom's Lava Records
.
On May 27, 2003, the band released their self titled debut album Smile Empty Soul
. The album was produced by John Lewis Parker, and three successful singles were released. In March 2005, the album was certified gold with sales in excess of 500,000+.
Sometime after the recording of their second album "Anxiety" was finished, drummer Derek Gledhill was replaced by Dominic Weir.
On September 22, 2005, during a concert at The Beaumont Club in Kansas City
, Missouri
, frontman Sean Danielsen stated that their new album Anxiety, would not be released due to issues with Lava Records. The band told fans that in order to receive the new album they could purchase one of a very limited number of burned copies or attempt to download the album online via BitTorrent.
On July 13, 2006, Smile Empty Soul signed with independent label, Bieler Bros. Records
. At this point, drummer Dominic Weir had been replaced by Jake Kilmer, and Mike Booth (ex-Cold
) was added as a second guitarist.
On October 24, 2006, the band released Vultures
, the official follow-up to their 2003 debut Smile Empty Soul. The album doesn't feature any songs from the unreleased Anxiety. The first single released was the song "The Hit".
Vultures debuted at #169 on the Billboard 200
album charts with just over 5,000 copies sold. The band embarked on a co-headlining tour with Evans Blue
in support of the album in November 2006. After that they went on tour with The Exies
and Egypt Central
, with further support on select dates from punk/post-hardcore band Brazil
.
Some time on April 17, 2007 Smile Empty Soul parted ways with Mike Booth, which was a mutual split. The band has yet to replace him, and has continued on as a 3-piece.
According to a post on the band's Myspace page they will begin recording their new record in Greenville, SC on February 1, 2008
In February, 2008, Smile Empty Soul announced that recording for their new album entitled "Consciousness" was finished, but in May, 2008, Smile Empty Soul returned to the studio to record a few more songs. On October 29, 2008, the band's Myspace page confirmed that they had signed with F.O.F./EMI records. "Consciousness" was then released in August 2009.
In November 2009, the 2005 album "Anxiety" was released on iTunes.
On March 9, 2010, "More Anxiety", a special edition of "Anxiety" including a bonus DVD was released.
Smile Empty Soul have released music videos for "We're Through" and "Faker" from their album "Consciousness."
At a recent show on the current tour. Sean Danielsen said that smile empty soul were in the process of writing the follow-up to Consciousness. Also that they are shooting for a summer release and trying to enter the studio by late February/early March. They've been testing out a new song currently entitled "Carve" at recent shows.
In early 2011, it was announced that Sean Danielsen has formed a new group with Fuel vocalist Brett Scallions called World Fire Brigade, which also consists of bassist Brad Stewart (ex-Shinedown), Yogi Lonich (ex-Buckcherry) and former Candiria drummer Ken Schalk. The debut album is expected to be released later in the year.
Former
}
| align="center"| 7
| align="center"| 8
|rowspan="3"| Smile Empty Soul
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2004
| "Nowhere Kids"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 27
| align="center"| 26
|-
| "Silhouettes"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 22
| align="center"| 25
|-
| 2005
| "Don't Need You"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 37
| Anxiety
|-
| 2006
| "The Hit"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|rowspan="3"| Vultures
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2007
| "Here's to Another"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "Loser"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| 2009
| "Don't Ever Leave"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 39
|rowspan="3"| Consciousness
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2010
| "Alone with Nothing"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "We're Through"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|align="center" colspan="6" style="font-size: 8pt"| "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
|}
Post-grunge
Post-grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged in the mid-1990s as a derivative of grunge, using the sounds and aesthetic of grunge, but with a more commercially acceptable tone...
band from Santa Clarita
Santa Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
History
Smile Empty Soul formed in 1998, while its original members were attending different high schools in the Santa ClaritaSanta Clarita, California
Santa Clarita is the fourth largest city in Los Angeles County, California, United States and the twenty-fourth largest city in the state of California. The 2010 US Census reported the city's population grew 16.7% from the year 2000 to 176,320 residents. It is located about northwest of downtown...
area. The band, originally a three-piece group, consisted of vocalist and guitarist Sean Danielsen, bassist Ryan Martin and drummer Derek Gledhill.
After playing numerous hometown gigs, Smile Empty Soul ventured to the Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
, and later passed a demo to John Parker of the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
indie label, ThroBack Records. That later led to a record deal with Jason Flom's Lava Records
Lava Records
Lava Records is an American based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated through Universal Republic Records.-Company history:...
.
On May 27, 2003, the band released their self titled debut album Smile Empty Soul
Smile Empty Soul (album)
Smile Empty Soul is the self titled debut album by the alternative rock/post-grunge music group Smile Empty Soul. The album was released on May 27, 2003 via Lava Records. Three singles were released from the album in "Bottom of a Bottle", "Silhouettes" and "Nowhere Kids"...
. The album was produced by John Lewis Parker, and three successful singles were released. In March 2005, the album was certified gold with sales in excess of 500,000+.
Sometime after the recording of their second album "Anxiety" was finished, drummer Derek Gledhill was replaced by Dominic Weir.
On September 22, 2005, during a concert at The Beaumont Club in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, frontman Sean Danielsen stated that their new album Anxiety, would not be released due to issues with Lava Records. The band told fans that in order to receive the new album they could purchase one of a very limited number of burned copies or attempt to download the album online via BitTorrent.
On July 13, 2006, Smile Empty Soul signed with independent label, Bieler Bros. Records
Bieler Bros. Records
Bieler Bros. Records is an independent record label based out of Florida, USA.-History:Bieler Bros. Records was formed in January 2002 by brothers Aaron and Jason Bieler...
. At this point, drummer Dominic Weir had been replaced by Jake Kilmer, and Mike Booth (ex-Cold
Cold (band)
Cold is an American post-grunge band, formed in 1996 in Jacksonville, Florida. With two gold-albums Cold has sold over 1.2 million records in the US alone. On November 17, 2006, Ward announced on MySpace that, after a period of uncertainty since that February, the group had decided to disband. In...
) was added as a second guitarist.
On October 24, 2006, the band released Vultures
Vultures (album)
Vultures is the third album by the alternative rock/post-grunge music group Smile Empty Soul. The album was released on October 24, 2006 via Bieler Bros. Records...
, the official follow-up to their 2003 debut Smile Empty Soul. The album doesn't feature any songs from the unreleased Anxiety. The first single released was the song "The Hit".
Vultures debuted at #169 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album charts with just over 5,000 copies sold. The band embarked on a co-headlining tour with Evans Blue
Evans Blue
Evans Blue is an alternative rock band from Toronto, Ontario, Canada founded in 2005.- Origins :Evans Blue came together in early 2005. Five musicians, then in three separate bands, met through a local musician's message board...
in support of the album in November 2006. After that they went on tour with The Exies
The Exies
The Exies are an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1997. Their name, "The Exies", is short for "The Existentialists". Their two Virgin Records releases, Inertia and Head for the Door , have sold over 400,000 copies combined.-History:The Exies formed in 1997 when singer and...
and Egypt Central
Egypt Central
Egypt Central is an American rock band from Memphis, Tennessee.-Formation and debut album :Egypt Central was formed on October 2, 2002. They wrote and recorded for one year until generating a buzz in their hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. After eight shows, they caught the attention of former Lava...
, with further support on select dates from punk/post-hardcore band Brazil
Brazil (band)
Brazil was an Indiana rock band. Although the band eschews labels and are often categorized with the punk and post-hardcore music scenes, that is mostly due to association. The music itself is more akin to progressive rock with indie rock roots. The line-up as of 2006 release is Jonathon Newby,...
.
Some time on April 17, 2007 Smile Empty Soul parted ways with Mike Booth, which was a mutual split. The band has yet to replace him, and has continued on as a 3-piece.
According to a post on the band's Myspace page they will begin recording their new record in Greenville, SC on February 1, 2008
In February, 2008, Smile Empty Soul announced that recording for their new album entitled "Consciousness" was finished, but in May, 2008, Smile Empty Soul returned to the studio to record a few more songs. On October 29, 2008, the band's Myspace page confirmed that they had signed with F.O.F./EMI records. "Consciousness" was then released in August 2009.
In November 2009, the 2005 album "Anxiety" was released on iTunes.
On March 9, 2010, "More Anxiety", a special edition of "Anxiety" including a bonus DVD was released.
Smile Empty Soul have released music videos for "We're Through" and "Faker" from their album "Consciousness."
At a recent show on the current tour. Sean Danielsen said that smile empty soul were in the process of writing the follow-up to Consciousness. Also that they are shooting for a summer release and trying to enter the studio by late February/early March. They've been testing out a new song currently entitled "Carve" at recent shows.
In early 2011, it was announced that Sean Danielsen has formed a new group with Fuel vocalist Brett Scallions called World Fire Brigade, which also consists of bassist Brad Stewart (ex-Shinedown), Yogi Lonich (ex-Buckcherry) and former Candiria drummer Ken Schalk. The debut album is expected to be released later in the year.
Band members
Current- Sean Danielsen – lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, lead & rhythm guitarsElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(1998–Present) - Ryan Martin – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1998–Present) - Jake Kilmer – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(2006–Present)
Former
- Derek Gledhill – drums, backing vocals (1998–2005)
- Dominic Weir – drums (2005–2006)
- Mike Booth – lead guitars (2006–2007)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
US Ind. Independent Albums The Billboard Independent Albums is a chart of the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays in the United States, compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels... |
||||
| 2003 | Smile Empty Soul Smile Empty Soul (album) Smile Empty Soul is the self titled debut album by the alternative rock/post-grunge music group Smile Empty Soul. The album was released on May 27, 2003 via Lava Records. Three singles were released from the album in "Bottom of a Bottle", "Silhouettes" and "Nowhere Kids"...
|
94 | — | ||
| 2005 | Anxiety
|
— | — | ||
| 2006 | Vultures Vultures (album) Vultures is the third album by the alternative rock/post-grunge music group Smile Empty Soul. The album was released on October 24, 2006 via Bieler Bros. Records... Bieler Bros. Records Bieler Bros. Records is an independent record label based out of Florida, USA.-History:Bieler Bros. Records was formed in January 2002 by brothers Aaron and Jason Bieler... |
169 | 14 | ||
| 2009 | Consciousness Consciousness (album) - References :# http://tunelab.com/2009/05/31/smile-empty-soul-select-new-single/# # http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.artistalbums&artistid=4588478&albumid=13289764... |
156 | — | ||
| 2012 | Untitled 5th album
|
— | — | ||
| "—" denotes a release that did not chart. | |||||
Extended plays
| Year | Details |
|---|---|
| 1999 | Hecklers Veto EP
|
| 2008 | B-sides
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Alt. |
US Main. |
| 2003 | "Bottom of a Bottle" |
| align="center"| 7
| align="center"| 8
|rowspan="3"| Smile Empty Soul
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2004
| "Nowhere Kids"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 27
| align="center"| 26
|-
| "Silhouettes"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 22
| align="center"| 25
|-
| 2005
| "Don't Need You"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 37
| Anxiety
|-
| 2006
| "The Hit"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|rowspan="3"| Vultures
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2007
| "Here's to Another"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "Loser"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| 2009
| "Don't Ever Leave"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 39
|rowspan="3"| Consciousness
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2010
| "Alone with Nothing"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "We're Through"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|align="center" colspan="6" style="font-size: 8pt"| "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
|}
Other songs
- "Afterlife"
- "Alone"
- "Aneurysm" (Nirvana Cover)
- "Anywhere But Down"
- "Broken Wings" (Performed live in 2008)
- "Landslide" (Performed live in 2008)
- "Finding Myself" - written specifically for 2004's The Punisher: The Album
- "Meaningless" (demo)
- "Rain" (demo)
- "Who I Am" - 2004 Spiderman 2 soundtrack
- "What's Going Through My Head Right Now"
- "Possession" - (Sarah McLachlan cover)
- "Mechanical Rationality"
Music videos
- "Bottom of a Bottle"
- "Nowhere Kids"
- "Silhouettes"
- "This Is War" (Promo Video Only)
- "Here's To Another"
- "Jesus Is The Manager At Wal-Mart" (Promo Video Only)
- "Loser"
- "Don't Ever Leave"
- "We're Through"
- "Faker"