The Escape Engine
Encyclopedia
The Escape Engine is a post-hardcore
band
from Paramus, New Jersey
. They were signed to Fidelity Records
.
The band's name comes from a Burning Airlines
song titled "The Escape Engine". It wasn't until the band was at the recording studio, finishing up their 4 song demo, where the engineer asked what name should be put on the master that the band finally agreed on the name.
Within a matter of months of recording their demo the band was approach by Jon Strauss whose intentions were to start an independent record label. The band ended up becoming the first band to sign with the newly created Fidelity Records (Race The Sun, Madison, We're All Broken).
, A Static Lullaby
, Hot Rod Circuit
, Northstar
, Open Hand
, Saves the Day
, The Misfits, Shai Hulud
to record their first full length record.
On May 27, 2003 the band released Celebrity Role Model. The album art featured photos taken of a young woman named Brittney Hammer, an friend of the band from California. She later appeared in the music video along with Eyerly St. James for the first single off the album titled "This Jagged Alibi" which was Produced
/Directed
by Darren Doane
(Blink-182
, AFI
, Thursday (band)
, Jimmy Eat World
, and Thrice
) and shot by Shane Drake
(Panic! at the Disco
, The Higher
, Say Anything
, Fall Out Boy
). The video premiered on MTV2
's Extreme Rock on July 13, 2003 and soon after was broadcasted on MTV
, MTVX
, and MuchMusic
.
Alternative Press Magazine (August 2003) gave The Escape Engine's debut album Celebrity Role Model a 5-star rating and were selected as one of ten bands to perform on the 2003 Warped Tour
(7/31 – 8/10).
The bands' video is featured on "XdoaneX - The Shape of Videos to Come" with A Static Lullaby
, Far
, Funeral for a Friend
, Everytime I Die
, A18
, Spitalfield
, Disengage, and Scars of Tomorrow
.
"Welcome To The Conversation" was featured in Warren Miller
's 2003 film titled "Journeys." While "Intro", Celebrity Role Model's first track, was featured in the movie's trailer.
, John Fitzpatrick informed the other members that he was leaving the band. Shortly after, the band auditioned several drummers as a replacement; among them were Chris Osborne and Aaron Elliott. The band eventually selected Osborne as Fitzpatrick's replacement. Osborne officially joined The Escape Engine in early October. Later that month, on October 22, 2003, John Fitzpatrick returned to play his last show with The Escape Engine at Tobacco Road in New York City as part of the 2003 CMJ Music Marathon
.
The group hit the road again on November 3, 2003, this time for their first U.S. cross-continental tour. By early January 2004 guitarist Kevin B. Robbins, mutually departed from the band over creative differences. Mike Carroll, Lettera's longtime friend who often accompanied the band on tour, stepped in to replace Robbins. Robbins later partnered with Jonathan Strauss to assist in cultivating the Fidelity Records
label.
In August 2011, Conor Clark (the band's final rhythm guitarist) passed away in Ridgewood, New Jersey
.
Others
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
from Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus, New Jersey
Paramus is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan and approximately west of Upper Manhattan.Paramus is one of...
. They were signed to Fidelity Records
Fidelity Records
Fidelity Records is an independent record label based in Hillsdale, New Jersey, United States, owned by Jonathan Strauss.- History :Jonathan Strauss launched Fidelity Records out of his New Jersey home in 2003....
.
History
The Escape Engine was founded in the spring of 2002 by vocalist Dom Lettera and guitarist/vocalist George Leontaris after the break-up of Two Weeks From Tomorrow. Soon after, Kevin B. Robbins, John "Fitz" Fitzpatrick (who, along with George Leontaris, played in Two Weeks From Tomorrow as well), and Amanda Klimek joined the line up.The band's name comes from a Burning Airlines
Burning Airlines
Burning Airlines were an American rock band from Washington, D.C.. J. Robbins and Bill Barbot of Jawbox formed the band with Peter Moffett, formerly of Government Issue...
song titled "The Escape Engine". It wasn't until the band was at the recording studio, finishing up their 4 song demo, where the engineer asked what name should be put on the master that the band finally agreed on the name.
Within a matter of months of recording their demo the band was approach by Jon Strauss whose intentions were to start an independent record label. The band ended up becoming the first band to sign with the newly created Fidelity Records (Race The Sun, Madison, We're All Broken).
Celebrity Role Model
In February 2003, the band entered the studio with Jesse CannonJesse Cannon
Jesse Cannon is a music producer/engineer/mixer and founder of currently based in Union City, New Jersey.- Records produced :#Aim Of Conrad/Transistor Transistor?...
, A Static Lullaby
A Static Lullaby
-Early years and formation :A Static Lullaby came together after a casual high school jam session that led its members to quit their existing bands and come together as one. Formed in 2001 in Chino Hills, CA, the group began with singer Joe Brown, bassist Phil Pirrone, drummer Brett Dinovo, and...
, Hot Rod Circuit
Hot Rod Circuit
Hot Rod Circuit is an American emo band from New Haven, Connecticut established in 1997.-Early years:The band was originally known as Antidote under which they released the album Mr. Glenboski, which won the group the award of Best Unsigned Band of 1998 by Musician Magazine...
, Northstar
Northstar (band)
Northstar was an American band formed in 1997 in Huntsville, Alabama.Since the band's inception, they have had around five guitarists and three different bassists, have been a three-piece, four-piece, and a five-piece. Due to a lack of a dedicated music scene in the Huntsville area, the band...
, Open Hand
Open Hand
Open Hand is a Californian indie rock band. The band was formed in Hollywood in 1999 by guitarist/vocalist Justin Isham, bassist Michael Anastasi and drummer Alex Rodriguez. They released two EPs on its own American Propaganda label, Radio Days and Evolutions...
, Saves the Day
Saves the Day
Saves the Day is an American rock band from Princeton, New Jersey, formed in 1994. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Chris Conley, guitarist Arun Bali, bassist Rodrigo Palma, and drummer Claudio Rivera....
, The Misfits, Shai Hulud
Shai Hulud (band)
Shai Hulud is an American hardcore punk band with progressive metal influences, originally formed in Pompano Beach, Florida, the band later moved up to Poughkeepsie, New York....
to record their first full length record.
On May 27, 2003 the band released Celebrity Role Model. The album art featured photos taken of a young woman named Brittney Hammer, an friend of the band from California. She later appeared in the music video along with Eyerly St. James for the first single off the album titled "This Jagged Alibi" which was Produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
/Directed
Music video director
A music video director is driven by a given music track. These are called music videos and are then used as promotional tools for popular music singles...
by Darren Doane
Darren Doane
Darren Doane is a Christian filmmaker and music video director. In 2007, Darren formed a new commercial, music video and branded content production company called LEVEL4 with Executive Producer Josh Karchmer...
(Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
, AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
, Thursday (band)
Thursday (band)
Thursday were an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Formed in 1997, the group has released six full-length albums, their most recent being No Devolución, which was released in April 2011 on Epitaph Records...
, Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
, and Thrice
Thrice
Thrice is an American rock band from Irvine, California, formed in 1998. The group was founded by guitarist/vocalist Dustin Kensrue and guitarist Teppei Teranishi while they were in high school....
) and shot by Shane Drake
Shane Drake
Shane C. Drake is an American music video director originally from Redding, California. He has directed videos for bands such as Trivium, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Panic! at the Disco, Angels & Airwaves, Flo Rida, Timbaland, Blindside, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Almost, Hawthorne Heights and...
(Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, The Higher
The Higher
The Higher is an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They were originally known as "September Star". They have released two full length albums named On Fire, Histrionics and EPs named "Pace Yourself" and "Star is Dead"...
, Say Anything
Say Anything (band)
Say Anything is an American indie-punk band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Max Bemis. The band was formed in 2000 with Bemis and four of his friends. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, Junior Varsity and In Your Dreams, and the full-length Baseball: An Album by Sayanything.In...
, Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008...
). The video premiered on MTV2
MTV2
MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to analogue cable lineups across the nation...
's Extreme Rock on July 13, 2003 and soon after was broadcasted on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, MTVX
MTVX
MTVX was a Viacom-owned American rock music video channel. MTVX was available exclusively on digital cable packages or satellite TV providers, being the first network of the "MTV Networks Digital Suite".- Format :...
, and MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
.
Alternative Press Magazine (August 2003) gave The Escape Engine's debut album Celebrity Role Model a 5-star rating and were selected as one of ten bands to perform on the 2003 Warped Tour
Warped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
(7/31 – 8/10).
The bands' video is featured on "XdoaneX - The Shape of Videos to Come" with A Static Lullaby
A Static Lullaby
-Early years and formation :A Static Lullaby came together after a casual high school jam session that led its members to quit their existing bands and come together as one. Formed in 2001 in Chino Hills, CA, the group began with singer Joe Brown, bassist Phil Pirrone, drummer Brett Dinovo, and...
, Far
Far (band)
Far is a band from Sacramento, USA.-Releases :After a number of local releases including their first demo tape Sweat A River, Live No Lies and two independent albums Listening Game and Quick they signed to Epic/Immortal Records and released their first major record, Tin Cans With Strings To You...
, Funeral for a Friend
Funeral for a Friend
Funeral for a Friend are a Welsh post-hardcore band, from Bridgend. Formed 2001, they have released five studio albums, seven EPs, sixteen singles, one DVD, and one compilation album.-Formation and Early Years:...
, Everytime I Die
Everytime I Die
For the band, see Every Time I Die."Everytime I Die" is a song by heavy metal band Children of Bodom. The song was recorded for their third album, Follow the Reaper . The song starts with a heavy riff which is actually a single chord played in rhythmic succession. It is then followed by trademark...
, A18
A18 (band)
A18 was a hardcore band from Southern California formed in 1998 by straight edge hardcore veterans Isaac Golub , Mike Hartsfield and Steve Larson...
, Spitalfield
Spitalfield
Spitalfield was a rock band based in Chicago, signed to the Victory Records label.Formed in 1998, Spitalfield caught the attention of Victory Records with their 2002 release The Cloak And Dagger Club EP and a year later released fan-favorite Remember Right Now...
, Disengage, and Scars of Tomorrow
Scars of Tomorrow
Scars of Tomorrow was a metalcore band out of Orange County, California.-History:Scars of Tomorrow released its first material on Thorp Records, issuing two albums before signing to Victory Records in May 2003. After Victory released the group's third album in February 2004, they toured with Himsa,...
.
"Welcome To The Conversation" was featured in Warren Miller
Warren Miller (director)
Warren Miller is an American ski and snowboarding filmmaker. He is the founder of Warren Miller Entertainment and produced, directed and narrated his films until 1988. His credits include over 750 sports films, several books and hundreds of published non-fiction stories...
's 2003 film titled "Journeys." While "Intro", Celebrity Role Model's first track, was featured in the movie's trailer.
Departures
Upon arriving back in New Jersey after 4 months of touring along the east coast and performing on the Warped TourWarped Tour
The Warped Tour is a touring music and extreme sports festival. The tour is held in venues such as parking lots or fields upon which the stages and other structures are erected. The BMX/skateboarding shoe manufacturer Vans, among others, has sponsored the tour every year since 1995, and it is...
, John Fitzpatrick informed the other members that he was leaving the band. Shortly after, the band auditioned several drummers as a replacement; among them were Chris Osborne and Aaron Elliott. The band eventually selected Osborne as Fitzpatrick's replacement. Osborne officially joined The Escape Engine in early October. Later that month, on October 22, 2003, John Fitzpatrick returned to play his last show with The Escape Engine at Tobacco Road in New York City as part of the 2003 CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
.
The group hit the road again on November 3, 2003, this time for their first U.S. cross-continental tour. By early January 2004 guitarist Kevin B. Robbins, mutually departed from the band over creative differences. Mike Carroll, Lettera's longtime friend who often accompanied the band on tour, stepped in to replace Robbins. Robbins later partnered with Jonathan Strauss to assist in cultivating the Fidelity Records
Fidelity Records
Fidelity Records is an independent record label based in Hillsdale, New Jersey, United States, owned by Jonathan Strauss.- History :Jonathan Strauss launched Fidelity Records out of his New Jersey home in 2003....
label.
In August 2011, Conor Clark (the band's final rhythm guitarist) passed away in Ridgewood, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Members
Original- Dom Lettera - vocals
- George Leontaris - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, vocals - Kevin B. Robbins - rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Amanda Klimek - bass
- John Fitzpatrick - drums, percussion
Others
- Chris Osborne - drums, percussion
- Aaron Elliott – drums, percussion
- Mike Carroll - rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
- Conor Clark - rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
Discography
Full Length Album
|
| Song: A Lesson In Futility
CMJ New Music Monthly CMJ New Music Monthly was a monthly music magazine with interviews, reviews, and special features. Each issue included a compact disc with 15 to 24 songs by well established bands, unsigned bands, and everything in between... Volume 113 The Ataris The Ataris are a rock band from Anderson, Indiana. They have released five studio albums, and their most recent E.P. was released on November 25, 2010 on the Gainesville, Florida based label, Paper + Plastick. It contained the brand new tracks "All Souls' Day" and "The Graveyard of The Atlantic"... , Wakefield Wakefield Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001.... , Whirlwind Heat Whirlwind Heat Whirlwind Heat is a three-piece band from the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although they are avid genre-hoppers, they are often categorized as alternative rock.-History:... , Grandaddy Grandaddy Grandaddy was an American indie rock band, formed in 1992 in Modesto, California by singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Jason Lytle, bassist Kevin Garcia, and drummer Aaron Burtch. Guitarist Jim Fairchild and keyboardist Tim Dryden later joined the band in 1995... , Verbena Verbena Verbena , verbenas or vervains, is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old... , and The New Pornographers The New Pornographers The New Pornographers is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.-History:The band's first four albums each ranked in the top 40 on The Village Voices Pazz & Jop year-end poll of hundreds of music reviewers. From 2000 to 2006, either a New Pornographers' album or a... |
| Song: This Jagged Alibi
Daughters (band) Daughters is an American grindcore/mathcore/noise rock band formed in 2001 in Providence, Rhode Island after the demise of Providence-based As the Sun Sets. Daughters have four releases including their self-titled EP, Canada Songs LP Hell Songs and last album Daughters . The band has re-released... , and Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer is a pop rock band that originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania through core members Vince Ratti and Rachel Minton alongside Anthony Green... |
| Song: This Jagged Alibi
Trouble Is Trouble Is is an 12" EP by Dag Nasty released in 1988 through Giant Records. PRESSING INFO: Black vinyl came in plain white cardboard sleeve with Giant Records one sheet. Clear green vinyl came in clear plastic sleeve.-Personnel:... , Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy is an American rock band from Wilmette, Illinois, formed in 2001. The band consists of vocalist, guitarist and composer Patrick Stump, bassist and lyricist Pete Wentz, guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurley. The band released five studio albums from 2003–2008... , Spitalfield Spitalfield Spitalfield was a rock band based in Chicago, signed to the Victory Records label.Formed in 1998, Spitalfield caught the attention of Victory Records with their 2002 release The Cloak And Dagger Club EP and a year later released fan-favorite Remember Right Now... , Armsbendback, The Beautiful Mistake The Beautiful Mistake (band) The Beautiful Mistake was a rock band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2000, the band released two full length albums: the 2002 debut album, Light A Match, For I Deserve To Burn, and 2004's This Is Who You Are... , and The Bronx The Bronx The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated... |
| Song: This Jagged Alibi
Go Kart Records Go-Kart Records is an independent record label specializing in punk rock located in New York City. It also has a European division in Mannheim, Germany.... MP300 Raceway Planes Mistaken for Stars Planes Mistaken for Stars was a emocore band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1997. They released music on Deep Elm Records, Dim Mak Records, No Idea Records and Abacus Recordings.-History:... , Elliott Elliott (band) Elliot is a rock band from the United States. They have released six albums and several singles in their eight-year existence, and are signed to Ten City Music. The band was created in Bend, Oregon.... , Revolution Summer, Kill Your Idols Kill Your Idols Kill Your Idols was a hardcore punk band from Long Island/New York City, New York. The band was active from 1995 through 2007. They were signed to SideOneDummy Records.... , and Most Precious Blood (plus about a hundred more) |
Press
- All Ages at The Saint (live show review) - NJ Coast Newsletter (November 2002)
- The Engine's Mechanics - The Aquarian, East Coast Rocker (June 2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) thePRP.com (June 2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) - CD Baby (2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) Punknews.org (August 2003)
- Screamo? Emocore? Emo violence? - Wonkavision Magazine (August 2003)
- Alternative Press Magazine (August 2003)
- The Escape Engine offers repetitiveness Den Music (September 2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) - belchinwaffles.com (October 2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) - Skratch Magazine (October 2003)
- Forging their own scene - Washington Square News (November 2003)
- Celebrity Role Model (cd review) - Wickedland
- Honesty is the best Policy - The Aquarian, East Coast Rocker (November 2004)
External links
- The Escape Engine on PureVolume
- The Escape Engine on MTV.com
- The Escape Engine on MySpace
- Fidelity Records (label for The Escape Engine)