BDx13
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Stretch Arm Strong on Warner Brothers. What do you think?
http://www.free-times.com/Music/music.html
Stretch Arm Strong signs to Warner Brothers Records
By Kevin Langston
It's unfortunate that a band like Stretch Arm Strong needs a major-label recording contract before it starts getting the recognition it has deserved
for so long. This is a band, mind you, that has completed five European tours; traveled to Japan, Canada and Puerto Rico; toured with genre giants
like New Found Glory, Good Charlotte, Pennywise, NOFX and Rancid; and released four full-length albums. Still, it takes the mention of a deal with
Warner Brothers before people pay attention.
"Everybody can relate to that," says lead singer Chris McLane of a major-label deal. "They can't stand what we're playing or what we sound like, but
they can definitely relate to Warner Brothers ? 'OK, well I know what that is.' So I think that's how it goes."
Even if the general public hasn't been paying attention to this Columbia hardcore band that formed more than a decade ago, record labels have been.
Representatives from Trustkill, Ferret Music, Epic and Warner Brothers began taking interest in the band once it had fulfilled its contractual
obligations with Solid State/Tooth & Nail, which released three of the band's albums: Rituals of Life (1999), A Revolution Transmission (2001) and
Engage (2003).
"Warner Brothers has kind of gotten in and said, 'Well, here's a band that's established,'' McLane says. "For them it was, 'OK, here it is ? There's a
fan base established, there's a sales history established. Let's give them some money, get them in the studio, give them a better recording than
they've ever had the time to do.' And then you put the power of Warner Brothers and their team behind things with the power we've built on the road,
and it just makes more sense, because initially it's less money for them up front."
While many bands equate a major-label contract with a winning lottery ticket, Stretch has structured its record deal in a way that's indicative of the
band's humility and its ferociously dedicated work ethic.
"We didn't take in a substantial amount of money up front," McLane says. "We took what we needed to get in the studio, to live while we're in the
studio and record the record." From there, the band has the potential to see an incremental increase in money as sales increase. "We actually
structured a lot in the back end with the hope that if things take off and things continue to go well, there's a built-in money source that comes in
gradually."
The band isn't exactly selling itself short as much as it's willing to earn its keep, so to speak. "We do have a really strong work ethic," McLane
says. "We tour nonstop, and now we get the opportunity to do that with a label that's going to do something with it."
With an established fan base and a strong work ethic, why has it taken a decade for Stretch to win the favor of a major? Before any fledging bands
reading this throw in the towel, it's essential to consider that Stretch was just a part-time venture until three or so years ago. "We were weekend
warriors and summer break and winter break warriors," McLane says. "We'd fly to California to do three or four shows and fly back home and pick up
work on Tuesday. We'd go to Puerto Rico for a weekend and be back to work on Monday. We'd get offered these tours based off the two records we had on
Solid State, and we had to pass, and people could never understand why."
Then, when Stretch released Engage, its third and final album for Solid State, the band members quit their day jobs and committed themselves fully to
making a living through the band. "We decided, 'You know, we're not getting any younger, and this is not getting any newer,'" McLane says.
It's no secret that the Warner Brothers contract would've been improbable had they not taken the proverbial plunge, but it was never about partying
and rock star glory for these guys ? and it still isn't. "Three of us are married, two of us have children," McLane says. "People always say, 'Wow,
you're in a band that tours, you're on a label. You must be set.' That's just not the reality. We do pretty well, but to continue doing well and to
continue making a living, I pick up every opportunity I can to make a little extra money."
Even now, with a major-label contract, McLane says he's not quitting his three day jobs. His bandmates are no different, with each holding on to their
very unglamorous sources of income.
Nevertheless, it's almost automatic that Stretch will ultimately have to face the typical backlash that comes when a band signs to a major label.
McLane knows it's coming, because he has seen it happen to another recent success story, Crossfade. "I work at New Brookland Tavern at night, and it's
funny ? you can tell how big a band has gotten because I start hearing people talk about how much they hate them," he says. "I think it's quite funny
that this town, as small as it is, has the audacity to lash out at a band that's doing something."
In the end, though, Stretch didn't sign with Warner Brothers with any concern for what their detractors might think. "It's amazing how many people
say, 'Well those guys, they sold out. They don't care about ? ' I'm like, 'Geez, kid, I'm working three jobs trying to make this thing happen when I'm
not on the road, and when I am on the road, I'm doing everything we can.' So the deal with Warner Brothers comes along, and it's like, 'Sign me up,
man.' If I can put my daughter in gymnastics and pay my bills on time and my wife and I can go out to eat and see a movie in one date ? Hey, I'm down.
It's all I've ever wanted." n
Stretch is set to record sometime in April with producer James Paul Wisner (Dashboard Confessional, Further Seems Forever) and is expected to release
its Warner Brothers debut in August. The band has also tentatively scheduled another European tour that would see Burns Out Bright travel along as
their opener. Again, none of this is set in stone, so don't go buying a passport just yet.
If I fail math, there goes my chance at a good job and a happy life full of hard work.
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SAAAAARS
Posting Freak
Posts: 1061
Registered: 7-29-2004
Location: maine
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Mood: madball
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i think they've been taking a major downward spiral and this is going to be the icing on the cake
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GOLD GRILL
*ASSHOLE*
Posts: 230
Registered: 2-23-2004
Location: houston
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Mood: The Shins
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I think that this is very important for hardcore kids to understand: If you are staying true to your music and values and people still want to pay
you for it then, fuck it, what are you waiting for? There are people nowdays, quite a few of them actually, who are trying to make a living off of
hardcore; support their families, pay a mortgage, finance a band. If you don't have the balls to back up a hardcore band that is actually providing
for itself then eat shit. Imagine, for a minute, that you AREN'T some well-to-do suburban college kid. That you DON'T have a fallback plan. What
is your motivation in life? Try to remember that this is the question that REAL niggas struggle with. And fuck you if you can't respect a choice
that benefits the Hardcore Scene and their own interests. Personalize and interpret; don't dehumanize and discriminate. GABE
I just can\'t seem to STAND STILL
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moron
Posting Freak
Posts: 2393
Registered: 5-28-2003
Location: CT
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Good for them, but in my opinion theyre on the decline as a band. Rituals of Life is/was awesome, A Revolution Transmission was good and Engage.....
well, from what Ive heard of it Im glad I never bought it.
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Big Ugly
Member
Posts: 416
Registered: 1-16-2006
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I never really liked anything they put out. As for the major label thing, Sick Of It All never sold out. Shows that not everybody does.
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MyOwnWay
Posting Freak
Posts: 1786
Registered: 1-27-2005
Location: Pennsylvania
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Stretch deserve every bit of success they have had, and will get. My only hope is that they made certain the music they write is gonna get released.
If the contract isnt spelled out, Majors can shelve releases if its not "marketable".
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moron
Posting Freak
Posts: 2393
Registered: 5-28-2003
Location: CT
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Warner Bros. signed No Warning, and now SAS. Have they signed any other notable hardcore bands?
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SmashHit518
Junior Member
Posts: 28
Registered: 1-31-2005
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Mood: Propaghandi
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More power to them, honestly. Their music has been declining, but they've been working just as hard as ever I'm sure so they got what they deserved.
Smash hit? Smash it!
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Killthehumans
Senior Member
Posts: 597
Registered: 12-1-2004
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Mood: simon and garfunkal
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IT was just the next step in a downward spiral, the fact is them and h2o are bothing moving downward, taking advatnage of the whole pop punk thing
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moron
Posting Freak
Posts: 2393
Registered: 5-28-2003
Location: CT
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H2O claims to have realized how far they've moved from their roots, and are trying to start fresh again and get back to their old sound. That's what
they said about a year ago when I saw them at least.
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clevohardcore
* Kick\'n ass on the wild side *
Posts: 12937
Registered: 9-19-2004
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Mood: Sick Of It All, Youth Of Today
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I even like ENGAGE. It's a good record. Good for them and I hope it gets more bands recognition. I just wish I was in their shoes.
Each aspect of the soul has it's own part to play, but the ideal is harmonious agreement with reason and control.
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paul nastyGAMC
Junior Member
Posts: 59
Registered: 11-27-2004
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Mood: silence
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fuck it. im staying with thorp untill warner bros. come to us then im dropping thorp like a bad habbit!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!right!!!!!!fuck em.
strtch is weak ass hardcore wannabe shit no matter what label. so they havent really sold out. no one is ever going to pay real attention to hardcore
bands because clear channel doesnt want it to get big. hatebreed was a fluke. amazing band as they may be, there is many bad ass bands like that and
we will always play clubs. a.f. and sick of it all still play clubs. nothing we can do except keep striving forward. selling drugs helps alot!!!!!!(
and im just kidding about selling out thorp bitches)fentynyl transmucosal!!!!!
paul nastyGAMC
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