The Swellers
Encyclopedia
The Swellers are an American
punk rock
band from Flint, Michigan
. Their music draws influence from melodic punk rock bands as well as alternative and indie rock from the 90s.
After a week, the band booked its first show at the Flint Local 432
in Flint, Michigan
opening for the band Divit (Nitro Records
).
After a few years of playing shows all over Michigan and eventually the Midwest, The Swellers recruited Nick Ondovcsik on 2nd guitar. After a short lived stint with the band, Ondovcsik left in order to pursue other musical interests, eventually forming the death metal band Ares Letum. In early 2005, Lamberts followed, leaving to pursue a college education. Close friends and fellow members of the Flint music scene at the time, Garrett Burgett and Lance Nelson, joined soon after on bass and guitar.
The band recorded "Beginning Of The End Again" in the spring of 2005 at Sentient Studios in Flint, MI. That summer the band signed to Search and Rescue Records and played a Midwestern/Canadian leg of the Vans Warped Tour.
Since the summer of 2006, The Swellers has been constantly touring the U.S. That same year, they signed to Japanese Label Radtone Music, and flew out to do a week of shows.
In November and December 2006, The Swellers went to the newly moved Sentient Studio in Chicago, Illinois to record their full length album, "My Everest
". The album was released on June 5, 2007 through Search and Rescue Records.
From the months of March 2008 to May, Lance and Garrett left the group before several large tours.
Lance now sings and plays guitar in the band Deadtown. Garrett has continued with the band Fuckin' Gnarly. The Swellers enlisted the guitarist of the fellow labelmates and now defunct act, Alucard (whose other guitarist recently joined A Wilhelm Scream
), and close friend Brad Linden to fulfill the bass duties for several months.
Second guitar player Ryan Collins joined the band prior to the recording of Ups and Downsizing
, and soon after, bassist Anto Boros, previously of the Canadian band, Sydney, joined The Swellers to round out the new lineup.
Their Fueled By Ramen
debut, titled Ups and Downsizing
, was recorded at Drasik Studios in Chicago, IL by Mark Michalik and was released on September 29, 2009. In support of the album, The Swellers toured as an opening act for Paramore
's 'Brand New Eyes' tour, which began on September 29, 2009.
The Swellers was an opening act for Less Than Jake
on their Winter United States tour, along with street punk band, The Casualties
. Throughout early 2010, The Swellers went on tour with Motion City Soundtrack
for their My Dinosaur Life Tour.
The Swellers journeyed to Europe for the first time in 2010 and played the Give It A Name Festival in several countries, Groezrock in Belgium, then headlined the Give It A Name Introduces Tour in the UK with Anarbor and The Dangerous Summer.
From June 25 to July 17, 2010, The Swellers played Vans Warped Tour for the second time on the Ernie Ball Stage.
In March the band was named one of Shred News's 'Artists to watch in 2010'
The band supported Anti-Flag
in October on the Vans Of The Wall Tour in Europe, flew home to play The Fest 9 in Gainesville, FL with The Suicide Machines, Strike Anywhere and A Wilhelm Scream. One month later the band went back overseas to support Young Guns
.
In 2011, The Swellers joined Bayside
, Silverstein
, Polar Bear Club
and Texas in July
on the Take Action Tour
.
It was announced April, 22nd 2011 through Alternative Press that the new album titled 'Good For Me' would be released on June 14, where one of the new tracks called "Best I Ever Had" could be streamed.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band from Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
. Their music draws influence from melodic punk rock bands as well as alternative and indie rock from the 90s.
Band history
On June 24, 2002, brothers Nick and Jonathan Diener brought their friend Nate Lamberts from Grand Rapids, MI to Fenton, MI to jam. In the following days, The Swellers was formed and recorded a 3 song demo.After a week, the band booked its first show at the Flint Local 432
Flint Local 432
The Flint Local 432 is an all ages music venue in Flint, Michigan. The Local's name is a reference to the autoworker unions located in the area. It was founded in the mid-1980s by Joel Rash, for the purpose of providing the Flint area with a venue for local bands to play...
in Flint, Michigan
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
opening for the band Divit (Nitro Records
Nitro Records
Nitro Records is an independent record label created and owned by Dexter Holland and Greg Kriesel . They started the label in 1994. The label is famous for being an incubator for punk rock artists who have subsequently become successful, most notably AFI...
).
After a few years of playing shows all over Michigan and eventually the Midwest, The Swellers recruited Nick Ondovcsik on 2nd guitar. After a short lived stint with the band, Ondovcsik left in order to pursue other musical interests, eventually forming the death metal band Ares Letum. In early 2005, Lamberts followed, leaving to pursue a college education. Close friends and fellow members of the Flint music scene at the time, Garrett Burgett and Lance Nelson, joined soon after on bass and guitar.
The band recorded "Beginning Of The End Again" in the spring of 2005 at Sentient Studios in Flint, MI. That summer the band signed to Search and Rescue Records and played a Midwestern/Canadian leg of the Vans Warped Tour.
Since the summer of 2006, The Swellers has been constantly touring the U.S. That same year, they signed to Japanese Label Radtone Music, and flew out to do a week of shows.
In November and December 2006, The Swellers went to the newly moved Sentient Studio in Chicago, Illinois to record their full length album, "My Everest
My Everest
My Everest is the debut full length album on Search and Rescue Records from the Flint, MI punk rock band The Swellers.-Track listing:# "Vehicle City" - 2:44# "Bottles" - 3:08# "The Flood" - 2:44# "This Is My Everest" - 3:44...
". The album was released on June 5, 2007 through Search and Rescue Records.
From the months of March 2008 to May, Lance and Garrett left the group before several large tours.
Lance now sings and plays guitar in the band Deadtown. Garrett has continued with the band Fuckin' Gnarly. The Swellers enlisted the guitarist of the fellow labelmates and now defunct act, Alucard (whose other guitarist recently joined A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream
A Wilhelm Scream is a melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts. Many people have referenced Strung Out, Hot Water Music, Propagandhi, and Strike Anywhere as the band's similar artists. Their name is a reference to the Wilhelm Scream, a famous stock sound effect which mainly is used in...
), and close friend Brad Linden to fulfill the bass duties for several months.
Second guitar player Ryan Collins joined the band prior to the recording of Ups and Downsizing
Ups and Downsizing
Ups And Downsizing is the second album released by Flint, Michigan's The Swellers. It is their follow up to their debut My Everest, and is their first release through Fueled By Ramen. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. The title is half derived from a quote out of the 1998...
, and soon after, bassist Anto Boros, previously of the Canadian band, Sydney, joined The Swellers to round out the new lineup.
Their Fueled By Ramen
Fueled by Ramen
Fueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
debut, titled Ups and Downsizing
Ups and Downsizing
Ups And Downsizing is the second album released by Flint, Michigan's The Swellers. It is their follow up to their debut My Everest, and is their first release through Fueled By Ramen. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. The title is half derived from a quote out of the 1998...
, was recorded at Drasik Studios in Chicago, IL by Mark Michalik and was released on September 29, 2009. In support of the album, The Swellers toured as an opening act for Paramore
Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
's 'Brand New Eyes' tour, which began on September 29, 2009.
The Swellers was an opening act for Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake
Less Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
on their Winter United States tour, along with street punk band, The Casualties
The Casualties
The Casualties are an American street punk band from New York City, New York, formed in 1990.-Biography:The Casualties members aimed to return to what they viewed as the "golden era" of street punk, embodied by bands such as The Exploited, Charged GBH , which they believed had disappeared by...
. Throughout early 2010, The Swellers went on tour with Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack
Motion City Soundtrack is an American rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, formed in 1997. The band consists of founding members Justin Pierre and Joshua Cain , along with keyboardist and moog synthesist Jesse Johnson, bassist and backing vocalist Matthew Taylor, and drummer, percussionist and...
for their My Dinosaur Life Tour.
The Swellers journeyed to Europe for the first time in 2010 and played the Give It A Name Festival in several countries, Groezrock in Belgium, then headlined the Give It A Name Introduces Tour in the UK with Anarbor and The Dangerous Summer.
From June 25 to July 17, 2010, The Swellers played Vans Warped Tour for the second time on the Ernie Ball Stage.
In March the band was named one of Shred News's 'Artists to watch in 2010'
The band supported Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag
Anti-Flag is a punk rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States, formed in 1988. The band is well known for its outspoken political views. Much of the band's lyrics have focused on fervent anti-war activism, criticism of United States foreign policy, corporatism, U.S. wealth...
in October on the Vans Of The Wall Tour in Europe, flew home to play The Fest 9 in Gainesville, FL with The Suicide Machines, Strike Anywhere and A Wilhelm Scream. One month later the band went back overseas to support Young Guns
Young Guns
Young Guns is a 1988 action/western film, directed by Christopher Cain and written by John Fusco. The film was the first to be produced by Morgan Creek Productions...
.
In 2011, The Swellers joined Bayside
Bayside
Bayside may refer to a number of places:In the United States:*Bayside, California*Bayside High School , several schools in the U.S...
, Silverstein
Silverstein
Silverstein is a Canadian post-hardcore band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 2000. Their band name is a reference to the famous children's author Shel Silverstein, whom the band had admired and read the stories of as children. They have released a total of five studio albums, three EP's, a...
, Polar Bear Club
Polar Bear Club
Polar Bear Club is an American post-hardcore/indie rock band from Rochester and Syracuse, upstate New York. Formed in 2005, the band currently consists of vocalist Jimmy Stadt, lead guitarist Chris Browne, rhythm guitarist Nate Morris, bass guitarist Erik Michael "Goose" Henning and drummer Tyler...
and Texas in July
Texas In July
Texas in July is an American metalcore band from Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2007, the group currently consists of members ranging in ages from 18 to 21. Being previously signed to CI Records, Texas in July released one EP, Salt of the Earth and their debut full-length album, I Am both through...
on the Take Action Tour
Take Action Tour
The Take Action Tour is an annual spring tour that not only hosts several bands, but also tries to get people alerted about the issues with teen suicide, and ultimately tries to prevent it. The tour was created by both Sub City and Hopeless Records...
.
It was announced April, 22nd 2011 through Alternative Press that the new album titled 'Good For Me' would be released on June 14, where one of the new tracks called "Best I Ever Had" could be streamed.
Band members
- Nick Diener — guitar and lead vocals (2002–Present)
- Jonathan Diener — drums and backing vocals (2002–Present)
- Ryan Collins — guitar (2008–Present)
- Anto Boros — bass and backing vocals (2009–Present)
Former members
- Nick Ondovcsik (2004) — guitar
- Garrett Burgett (2004–2008) — guitar
- Nate Lamberts (2002–2005) — bass
- Lance Nelson (2005–2008) — bass
- Brad Linden (2008–2009) — bass
Albums
- End of DiscussionEnd of DiscussionEnd Of Discussion is an album by Flint, Michigan punk rock band The Swellers. The album was self-released by the band in 2004.-Track listing:# "Immunity " - 1:38# "Anything " - 2:35# "His Name Is Robert Paulson" - 2:48# "Sightless " - 2:31...
— Self-Released: December 3, 2003 - Beginning of the End AgainBeginning of the End AgainBeginning Of The End Again is an EP by Flint, Michigan's The Swellers released August 11, 2005 on Search and Rescue Records.-Track listing:# "Tunnel Vision" - 2:36# "The Inside" - 3:11# "Run" - 3:15# "They All Float Down Here" - 2:24...
— Released: August 11, 2005 on Search and Rescue Records - My EverestMy EverestMy Everest is the debut full length album on Search and Rescue Records from the Flint, MI punk rock band The Swellers.-Track listing:# "Vehicle City" - 2:44# "Bottles" - 3:08# "The Flood" - 2:44# "This Is My Everest" - 3:44...
— Released: March 19, 2007 on Search and Rescue Records and Radtone Music in JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... - Ups and DownsizingUps and DownsizingUps And Downsizing is the second album released by Flint, Michigan's The Swellers. It is their follow up to their debut My Everest, and is their first release through Fueled By Ramen. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. The title is half derived from a quote out of the 1998...
— Released: September 29, 2009 on Fueled By RamenFueled by RamenFueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City... - Good For MeGood For Me (The Swellers album)Good for Me is the third full length album by Flint, Michigan's The Swellers, and second through label Fueled by Ramen. On April 22nd, 2011 it was announced on the Alternative Press website that the album would be released on June 14th, 2011...
— Released: June 14, 2011 on Fueled By RamenFueled by RamenFueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
Demos and 7 Inches
- Long and Hard (demo) — Self-Released (2002)
- Welcome Back Riders — 7" Vinyl Released July 28, 2009 on Fueled By RamenFueled by RamenFueled by Ramen is an American record label which operates as a subsidiary of Warner Music Group, and is distributed by Atlantic Records. The label, founded in Gainesville, Florida, is based in New York City...
and Paper + PlastickPaper + PlastickPaper + Plastick is an indie record label, founded by Vinnie Fiorello, best known as the drummer for ska punk band Less Than Jake, but also co-founder of the label Fueled By Ramen.-History:Announced on March 21, 2008, the label launched on May 30, 2008....
Compilations
- First Taste Of The Morning (2005) TDRTDRTDR may refer to:Publications* The Daily Reveille, a daily student newspaper at Louisiana State University* The Dartmouth Review, a conservative student newspaper at Dartmouth College...
- Pop Punk Loves You 3 (2007) Wynonna Records
- Everyone Living Under A Gun (2008) The Political Party Records
- Rock Against Malaria (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
) Eunuch Records - Take Action! Vol 9. (2010) Sub City RecordsSub City RecordsSub City Records is a record label which was created by Hopeless Records to raise funding and awareness for non-profit organizations. Sub City has been active for eleven years now, and has now over 30 releases....
- No Sleep 'Till Christmas 3 (2010) No Sleep Records
- Warped Tour 2010 Tour CompilationWarped Tour 2010 Tour CompilationThe Warped Tour 2010 Tour Compilation is the fifteenth installment in the annual compilation series accompanying the Warped Tour. The cover is a photograph of Blink-182 performing on the 1999 Warped Tour.- Track listing :...
(2010) SideOneDummy RecordsSideOneDummy RecordsSideOneDummy Records is a Los Angeles-based independent record label whose roster focuses mostly on punk and related genres. Founded in 1995 by Joe Sib and Bill Armstrong, who continue to run it today, the label has built a reputation for its diverse roster of artists ranging from third wave ska... - Take Action! Vol 10. (2011) Sub City RecordsSub City RecordsSub City Records is a record label which was created by Hopeless Records to raise funding and awareness for non-profit organizations. Sub City has been active for eleven years now, and has now over 30 releases....