Alexisonfire

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For the Adult Film Actress, see Alexis Fire.



Background information
Origin	St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
Genre(s)	Post-Hardcore Emocore
Years active	2001 – Present
Label(s)	Distort Entertainment Vagrant Records Hassle Records Shock Records Defiance Records Dine Alone Records
Associated acts	City and Colour Jersey The Black Lungs
Website	theonlybandever.com
Members
George Pettit Dallas Green Wade MacNeil Chris Steele Jordan "Ratbeard" Hastings
Former members
Jesse Ingelevics

Alexisonfire is a five-piece post-hardcore band from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada established in 2001.

The band describes their music as aggressive and energetic^[1], with a unique sound, that plays on the extremes of multiple vocalists, with Dallas Green providing melody with his soft singing, George Pettit's polar-opposite explosive screaming, and with Wade MacNeil lending his punk rock vocals to the mixture. Over the years their style has progressed, their lyrics have evolved, with subject matters from go-karting to relationship troubles, and musically they have developed a more mature and available sound. Their most recent music video reflects their stance shift and stylistic progression.

The band's name is pronounced "Alexis On Fire" not "Alex Is On Fire".^[2] The band is managed by Joel Carriere, co-founder of the popular Canadian online music magazine Bedlam Society, and their label, Dine Alone Records. Alexisonfire's latest album, Crisis, debuted at number one on the Canadian charts, and the band is currently in the midst of their North American tour. It has been speculated that "Rough Hands" may be the next single released by the band, as this song was released for free download on iTunes as their "Single of the Week" recently.

[edit] History

Alexisonfire consists of five friends who formed a band in late 2001 as the result of a three-band break up. They played their very first show in Niagara Falls, Ontario, in 2001. The band's name is a sort-of homage to Alexis Fire, who claimed to be the world's only lactating contortionist stripper ^[3]. This caused problems when she discovered that they were using her website name as their band name, and threatened to sue. However, since she had never trademarked the title, nothing became of these threats. The band released its first EP, Math Sheet Demos in 2002 so named because the CD was wrapped in former drummer, Jesse Ingelevics' math homework. The first, self-titled studio album Alexisonfire was released that same year. Initially they faced hard times and received virtually no radio airtime, which continues to stand true today regardless of their popularity. This didn't hold the band back though, they broke out, gaining notoriety in the underground, and eventually mainstream with the support of MuchMusic. In 2006 Alexisonfire signed to Vagrant Records in the United States.

[edit] Fanbase

While their largest fanbase is in their home country of Canada, they are also becoming more popular in other parts of the world. In early 2005 they toured Europe and Australia with Rise Against. Numerous European venues sold out or had to be upgraded to accommodate the large number of fans. In October 2005, the band embarked on their first ever headlining tour of Europe with British bands, The Blood Roses, Johnny Truant. They were also on the 2006 Vans Warped Tour, where they have stated on their MySpace account that they turned down the mainstage for the Canadian venues.

[edit] Trivia

Each member of Alexisonfire has the word "Yeti" tattooed on themselves. They each got these tattoos in Glasgow, Scotland in October 2005 when on tour with Johnny Truant and The Blood Roses. Every member of Johnny Truant and The Blood Roses also have the same tattoo. On an episode of The New Music, which airs on MuchMusic, George and Dallas reveal that the inspiration for their "Yeti" tattoos came from the 1988 Gary Oldman film The Firm.

[edit] Awards/Nominations

Alexisonfire at the 2005 MMVAs

2004 Canadian Independent Music Awards: Won Best Video (for Pulmonary Archery)
2004 CASBY Awards: Won NXNE Favourite Indie Band
2004 MuchMusic Video Awards: Won VideoFACT (for Counterparts and Number Them), Nominated Best Independent Video (for Counterparts and Number Them)
2005 Juno Awards: Won New Group Of The Year
2005 MuchMusic Video Awards: Won Best Independent Video (for Accidents), Nominated for Peoples' Choice Award - Favourite Canadian Group, MuchLOUD Best Rock Video (for Accidents)
2005 SPIN.com Band of the Year: Nominated as SPIN.com's Band of the Year in the "ALL-AGES" category, but lost to Nightmare of You in Round One of voting 63% to 37%.
2006 CASBY Awards: Won Favorite New Indie Release For Crisis
2007 Juno Awards: Nominated for Group of the Year

[edit] Band Members

[edit] Active Members

George Pettit - Lead Vocals
Dallas Green - Guitar, Vocals, Piano
Chris Steele - Bass Guitar
Wade MacNeil - Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Jordan "Ratbeard" Hastings - Drums (previously from the band Jersey)

[edit] Departed Members

[edit] Jesse Ingelevics

As of June 14, 2005, Alexisonfire made a statement on their website that Jesse Ingelevics, the band's drummer is no longer part of the band. The news story cited that the band and Ingelevics had slowly grown apart, and that he wanted to spend more time with his family and his fiancée. Former drummer of Jersey, Jordan Hastings (amicably nicknamed Ratbeard), is now the current drummer of Alexisonfire. The song 'Keep It On Wax' off the new Crisis album is allegedly about Jesse Ingelevics.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Side Projects

The members of the band have many side projects:

[edit] City and Colour

City and Colour is Dallas Green's solo side project, under which he has released an EP, The Death of Me, and a studio album, Sometimes; both under the label Dine Alone Records. The Alexisonfire song, "Where No One Knows", was originally (in part) a song by Dallas Green (as City and Colour). He is set to release a Live rendition of his songs and covers on CD in Mid-Spring '07, and is set to release a second full-length in summer '07.

[edit] The Black Lungs

The Black Lungs is a band formed by Wade MacNeil. Originally its members were George Pettit, Jordan "Ratbeard" Hastings and Sean McNabb of the now dissolved band Jersey. After playing a few shows the band broke up leaving only Wade MacNeil. The Black Lungs is now Wade MacNeil's solo project. Sammi Bogdanski plays the piano over Wade's vocals and guitar. Wade has recorded an album which will be released on Dine Alone Records sometime in the winter/spring of 2007. Two tracks have been released onto MySpace.

[edit] Bergenfield Four

George Pettit played a show on September 1, 2006 in a band with members of Attack in Black, Keep It Up and Fucked Up. Named after a the suicides in BergenField, N.J. the quartet has recorded two singles.

[edit] Fucked Up

George Pettit, from time to time, plays bass for the Toronto hardcore band Fucked Up.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio Albums

Album Cover	Date of Release	Title	Label	CAN Sales	US Sales	Billboard Top 200
	September 9, 2002	Alexisonfire	Distort Entertainment Equal Vision Records Sore Point Records Defiance Records	Gold	-	-
	June 29, 2004	Watch Out!	Distort Entertainment Equal Vision Records Defiance Records	Platinum	-	-
	August 21, 2006 August 22, 2006	Crisis	Distort Entertainment Dine Alone Records Vagrant Records Hassle Records Defiance Records Shock Records	Platinum	-	#189

[edit] EPs

The Bled/Alexisonfire Split 7"
Math Sheet Demos (2002)
Pink Heart Skull Sampler (2002)
Brown Heart Skull Sampler (2004)
The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen (Split EP with the band Moneen) (2005)
This Could Be Anywhere In The World Limited Edition 7" Picture Disc (2006)
Boiled Frogs 7" BBC Radio 1 Sessions (2007)

[edit] Soundtracks

Trailer Park Boys: The Big Dirty Soundtrack - "Sweet Leaf" (Black Sabbath cover)

[edit] Singles

[edit] Videography

Main article: Alexisonfire Videography

"Pulmonary Archery" from Alexisonfire
"Counterparts And Number Them" from Alexisonfire
"Waterwings (And Other Poolside Fashion Faux Pas)" from Alexisonfire
"Accidents" from Watch Out!
"No Transitory" from Watch Out!
"Hey, It's Your Funeral Mama" from Watch Out!
"Passing Out In America"/"Accidents Are On Purpose" with Moneen from The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen
"This Could Be Anywhere In The World" from Crisis
"Boiled Frogs" from Crisis

[edit] See also

[edit] Notes

^ As seen on MuchMusic's Adrenaline
^ As taken from the official website's FAQ: "What kind of an idiot would name a band alex is on fire?"
^ Commonly known, but confirmed by Chris Steele in an interview, viewable here

Discography
Alexisonfire
George Pettit \| Dallas Green \| Wade MacNeil \| Chris Steele \| Jordan "Ratbeard" Hastings Jesse Ingelevics
Studio Albums: Alexisonfire \| Watch Out! \| Crisis
EPs: Math Sheet Demos \| Pink Heart Skull Sampler \| Brown Heart Skull Sampler \| The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen
Singles: "Pulmonary Archery" \| "Counterparts and Number Them" \| "Waterwings (And Other Poolside Fashion Faux Pas)" \| "Accidents" \| "No Transitory" \| "Hey, It's Your Funeral Mama" \| "This Could Be Anywhere in the World" \| "Boiled Frogs"
Related content
Side projects: City and Colour \| The Black Lungs Record Labels: Defiance \| Dine Alone \| Distort \| Equal Vision \| Shock \| Sore Point \| Vagrant
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