Flyleaf

[Lewis]

Flyleaf is an American alternative rock band, formed in the Belton[1] and Temple, Texas[2] regions in 2000. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005. The album went platinum after selling more than one million copies.[5] The band won an online poll on yahoo.com and was named Yahoo!'s Who's Next band of the month in March 2006 and they were named MTV's artist of the week on December 24, 2007.[6][7] Flyleaf released their sophomore album, Memento Mori on November 10, 2009.

Band history

Early on Lacey Mosley started playing with James Culpepper. Guitarists Jared Hartmann and Sameer Bhattacharya were later recruited. "Sameer and Jared are really experimental with melodies and pedals, and we all had different influences that were all blending together with the same passionate and hopeful heart, and that brought out this beautiful feeling. It was magical," said Mosley.[8] Bassist Pat Seals joined in 2002 after leaving his previous band The Grove.

As Passerby, the band released three EPs and played over 100 shows in Texas alone over the span of two years under the booking and promotion company Runt Entertainment.[citation needed] In 2004, Passerby played a showcase for RCA Records in New York City in hopes of getting signed. RCA passed on the band, but the president of Octone Records was very interested. They waited for two days in their van at a truck stop for a phone call about an Octone showcase. They were signed after the showcase, and on January 7, 2004, Octone Record's website announced their arrival to the label.

In March 2004, Flyleaf traveled to Seattle, Washington to record an EP with Rick Parashar. Afterwards, they toured with Skillet, Breaking Benjamin, Staind and 3 Doors Down to promote their self-titled EP. In October, the EP was released to stores, spawning their first official single and video for the EP version of "Breathe Today".

Debut album (2005–08)

In 2005, the band recorded their first full-length album with Howard Benson. On October 4, 2005, the record was released under the title Flyleaf. Appearances on the album include Dave Navarro of Jane's Addiction and Ryan White of Resident Hero. The first mainstream single from their debut album was "I'm So Sick", "Fully Alive" was the second, "All Around Me" was the third, and "There For You" was the fourth.

In the summer of 2006, the band played on the mainstage of the Family Values Tour 2006 and in late 2006, Flyleaf toured with Disturbed, Stone Sour and Nonpoint on the Music As A Weapon III Tour. The band issued an exclusive EP, which was sold at the tour called Music As A Weapon EP which features an acoustic version of "Fully Alive", and three previously unreleased tracks: "Much Like Falling", "Justice And Mercy", and "Christmas Song" (Much Like Falling and Justice and Mercy later appeared on Much Like Falling EP). A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the EP went to World Vision.[9]
Lacey Mosley and Flyleaf in San Francisco, CA on the Memento Mori Tour on November 1, 2009.

In 2007 Flyleaf toured with Three Days Grace and throughout Australia with the Soundwave festival, and also toured Europe with Stone Sour and Forever Never. In the spring of 2007, Flyleaf headlined their Justice & Mercy Tour which first featured Skillet and Dropping Daylight. Later on they did a second leg of the tour which featured Sick Puppies, Kill Hannah and Resident Hero. Flyleaf again joined the Family Values Tour in 2007.[10] The music video for "I'm So Sick" appeared briefly in the 2007 film Live Free or Die Hard. Also a remix of the song "I'm So Sick" is on the Soundtrack to the movie Resident Evil: Extinction. "Perfect" was also released as a single in late 2007 to Christian radio stations.

Flyleaf also released a song entitled "Tina" which first debuted in the release of Guitar Hero 3 which appears on the Companion Disk Set. Also, the song "I'm So Sick" appears in Rock Band. On October 30, Flyleaf also released a digital EP titled Much Like Falling EP. The songs included on this EP were "Much Like Falling", an acoustic version of "Supernatural", the limited release song "Tina", and "Justice and Mercy." The EP is available on iTunes along with the expanded edition of their debut album.

On April 26, 2008, the band released their fourth video "Sorrow" from their debut album on MTV2.[11] The band toured with Seether in late spring, but had to cancel five shows due to a problem with Lacey Mosley's voice. The members of Flyleaf took the fall off to write new music, hoping to begin recording by January.

Flyleaf also contributed a cover of the song, "What's This?" from The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack for its cover album, Nightmare Revisited.

Memento Mori (2009–present)

Flyleaf has finished recording their upcoming sophomore album. The new album has 14 songs, which were selected out of the 30 already written. Some of these songs, such as "Again", "Have We Lost", and "Beautiful Bride" have been performed live. The band reunited with producer Howard Benson to make the album, and it was released on November 10, 2009.[12] The album has been titled Memento Mori. It features songs like "Beautiful Bride", "Bittersweet", "Arise", "Missing", "Break Your Knees", "Have We Lost", "Again" and "Set Apart This Dream" which was inspired by self-help book Wild at Heart.[13] Flyleaf has debuted an additional two songs live during a small acoustic tour the band did in Afghanistan for United States Troops called "Chasm" and "Circle"[14]. According to their Myspace page, Flyleaf's first single "Again" from the album is currently released on iTunes and is also played on the radio. Meiert Avis directed Flyleaf's music video titled "Again".

The group, starting in Seattle, Washington on September 28, 2009, held VIP listening parties throughout the country inviting fans to be the first to hear a selection of songs from the new record and view brand new music videos before they aired nationwide. By partnering with Eventful, fans were given the opportunity to demand that their city get routed into the "Road To Memento Mori" using Eventful's "Demand It!" service.

Based on overwhelming demand there were over 10 events. Fans saw Lacey Mosley, Sameer Bhattacharya, and Jared Hartmann, who made special appearances at these intimate gatherings across the country.[15]

The band released, on November 2, 2009, a short Webepisode for their new album.[16]

Flyleaf's other video "Beautiful Bride" was shot in early August of 2009 by director Don Tyler. The video was originally released at the Memento Mori listening events, but was later featured on Yahoo the day Memento Mori came out. The video features James' sister/Sameer's wife, April, as the bride and Joshua Sturm, Lacey's husband, as the groom. Like Again, this video features Pat's artwork throughout the video.

Future singles are set to include "Chasm" for rock stations and "Missing" for pop/alternative.

Christian faith

All five members of the band are of the Christian faith.[17] This faith influences their music, but lead singer Lacey Mosley doesn't necessarily believe that makes Flyleaf strictly a Christian band. "We all share the same faith. And so when we deal with the whole 'Christian band thing,' we kind of think about something P.O.D. says, like, 'If you're a Christian, it affects everything in your life. So if you're a plumber, does that make you a Christian plumber?'" Mosley said. "I don't know the answer. We're a band, it's part of who we are, so it comes out in our music, and it's the fuel for what we do. And finding faith saved my life. So I'm not ashamed of it at all. And most of our album reflects that."[18]

Sameer has given his thoughts about the whole "Christian band thing" on Flyeaf's Myspace

 

[Aero_Hudson]

I love me some Flyleaf. I have not purchased any albums as of yet but Lacey sings a duet with Mac Powell of Third Day on their Revelation album on the track "Born Again". She is wonderful. I have also listened to quite a bit of their music on the radio and have really liked what I have heard. Great band!

 

[Twisted Hawk]

I liked Plugged In's thoughts on this band.

PluggedIn: There are bands that label theirselves Christian out there, but you would have a hard time finding scriptural messages in their lyrics. Flyleaf however, is a band that dodges the Christian Label, but you'd be hard pressed to find a band that processes it's faith more boldly.

 

[Lewis]

Flyleaf was here in Philly a couple of months ago, and they even did a radio program, on one of our rock stations. Anyway I noticed how much the secular realm, loves this band, I don't even think that they see a Christian connection, you should have heard the secular hype.

 

[Samara]

One of my favourites too!

 

[Nick]

Flyleaf was here in Philly a couple of months ago, and they even did a radio program, on one of our rock stations. Anyway I noticed how much the secular realm, loves this band, I don't even think that they see a Christian connection, you should have heard the secular hype.

Same thing happens with switchfoot and paramore.

Great bands, all three of them, and they proclaim Christ in their lyrics.

 

[Luci]

I think from Christian rock my most favourite band is Skillet; but Flyleaf belongs to my favourites too. ^_^

 

[Gat0rvean]

Just wanted to drop a line and show some love for Flyleaf!

 

[Lewis]

I also want to give a shout out to Pillar

 

[theLords]

Flyleaf was here in Philly a couple of months ago, and they even did a radio program, on one of our rock stations. Anyway I noticed how much the secular realm, loves this band, I don't even think that they see a Christian connection, you should have heard the secular hype.

How is it that it flies over their heads?

 

[old_tractor]

Yes, a shout out for Flyleaf, Pillar and Skillet. Red and TFK are excellent too!

 

[Gendou Ikari]

How is it that it flies over their heads?

Honestly, Flyleaf's music comes off as secular if you want to interpret it that way, and religious if you want to interpret it that way. The band summed it up perfectly. They are not a Christian band. They are a band that happens to be Christian.

Absolutely adore Flyleaf! :heart

 

[Oats]

Same thing happens with switchfoot and paramore.

Great bands, all three of them, and they proclaim Christ in their lyrics.

PARAMORE!!!
didn't know that...

[video=youtube;qwpveU6pV-Q]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwpveU6pV-Q[/video]


I think this is Christian too...but its an Indy band

 

[AnberlinFan]

I did not know this, very enlightening and I love me some Anberlin too of course haha