EMPIRES PRIMER
SO THIS IS TOM CONRAD.
He is a guitarist and a photographer. Tom used to play in a band called 504 Plan until 2004, with Jon Walker, Nick Scimeca, and Mike something or other..
Post 504 Plan, Tom played in a little band called The Academy Is... Jon Walker used to tech for them until Ryan Rossy stole him.
Around 2006, TAI was working on their second album. There was a lot of drama, especially between Mike Carden and William Beckett. Tom opted to stay out of the whole thing (and most of the creative process with the album). This led to him being kicked out of the band. Mike Carden once said that Tom was the guy you toured with, not the guy you wrote music with.
So Tom toured with Panic at the Disco, taking a lot of photos. He eventually returned to Chicago and a few months later, was the birth of Empires. Tom and Sean both came up with the name for the band, at the same time while on opposite sides of Chicago.
So as I said, this is Tom. He's 24, and his birthday is May 19.
Tom is a photographer. His website and blog is forevernever.net. Have some of Tom's lovely photos.
So sometime in early 2007, Tom started being cryptic and leaving hints to his new project. On December 23rd, Tom left a post in his blog linking to the newly formed MYSPACE for the band Empires, finally revealing the band to the world.
So Empires started playing shows, and on May 24th, released their CD "Howl" free for download HERE. Tom did the album art.
The band played more shows, and on 8.8.08 went on and east coast tour with Mark Rose of Spitalfield.
So, the band. They are not on any label and produced the whole record by themselves in Max's basement. Apparently their theme song is All Night Long.
L to R: Max, Al, Sean, Tom, Ryan.
This is Sean Van Vleet. He's good with faces, but not with names, and loves hanging out and talking to the fans, like the rest of the band. Sean's favorite song on the record is Anywhere.
He is the lead singer and songwriter for the band He used to be in a band called For The Birds. Sean and Tom are old friends from way back. They used to live tegether in the apartment below.
ETA: As of late 2008, Tom had moved out and Al has moved in to the apartment.
Tom and Sean also used to have a dog named Bear, but Bear went back to live with Sean's ex.
This is Maxwell Steger He's the other guitarist for Empires He's twenty, born of halloween, and the little brother of Tom's girlfriend. This is how Tom discovered him. Max is a little genius at guitar. He also produced Howl in his basement. Max also smokes.
This is Alfred Smith. He's the hot bassist. Little is known about Al, since he tends to hide after shows. His grandfather used to take him to the zoo in Madison when he was little. Al is 21, and born in December, I believe.
And lastly, this is Ryan J Luciani. He's the drummer for Empires. He's 22, and born on July 11th. He's fairly short, and has a tree tattoo representing his family. Rumor has is that Tom, Sean, and Ryan all lived together. In an apartment without heat. In winter. Right now Ryan J lives on other peoples couches (mostly Nick Scimeca, from what I've heard).
Ryan has the unfortunate tendency to injure himself during shows. He's fallen of his kit, hit himself in the eye, and skinned his finger, among other injuries.
Here is the hilarious youtube clip of Ryan J falling off his kit during I Want Blood one show.
So go download Howl and rock out!
Credit for some of the pics goes to cookiedough and lilithlotr, summertea, and the weareempires lj. Others, I have no idea.
He is a guitarist and a photographer. Tom used to play in a band called 504 Plan until 2004, with Jon Walker, Nick Scimeca, and Mike something or other..
Post 504 Plan, Tom played in a little band called The Academy Is... Jon Walker used to tech for them until Ryan Rossy stole him.
Around 2006, TAI was working on their second album. There was a lot of drama, especially between Mike Carden and William Beckett. Tom opted to stay out of the whole thing (and most of the creative process with the album). This led to him being kicked out of the band. Mike Carden once said that Tom was the guy you toured with, not the guy you wrote music with.
So Tom toured with Panic at the Disco, taking a lot of photos. He eventually returned to Chicago and a few months later, was the birth of Empires. Tom and Sean both came up with the name for the band, at the same time while on opposite sides of Chicago.
So as I said, this is Tom. He's 24, and his birthday is May 19.
Tom is a photographer. His website and blog is forevernever.net. Have some of Tom's lovely photos.
So sometime in early 2007, Tom started being cryptic and leaving hints to his new project. On December 23rd, Tom left a post in his blog linking to the newly formed MYSPACE for the band Empires, finally revealing the band to the world.
So Empires started playing shows, and on May 24th, released their CD "Howl" free for download HERE. Tom did the album art.
The band played more shows, and on 8.8.08 went on and east coast tour with Mark Rose of Spitalfield.
So, the band. They are not on any label and produced the whole record by themselves in Max's basement. Apparently their theme song is All Night Long.
L to R: Max, Al, Sean, Tom, Ryan.
This is Sean Van Vleet. He's good with faces, but not with names, and loves hanging out and talking to the fans, like the rest of the band. Sean's favorite song on the record is Anywhere.
He is the lead singer and songwriter for the band He used to be in a band called For The Birds. Sean and Tom are old friends from way back. They used to live tegether in the apartment below.
ETA: As of late 2008, Tom had moved out and Al has moved in to the apartment.
Tom and Sean also used to have a dog named Bear, but Bear went back to live with Sean's ex.
This is Maxwell Steger He's the other guitarist for Empires He's twenty, born of halloween, and the little brother of Tom's girlfriend. This is how Tom discovered him. Max is a little genius at guitar. He also produced Howl in his basement. Max also smokes.
This is Alfred Smith. He's the hot bassist. Little is known about Al, since he tends to hide after shows. His grandfather used to take him to the zoo in Madison when he was little. Al is 21, and born in December, I believe.
And lastly, this is Ryan J Luciani. He's the drummer for Empires. He's 22, and born on July 11th. He's fairly short, and has a tree tattoo representing his family. Rumor has is that Tom, Sean, and Ryan all lived together. In an apartment without heat. In winter. Right now Ryan J lives on other peoples couches (mostly Nick Scimeca, from what I've heard).
Ryan has the unfortunate tendency to injure himself during shows. He's fallen of his kit, hit himself in the eye, and skinned his finger, among other injuries.
Here is the hilarious youtube clip of Ryan J falling off his kit during I Want Blood one show.
Click to viewSo go download Howl and rock out!
Credit for some of the pics goes to cookiedough and lilithlotr, summertea, and the weareempires lj. Others, I have no idea.