Joyce Manor

Last updated
Joyce Manor
Joyce Manor - Pirate Satellite Festival Hamburg 2015 01.jpg
Joyce Manor in 2015
Background information
Origin Torrance, California, United States
Genres
Years active2008 (2008)–present
Labels
Members
  • Barry Johnson
  • Chase Knobbe
  • Matt Ebert
Past members
  • Kurt Walcher
  • Jeff Enzor
  • Pat Ware
  • Mike Smith
  • CJ Mitchell
  • Justin Conway
Website joyce-manor.com

Joyce Manor is an American punk rock band formed in Torrance, California in 2008. The band's current lineup consists of singer-songwriter and guitarist Barry Johnson, guitarist Chase Knobbe, and bassist/backing vocalist Matt Ebert. The band's musical style is rooted in punk rock but has diversified over its career. The band first gained momentum through word-of-mouth and social media sites. Kurt Walcher was the band's founding drummer; the group has switched drummers each album cycle since 2015.

Contents

The band has released six studio albums, each typically short in duration. Their 2011 self-titled debut, featuring the single "Constant Headache", was released through indie label 6131; its 2012 follow-up, Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired , was distributed through Asian Man. The band signed a long-term contract with Epitaph Records, with which the band first released Never Hungover Again in 2014. The band explored different song structures and tempos on Cody (2016) and Million Dollars to Kill Me (2018). Its most recent album, 40 oz. to Fresno , was released in 2022.

History

Early history (2008–2013)

Joyce Manor originated out of Torrance, California, [1] [2] part of the longstanding punk rock scene in the state. Guitarists Barry Johnson and Chase Knobbe first met and bonded in late 2008, and decided to form a band on a trip to Disneyland. The band's name came from an apartment building Johnson would pass on walks. [2] The duo adopted an acoustic, folk-punk sound, and began playing house shows; [3] their first gig was opening for Andrew Jackson Jihad. Their sound evolved upon adding bassist Matt Ebert and drummer Kurt Walcher in 2009, and they began releasing demos. [4]

The band signed with 6131 Records, [5] who gave the foursome a small budget to tackle their first full-length. [6] The band's debut, self-titled album saw release in January 2011, and included the single "Constant Headache", which became their signature song. Though pop-punk had largely faded from the commercial spotlight, the band's popularity rose through word-of-mouth from fans online, particularly on Tumblr. Punknews named it their "2011 Album of the Year" and it landed the band on many year-end best-of lists. [7]

Joyce Manor performing in 2012. Joyce Manor (8109036674).jpg
Joyce Manor performing in 2012.

Johnson was uncomfortable with the attention, and channeled his angst into the band's next offering, 2012's Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired , a thirteen-minute thrash that explores its folk-punk roots and included a cover of the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star". [8] The group partnered with venerated imprint Asian Man Records for the release; Big Scary Monsters handled overseas distribution. The reaction from their fanbase was swift and divided; [9] Johnson called the album a pain to make, later confessing that he felt a pull to distinguish themselves from their contemporaries: "We didn’t want to be a Warped Tour band," he admitted. [10] "I was just really aware that people were gonna be listening to it [and] concerned with being cool. I was kind of trying to sabotage my career." [11] In support, the band played shows with AJJ, Algernon Cadwallader, Touche Amore, [12] Hop Along, [13] and Desaparecidos. [14] The band also supported Against Me. [15] The band's friends at Asian Man connected them with the staff at Epitaph Records, the fabled punk label, with whom the band signed to in 2014. [16]

Never Hungover Again: critical success and a move to Epitaph (2014–2019)

The band's first album for Epitaph was Never Hungover Again (2014), [17] [18] a release that united listenership and invited new fans. [9] Produced by Joe Reinhart, [19] Never Hungover Again represented the band's career-best ranking on the Billboard 200 at number 106. [20] Around the same time, the band received attention within the indie and punk communities for its stance against stage diving after the band interrupted several sets to call out stage divers. [21] [22] Rolling Stone included the band on its "10 New Artists You Need to Know" in 2014. [23] Never Hungover Again earned rave reviews from music critics, cementing the band's place as one of the top pop-punk bands of the 2010s; they were credited with spearheading a revival of emo music alongside acts like Title Fight and Tigers Jaw. [6] The band played shows in support of the album with Brand New, [24] as well as their first-ever [16] headlining slots alongside Toys That Kill, Mitski, [25] and Modern Baseball. [26]

In 2016, the band released their next album, Cody, produced by Rob Schnapf. It was supported by the singles "Fake I.D.", "Eighteen", and "Last You Heard of Me". For the album, the band dismissed Walcher; the members felt he did not connect with the band's songwriting. It became one in a string of percussionists sitting in with the group; Johnson recruited Jeff Enzor for Cody and its tour. [27] Schnapf encouraged the group to slow down the tempo and incorporate longer verses and bridges. [28] Cody was viewed as more accessible than previous efforts by critics; [9] Pitchfork dismissed it as an attempt to "sound like Everclear". [29] On Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, Cody landed at number 75, and in the top 30 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums ranking. [20] Cody was supported with tours alongside the Hotelier and Crying, [30] as well as other stints with AJJ and Mannequin Pussy, [31] plus another tour with Wavves in late 2017. [32] Cody ended up being their only album with Enzor behind the drum kit; he was replaced on 2018's Million Dollars to Kill Me by Pat Ware, of the group Spraynard. [33]

Frontman Barry Johnson in 2017 Joyce Manor (26353432828).jpg
Frontman Barry Johnson in 2017

The band issued their next album, Million Dollars to Kill Me , in 2018. Million Dollars to Kill Me was produced by Converge's Kurt Ballou, and spawned three singles, including the title track, "Think I’m Still in Love with You" and "Big Lie". The band played larger rooms than before, including two headlining shows at the Hollywood Palladium. [34] [35] The band was supported by Vundabar and Big Eyes on live dates, [36] and joined Saves the Day for a summer co-headlining jaunt in 2019. [37]

Recent events (2020–present)

The band had considered a hiatus before teaming with Ware; indeed, when he left the band in 2019, [38] Johnson confided in the other members that he felt the band was due for a break. [10] The next year, the coronavirus pandemic took hold, prompting the band to adopt a reflective view. Midway though the year, Joyce Manor issued Songs from Northern Torrance (2020), a rarities compilation collecting early demos. [39] The next year, the band issued a ten-year anniversary edition of their debut album, remixed by original engineer Alex Estrada, undoing editorial decisions made during the recording process the band came to regret. They added Neil Berthier on keyboards for live performances that year. [6]

The process allowed Johnson to reevaluate older, unfinished demos that helped birth the band's latest album, the Sublime-referencing 40 oz. to Fresno (2022). [40] The seventeen-minute long effort showcases a range of songs, both new and old, and includes a cover of "Souvenir" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Singles included "Gotta Let It Go" and "Don't Try". [41] The band reunited with Schnapf mid-pandemic to record the album. [42] Following Ward's exit, the band resigned themselves to simply being a three-piece, and enlisted Tony Thaxton (of Motion City Soundtrack) for a guest role on 40 oz. [43] The band supported the album with a domestic tour alongside The Story So Far [41] and another tour with Citizen, [44] and overseas dates with the Menzingers. [45] In 2023, the band played several dates with PUP, [46] and also partnered with Weezer—one of their original influences—to open several dates of their Indie Rock Road Trip Tour. [47]

Musical style and influences

The band's sound is a mix of power pop, pop punk and emo, with Pitchfork describing the band as writers of "very short songs and spiked alt-rock melodies with day-drunk surrealism, like a SoCal Guided By Voices that exclusively drank alcopops." [48] Cory Apar of AllMusic said Joyce Manor is stylistically a "more traditional pop punk" act. [49] The band members themselves have cited Blink-182, the Smiths, [3] Guided by Voices, Pissed Jeans, Rancid, [50] Against Me!, Weezer, and Television as influences. [51] Johnson and Knobbe first bonded over their love of Blink-182. [9] The band has covered songs from new wave groups such as the Buggles and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. [52] The band's lyrics have thematically explored "broken homes, drunken nights, [and] faltering relationships." [4] The band is known for its particularly brief song durations, which Johnson attributes to his tendency to self-edit, removing elements until he feels the song is at its best, whatever the length. [38]

Members

Current

Current touring musicians

Former

Timeline

Joyce Manor

Discography

Music videos

Related Research Articles

Ska punk is a fusion genre that mixes ska music and punk rock music. Ska punk tends to feature brass instruments, especially horns such as trumpets, trombones and woodwind instruments like saxophones, making the genre distinct from other forms of punk rock. It is closely tied to third wave ska which reached its zenith in the mid-1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Little Independent Records</span> UK record label

One Little Independent Records is an English independent record label. It was set up in 1985 by members of various anarcho-punk bands, and managed by former Flux of Pink Indians bassist Derek Birkett. In the 1990s it set up a number of subsidiary labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AJJ (band)</span> American folk-punk band

AJJ is an American folk punk band from Phoenix, Arizona, originally formed in 2004 as Andrew Jackson Jihad. Their lyrics handle themes of shyness, poverty, humanity, religion, addiction, existentialism, and politics. Singer/guitarist Sean Bonnette and bassist Ben Gallaty co-founded the band, and have remained its only constant members throughout. The band has released nine studio albums to date, with their most recent, Disposable Everything Else, having been released on June 14, 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Menzingers</span> American punk rock band

The Menzingers are an American punk rock band from Scranton, Pennsylvania, formed in 2006. The band consists of Greg Barnett, Tom May, Eric Keen (bass) and Joe Godino (drums). To date, the band has released eight studio albums, with their most recent, Some of It Was True, released on October 13, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deafheaven</span> American black metal band

Deafheaven is an American post-metal band formed in 2010. Originally based in San Francisco, the group began as a two-piece with singer George Clarke and guitarist Kerry McCoy, who recorded and self-released a demo album together. Following its release, Deafheaven recruited three new members and began to tour. Before the end of 2010, the band signed to Deathwish Inc. and later released their debut album Roads to Judah, in April 2011. They popularized a unique style blending black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock, among other influences, later called "blackgaze" by reviewers.

The emo revival, or fourth wave emo, was an underground emo movement which began in the late 2000s and flourished until the mid-to-late 2010s. The movement began towards the end of the 2000s third-wave emo, with Pennsylvania-based groups such as Tigers Jaw, Algernon Cadwallader and Snowing eschewing that era's mainstream sensibilities in favor of influence from 1990s Midwest emo. Acts like Touché Amoré, La Dispute and Defeater drew from 1990s emo and especially its heavier counterparts, such as screamo and post-hardcore.

<i>Never Hungover Again</i> 2014 studio album by Joyce Manor

Never Hungover Again is the third studio album by American rock band Joyce Manor, released on July 22, 2014 through Epitaph Records. Never Hungover Again explores topics like love and summertime. It contains both bracingly fast and mid-tempo punk songs, recorded live across two weeks at a Hollywood studio with producer Joe Reinhart. The album's run time clocks in at only nineteen minutes long. The band aimed for brevity, and most of the songs on the album are under two minutes.

"Catalina Fight Song" is a song recorded by the American rock band Joyce Manor. The song was released on May 15, 2014, through Epitaph Records, as the lead single from the band's third studio album Never Hungover Again. The song, which shares songwriting credits with all members of the band, focuses on frustration with life and refers to Santa Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California. The song uses quick concepts and vivid imagery to achieve a sense of listlessness.

<i>Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired</i> 2012 studio album by Joyce Manor

Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired is the second studio album by American punk rock band Joyce Manor released on April 14, 2012.

<i>Joyce Manor</i> (album) 2011 studio album by Joyce Manor

Joyce Manor is the debut studio album by American emo band Joyce Manor, released on January 11, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guerilla Toss</span> American art rock band

Guerilla Toss is an American rock band, formed in Boston in 2011. Now based in New York City, the group currently consists of singer Kassie Carlson, drummer Peter Negroponte, guitarist Arian Shafiee, keyboardist Jake Lichter, and bassist Zach Lewellyn. Guerilla Toss has released five studio albums, seven EPs, and three remix albums, on various underground labels, DFA Records and more recently on Sub Pop. They were listed in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "10 Great Modern Punk Bands" and Henry Rollins has called them "one of the first great bands of the new century".

<i>Cody</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Joyce Manor

Cody is the fourth studio album by American rock band Joyce Manor, released on October 7, 2016 by Epitaph Records. The California-based quartet first formed in the late 2000s, building a fanbase online and through exhausting touring. Its previous album, Never Hungover Again (2014), had cemented its status as one of the biggest pop-punk bands of the 2010s, earning rave reviews from critics. In the interim, the band dismissed original drummer Kurt Walcher, replacing him with Jeff Enzor, and frontman Barry Johnson embraced meditation.

<i>Million Dollars to Kill Me</i> 2018 studio album by Joyce Manor

Million Dollars to Kill Me is the fifth studio album by American punk rock band Joyce Manor, released on September 21, 2018 through Epitaph Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prince Daddy & the Hyena</span> American punk rock band

Prince Daddy & the Hyena is an American punk rock band from Albany, New York, formed in 2014. They have released three full-length albums and four extended plays.

<i>40 oz. to Fresno</i> 2022 studio album by Joyce Manor

40 oz. to Fresno is the sixth studio album by American rock band Joyce Manor, released on June 10, 2022, by Epitaph Records. For the album, the band reunited with veteran producer Rob Schnapf, who last worked with the band on 2016's Cody.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skatune Network</span> American ska musician and YouTuber

Jeremy Andrew "Jer" Hunter is an American YouTuber, musician, composer and music educator who hosts the YouTube channel Skatune Network, where they post ska covers of popular songs. They have also released original music under the name JER, played trombone for ska punk band We Are the Union since 2015, and performed on albums by The Bruce Lee Band, Jeff Rosenstock, and Illuminati Hotties. Prominent on social media, Hunter has been outspoken about the history and current state of ska music, earning the fan nickname "The CEO of Ska". BrooklynVegan has written, "You can't talk about the renewed interest in ska without talking Jeremy Hunter", while music critic Anthony Fantano has described them as "a one-person ska wrecking crew".

"Fake I.D." is a song recorded by the American rock band Joyce Manor. The song was released on August 8, 2016, through Epitaph Records, as the lead single from the band's fourth studio album Cody. The song depicts a hopeless one-night stand with a conversational narcissist. Frontman Barry Johnson wrote the song's lyrics, which reference a litany of public figures, including rapper Kanye West, author John Steinbeck, and actor Phil Hartman.

"Last You Heard of Me" is a song recorded by the American rock band Joyce Manor. The song was released on September 14, 2016, through Epitaph Records, as the second single from the band's fourth studio album Cody. "Last You Heard of Me" recounts a predictable night at a karaoke bar that ends in a regretful romantic entanglement. Though it shares songwriting credits between the band members, the song was largely written by frontman Barry Johnson. Its tangential lyrical style was inspired by the work of Mark Kozelek, and based off a sense of ennui and lethargy with drunken nights.

References

  1. Courtien, Andrew (2011-07-28). "Meet Joyce Manor: "Scream Along" Music From South Bay". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2020-06-23.
  2. 1 2 Miller, Shane (22 February 2013). "Joyce Manor appeals to the masses with new album and Fun Fun Fun Fest appearance". Dailytexanonline.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-16. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
  3. 1 2 Cohen, Ian (July 22, 2014). "» 'Never Hungover Again': A Little Bowling Alley Time With Torrance Pop-Punkers Joyce Manor". » Sports and Pop Culture from our rotating cast of writers – Grantland. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Artist Feature: Joyce Manor". CBS Los Angeles. February 24, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  5. Yancey, Bryne (June 16, 2010). "6131 Records signs Joyce Manor". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Joyce Manor at their SummerStage performance on upcoming album and more". Alternative Press Magazine. October 4, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  7. "Joyce Manor, The Exquisites, The Weaks". Manic Productions. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. Ableson, Jon (2009-08-20). "ATP! Track By Track Exclusive: Joyce Manor - 'Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired'". Alter The Press!. Retrieved 2013-10-12.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "This Is Post-Growing Up: Joyce Manor's Story Gets Boring So Their Songs and Crowds Don't Have To". Billboard. September 21, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  10. 1 2 Cohen, Ian (June 3, 2022). "Joyce Manor Dive Into Their Fountain Of Youth On '40 Oz. To Fresno'". UPROXX. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  11. Sacher, Andrew (June 8, 2022). "How a 'Never Hungover Again' outtake and a text about Sublime led to Joyce Manor's new LP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  12. "Joyce Manor released a new LP, touring (dates & song stream)". BrooklynVegan. April 19, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  13. "Joyce Manor to Tour US With Hop Along". Blow The Scene. September 21, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  14. Whitt, Cassie (November 28, 2012). "Desaparecidos announce east coast tour with Joyce Manor and States & Kingdoms". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  15. Paul, Aubin (July 10, 2012). "Tours: Joyce Manor / Algernon Cadwallader". Punknews.org. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  16. 1 2 "Interview: Joyce Manor". TheWaster.com. September 12, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  17. Gotrich, Lars. "First Listen: Joyce Manor, 'Never Hungover Again'". NPR. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  18. Sharp, Tyler. "Joyce Manor sign to Epitaph Records; announce new album, 'Never Hungover Again'". Alternative Press. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  19. Geffen, Sasha (23 July 2014). "(Album review) Joyce Manor – Never Hungover Again". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  20. 1 2 "Joyce Manor - Biography, Music & News". Billboard. August 9, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  21. Damante, Mike. "Joyce Manor and the Houston stage diver situation". Chron. Archived from the original on 15 October 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  22. "Joyce Manor Defend Public Shaming Of Stage-Diver". TheMusic.com.au. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  23. Rolling Stone (August 23, 2014). "10 New Artists You Need to Know Now". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  24. Press, Alt (May 18, 2014). "Joyce Manor, Broncho announced as support for select Brand New tour dates". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  25. "Joyce Manor & Mitski announce NYC-area 3-night run (dates)". BrooklynVegan. December 11, 2014. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  26. Ralph, Caitlyn (March 3, 2016). "Modern Baseball announce tour with Joyce Manor". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  27. Unterberger, Andrew (September 1, 2016). "Joyce Manor: These Things Take Time". Spin. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  28. Jackknife (October 9, 2016). "Joyce Manor: A New Frontier". Medium. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  29. Schnipper, Matthew (November 30, 2016). "The Year in Disappointment 2016". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  30. Brennan, Collin (July 20, 2016). "Joyce Manor announce fall tour with the Hotelier and Crying". Consequence. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  31. Sacher, Andrew (November 16, 2016). "Joyce Manor announce tour with AJJ and Mannequin Pussy". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  32. "Wavves and Joyce Manor Announce Tour". Pitchfork. September 6, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  33. Andrew Unterberger (September 21, 2018). "This Is Post-Growing Up: Joyce Manor's Story Gets Boring So Their Songs and Crowds Don't Have To". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  34. "Photos: Joyce Manor at the Hollywood Palladium – buzzbands.la". buzzbands.la. January 22, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  35. Cohen, Ian (August 21, 2018). "In The Garage: Joyce Manor Share The Scenes And Stories Behind 'Million Dollars To Kill Me'". Stereogum. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  36. "Joyce Manor, Vunabar & Big Eyes @ Brooklyn Steel (pics, setlist)". BrooklynVegan. October 17, 2018. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  37. "Joyce Manor And Saves The Day Are Uniting Emo Generations". Kerrang!. August 19, 2019. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  38. 1 2 "Joyce Manor on New Album 40 Oz. to Fresno, Fifth Wave Emo and "Trying to Get Murdered" by Sublime Fans: Interview". Consequence. June 9, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  39. "Joyce Manor: Songs From Northern Torrance". Pitchfork. June 10, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  40. DeVille, Chris (June 7, 2022). "Album Of The Week: Joyce Manor '40 Oz. To Fresno'". Stereogum. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  41. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (May 3, 2022). "Joyce Manor Release New Single "Don't Try": Listen". Stereogum. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  42. Chaudhry, Aliya (June 24, 2022). "How Joyce Manor reconnected as musicians and friends while making 40 oz. To Fresno". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  43. Renshaw, David (April 5, 2022). "Joyce Manor confirm 40 oz. To Fresno album details". The FADER. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  44. Sacher, Andrew (May 19, 2022). "Joyce Manor, Citizen, Prince Daddy & PHONY announce tour (BV presale for NYC)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  45. Gentile, John (March 8, 2022). "Menzingers/Joyce Manor/Sincere Engineer to tour EU". Punknews.org. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  46. Fu, Eddie (November 15, 2022). "PUP and Joyce Manor announce 2023 co-headlining tour". Consequence. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  47. Paul, Larisha (February 27, 2023). "Weezer Gear Up for 'Indie Rock Roadtrip' Tour With Modest Mouse, Spoon, Joyce Manor". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  48. Cohen, Ian. "Joyce Manor: Joyce Manor Album Review". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  49. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/joyce-manor-mn0002605300#biography
  50. Blow The Scene Staff (December 28, 2010). "Joyce Manor Interview". Blow The Scene. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  51. Chelosky, Danielle (October 4, 2021). "Joyce Manor at their SummerStage performance on upcoming album and more". Alternative Press . Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
  52. Pearlman, Mischa (June 14, 2022). "Joyce Manor on Continuing to Create Constellations of Time, Space, and Experience". Flood Magazine. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  53. Gnerre, Sam (21 July 2014). "Torrance's Joyce Manor plays with heart and fire on 'Never Hungover Again'". Daily Breeze. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  54. Fuller, Joseph (June 9, 2015). "Meeting Joyce Manor". ZERO. Retrieved 2016-08-08.