Anberlin's major leap to mainstream stardom
Listen up!
Brian Washburn
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: Lifestyles
Major labels might be heading towards extinction, but that doesn't mean they still can't provide a veteran underground band the ladder to the mainstream. The members of veteran rock band Anberlin have decided to take advantage of the usually unpopular decision to jump into the big leagues. With a new album, however, new guitar player and a top 15 debut on the Billboard charts, Anberlin seems to have their heads on straight and reaching towards the big time.
The Florida-based, five piece band, made up of vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat and drummer Nathan Young, decided to make the leap to major label Universal Records. They spent five years making three records with successful indie label Tooth and Nail. But the switch did not come without some changes.
"Any time you switch labels it's going to be different," said Young in a phone interview. "Tooth and Nail was great. We had three records with them and they worked hard, but it's time to go to the next level. [Universal] has people who have been doing it longer and know how to get us places Tooth and Nail couldn't."
Young said the one place Universal could take them their previous label could not was the radio because of the band's ability to "be a radio rock band." Whether it was the band's ability to be a mainstream rock band (because of their poppy, hard rock, which can be compared to the likes of the Foo Fighters, Armor For Sleep and many other Warped Tour veterans) or their leagues of die-hard fans across the nation, something propelled Anberlin to a top 15 debut (their second top 20 debut on the Billboard Charts in a row) with their new album, New Surrender.
"It's so insane," Young said. "We were just saying that we never would have thought this five years ago, or even two years ago. In this day and age, it's so hard to move units and do well, but the fact we did that was a goal we never would have imagined."
The Florida-based, five piece band, made up of vocalist Stephen Christian, guitarists Joseph Milligan and Christian McAlhaney, bassist Deon Rexroat and drummer Nathan Young, decided to make the leap to major label Universal Records. They spent five years making three records with successful indie label Tooth and Nail. But the switch did not come without some changes.
"Any time you switch labels it's going to be different," said Young in a phone interview. "Tooth and Nail was great. We had three records with them and they worked hard, but it's time to go to the next level. [Universal] has people who have been doing it longer and know how to get us places Tooth and Nail couldn't."
Young said the one place Universal could take them their previous label could not was the radio because of the band's ability to "be a radio rock band." Whether it was the band's ability to be a mainstream rock band (because of their poppy, hard rock, which can be compared to the likes of the Foo Fighters, Armor For Sleep and many other Warped Tour veterans) or their leagues of die-hard fans across the nation, something propelled Anberlin to a top 15 debut (their second top 20 debut on the Billboard Charts in a row) with their new album, New Surrender.
"It's so insane," Young said. "We were just saying that we never would have thought this five years ago, or even two years ago. In this day and age, it's so hard to move units and do well, but the fact we did that was a goal we never would have imagined."
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