The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is an American alternative rock band that formed in 2004 in Middleburg, Florida.


History

Early years (2001-2004)

The band was started by childhood friends Ronnie Winter and Duke Kitchens in AP music theory class which they shared in 01. They were both in other bands and mainly goofed around covering songs from bands like Blink 182 and MxPx. They later joined members from Duke and Ronnie's other bands(Dishonest and The Recovery) together to officially form the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus in 2003. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus released an untitled demo with three songs in mid 2004, they added 9 more songs a few months later and released the self titled 12 song LP that same year.

Although the local reaction was undeniable, the industry wheels didn’t start turning right away. The band showcased for several labels to no avail, leading to discouragement between members, some of which left or were removed from the band. Their fan base continued to build to an almost unheard-of level for a local band, in-turn attracting New York-based A&R/Management executive Steve Tramposch. Just a few months later, following a flurry of industry attention, the band signed with Virgin Records after Tramposch accepted a Senior A&R title there.

Don't You Fake It (2005-2007)

In 2006, they released their first LP, Don't You Fake It with the singles "Face Down", "False Pretense", "Your Guardian Angel", and "Damn Regret".

“Face Down” blends propulsive, chugging guitars, a steady beat and yearning pop vocals and climaxes in a detonation of dissonance and a volley of screams. “In Fate’s Hands” starts with plangent acoustic strumming then abruptly shifts into overdrive with start-stop guitars, tumbling drums and a chorus as angry as it is infectious. And “Cat and Mouse” is a melancholy ballad anchored by a repeating delicate piano line that surfaced as if by magic.

“We were at a showcase for a record label, and we were pretty sure we weren’t ready, so everyone was on edge,” recalls Winter. “So, to calm his nerves, Duke sat down with his guitar and just started playing. I walked up to him and said, “’Dude what is that?’ And he said, ‘I just came up with it.’ So I said, ‘Keep playing it. Don’t stop.’ And I made him play for two hours straight while we wrote the entire song all the way through.’”

The cantankerous “Seventeen Ain’t So Sweet” addresses a female friend who has an amazing voice but has been unable to make a dent in the music industry because she doesn’t look like a plastic pop idol, and the reflective, flowing “Your Guardian Angel” shows Winters letting down his guard and trying to express what it really feels like to be in love. But it’s “Face Down,” a scathing indictment of domestic abuse, which hit hardest.


The album was certified gold on November 27, 2006 by the RIAA for sales shipments exceeding 500,000 copies.[1] In February 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus headlined the US Take Action Tour organized for the prevention of youth suicide, along with bands such as My Chemical Romance and Rise Against.[2] Their song "In Fate's Hands" is featured in the video game Madden NFL 07, their song "Face Down" is featured in the video games Saints Row 2 and MX vs. ATV: Untamed, and their song "False Pretense" is featured in the movie Never Back Down (2008)

From 2006-2008 the band did several headliner and supporting shows with bands like Madina Lake, The Audition, Saosin, Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Taking Back Sunday, Lorene Drive, The Used, Monty Are I, Amber Pacific, Boys Like Girls, Halifax, Emery, A Static Lullaby, and So They Say.

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Don't You Fake It Deluxe Edition (CD/DVD) was released on February 23, 2007. The CD features the album and two exclusive songs, an acoustic version of "Face Down" and a never released out of Australia bonus track "Disconnected".

On May 3, 2007, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus performed on Fort Rucker, Alabama to help benefit the rebuilding of Enterprise High School after it was destroyed by a tornado on March 1, 2007.

Also, in May 2007, the band's single, "Face Down", was featured in the movie Georgia Rule.

In a 2007 interview with the Florida Entertainment Scene, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus teamed up with Virgin Records to raise funds for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. They also headlined the Take Action! Tour which sponsors awareness against teen suicide and against animal cruelty.

"In Fate's Hands" was used in Madden NFL 07 as well as the 2007 EVER OSL Starleague (Ongamenet). Additional songs used during that OSL season were "Waiting" and "Atrophy".

Lonely Road (2008-present)

In June 2007, according to Billboard.com, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus began to work on their second album, Lonely Road, that had "a tentative release date being summer 2008."[3] The band was then pulled out of their confirmed appearances at the Australian Soundwave festival tour 2008, after their label president promised to pay money that was owed and have the band in the studio, but instead didn't pull through.[citation needed]

In April 2008, the band began an acoustic tour on the east coast in various locations with the group Amaru, who is from the same home town. Ronnie said that the tour felt like they were "Getting back where we all started."

After pulling out of the 2008 Soundwave festival, the band took part in the line-up for 2009.

On September 30, 2008, the band announced in a MySpace blog that on October 3, they would be premiering a demo version of a song from the upcoming album. The song was to be available a day earlier for members of the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus "Alliance" fan group. However, the studio of the song "Pen and Paper" was released to members of the "Alliance" fan group on October 9, and was released on the band's MySpace the following day. Another song, "You Better Pray," the first single off of "Lonely Road", was premiered worldwide on PlanetRadio1073.com[1] for free listening beginning on October 21 and began streaming the next day on the band's MySpace page.

Their second studio album, titled Lonely Road,[4] was released on February 3, debuting in the fourteenth spot in The Billboard 200, and was produced by Howard Benson (My Chemical Romance, Daughtry, Less Than Jake, Hoobastank, P.O.D., All-American Rejects, Seether).

Beginning in October 2008, Matt Carter had replaced the former guitar player , Carter was seen working as a tech for the band in the winter and spring of 2008. He had previously jammed with the band before, but decided to pursue something else. Matt was asked to take his spot and has agreed to play with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. In an interview with a Jacksonville newspaper, Ronnie was asked whether or not Matt was officially in the band, to which he responded, "I don't know. I guess he's in the band. We're taking it slow."[5] Matt has had very little time to learn all of their songs before heading out on tour with them.

In support of this album the band has done many tours in the Winter of 08/09 and the Spring of 2009 with bands such as Shinedown, Framing Hanley, Tickle Me Pink, and more.

On March 20, 2009, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus released an EP titled Shock Session, featuring acoustic versions of "Pen & Paper", "You Better Pray", and "Face Down".

At the end of May 2009, they announced along with Hollywood Undead, Mest, and The Sleeping that they would be doing a summer tour for the months of June and July, playing mostly club and small venue shows. They will be rejoining Monty Are I for an August 2009 tour throughout Canada and California. On January 29, 2010, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus announced via their Twitter page that they will have a new EP out in May.[6]


Band members

Current members

* Ronnie Winter – lead vocals (2001–present)
* Duke Kitchens – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals (2001–present)
* Joey Westwood – bass, backing vocals (2005–present)
* Jon Wilkes – drums, percussion (2005–present)
* Matt Carter – rhythm guitar (2008–present)

Former members

* Thomas Amason - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2001–2005)
* Thomas Wurth - bass (2001–2005)
* Dan Wagler - drums, percussion, backing vocals (2001–2005)
* Elias Reidy - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2005–2008)