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The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... is an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. The band is comprised of William Beckett (vocals), Adam Siska (bass), Mike Carden (guitar), and Andy Mrotek (drums). In 2004, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. The band has released four studio albums: Almost Here (2005), Santi (2007), Fast Times at Barrington High (2008), and Almost There (2026), along with four EPs. They temporarily disbanded in 2011.
On May 11, 2022, the band announced a full reunion, alongside a performance at that year's Riot Fest. The band released their first album in 18 years, Almost There, in March 2026.
William Beckett and Adam Siska decided to start a band together on March 4, 2003, after becoming friends during their time attending Barrington High School, recruiting Mike Carden (guitar) after his former band, Jodie, broke up. Next they added AJ LaTrace as a lead guitarist and Michael DelPrincipe (Little Mike) as a drummer. They recorded their self-titled debut EP, The Academy (2004), for the Chicago-based label LLR Recordings. LLR Recordings had previously released Beckett's solo project Remember Maine's debut album The Last Place You Look in 2002 and Mike Carden's solo folk album in 2003. The EP was recorded in Villa Park, IL at The Gallery of Carpet by producer Brian Zieske. Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy heard it and was impressed. In 2004, due to legal reasons, they needed to change their original name "The Academy", and ended up adding the "Is...". The label Fueled by Ramen immediately signed the band. In July and August, the group went on tour with Fall Out Boy, Bayside, Name Taken, and Armor for Sleep.
In 2004 the band headed to Florida to record their Fueled by Ramen debut Almost Here, produced by James Paul Wisner, who has worked with Dashboard Confessional, Something Corporate, Further Seems Forever, and Underoath. After recording the album and doing a summer tour, the band underwent a lineup change. Thomas Conrad, formerly of Chicago local band 5o4plan, replaced LaTrace as the second guitarist/backing vocalist, and Andy Mrotek, formerly of Last Place Champs, replaced DelPrincipe as the drummer. Andy Mrotek and Thomas Conrad are listed in the liner notes but were added to the band after the recording of Almost Here to replace DelPrincipe and LaTrace, respectively. The band toured extensively in support of the album, touring with Fall Out Boy, Something Corporate, Midtown, Matchbook Romance, Motion City Soundtrack and Armor for Sleep. The album was released on February 8, 2005 and the following summer, the band embarked on their first headlining tour alongside Plain White T's, Days Away and June. On Billboard's charts Almost Here peaked at No. 7 on Top Heatseekers, No. 16 on Independent Albums, and No. 185 on The Billboard 200. Later on in 2005, while Pete Wentz was finishing up work on Fall Out Boy's second album From Under the Cork Tree and his "latest side project" with John Janick of Fueled by Ramen, he discovered Panic! at the Disco and helped them release their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out through his label Decaydance. The Academy Is... was also signed to Decaydance that year.
While touring as a main act on the 2006 Warped Tour, the band began the process of writing songs for their second album. Once finished, the band flew to Los Angeles to record their record with Butch Walker. As of December 23, 2006, the band had officially finished the recording process and the album, entitled Santi, was released April 3, 2007 on the Fueled By Ramen label. The release of this album was listed on Blender's 25 reasons to love 2007. On January 26, 2007 a sample of "LAX to O'Hare" was released on the band's AbsolutePunk profile. The album peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200.
The band went on to release the song "We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands" as the album's first single, before releasing the album on April 3, 2007. Fall Out Boy, +44, Cobra Starship, and Paul Wall all joined the band on the 2007 Honda Civic Tour, after which the band moved on to the "Sleeping With Giants" tour with support from the Rocket Summer, Armor for Sleep and Sherwood. Partly through the tour, labelmates Cobra Starship were added to the support. The tour ended on November 24, 2007, in Chicago.
The band's third studio album, Fast Times at Barrington High, was released on August 19, 2008, through Fueled by Ramen. The title refers to the high school William Beckett, Adam Siska, and videographer Jack Edinger attended. The first single, "About a Girl," was added to the band's MySpace page on July 15, 2008, and was subsequently made available from various download sites. The lead model in the official music video for "About a Girl", Brittany Moser, also went to Barrington at the same time Adam and William were in high school. On August 25, 2008 "About a Girl" was played on The Hills (season 4, episode 2). The album made it onto Rolling Stone Magazine's 50 Best Albums of the Year ranked as No. 46. It peaked at No. 17 on The Billboard 200.
On William Beckett's Twitter page, it was said The Academy Is... have finished recording their new EP, Lost in Pacific Time: The AP/EP. It was released on September 22, 2009 on iTunes, and was sold on the AP Fall Ball Tour. A limited number were also sold on their webstore The track "I'm Yours Tonight" was released on the band's Myspace page. Another track, "Days Like Masquerades" was played at an anti-suicide benefit at Barrington High School, in Barrington, Illinois. On September 29, 2009, Pete Wentz announced via Twitter that TAI would replace The All-American Rejects for the St. Louis date of the Blink-182 tour, due to an injury to The All-American Rejects lead singer Tyson Ritter.
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The Academy Is...
The Academy Is... is an American rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2003. The band is comprised of William Beckett (vocals), Adam Siska (bass), Mike Carden (guitar), and Andy Mrotek (drums). In 2004, they were signed by the Decaydance imprint of the Fueled by Ramen label. The band has released four studio albums: Almost Here (2005), Santi (2007), Fast Times at Barrington High (2008), and Almost There (2026), along with four EPs. They temporarily disbanded in 2011.
On May 11, 2022, the band announced a full reunion, alongside a performance at that year's Riot Fest. The band released their first album in 18 years, Almost There, in March 2026.
William Beckett and Adam Siska decided to start a band together on March 4, 2003, after becoming friends during their time attending Barrington High School, recruiting Mike Carden (guitar) after his former band, Jodie, broke up. Next they added AJ LaTrace as a lead guitarist and Michael DelPrincipe (Little Mike) as a drummer. They recorded their self-titled debut EP, The Academy (2004), for the Chicago-based label LLR Recordings. LLR Recordings had previously released Beckett's solo project Remember Maine's debut album The Last Place You Look in 2002 and Mike Carden's solo folk album in 2003. The EP was recorded in Villa Park, IL at The Gallery of Carpet by producer Brian Zieske. Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy heard it and was impressed. In 2004, due to legal reasons, they needed to change their original name "The Academy", and ended up adding the "Is...". The label Fueled by Ramen immediately signed the band. In July and August, the group went on tour with Fall Out Boy, Bayside, Name Taken, and Armor for Sleep.
In 2004 the band headed to Florida to record their Fueled by Ramen debut Almost Here, produced by James Paul Wisner, who has worked with Dashboard Confessional, Something Corporate, Further Seems Forever, and Underoath. After recording the album and doing a summer tour, the band underwent a lineup change. Thomas Conrad, formerly of Chicago local band 5o4plan, replaced LaTrace as the second guitarist/backing vocalist, and Andy Mrotek, formerly of Last Place Champs, replaced DelPrincipe as the drummer. Andy Mrotek and Thomas Conrad are listed in the liner notes but were added to the band after the recording of Almost Here to replace DelPrincipe and LaTrace, respectively. The band toured extensively in support of the album, touring with Fall Out Boy, Something Corporate, Midtown, Matchbook Romance, Motion City Soundtrack and Armor for Sleep. The album was released on February 8, 2005 and the following summer, the band embarked on their first headlining tour alongside Plain White T's, Days Away and June. On Billboard's charts Almost Here peaked at No. 7 on Top Heatseekers, No. 16 on Independent Albums, and No. 185 on The Billboard 200. Later on in 2005, while Pete Wentz was finishing up work on Fall Out Boy's second album From Under the Cork Tree and his "latest side project" with John Janick of Fueled by Ramen, he discovered Panic! at the Disco and helped them release their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out through his label Decaydance. The Academy Is... was also signed to Decaydance that year.
While touring as a main act on the 2006 Warped Tour, the band began the process of writing songs for their second album. Once finished, the band flew to Los Angeles to record their record with Butch Walker. As of December 23, 2006, the band had officially finished the recording process and the album, entitled Santi, was released April 3, 2007 on the Fueled By Ramen label. The release of this album was listed on Blender's 25 reasons to love 2007. On January 26, 2007 a sample of "LAX to O'Hare" was released on the band's AbsolutePunk profile. The album peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard 200.
The band went on to release the song "We've Got a Big Mess on Our Hands" as the album's first single, before releasing the album on April 3, 2007. Fall Out Boy, +44, Cobra Starship, and Paul Wall all joined the band on the 2007 Honda Civic Tour, after which the band moved on to the "Sleeping With Giants" tour with support from the Rocket Summer, Armor for Sleep and Sherwood. Partly through the tour, labelmates Cobra Starship were added to the support. The tour ended on November 24, 2007, in Chicago.
The band's third studio album, Fast Times at Barrington High, was released on August 19, 2008, through Fueled by Ramen. The title refers to the high school William Beckett, Adam Siska, and videographer Jack Edinger attended. The first single, "About a Girl," was added to the band's MySpace page on July 15, 2008, and was subsequently made available from various download sites. The lead model in the official music video for "About a Girl", Brittany Moser, also went to Barrington at the same time Adam and William were in high school. On August 25, 2008 "About a Girl" was played on The Hills (season 4, episode 2). The album made it onto Rolling Stone Magazine's 50 Best Albums of the Year ranked as No. 46. It peaked at No. 17 on The Billboard 200.
On William Beckett's Twitter page, it was said The Academy Is... have finished recording their new EP, Lost in Pacific Time: The AP/EP. It was released on September 22, 2009 on iTunes, and was sold on the AP Fall Ball Tour. A limited number were also sold on their webstore The track "I'm Yours Tonight" was released on the band's Myspace page. Another track, "Days Like Masquerades" was played at an anti-suicide benefit at Barrington High School, in Barrington, Illinois. On September 29, 2009, Pete Wentz announced via Twitter that TAI would replace The All-American Rejects for the St. Louis date of the Blink-182 tour, due to an injury to The All-American Rejects lead singer Tyson Ritter.
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