Army of Freshmen

Army of Freshmen

Army of Freshmen is a keyboard-heavy power pop band from the United States, originally based in Ventura, California. The group forms in 1997 and remains active.

Line-up

The band consists of Chris Jay on vocals, Aaron Goldberg on guitars and vocals, Owen Bucey on keyboards and vocals, Dan Clark on moog and Hammond, Kai Dodson on bass, and Mike Milligan on drums.

Origins

Chris Jay, who comes from New Jersey, starts the band after leaving high school and driving across the country alone in a minivan with the aim of forming a group. He spends a year in a one-bedroom apartment writing more than 500 songs before meeting other musicians and putting the band together.

Activity and performances

Army of Freshmen tour widely and build a national following. They have played in 35 states, have a mailing list of more than 5,000 people, and their website averages over 1,200 hits a week. They also appear on a syndicated television show in Japan.

The band opens for acts including Bowling for Soup, Sum 41, They Might Be Giants, Reel Big Fish, The Aquabats, Fenix TX, Midtown, Something Corporate, Fountains of Wayne, Homegrown, The Specials, Sugarcult, The Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Yellowcard, The Starting Line, Nerf Herder, The Impossibles and No Motiv. They also play dates on the Warped Tour, appear on The Get Happy Tour, and perform at Download Festival in the UK.

Recording context

At the point described here, the group has one record on a small independent label and no booking agent.