Texas Is the Reason

Texas Is the Reason

Texas Is the Reason are an American emo band from New York, formed in 1994 by former Shelter guitarist Norm Arenas and 108 drummer Chris Daly. The group becomes a key part of the post-Sunny Day Real Estate wave of emo, playing melodic but forceful rock before first disbanding in 1997. The core line-up is completed by bassist Scott Winegard and guitarist/vocalist Garrett Klahn.

Formation and name

Arenas and Daly start the band in New York City after leaving behind the macho attitude and religious preaching of their previous hardcore projects. Arenas plays guitar in Shelter, while Daly comes from 108, a band with a similar background. Winegard joins from Fountainhead on bass, and Klahn, formerly a bassist in Buffalo band Copper, joins to complete the quartet.

The name Texas Is the Reason comes from the Misfits song “Bullet” and also refers to a conspiracy theory about John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

Releases and label history

The band first gains attention through three songs on an EP, which helps establish them as an underground band and contributes to the growth of a new generation of emo groups. They follow it with a split single with The Promise Ring on Jade Tree Records, then another split single with Samuel on Simba in 1995.

Their only full-length album, Do You Know Who You Are?, is produced by J. Robbins of Jawbox and released on Revelation Records. The title comes from the last words John Lennon is said to have heard. Song titles including “The Magic Bullet Theory” and “Back and to the Left” continue the band’s references to Kennedy assassination theories.

Breakup and later activity

By 1997, the group is attracting major-label interest, including attention from Capitol Records, but internal tensions increase around that time. During a European tour, the band decides after the final show in Bielefeld, Germany, that it is the end of the group.

After the split, the members move into other projects. Klahn plays with New Rising Sons and later Solea. Daly joins Jets to Brazil and leaves after that band’s 2002 album Perfecting Loneliness. Winegard works with other musicians in a band called the Americans and releases records through the GrapeOS imprint he co-owns. Arenas spends time in Chicago DJing and is the only member to step away from indie rock for a period.

Winegard and Arenas later join Charlie Walker of Chamberlain and Jonah Matranga of Far and Onelinedrawing in New End Original, active from 2000 to 2003. Klahn’s New Rising Sons issue two EPs through GrapeOS, are later dropped by Virgin Records, and then disband.

Reunion shows

Texas Is the Reason later reunite for a series of live dates, including shows at Irving Plaza in New York, a second night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, a brief eight-date North American tour in 2013 that begins in Chicago and ends in Los Angeles, and European dates they describe as their final shows. They also play a one-off show at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, New Jersey, before the venue closes, and a final performance at London’s Electric Ballroom.