The Gaslight Anthem

The Gaslight Anthem

The Gaslight Anthem are an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. Their music combines punk rock with blues, classic rock and other rock influences, and they are also associated with folk punk, heartland rock and punk blues.

Line-up and activity

The group consists of Brian Fallon on vocals and guitar, Alex Levine on bass, Benny Horowitz on drums, Alex Rosamilia on guitar and Mike Volpe. They remain active from 2006 to the present.

Releases and recordings

The band releases music through labels including Punkrockmusic.com, XOXO Records, Sabot Productions and Side One Dummy Records. Their first full-length album, Sink or Swim, appears in 2007. They follow it with the four-song EP Señor and the Queen in 2008. Their second album, The ’59 Sound, is released later in 2008 and reaches number 70 on the Billboard Top 200. It is produced by Ted Hutt, who also works with The Bouncing Souls, Flogging Molly and MxPx. American Slang follows in 2010, and Handwritten appears in 2012. The band has released six full-length albums and an EP.

Recognition and touring

Kerrang! describes them as one of the most notable new bands of 2008. In August 2008, they appear on the cover of the magazine, before it has previously published any coverage of the band. They tour with acts including Against Me!, The Draft, Dead to Me and Fake Problems, and later with Rise Against, Alkaline Trio and Thrice. In 2010 they play the main stage at the Reading and Leeds festivals alongside Arcade Fire, The Libertines and Modest Mouse.

Television appearances and influences

The Gaslight Anthem make their television debut on Late Night with Conan O’Brien in December 2008 with “The ’59 Sound”, and they appear on The Late Show with David Letterman in January 2009 with the same song. Their songwriting and image are strongly shaped by Bruce Springsteen, a major influence on the band. They describe their sound as a version of Springsteen backed by a Cure cover band, with extra aggression. One critic compares them to a speculative version of pop music in which Springsteen, the Ramones and C.B.G.B.’s occupy a different history.

Hiatus

The band announces an indefinite hiatus in 2015.