--FROM THE BAND'S PRESS RELEASE--
“I’m pretty sure this is the first record I’ve recorded totally sober.” – Chris Seaman of 3 Dates LaterDriven with a cause, occasionally delayed by life, and growing stronger all the while the band 3 Dates Later is set to release their debut LP, The Ten Year Hangover.
This album is a collection of songs that are cynical observations with optimistic intentions: “I think you could – be a cool guy – if you just lose the act, and stop drinking”. Having survived name changes that then changed back, members that have come and gone and then came back, and a constant barrage of scams designed to prey on young bands, 3 Dates Later has worked hard to stay the course in order to bring this record to life. The end result is a high-energy demonstration of sarcastic sincerity.
Heavily influenced by the 90’s post grunge, punk resurgence, 3 Dates Later is made up of Travis Palen on bass, John Hager on guitar, Jarred Wion on drums, and front man/primary song writer Chris Seaman. After the album’s completion and prior to it’s release, founding member/guitar player Chris Gammill left the band and that’s when Hager was brought on board. As teenagers, Gammill and Palen formed 3 Dates Later in 2002. Singer Seaman was later recruited by Gammill. “When we first started, we really sucked” said Seaman. They had drummers with no rhythm and Chris initially struggled with singing in key. D.I.Y. style, they did seven self produced CDs, and played shows constantly, each one getting better than the last. Over time they slowly built their fan base opening up for bands such as New Found Glory, The Ataris, and Voodoo Glow Skulls. The band reached a point where they decided to pay to go into a studio to get a “professional” recording.
A common mistake made by studio engineers is that they often have been deluded to believe they know what is best. Despite the fact that the band voiced concerns against it, the engineer of EP #8 insisted that they plug their guitars directly into a digital modulator, and that they record using triggers on the drums instead of microphones. In the end, they had paid for 3dl400something they didn’t like, and didn’t release. The silver lining of the situation was that the band Kill The Reflection had previously experienced the same disappointment from the same engineer. KTR was able to look past the EP’s flawed sound, and recognize the potential contained within. They took the EP to the heads of their indie label, negotiations were made, and 3 Dates Later agreed to work with Lackpro Records.
The Ten Year Hangover is occasionally funny, and occasionally insulting. Like life, it has it’s mood swings.. Containing a couple of songs that date back to the band’s origins, the album teeters between adolescence and adulthood. In one song the author demonstrates a youthful insistence that he knows everything. In another he somberly accepts that he actually knows nothing. Released close to ten years after the bands formation, this album is a great representation of what they’ve gone through, and a promising look at what they have to offer in the future.
