Post Hardcore / Alternative Rock / Screamo
About
The members of the Used had to overcome poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse, not to mention the straitlaced attitudes of their hometown of Orem, UT, to bring their screamo-tinged brand of post-hardcore to life. But they persevered and earned a contract with Reprise Records, releasing their self-titled debut album in June 2002. Having only played a handful of shows around Orem prior to their record's release, the band -- vocalist Bert McCracken, guitaristQuinn Allman, bassist Jeph Howard, and drummer Branden Steineckert -- began relentless nationwide touring that quickly saw their fan base multiply. Club dates soon turned into successful stints on larger-scale festival/package tours including the Warped Tour, Ozzfest, and Projekt Revolution alongside Linkin Park and Snoop Dogg. In the summer of 2003, the Used issued the introspective CD/DVD Maybe Memories, which contained unreleased songs, live material, behind-the-scenes footage, and more. Their official sophomore offering showed up in September 2004 as In Love and Death, and the guys hopped on the first incarnation of the Taste of Chaos tour early the next year. Around that time, they also recorded a version of the Queen classic "Under Pressure" with My Chemical Romance to benefit victims of the devastating tsunami of December 2004. Boasting a fuller sound, In Love and Death peaked at number six on Billboard's Top 200 and the Used continued touring behind it worldwide. Outside of the band, McCracken has also lent his vocals to the punk rock drum troupe Street Drum Corps. As the Used readied their third album, Steineckert parted ways with the group over creative differences in early fall 2006 (he went on to joinRancid). The live CD/DVD Berth appeared in February 2007 to tide over fans a bit longer until the proper full-length, Lies for the Liars, came out in May. Though he didn't perform on the record, drummerDan Whitesides joined the band as an official member just in time for the supporting tour. The group's fourth full-length album, Artwork, was produced by Matt Squire (Panic at the Disco) and released on Reprise in 2009.
Members :
Current members :
Quinn AllMan (guitar,Back.Vocals) Bert McCracken (Vocals,Keyboard)
Jeph Howard (Bass,Back.Vocals) Dan Whitesides (Drums ,Percussions)
Former Member :
Branden Steineckert (Drums Ex The UseD and Rancid's Drummer)
Albums :
The Used "Demo" (2001)
The Used "Self Titled" (2002)
The Used officially formed in January 2001, but members had played in many previous bands since the early 1990s, which helped lead to the formation of The Used. Founding member Branden Steineckert along with Quinn Allman and Jeph Howard were trying to start a new band and needed a singer. They had music for songs but no lyrics or vocals to go along with it. Tryouts for singers were held in Jeph Howard's house, but they weren't satisfied with anyone they heard, and described the auditions as being terrible. Quinn asked Bert McCracken if he was interested in joining the band. Bert met up with the other members and liked the music they wrote. After being given music that the band had written, Bert wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day to record a demo version of the song. The band welcomed him immediately and from there on out, Bert took over the vocals. Throughout all of this, the band members suffered from poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. They panhandled for change in order to buy food to stay alive while at the same time hating the Mormon town that they lived in and the people that lived there. The band's name was born when their friends claimed they felt "used" when contact was lost between them and band members due to them becoming more involved in the band.
Used continued to write songs together and recorded a demo album in Branden's bedroom titled Demos from the Basement. Drummer Branden Steineckert sent their songs to producer John Feldmann from the Ska group Goldfinger. After he heard "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", he wanted to get them signed. John flew the band to LA taking them out of their home state for the first time in their lives and played the songs for various record executives to try to get them signed, however, the first few weren't interested and it left John discouraged. Eventually, more people got hold of the demo and a few record companies were eager to sign them. They decided to sign with Reprise Records in late 2001.
Tracks :
- Maybe Memories
- The Taste Ink
- Bulimic
- Say Day Ago
- Poetic Tragedy
- Buried Myself Alive
- A Box Full Sharp Objects
- Blue and Yellow
- Greener With The Scenery
- Noise and Kisses
- On My Own
- Pieces Mended
Maybe Memories (2003)
In 2002, it was discovered that a Boston band had already trademarked the name "Used," so they decided to add "The" to their name, thus becoming The Used. Their self-titled debut album was released on June 25, 2002, and was produced by John Feldmann. The album received mixed reviews and featured four singles: "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", "The Taste of Ink", "Buried Myself Alive", and "Blue and Yellow", with the latter three entering the charts. The album has been certified gold. The Used would go on to play Warped Tour, Ozzfest, andProjekt Revolution, as well as Box Car Racer's first and only tour. During these tours, they had a 5th member, a touring guitarist by the name of Greg Bester. He was forced to return to his home country when he couldn't get a working Visa. The band received much recognition when Bert McCracken dated Kelly Osbourne. These events brought the band much fanfare and popularity. In July 2003, The Used released a compilation CD/DVD combo package titled Maybe Memories. The CD featured live, rare, previously unreleased tracks, and demo material. The DVD featured the history of the band, member bios, and part of a live concert. This release has been certified platinum.
Tracks :
- Maybe Memories (Live)
- A Box Full Of Sharp Objects (Live)
- On My Own (Live)
- Says Day Ago
- Just A Little (Unreleased)
- It Could Be A Good Excused (Home Demo)
- Zero Merchanism (Home Demo)
- Bulimic (Home Demo)
- Alone This Holiday (from KROQ christmas Album)
- Sometimes I Just A Go For It (Unreleased)
In 2004 lead singer Bert McCracken's ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, died of a drug overdose. Their second studio album was thus named In Love and Death, released as a reference to the tragedy Bert dealt with during the recording. The song "Hard to Say" was a reference to Bert's ex-girlfriend; although he wrote the song years earlier, it fit the moment and Bert felt that it was the right time to release it. The album received generally favorable reviews and spawned three singles: "Take It Away", "All That I've Got" (which earned them their first MuchMusic Video Award nomination), and "I Caught Fire", before being re-released in 2005. "Under Pressure" (a Queen and David Bowie cover song performed with My Chemical Romance) was featured as a bonus track on the re-release. The album has been certified gold. After finishing up an international tour for the album, The Used took about 8 months off before starting to work on their next album. On September 12, 2006, The Used announced and confirmed that Branden was no longer a member of the band. They said they felt they needed to move forward without him, and that there was a personality conflict between Branden and another band member; however, they did say that they love Branden and wish him the best in whatever he does in the future. In late 2006, it was announced drummer Dan Whitesides of New Transit Direction would replace Steineckert. Branden has since joined Rancid to replace former drummer Brett Reed..,
Tracks :
- Take It away
- I Caught Fire (In Your Eyes)
- Let It Bleed
- All That I've Got
- Cut Up Angels
- Listening
- Yesterday's Feelings
- Light With A Sharpened Edge
- Sound Effects and Overdramatics
- Hard To Say
- Lunancy fringe
- I'm A Fake
Berth (2007)
Along with the Vancouver concert from the 2005 Taste of Chaos tour, the package updates the band's history since 2003's Maybe Memorieswith footage about 2004's In Love and Death, the world tour, and the making of the new album Lies for the Liars as well as music videos. In addition, the band invited fans to submit questions and then videotaped those selected. It also gave a preview of "Pretty Handsome Awkward", the first music to be heard off of Lies for the Liars.
Tracks :
- Take It Away
- Listening
- I Caught Fire
- The Taste Of Ink
- All That I've Got
- Blue and Yellow
- I'm A Fake
- Hard To Say
- Maybe Memories
Lies For The Liars DEluxe Edition (2007) Shallow Believer E.P (2008)
On February 6, 2007, The Used released a live CD/DVD package, Berth, which included a full live concert shot on the 2005 Taste of Chaostour in Vancouver. It continued where Maybe Memories left off and showed what the band had been up to since they released In Love and Death. It also gave a preview of Lies for the Liars. Berth has been certified gold. The Used spent most of the early part of 2007 on the Taste of Chaos tour, before their third album, Lies for the Liars was released May 22, 2007. They also headlined the Give it a Name festival. In June, The Used played the MuchMusic Video Awards for the first time ever, and also received their second nomination for Best International Group Video, for "The Bird and the Worm". The Used were scheduled to play Warped Tour in June and July, in support of their album, but had to cancel because Bert required surgery to remove a node from his vocal cords. After Bert recovered, they played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September. Lies for the Liars charted in the top 5 in more than seven countries,and there were 4 singles released: "The Bird and the Worm", "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)", "Pretty Handsome Awkward", and "Paralyzed". Although Dan Whitesides was chosen as the new drummer, Dean Butterworth of Good Charlotte recorded drums for the album. The recording session for this album was the longest of any The Used album, as it took them over six months to record. Lies for the Liars received mixed reviews. and has 7 B-sides. The Used had considered making a double album since 19 songs were recorded, but this idea was dropped after they decided to save the songs for a future release. Before Lies for the Liars was even released, The Used had planned on releasing anEP of the album's B-sides. On February 19, 2008 the EP was released, titled Shallow Believer, which featured B-sides from all their studio albums. It was only released on digital music stores and it has charted #14 on iTunes' top 100 albums.
Tracks Album Lies For The Liars : Tracks Album Shallow Believer E.P :
1. The Ripper 1. Dark Days
2. Preetty Handsome Awkward 2. Slit Your Own Throath
3. The Bird and The Worm 3. Devil Beside You
4. Earthquake 4. Into My Web
5. Hospital 5. My Pesticide
6. Paralyzed 6. Choke Me
7. With Me Tonight 7. Sun Comes Up
8. Wake The Dead (feat vocals by Monique powell) 8. Sick Hearts
9. Find A Way 9. Black Your Mouth
10. Liar Liar (Burn In Hell) 10. Tunnel
11. Smother Me/Queso (feat vocals by monique powell) BEBAS
12. Darks Days
13. Devil Beside You
14. My Pesticide
15. Slit Your Own Throat
16. Pain
17. Tunnel
18. Sun Comes Up
19. Sick Hearts
Artwork + Bonus Tracks(2009)
The Used began writing for Artwork in early 2008, and originally hoped to enter the studio shortly after Kevin Lyman's 2008 "Get a Life Tour" withWeezer front-man Rivers Cuomo as producer of the album. The Used expressed their interest in the raw sound found on Weezer's 1996 album Pinkerton, and hoped to create a similar sound by working with Cuomo. The band ended up working with producer Matt Squire (Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Receiving End of Sirens) and did not enter the studio until the end of 2008.
The Used experienced several changes upon making Artwork. The band changed management within their label Reprise Records. This was the first album with new drummer Dan Whitesides; also the first studio album that was not produced by Goldfinger's frontman John Feldmann. Feldmann had been working with The Used since lead singer Bert McCracken threw a demo on stage during a Goldfinger concert in 2001.Commenting on the band's state prior to these changes, guitarist Quinn Allman felt that, "we were kept in a space with our resources that was creating an essence for our band that wasn't who we truly were." These changes allowed The Used to take their music in a new direction with Artwork.
Feeling that the band's previous albums had a similar sound, The Used hoped to make a brand new genre they refer to as "gross pop" withArtwork. In Alternative Press magazine, McCracken described the new genre, "In the past, we've always kind of brought pop sensibility into heavy rock, but this is going to be all that much more tantalizing and brutal. Our songs are 10 times messier and noisier than they've ever been." The themes of the record include "coming to grips with how much you really hate yourself" and the concept of mortality. McCracken, who had previously lived a "reckless life," recently came to terms with how easy it is to accidentally die after the tragic death of actor Heath Ledger. The song "Meant to Die" is loosely based on the death of Ledger and not being able to say "sorry," or "I never meant to die" after an accidental death.
Tracks :
- Blood On My Hands
- Empty With You
- Born To Quit
- Kissing You Goodbye
- Sold My Soul
- Watered Down
- On The Cross
- Come Undone
- Meant To Die
- The Best Of Me
- Men Are All The Same
- On My Own (acosutic From purevolume sessions)
- Lunancy Fringe (acoustic from purevolume sessions)
- Empty With You (acoustic from purevolume sessions)
- Mosh N' Church (demo)
