Say Anything (band)
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Say Anything is an American
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...
band from
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, California. The band was formed in 2000 by
Max Bemis Maxim Adam Bemis (; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything (band), Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley (musician), Chris Conley in the Supergroup ...
and his friends, and within two years, they had self-released two EPs and a full-length album. In 2003, the band signed with their first label,
Doghouse Records Doghouse Records is an American record label currently based in New York City.Alan O'Connor, ''Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy''. Lexington Books, 2008, p. 41Google Books/ref> The company was founded by Dirk Hemsath in late 1987 ...
. A year later, they released their second album, '' ...Is a Real Boy''. To support the album, they picked up new members and began touring; however, despite rapidly growing critical and fan acclaim, Bemis' health problems, including
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
and drug addictions, sidelined the band in 2005 as five band members left during the year. Say Anything signed with
J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
in 2005 and, following Bemis' successful rehabilitation, re-released ''...Is a Real Boy'' with their new label. They went on co-headlining tours with Saves the Day in 2006 and
Hellogoodbye Hellogoodbye (sometimes styled as hellogoodbye) is an American pop rock band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album '' ...
in 2007. In 2008, Say Anything went on a headlining tour across the US and UK and appeared on every date of
Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the largest traveling music ...
. Bemis announced Say Anything's disbandment in 2018, months before the 2019 release of their eighth LP, ''Oliver Appropriate''. The band reunited in 2022 and released their ninth album, ''...Is Committed'', in 2024.


History


Early years (2000–2004)

The band was formed in 2000 by
Max Bemis Maxim Adam Bemis (; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything (band), Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley (musician), Chris Conley in the Supergroup ...
and four of his friends as Sayanything. Within two years, they self-released two EPs, ''
Junior Varsity A varsity team is the highest-level team in a sport or activity representing an educational institution. Varsity teams train to compete against each other during an athletic season or in periodic matches against rival institutions. At High school, ...
'' and '' In Your Dreams'', and the full-length '' Baseball: An Album by Sayanything''. In 2002, Sayanything added a space to their name to become Say Anything. In late 2002, Bemis and Linder recorded the ''
Menorah/Majora The discography of Say Anything, an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Say Anything is composed of Max Bemis (lead vocals), Coby Linder (drums), Jake Turner (guitar, vocals), Jeff Turner (guitar, vocals), and Parker Case (keyboard, ...
'' EP and released the album online. By this point, Say Anything's releases had generated "a major bidding war".
Drive-Thru Records Drive-Thru Records was a California-based independent record label owned by siblings Richard and Stefanie Reines. The label was partially responsible for popularizing the pop-punk/emo merger sound of the early to mid-2000s. After facing financi ...
pursued the band and called Max Bemis "the next
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
."
Brett Gurewitz Brett W. Gurewitz (born May 12, 1962), nicknamed Mr. Brett, is an American musician and record producer, best known as the co-founder and guitarist of the Punk rock, punk band Bad Religion. He is also the owner of the music label Epitaph Records ...
of
Epitaph Records Epitaph Records is an American independent record label owned by Bad Religion guitarist Brett Gurewitz. A large portion of the record label, known as Hellcat Records, is owned by Tim Armstrong, frontman of the punk rock band Rancid. Several ...
recorded "A Boston Peace," one of the dorm-room demos, with the band. In early 2003, Say Anything signed with
Doghouse Records Doghouse Records is an American record label currently based in New York City.Alan O'Connor, ''Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy''. Lexington Books, 2008, p. 41Google Books/ref> The company was founded by Dirk Hemsath in late 1987 ...
stating sarcastically that Doghouse "put out such obscure, borderline D.I.Y. records as ''
The All-American Rejects The All-American Rejects (often abbreviated as AAR) are an American rock band formed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 1999. After signing with the label, Bemis began writing songs for his band's Doghouse debut. Bemis went into the studio with Florida producer
Paul Trust Paul Trust is an American songwriter and record producer who has worked with recording artists such as MNQN, Starset, Morgan Wallen, Say Anything, Diecast, Endo, Jesse Strange, Atom Smash, Downplay, and The Cleopatra Complex. His work has app ...
. They recorded 3 songs that were not released although one of the songs entitled "Spider Song" would later appear on a Doghouse compilation. With tremendous self-created pressure, he threw himself into pushing the sonic boundaries of the band and maturing their sound, incorporating elements of math-rock, indie-pop and theatrical pomp. He and Linder also started the search for a producer. The two met several producers but eventually decided on Tim O'Heir and
Stephen Trask Stephen Trask (born Stephen R. Schwartz; born August 29, 1966) is an American musician and composer who graduated from Wesleyan University. He was the music director and house band member at the New York City club Squeezebox, where they performe ...
. Bemis struggled with different ideas for the record and decided the album should focus on "the artistic struggle, the fact that every creative person has this sick ambition to affect some sort of change in society with their art, to be more than just a guy in a band or a poet or a sculptor." Bemis originally intended the album to be a
rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
with a full script, narration, and a cast of characters. It was tentatively titled ''Zona! Zona!'' However, Bemis became overwhelmed by the entire process of writing and playing most of the instruments and had a breakdown. "I literally lost my mind while we were recording," stated Bemis regarding the breakdown. The breakdown was precipitated by a
mockumentary A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...
discussed by Bemis and O'Heir. Bemis' condition led him to believe he was being secretly filmed for the mockumentary; the situation culminated in him walking the streets of Brooklyn thinking he was being filmed while encountering friends (who were actually strangers). After recovering, Bemis decided to focus solely on the music and dropped the idea of a script. Around July 2003, the band began recording '' ...Is a Real Boy'', their first album with Doghouse Records. Bemis said the two people he wanted to "outdo with ''...Is a Real Boy'' were
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
and
Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...
." In addition to working with O'Heir and Trask, Say Anything worked with
Forrest Kline Forrest Scott Kline (born November 7, 1983) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is the lead vocalist of the power pop band Hellogoodbye. Early life He is of German descent and spent most of his childhood in Huntingto ...
(of power pop band
Hellogoodbye Hellogoodbye (sometimes styled as hellogoodbye) is an American pop rock band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album '' ...
) to record the '' For Sale...'' EP, released in 2004. The band also worked with ECA Records to record a promotional album that was never released. ''...Is a Real Boy'' was released August 3, 2004. The album featured Linder on drums and Bemis on vocals, guitar, bass guitar, and
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mus ...
. ''...Is a Real Boy'' received positive reviews, including a 99% from
AbsolutePunk.net ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to featur ...
and four and a half stars (out of five) from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
. When the band began touring in support of ''...Is a Real Boy'', they picked up Dan DeLauro, Casper Adams, and Kevin Seaton. Say Anything signed with
J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
in 2005, owned by
Sony BMG Music Entertainment Sony BMG Music Entertainment was an American record company owned as a 50–50 joint venture between Sony Corporation of America and Bertelsmann. The venture's successor, the revived Sony Music, is wholly owned by Sony, following their buyout ...
, one of the "big four" record labels. When asked why he signed with a major label, Bemis stated, "We were looking to expand our fan base as well as have more money to tour comfortably. I also wanted enough money to work with an awesome producer for 'In Defense of the Genre''">In_Defense_of_the_Genre.html" ;"title="'In Defense of the Genre">'In Defense of the Genre''" In June 2005, Say Anything was forced to cancel a six-week headlining tour with Circa Survive and Emanuel (band), Emanuel on the third day of the tour due to health problems with Bemis, including "full-on paranoid delusions" in Austin, Texas. At this point, Bemis' bipolar disorder and drug addictions were wreaking havoc on the band. Bassists DeLauro and Seaton had already parted ways with the band. Andy Jackson left in September after only a few months of touring with Say Anything. Casper Adams, who was clashing personally with Bemis despite a close friendship, was fired after a show. On October 3, 2005, Bemis had another breakdown; this time, it involved depressive behavior, spitting in food at an outdoor cafe, spending a "half-hour pouring a bowl of soup onto the floor, one spoonful at a time," engaging in a street fight and finally being admitted to a mental hospital by an off-duty policeman. This incident forced Say Anything to cancel another tour, this time with Bemis' personal idols Saves the Day, along with
Senses Fail Senses Fail is an American rock band formed in Ridgewood, New Jersey, in 2001. Founded by vocalist Buddy Nielsen, drummer Dan Trapp, guitarists Garrett Zablocki and Dave Miller, and bassist James Gill (replaced by Mike Glita shortly after); th ...
and
The Early November The Early November is an American rock band from New Jersey. The group formed in 2001 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. , they have released two EPs '' For All of This'' (2002) and '' The Acoustic EP'' (2002) and seven full-length a ...
. The band was replaced by Emanuel. After returning from his stay in the hospital, Bemis' mother and the remaining members of the band selected the
Menninger clinic The Menninger Foundation was founded in 1919 by the Menninger family in Topeka, Kansas. The Menninger Foundation, known locally as Menninger's, consists of a clinic, a sanatorium, and a school of psychiatry, all of which bear the Menninger name ...
in
Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, to rehab Bemis. Eventually, Bemis approved of their decision, admitted himself to the Menninger clinic, and has reportedly not had a relapse since.


''...Is a Real Boy'' (2005–2007)

Under
J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
, Say Anything re-released '' ...Is a Real Boy'' with a bonus CD entitled '' ...Was a Real Boy'' on February 28, 2006 (although the album was originally slated for release on October 18, 2005 and later January 17, 2006). However, copies were leaked before the official release date by
Tower Records Tower Records is an international retail franchising, franchise and online music store that was formerly based in Sacramento, California, United States. From 1960 until 2006, Tower operated retail stores in the United States, which closed when ...
and
HMV HMV is an international music and entertainment retailer, founded in 1921. The brand is owned by Hilco Capital and operated by Sunrise Records, except in Japan, where it is owned and operated by Lawson. The inaugural shop was opened on Lo ...
, with some copies selling on
eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...
at inflated prices. According to the album's liner notes, ''...Was a Real Boy'' was originally intended as charity record and recorded in Kevin Seaton's garage. Bemis said that "it was J Records' idea to reissue ''...Is a Real Boy''. They believe it has a mainstream appeal that wasn't really reached when Doghouse released the record." Around this time, the band also released " Alive with the Glory of Love" as a single. Alex Kent joined the band to play bass guitar after the band met him while touring with Lance's Hero.
Jake Jake may refer to: Name * Jake (given name), including a list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Katrin Jäke (born c. 1975), German swimmer * Jake (gamer), American ''Overwatch'' player and coach * Jake, a member of the band Enhy ...
and Jeff Turner joined to play guitar and help with backup vocals after Adams and Jackson left. Parker Case completed the sextet when he joined to play guitar and
keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping ** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware Music * Mus ...
after his previous band
JamisonParker JamisonParker was an American emo duo in the early to mid-2000s, consisting of singer/guitarist Jamison Covington and guitarist/bassist/drummer Parker Case. While active, they released an EP titled ''Notes & Photographs'' (2003) and an album t ...
broke up. At the time, JamisonParker and Say Anything shared the same manager, Randy Nichols; the band met Case while at a train station on the way to Nichols' wedding. In summer 2006, Say Anything toured with
Dashboard Confessional Dashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, formed in 1999 and led by singer Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" off their debut album, '' The Swiss Army Roma ...
;
Ben Lee Benjamin Michael Lee (born 11 September 1978) is an Australian musician and actor. Lee began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, but he focused on his solo career when the band broke up in 1995. He app ...
was with the tour in the US, while John Ralston joined the tour in Canada. The band was asked to be a part of the Warped Tour 2006, but instead opted for the Dashboard tour. Bemis later made statements implying he did not feel he was emotionally ready for a Warped Tour. Say Anything completed one of their first headlining tours in fall 2006, when they toured with
Piebald A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white backg ...
and
mewithoutYou MewithoutYou, usually stylized as mewithoutYou, was an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band consisted of Aaron Weiss (vocals), Michael Weiss and Brandon Beaver (guitars), Greg Jehanian (bass guitar), and Rickie Mazzott ...
.
Days Away Days Away was an American indie rock band based in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, formed in 1998. Biography Days Away formed in 1998 in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. When first formed, the group consisted of Keith Goodwin (vocals/guitar), Matt Austin (gui ...
,
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
and
Forgive Durden Forgive Durden was an American indie rock band from Seattle, Washington, United States. They got their name from the novel ''Fight Club''. They were signed to Fueled by Ramen. Fueled by Ramen released Forgive Durden's first full-length album, '' ...
opened for the band on select dates. In February 2007, Say Anything performed on ''
Last Call with Carson Daly ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' is an American late-night television series that was broadcast by NBC from 2002 to 2019. Hosted by former MTV personality Carson Daly, the series was initially formatted as a late-night talk show in line with '' ...
''. The band also released their second single, " Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too," which was from the ''...Was a Real Boy'' bonus disc. Also in that month, the band announced a co-headlining tour with Saves the Day and
The Almost The Almost is an American Rock music, rock band from Clearwater, Florida, fronted by Underoath drummer and vocalist Aaron Gillespie. Formed in 2005 as a solo project by Gillespie, the band currently includes guitarist Jay Vilardi, bassist Jon Tho ...
, John Ralston,
The Dear Hunter The Dear Hunter is an American progressive rock band originating in Providence, Rhode Island. It began as a side project of Casey Crescenzo when he was a member of The Receiving End of Sirens, before becoming his main band in 2006. The band's s ...
, and
Manchester Orchestra Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 2004. The group's current line-up is composed of lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, bassist Andy Pri ...
as openers on select dates. The band completed the tour successfully during April and May of that year. In August, Say Anything announced a co-headlining tour with
Hellogoodbye Hellogoodbye (sometimes styled as hellogoodbye) is an American pop rock band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album '' ...
sponsored by
MySpace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
. The tour took place during fall of the same year with shows in the US and Europe.


''In Defense of the Genre'' (2007–2008)

In the weeks before the release of their third album, Say Anything released several songs from the album on MySpace. They also announced pre-ordered copies could be ordered with a signed CD booklet. The band released their first single from the new album, " Baby Girl, I'm a Blur", on October 2, 2007. ''
In Defense of the Genre ''In Defense of The Genre'' is the third studio album by American rock band Say Anything. The album artwork was provided by Jeff Smith, an artist primarily known for his work on the ''Bone'' comic series. Background and production Writing and pl ...
'' was released on October 23, 2007. It was released in a dual-disc format complete with 27 songs and contained many guest vocals. When asked about the name of the record, Bemis said, "Whatever 'genre' (or music) one loves needs a defense, because half the world is too ignorant to really understand something before they dismiss it." Before recording the record, Bemis stated, "I hope that 'In Defense''will be more inspiring and uplifting. I want he recordto be ''
The Joshua Tree ''The Joshua Tree'' is the fifth studio album by the Irish rock music, rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 by Island Records. In contrast to the ambient music, ambient experimentati ...
'' with balls on laughing gas." Andy Jackson, a former member of the band and close friend of Bemis, along with Liam Ortmeier was responsible for recording many of the cameo appearances. He recorded some cameos while at the
Warped Tour 2007 The Vans Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the l ...
with
Hot Rod Circuit Hot Rod Circuit (HRC) is an American emo band from Auburn, Alabama, established in 1997. History Early years The band released their first album, ''Mr. Glenboski'', under the name Antidote, winning an award for "Best Unsigned Band of 1998" fr ...
and others in his home studio. Jackson recorded vocals from several musicians, such as
Gerard Way Gerard Arthur Way (born April 9, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and comic book writer. He is best known as the lead vocalist and co-founder of the Rock music, rock band My Chemical Romance. He released his debut solo album, ''Hesitan ...
,
Adam Lazzara Adam Lazzara is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist of the rock band Taking Back Sunday. Along with singing lead vocals, Lazzara plays guitar and occasionally the harmonica. Taking Back Sunday Joining the band Adam Lazzara initially ...
,
Anthony Raneri Anthony Raneri (born August 9, 1982) is an American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, who is the founder, lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the American punk rock band, Bayside. Early life Raneri grew up in Glen Oaks Village in Glen Oaks ...
, Anthony Green,
Hayley Williams Hayley Nichole Williams (born December 27, 1988) is an American singer and songwriter. She is the lead vocalist and only constant member of the rock band Paramore, which she co-founded in 2004. Williams was born and raised in Meridian, Miss ...
,
Aaron Gillespie Aaron Roderick Gillespie (born July 18, 1983) is an American musician, best known for being the drummer and clean vocalist for the Rock music, rock band Underoath, of which he is the only original member. He is also the lead singer and rhythm ...
,
Jordan Pundik Jordan Izaak Pundik (born October 12, 1979) is an American singer. He is a founding member and the frontman of Floridian rock band New Found Glory, for whom he sings lead vocals and contributes lyrics. He was also the guitarist in the band's now ...
, and
Chad Gilbert Chad Everett Gilbert (born March 9, 1981) is an American musician and record producer. He is best known as a founding member of the rock band New Found Glory, for whom he plays lead guitar, sings backing vocals, and composes music. He was als ...
.
Chris Conley Chris Conley may refer to: * Chris Conley (musician) (born 1980), American singer and guitarist with the rock band Saves the Day * Chris Conley (American football) (born 1992), American football wide receiver See also * Chris Connelly (disambig ...
and several others also provided guest vocals. ''
Alternative Press Alternative press may refer to: Individual publications * ''Alternative Press'' (magazine), an American music magazine Alternative journalism * Alternative media ** Alternative media (U.S. political left) ** Alternative media (U.S. political r ...
'' called the record "a truly magnificent sophomore effort" and gave it a 4.5/5, while ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...
'' gave the album four stars and Corey Schmidt of PastePunk said, "There are a few really great songs here." In January 2008, Say Anything announced a US headlining tour with
Manchester Orchestra Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 2004. The group's current line-up is composed of lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, bassist Andy Pri ...
,
Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish Rock music, rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, composed of Simon Neil (lead vocals, guitar) and twin brothers James Johnston (Scottish musician), James (bass, backing vocals) and Ben Johnston (Scottish musician), Be ...
and
Weatherbox Weatherbox is an American indie rock band from San Diego, California, United States, led by singer/songwriter Brian Warren and currently composed of Warren and varied touring members. Discography Weatherbox was originally signed to Doghouse Rec ...
. The tour took place in March and April of that year. After finishing this tour, Say Anything announced a headlining tour in the UK that took place in June. The tour was in support of ''In Defense of the Genre'', which was released in the UK on June 23, 2008. Say Anything released the video for " Shiksa (Girlfriend)" on April 9, 2008. On April 25, Say Anything performed on ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show is the second installment of the ''Late Night (franchise), Late Night'' franchise originally established by David Letterman. Hosted by Conan O'Brie ...
''. During summer 2008, Say Anything joined the
Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the largest traveling music ...
for the first time, appearing on all dates. On August 1, 2008, Say Anything announced the Max Bemis Song Shop, through which users could pay for Max Bemis to write a song based on a short writing by the customer. However, by the end of the night, the item was no longer available with the following text displayed on the item listing: "We're sorry but Max can't write songs as fast as you are requesting them. As soon as he catches up we will start again. Thank you so much for believing in our crazy idea." The Song Shop has reopened semi-annually since its initial launch, and taken down after about a week each time. This aforementioned message has been displayed each time the Song Shop was discontinued.


''Say Anything'' (2008–2009)

In an
online chat Online chat is any direct text-, audio- or video-based (webcams), one-on-one or one-to-many ( group) chat (formally also known as synchronous conferencing), using tools such as instant messengers, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), talkers and possi ...
with fans on March 14, 2008, Max Bemis stated that the band has plans to record a new record called ''This Is Forever''. He said it will be "about God and how we relate to Him."
AbsolutePunk.net ''AbsolutePunk'' was a website, online community, and alternative music news source founded by Jason Tate (the most recent CEO). The website mainly focused on artists who are relatively unknown to mainstream audiences, but it was known to featur ...
reported on August 1, 2008, that
J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
"picked up the option for Say Anything's next release." On November 10, Bemis announced that the focus of the fourth album changed and the new record will be self-titled. He noted that the album, which will be released in 2009, will ask "what the point of all of it was." Though Max has explained that he was very proud of ''
In Defense of the Genre ''In Defense of The Genre'' is the third studio album by American rock band Say Anything. The album artwork was provided by Jeff Smith, an artist primarily known for his work on the ''Bone'' comic series. Background and production Writing and pl ...
'', he described it as being more of an "homage to sort of a lot of the bands that we liked and, like, a style that we respected." He then explained that the new album would be "more concise and would be a bit more original, I want to say, and sort of pop out like
Is a Real Boy ''...Is a Real Boy'' is the second studio album by American rock band Say Anything, released on August 3, 2004. Recording On January 27, 2003, the band announced they had signed to Doghouse Records; shortly after, they recorded demos for their n ...
did." He also explained that this CD has both the catchiest and most mature songs they've ever recorded and called it a "step forward." During a concert at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York on April 25, 2009, Max Bemis proclaimed to the crowd that the newest album titled "Say Anything" is complete, and will be released "early summer," after stating that he was married three weeks prior to the event on April 4, 2009. According to Say Anything's In Studio website, on May 21, 2009, Max posted a blog stating, "I just wanted to let you guys know we’re done recording our new record, entitled "Say Anything", and we’re moving into the mixing phase. It should be out this fall. This record is kind of a new start, or at least a new phase in the Say Anything story." Max posted a blog on Myspace.com saying that the new album will be released October 13, 2009, and will be titled
Say Anything Say Anything may refer to: Film and television * '' Say Anything...'', a 1989 American film by Cameron Crowe * "Say Anything" (''BoJack Horseman''), a television episode Music * Say Anything (band), an American rock band ** ''Say Anything'' (al ...
. The self-titled album will be released by
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
and will have 13 tracks, including " Hate Everyone", the album's first single. "Hate Everyone" was officially released on August 25, 2009, after WBRU FM in Providence, RI became the first radio station to debut the single on the 17th. Lead singer Max Bemis also premiered the song "Crush'd," performing the song acoustic in WBRU's studio. The corresponding video for Hate Everyone was released on
MySpace Music Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it was the first social network to reach a ...
on September 1, 2009. The new album's release date had been delayed by three weeks and was officially released on November 3, 2009, after being posted to the band's Myspace page on October 28. On August 19, 2010, it was confirmed that Say Anything and
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
had parted ways. Max Bemis also announced via his Twitter account that big changes were to be announced during the following week. On September 29, 2010, it was announced via Say Anything's official website that Alex Kent would be leaving the band, and that
Kenny Vasoli Kenneth Robert "Kenny" Vasoli (born May 20, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vasoli is currently the lead singer and songwriter of pop-punk band The Starting Line and psychedelic pop b ...
of
The Starting Line The Starting Line is an American pop-punk band formed in Churchville, Pennsylvania, Churchville, Pennsylvania in 1999. They are currently based in Philadelphia. History Early years (1999–2001) In 1999, the band that would become The Startin ...
would be temporarily taking over as bassist for their upcoming tour. On October 24, 2011, it was announced that Adam Siska was officially joining Say Anything.


Side projects (2008–2011)

After recording ''
In Defense of the Genre ''In Defense of The Genre'' is the third studio album by American rock band Say Anything. The album artwork was provided by Jeff Smith, an artist primarily known for his work on the ''Bone'' comic series. Background and production Writing and pl ...
'', Say Anything band members
Max Bemis Maxim Adam Bemis (; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything (band), Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley (musician), Chris Conley in the Supergroup ...
and Coby Linder worked with Saves the Day's
Chris Conley Chris Conley may refer to: * Chris Conley (musician) (born 1980), American singer and guitarist with the rock band Saves the Day * Chris Conley (American football) (born 1992), American football wide receiver See also * Chris Connelly (disambig ...
and David Soloway on a side project named
Two Tongues Two Tongues is an American indie rock side project/supergroup, consisting of members of Say Anything (Max Bemis and Coby Linder) and Saves the Day ( Chris Conley), along with David Soloway, a former guitarist with Saves the Day. History Before ...
. The group features Bemis and Conley sharing lead vocals and guitar duties with Soloway on bass guitar and Linder on drums. Thirteen songs were recorded in Electric Ladybug Studio, Conley's home studio in
Chico, California Chico ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "little") is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 United Sta ...
. Bemis, Conley, and Linder previously collaborated on a cover song of
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
's " The Man In Me" for the compilation album ''Paupers, Peasants, Princes & Kings: The Songs of Bob Dylan'' released by
Doghouse Records Doghouse Records is an American record label currently based in New York City.Alan O'Connor, ''Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy''. Lexington Books, 2008, p. 41Google Books/ref> The company was founded by Dirk Hemsath in late 1987 ...
in 2006. The group's self-titled debut was released on February 3, 2009. Say Anything band members Jake and Jeff Turner self-released their six-track EP ''Some Day'' in February 2009 under the name XO. They recorded it with Matt Malpass in Atlanta in January 2008 at Monsters and Marigolds Studio. The album features both brothers on vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboard, with Jeff also playing drums. Around the same time, Parker Case embarked on a solo project named I and the Universe, while Alex Kent started a record label, Gnome Records and began work on his own solo effort under the name Alexander T. Kent. Alex also has a side project with members o
Japandi
an
Witt
called Qwermicide. In 2008, Say Anything featured on the
Punk Goes Crunk ''Punk Goes Crunk'' is the seventh compilation album in the '' Punk Goes...'' series released by Fearless Records. The album is composed of popular hip hop songs performed by various post-hardcore, metalcore and pop punk Pop-punk (also punk-p ...
album covering
Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), known professionally as Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan, which forme ...
's " Got Your Money". In 2009, Max and his wife,
Sherri DuPree Sherri DuPree (born December 3, 1983) is a musician, singer, songwriter and guitarist from Texas. She is one of the primary vocalists and songwriters for the band Eisley. DuPree is also a guest vocalist for many other projects, as well as a vis ...
(From the band
Eisley Eisley is an American rock band from Tyler, Texas, originally consisting of siblings Sherri DuPree, Chauntelle DuPree, Stacy DuPree and Weston DuPree. Remaining recording/touring members are their sister Sherri DuPree, Sherri DuPree-Bemis and th ...
) formed a small side project named "Perma" and were selling the demo during the 2009 tour. In early 2010, the band announced that they will be opening for
Angels and Airwaves An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in various ...
on their LOVE tour which kicked off on April 5. In August 2010, Max announced that he will be releasing a "lo-fi" post-punk album in Fall 2010 under the name "Max Bemis and The Painful Splits." Say Anything also toured with the bands
Motion City Soundtrack Motion City Soundtrack is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1997. The band's line-up consists of vocalist and guitarist Justin Pierre, lead guitarist Joshua Cain, keyboardist Jesse Johnson, bassist Matthew Ta ...
and Saves the Day in the fall of 2010. Bemis commented on it on his Twitter, claiming that Say Anything's fans might want to come up with their favorite
Two Tongues Two Tongues is an American indie rock side project/supergroup, consisting of members of Say Anything (Max Bemis and Coby Linder) and Saves the Day ( Chris Conley), along with David Soloway, a former guitarist with Saves the Day. History Before ...
songs, insinuating that the group will play a few songs on the tour.


''Anarchy, My Dear'' (2011–2013)

On 13 July 2011, Max Bemis posted a video on the band's website announcing that the band has officially signed with
Equal Vision Records Equal Vision Records is an independent record label based in Albany, New York. It was founded in the early 1990s by Ray Cappo, the singer for the punk bands Youth of Today, Shelter, and Better Than a Thousand. Initially, the label existed sol ...
, he also stated that Tim O'Heir, who produced their second record '' ...Is a Real Boy'' would be producing Say Anything's fifth studio record. Additionally, Bemis stated Equal Vision had acquired the rights to Say Anything's past releases, as he cited the proposed re-release of ''Baseball''. Bemis announced via an October 6 interview with AltPress.com that the name of the new record was ''
Anarchy, My Dear ''Anarchy, My Dear'' is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Say Anything. It was released on March 13, 2012 through Equal Vision Records. It is their last album with drummer Coby Linder, who left the band in December 2012. ...
'', and this was later confirmed by Bemis and the rest of the band via Twitter.
Anarchy, My Dear ''Anarchy, My Dear'' is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Say Anything. It was released on March 13, 2012 through Equal Vision Records. It is their last album with drummer Coby Linder, who left the band in December 2012. ...
was released on March 13, 2012. On April 20, 2012, the music video for the song "Say Anything" premiered on mtvU. On November 9, 2012, Equal Vision announced a statement that confirms the release of the re-release of the Say Anything record ''
Baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
'', the Menora/Mejora EP, the "Dormroom Demos", Junior Varsity, and other various rarities in a triple-CD box set that are limited to 5000 physical copies. A citation and more information can be found at Equal Vision's website. On December 28, 2012, it was announced via Say Anything's Facebook page that Coby had left the band on good terms. Max Bemis stated the following in regards to seeking a new drummer "Say Anything will continue on without Coby but we will not be seeking a replacement drummer to play on the records we put out, as Coby and his style of drumming is, in many senses, irreplaceable; rather we plan on having a multitude of drummers play on our material. Say Anything on record will now be identified in the same way Nine Inch Nails is, in that it's pretty much me and whoever I choose to play with at the time. Live shows will continue to have their own identity including Jake, Jeff, Parker, Adam, and whoever plays drums for us live. The band couldn't be further from breaking up, and as I’ve said recently, we plan on releasing music as Say Anything forever, and already have a lot in the works."


''All My Friends Are Enemies: Early Rarities'' (2013–2014)

On January 22, 2013, Say Anything released ''All My Friends Are Enemies: Early Rarities'', a three-disc compilation consisting of all of the material recorded by Say Anything prior to the release of ''...Is a Real Boy''. Disc one of this compilation is a copy of ''Baseball: An Album by Sayanything''; disc two is ''Menorah/Majora'' EP and the ''Dormroom Demos''; and disc three is titled ''Junior Varsity'' and includes all the songs from the first ''Junior Varsity (in Your Dreams)'' EP, in addition to other tracks. Overall, the album contains 45 remastered B-side tracks from the early days of Say Anything. The band toured from June 6, 2013 to late summer to promote this album.


''Hebrews'' (2014–2015)

On January 13, 2014, wife of Max Bemis, Sherri DuPree-Bemis published an Instagram photo stating that the new Say Anything album is almost mixed. The band's record, ''
Hebrews The Hebrews (; ) were an ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic-speaking people. Historians mostly consider the Hebrews as synonymous with the Israelites, with the term "Hebrew" denoting an Israelite from the nomadic era, which pre ...
'', was released June 10, 2014 on Equal Vision Records. The album was the first album that was self-produced by front-man
Max Bemis Maxim Adam Bemis (; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything (band), Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley (musician), Chris Conley in the Supergroup ...
. Bemis worked in the studio with audio engineer Garron DuPree for many months while recording the album at Bemis and Dupree's own studio in Tyler, TX. The album was mixed by mix engineer Brad Wood, and mastered by Emily Lazar. It returned to the collaborative nature of the band's earlier material, with guest vocals including Jon Simmons of
Balance and Composure Balance and Composure is an American emo band from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. They formed in the winter of 2007, after the breakup of two local Doylestown bands. The band's musical style has been compared those of Nirvana and fellow Pennsylvania ...
, Tom Delonge of
Blink 182 Blink-182 is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Poway, California, in 1992. Its current and best-known line-up consists of bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. Though its so ...
and
Angels and Airwaves An angel is a spiritual (without a physical body), heavenly, or supernatural being, usually humanoid with bird-like wings, often depicted as a messenger or intermediary between God (the transcendent) and humanity (the profane) in various ...
,
Andy Hull John Andrew Hull (born November 7, 1986) is an American singer, musician and songwriter. He serves as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Manchester Orchestra. He also has a side project, Right Away ...
of
Manchester Orchestra Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 2004. The group's current line-up is composed of lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, bassist Andy Pri ...
, Brian Sella of
The Front Bottoms The Front Bottoms are an American rock band from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, formed in 2006. They are currently a duo consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Mat Uychich. During live performances, they are currently ac ...
and
Jeremy Bolm Jeremy X. Bolm is an American vocalist, record label owner, music producer and writer. In his music career, he is most known for being the full-time vocalist of the post-hardcore band Touché Amoré. He has also performed with the part-time bands ...
of
Touche Amore Touché or Touche may refer to: Sports * Touché (fencing), French for "touched", a term used to acknowledge a hit Arts and entertainment * ''Touché'' (Hush album), by Australian band Hush, 1977 * ''Touché'' (Ryan Stout album), by comedian ...
. The album was met with positive reception by fans and critics upon its release, and the group embarked on a successful headlining tour in support of the album in the summer of 2014.


''I Don't Think It Is'' (2016–2017)

At about midnight EST on February 4, 2016, Say Anything released '' I Don't Think It Is'' without any prior announcement besides several teaser posts the day before. The album was co-produced by Bemis and Darren King of
Mutemath Mutemath (sometimes styled as MuteMath or MUTEMATH) is an American alternative rock project founded by American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Paul Meany. Originally co-founded as a band with Darren King in 2002, ...
, who also played drums and percussion, as well as Liam Ortmeier, who briefly appeared in previous works on guitar. The record was mixed by
Will Yip William Yip ( Chinese: 葉浩仁; born February 18, 1987) is an American record producer, audio engineer, songwriter and musician. Yip is an owner of Studio 4 Recording in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Yip is also the owner of Memory Music, an indep ...
and featured contributions by members of
The Hotelier The Hotelier is an American indie rock band from Worcester, Massachusetts, currently signed with Dreams of Field Recordings. The band's second album, '' Home, Like Noplace Is There'', has been featured on Spin's "The 101 Best Albums of the 2010 ...
,
Tiny Moving Parts Tiny Moving Parts is an American emo band from Benson, Minnesota. Formed by brothers William and Matthew Chevalier, and their cousin Dylan Mattheisen, the band has released seven studio albums since their 2008 formation in junior high. Their mo ...
,
Eisley Eisley is an American rock band from Tyler, Texas, originally consisting of siblings Sherri DuPree, Chauntelle DuPree, Stacy DuPree and Weston DuPree. Remaining recording/touring members are their sister Sherri DuPree, Sherri DuPree-Bemis and th ...
,
Japanese Breakfast Japanese Breakfast is an American indie pop band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, formed in 2013. The project is fronted by vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter Michelle Zauner; she is joined in its current iteration by long-serving music ...
and others. In 2017 it was announced drummer Reed Murray would be leaving the band. He was then replaced by Remington DuPree of
Eisley Eisley is an American rock band from Tyler, Texas, originally consisting of siblings Sherri DuPree, Chauntelle DuPree, Stacy DuPree and Weston DuPree. Remaining recording/touring members are their sister Sherri DuPree, Sherri DuPree-Bemis and th ...
for the band's ''
In Defense of the Genre ''In Defense of The Genre'' is the third studio album by American rock band Say Anything. The album artwork was provided by Jeff Smith, an artist primarily known for his work on the ''Bone'' comic series. Background and production Writing and pl ...
'' tenth anniversary tour. The band announced their signing to
Dine Alone Records Dine Alone Records is a Canadian and American record label, founded in St. Catharines and Toronto by Joel Carriere. The label is now based in Toronto, Nashville and Los Angeles. History Dine Alone was born out of founder Joel Carriere's home ...
at
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
2018 and revealed the existence of a forthcoming LP produced by
Will Yip William Yip ( Chinese: 葉浩仁; born February 18, 1987) is an American record producer, audio engineer, songwriter and musician. Yip is an owner of Studio 4 Recording in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Yip is also the owner of Memory Music, an indep ...
.


''Oliver Appropriate'' and hiatus (2018)

On August 16, 2018, Bemis released a nine-page letter to fans detailing the band's forthcoming record, his future plans for Say Anything, and struggles with his own sexuality and drug use. Say Anything's final LP for the time being, ''
Oliver Appropriate ''Oliver Appropriate'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Say Anything released on January 25, 2019 via Dine Alone Records. The album is a concept album and purported sequel to the band's second full-length album, '' ...Is a Real Bo ...
'', was released on January 25, 2019, via Dine Alone Records. The album is a purported sequel to '' ...Is a Real Boy'', featuring an adult version of the narrator fictionalized on that record who struggles with his own sexuality, leading to a violent conclusion. Bemis stated his intention to "sort of, kind of end" the band, but that the project would also likely return in the future to record and perform again. As for now, Bemis is finished with "the traditional music thing" and there will be no tour in support of the new album, nor any scheduled live performances in the near future. However, he went on a solo tour in 2019 where he played acoustic versions of Say Anything and Perma songs. During the tour, he confirmed that Say Anything would eventually return. On October 11, 2022, Max Bemis announced via Instagram that Say Anything would be reuniting in 2023 to play the When We Were Young festival.


Reunion and ''...Is Committed'' (2023-present)

In April 2023, Bemis posted a press release via the website Chorus.FM, detailing a reunion and new music, as well as announcing an all-new line-up consisting of himself, Case, Kent, co-founder Coby Linder (who previously left in 2012), and the addition of Fred Mascherino (
Taking Back Sunday Taking Back Sunday is an American rock band from Amityville, New York, formed by guitarist Eddie Reyes and bassist Jesse Lacey in late 1999. The band's current members are Adam Lazzara (lead vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar, keyboards, voc ...
,
The Color Fred The Color Fred is a band headed by former Taking Back Sunday guitarist and singer Fred Mascherino. The band got their name by a poll taken on the internet and ''The Color Fred'' was declared as the fans' favorite name. History The band was star ...
) and Brian Warren (
Weatherbox Weatherbox is an American indie rock band from San Diego, California, United States, led by singer/songwriter Brian Warren and currently composed of Warren and varied touring members. Discography Weatherbox was originally signed to Doghouse Rec ...
). A new single, "Psyche!", was released on April 28. Throughout the year, the band played on various dates at venues including the
Bowery Ballroom The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in Manhattan's Bowery neighborhood. The venue has enjoyed a fabled reputation among musicians as well as audiences. In 2013, industry insiders polled by ''Roll ...
in New York City, the
Red Rocks Amphitheatre Red Rocks Amphitheatre (also known colloquially as simply Red Rocks) is an open-air amphitheater in the Western United States, western United States near Morrison, Colorado, approximately southwest of Denver. It is owned and operated by the c ...
in Denver (opening for
the Front Bottoms The Front Bottoms are an American rock band from Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, formed in 2006. They are currently a duo consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Brian Sella and drummer Mat Uychich. During live performances, they are currently ac ...
), and the Regent Theatre in Los Angeles. They also played at the aforementioned When We Were Young Festival in Las Vegas. On December 6, 2023, the band announced a 20th anniversary tour for "''...Is a Real Boy''" to commence in April 2024 at the
House of Blues House of Blues is an American chain of live music concert halls and restaurants. It was founded by Isaac Tigrett, the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, co-star of the 1980 film ''The Blues Brothers (film), The Blues Brothers''. The ...
in Dallas. On March 21, 2024, the band announced via Instagram that their ninth studio album, titled ''"...Is Committed"'', would be released digitally on May 24 through Dine Alone Records. It was produced by Max Bemis and In Defense of the Genre's
Brad Wood Brad Wood is an American record producer and sound engineer based in Los Angeles. He has produced many albums, including Liz Phair's ''Exile in Guyville'' and Placebo (band), Placebo's Placebo (Placebo album), self-titled debut. Career W ...
.


Style


Themes and influences

Say Anything's music falls into the
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
,
emo Emo () is a genre of rock music characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of hardcore punk and from the Washington, D.C., hardcore scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore. The bands ...
and
pop-punk Pop-punk (also punk-pop, alternatively spelled without the hyphen) is a rock music fusion genre that combines elements of punk rock with power pop or pop music, pop. It is defined by its fast-paced, energetic tempos, and emphasis on classic pop s ...
genres. They can most easily be identified by their sardonic, literary sense of humor balanced out with a sense of intense catharsis. The band, as well as certain artists within the indie/punk scene such as
Cursive Cursive (also known as joined-up writing) is any style of penmanship in which characters are written joined in a flowing manner, generally for the purpose of making writing faster, in contrast to block letters. It varies in functionality and m ...
,
MewithoutYou MewithoutYou, usually stylized as mewithoutYou, was an American rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The band consisted of Aaron Weiss (vocals), Michael Weiss and Brandon Beaver (guitars), Greg Jehanian (bass guitar), and Rickie Mazzott ...
, Brand New, Bright Eyes and
Manchester Orchestra Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 2004. The group's current line-up is composed of lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, bassist Andy Pri ...
tend to straddle the line between older fans and a youth oriented audience. Their style incorporates pieces of
hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...
, bombastic
arena rock Arena rock (also known as stadium rock, pomp rock or corporate rock) is a style of rock music that became mainstream in the 1970s. It typically involves radio-friendly rock music that was designed to be played for large audiences. As hard rock ...
and
post punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...
. Bemis, the primary songwriter of Say Anything, stated, "I believe that an artist should let his art be appreciated by anyone who's interested and not 'play favorites'." He also said that lyrics are "based on experience." However, due to Bemis'
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
and his resulting mentality, the themes of the songs are often surreal, bleak, irreverent, personal, and autobiographical. Other themes include distaste with
snob ''Snob'' is a pejorative term for a person who feels superior due to their social class, education level, or social status in general;De Botton, A. (2004), ''Status Anxiety''. London: Hamish Hamilton it is sometimes used especially when they pr ...
bery and
hypocrisy Hypocrisy is the practice of feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not. The word "hypocrisy" entered the English language ''c.'' 1200 with the meaning "the sin of pretending to virtue or goodness". Today, "hypocrisy" ofte ...
. Drugs and mankind's relationship with drugs are also a popular subject in Say Anything's songs, especially on '' ...Is a Real Boy'', which was written and recorded after Bemis' several drug-fueled breakdowns. Specifically, "Admit It!!!", "Yellow Cat (Slash) Red Cat", "Try To Remember, Forget", "The Writhing South", and "Sorry, Dudes, My Bad" include references to Bemis' drug usage. In general, Say Anything tends to draw inspiration from alienation from a flawed society but confers a sense of hope. Max Bemis was raised "in a strong
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
environment." Many of Bemis' lyrics borrow from his Jewish roots, and contain elements of
Jewish humor The tradition of humor in Judaism dates back to the compilation of the Torah and the Midrash in the ancient Middle East, but the most famous form of Jewish humor consists of the more recent stream of verbal and frequently anecdotal humor of Ashke ...
. While most of band's earlier songs are free of any such inspiration, the songs of '' ...Is a Real Boy'' and ''In Defense of the Genre'' include references to Jewish heritage. " Alive with the Glory of Love," Say Anything's first single, has a main subject of a relationship affected by
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and
the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...
, based on Bemis's grandparents, while " Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" includes mentions of "the old shul" and a rabbi's teachings. A strong example from ''In Defense'' comes from the lyrics of "Died a Jew". The song includes several references to the Jewish people and its history along with mentions of "the murder of God" and Bemis' departures from
kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...
. References to religion come again in "Fed to Death" on ''Say Anything'', referring to a 'man from Nazareth' who would one day 'spring to life to smile and clear your name' but until then 'nail yourself upon the cross and hang your head in shame.' In regards to writing songs for ''...Is a Real Boy'', Bemis stated, "The songs were jam packed with fairly blatant nods to bands I dig (
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
, Saves the Day, Pavement,
Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...
,
Fugazi Fugazi (; ) is an American post-hardcore band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1986. The band consists of guitarists and vocalists Ian MacKaye and Guy Picciotto, bassist Joe Lally, and drummer Brendan Canty. They were noted for their style-transc ...
, etc.)." These can be considered some of Say Anything's influences. Other influences at some point cited by the band include Botch,
Weezer Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...
,
The Stooges The Stooges or Iggy and the Stooges, originally billed as the Psychedelic Stooges, were an American rock band formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967 by singer Iggy Pop, guitarist Ron Asheton, drummer Scott Asheton, and bassist Dave Alexande ...
,
Neutral Milk Hotel Neutral Milk Hotel was an American band formed by Jeff Mangum in Ruston, Louisiana, in 1989. They were active until 1998, and then from 2013 to 2015. The band's music featured a deliberately low-quality sound, influenced by indie rock and psy ...
,
Sunny Day Real Estate Sunny Day Real Estate is an American emo band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1992. The band currently consists of founding members Jeremy Enigk (vocals, guitar), Dan Hoerner (guitar) and William Goldsmith (drums), alongside Greg Suran ...
,
Wilco Wilco is an American Rock music, rock band based in Chicago. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo after singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently during its fir ...
, and the
Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...
. Also of note, the band has covered songs by
Ol' Dirty Bastard Russell Tyrone Jones (November 15, 1968 – November 13, 2004), known professionally as Ol' Dirty Bastard (often abbreviated as ODB), was an American rapper. He was one of the founding members of the New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan, which forme ...
(" Got Your Money"),
Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in the New York rap scene and gangsta rap tradi ...
("No Soul" contains the same hook as the sample in " Juicy" although it adheres more closely to the original song "Juicy Fruit" from which the sample for the Notorious B.I.G. song was taken),
The Four Tops ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
("Sure, Baby...Hold Back" features a chorus lifted from " Sugar Pie Honey Bunch"), Safety in Numbers ("Dealer"), Saves the Day ("Jessie and My Whetstone"), and
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
(" The Man in Me"). Max Bemis expounded upon the story of ''In Defense of the Genre'' as well as the differences between that album and ''...Is a Real Boy'' i
an interview with AbsolutePunk.net
on June 19, 2007.


Live shows

During live shows, some members of the group (other than Bemis) sing backing vocals. Bemis often sings parts he wrote, but which were sung by guest vocalists on studio recordings. In recent years, Bemis has switched up the lineup of performing musicians, using some permanent members of the groups, while rotating other musicians in and out of the live lineup. Beginning on the "All My Friends Are Enemies – Rarities Tour," Bemis added drummer Reed Murray, and bassist Garron DuPree. In summer of 2014 on the
Hebrews The Hebrews (; ) were an ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic-speaking people. Historians mostly consider the Hebrews as synonymous with the Israelites, with the term "Hebrew" denoting an Israelite from the nomadic era, which pre ...
tour, Bemis recruited ex-Taking Back Sunday member Fred Mascherino,
Moneen Moneen (sometimes stylised as .moneen.) is a Canadian indie rock band from Brampton, Ontario. History Moneen formed in 1999 after the dissolution of another band, called Perfectly Normal. The founding members were singer/guitarist Kenny Bridges ...
guitarist Kenny Bridges, and Moving Mountains vocalist Greg Dunn to replace Jake and Jeff Turner and Parker Case, who were at the time performing with their band XO. In the midst of the "Me Too" movement and accusations of sexual harassment against numerous prominent musicians, Bemis announced that the band would no longer perform "Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too" during live shows in 2017. His Twitter post stated that the song portrayed a "sarcastic caricature of someone I’ve never been at all and is no longer appropriate during this crisis." On September 8, 2020, frontman Max Bemis performed an online acoustic performance of the band's debut album, "...Is a Real Boy" in its entirety on an online livestream. During the livestream, Bemis stated that if the turnout for the livestream went well, the remaining Say Anything albums may also be performed online by livestream.


Members

Current members *
Max Bemis Maxim Adam Bemis (; born April 6, 1984) is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of the rock band Say Anything (band), Say Anything. He sang alongside Chris Conley (musician), Chris Conley in the Supergroup ...
– vocals, occasional guitar and keyboards (2000–2018, 2022–present) *Alex Kent – bass guitar, backing vocals (2004–2010, 2016, 2022–present) * Parker Case – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (2005–2018, 2022–present) *Coby Linder – drums, backing vocals (2000–2012, 2022–present) * Fred Mascherino – guitar, backing vocals (2022–present; 2014 touring member) * Brian Warren – guitar, backing vocals (2022–present) Notable touring members *Andy Jackson (
Hot Rod Circuit Hot Rod Circuit (HRC) is an American emo band from Auburn, Alabama, established in 1997. History Early years The band released their first album, ''Mr. Glenboski'', under the name Antidote, winning an award for "Best Unsigned Band of 1998" fr ...
,
Terrible Things Terrible Things is an alternative rock band initially formed in 2009 by Fred Mascherino, formerly of Taking Back Sunday, Andy Jackson of Hot Rod Circuit, and Josh Eppard, from Coheed and Cambria.Biography Allmusic The group released a self- ...
) – guitar (2005) *
Kenny Vasoli Kenneth Robert "Kenny" Vasoli (born May 20, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vasoli is currently the lead singer and songwriter of pop-punk band The Starting Line and psychedelic pop b ...
(
The Starting Line The Starting Line is an American pop-punk band formed in Churchville, Pennsylvania, Churchville, Pennsylvania in 1999. They are currently based in Philadelphia. History Early years (1999–2001) In 1999, the band that would become The Startin ...
,
Person L Person L was an American rock music, rock band fronted by Kenny Vasoli, of the pop punk band The Starting Line. Vasoli formed Person L in the winter of 2006 as an outlet to explore other musical styles. The group also consisted of drummers Brian ...
, Vacationer) – bass guitar, backing vocals (2010–2011) *
Chris Conley Chris Conley may refer to: * Chris Conley (musician) (born 1980), American singer and guitarist with the rock band Saves the Day * Chris Conley (American football) (born 1992), American football wide receiver See also * Chris Connelly (disambig ...
( Saves the Day,
Two Tongues Two Tongues is an American indie rock side project/supergroup, consisting of members of Say Anything (Max Bemis and Coby Linder) and Saves the Day ( Chris Conley), along with David Soloway, a former guitarist with Saves the Day. History Before ...
) – guitar, backing vocals (2014) *Greg Dunn ( Moving Mountains) – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2014–2016) *
Ryan Pope Ryan Pope is an American musician who lives in Lawrence, Kansas. History Ryan Pope grew up in Olathe, Kansas. In the summer of 1994, he was in a band called "Kingpin" with his brother Rob and future The Get Up Kids bandmate Jim Suptic. After ...
(
The Get Up Kids The Get Up Kids are an American emo band from Kansas City. Formed in 1995, the band was a major act in the mid-1990s Midwest emo scene, otherwise known as the " second wave" of emo music. Their second album '' Something to Write Home About'' r ...
) – drums (2024) Previous members *Evan Span – guitar (2000–2001) *Michael Levin – bass (2000–2002) *Josh Eichenstein (2000) *Dan DeLauro – bass (2003–2004) *Casper Adams – guitar (2003–2005) *Alex Hedrick — guitar (2004) *Kevin Seaton – bass, guitar (2004–2005) *Jake Turner – guitar, backing vocals (2005–2014) *Jeff Turner – guitar, backing vocals (2005–2014) *Adam Siska – bass guitar (2011–2013) * Garron DuPree – bass (2013–2018) *Reed Murray – drums, backing vocals (2013–2017) * Kenny Bridges – guitar, backing vocals (2014–2018) *Remington DuPree – drums (2017–2018) *Karl Kuehn – drums (2018)


Timeline


Discography

Studio albums * '' Baseball: An Album by Say Anything'' (2001) * '' ...Is a Real Boy'' (2004) * ''
In Defense of the Genre ''In Defense of The Genre'' is the third studio album by American rock band Say Anything. The album artwork was provided by Jeff Smith, an artist primarily known for his work on the ''Bone'' comic series. Background and production Writing and pl ...
'' (2007) * ''
Say Anything Say Anything may refer to: Film and television * '' Say Anything...'', a 1989 American film by Cameron Crowe * "Say Anything" (''BoJack Horseman''), a television episode Music * Say Anything (band), an American rock band ** ''Say Anything'' (al ...
'' (2009) * ''
Anarchy, My Dear ''Anarchy, My Dear'' is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Say Anything. It was released on March 13, 2012 through Equal Vision Records. It is their last album with drummer Coby Linder, who left the band in December 2012. ...
'' (2012) * ''
Hebrews The Hebrews (; ) were an ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic-speaking people. Historians mostly consider the Hebrews as synonymous with the Israelites, with the term "Hebrew" denoting an Israelite from the nomadic era, which pre ...
'' (2014) * '' I Don't Think It Is'' (2016) * ''
Oliver Appropriate ''Oliver Appropriate'' is the eighth studio album by American rock band Say Anything released on January 25, 2019 via Dine Alone Records. The album is a concept album and purported sequel to the band's second full-length album, '' ...Is a Real Bo ...
'' (2019) * ''...Is Committed'' (2024)


References


External links


Official websiteOfficial MySpace
{{Authority control Emo musical groups from California Indie rock musical groups from California Musical groups established in 2000 2000 establishments in California Musical groups from Los Angeles Pop punk groups from California Dine Alone Records artists Equal Vision Records artists J Records artists RCA Records artists Doghouse Records artists American punk rock groups