mewithoutYou

The group with an original name, mewithoutyou, was formed in Pennsylvania in 2002. Initially, it was a side project created by the members of the post-hardcore band, The Operation. The group was formed by Chris Kleinberg and two brothers, Michael and Aaron Weiss. Michael and Aaron loved music since childhood and wanted to become successful artists. Aaron enjoyed listening to Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel. Mike appreciated Michael Jackson and Bon Jovi. When The Operation was being formed, Aaron just enrolled in college. He wanted to become an English teacher. The Operation didn’t exist for too long. However, the band managed to release a successful album, There Is Hope for a Tree Cut Down. It was recorded with the assistance of the label, Takehold, in 2001. When the band fell apart, some of its members focused on the side project mewithoutYou and started experimenting with music styles.

Even though the lineup seemed to be full, the artists welcomed new members. They were a drummer Richard Mazzott and a guitar plater Ray Taddeo. Not all artists agreed with the way Weiss brothers approached music but continued to experiment with them. Before dedicating his life to music, Aaron worked in a flower shop. The band’s first performances looked like flower exhibitions. It was definitely unusual. However, not many people liked the approach. The majority of the group was influenced by the music created by Radiohead and Fugazi. However, unlike their idols, mewithoutYou members didn’t really sing. Aaron simply read his dramatic and lyrical texts with emotion. Later the artists added music, which mixed indie-rock, emo, post-hardcore, and other genres. Such a presentation was unique and brought the group new fans.

In interviews, band members shared that the texts of some of their songs were influenced by the Christian society, The Simple Way, which helped homeless people. Aaron was impressed with the sincerity of their approach, which, according to his opinion, can’t always be found in churches. In 2001, the band recorded its debut EP, Never Said That I Was Brave. It came out with the support of Kickstart Audio. While performing at a Christian festival, Cornerstone, the band caught the eye of a famous label, Tooth & Nail Records. Soon, the group signed a contract. In a few months, Ray Taddeo left the band. Aaron took his place as a guitarist until the musicians found a replacement. Daniel Pishock joined the group. In 2002, mewithoutYou presented a debut LP, Life. The lead single was "Bullet to Binary", which was very successful among emo music fans. After the release, many critics decided that the group had a bright future with emo style. But they were wrong. The band continued practicing different styles. In 2003, Aaron Weiss got an offer from the band Norma Jean to record its successful single, "Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste", which became part of its debut LP.

In 2004, Daniel Pishock left the band. Greg Jehanian took his place. Next year, the group got an MTV award for being original. The band joined such successful groups as Coheed & Cambria and Dredg on their tours. At that time, many fans wanted to book mewithoutYou for private events. In the fall of 2006, the band presented its third LP, Brother, Sister. The lead single, "Nice and Blue, Pt. 2", became popular. The producer was Brad Wood. The group members also invited Jeremy Enigk, who worked with such groups as Sunny Day Real Estate, Poor Old Lu, and The Almost. To record Brother, Sister, musicians used two new instruments, a harp and an accordion. They bought the accordion at an online auction. It was an Italian instrument, made in 1930. In 2007, The Hard Music Magazine called mewithoutYou the best rock group of the year. After some time, the artists finished working on a new album, It’s All Crazy! It’s All False! It’s All a Dream! It’s Alright. In 2012, the band presented a new LP, Ten Stories. The lyrics were inspired by William James’ essay. Three years later, mewithoutYou recorded another LP, Pale Horses. The artists returned to the hard rock, which they used in second and third LPs. In 2018, the band’s next album, [Untitled], was released. It was followed by an EP with the same name.