The Academy Was...

The Academy Is... is falling apart and losing almost half of their members just like a whole slew of other Fueled By Ramen bands (Paramore, Fall Out Boy, ring any bells?). If you're too lazy to read the letter above, Andy "The Butcher" Mrotek and Michael Guy Chislett are leaving to pursue other creative ventures, for The Butcher, namely a band with the same name as his online art gallery, The Animal Upstairs, and for Chislett, touring as a guitarist for Brooke Fraser. Just conjecture here, but I don't think that this was their idea.

Neither leaving musician was a founding member (The Butcher replaced Michael DelPrincipe, the original drummer, and Chislett replaced Tom Conrad, making him the third lead guitarist). TAI has begun to follow suit in the manner of many young(ish) powerpop bands with a revolving door of musicians coming and going for one or two albums each.

The majority of lyrics have been credited to singer/frontman William Beckett, and the majority of the music has been credited to Beckett and only-remaining-guitarist Mike Carden, so they seem to be in good hands as far as writing new music goes. Their website features a clip of new material, though there's no hint as to when there will next be an album release. The last formal album came out in 2008, though an EP came in concurrence with their spot on the AP Fall Ball Tour in 2009.

" i feel the tide is turning, the end of a chapter starts today, do i really belong here anymore anyway?"

click to listen.