All American Rejects Bio
Tyson Ritter (vocals/bass) and Nick Wheeler
(guitar/programming) were in junior high school when music started to
influence them. Both were stuck in the ho-hum life of small-town
America. Stillwater, OK, wasn't exactly the most exciting place in the
world, so naturally the boys turned to music. While Ritter was staying
up late, watching music videos and rocking out to AC/DC, Wheeler was on
the other side of town, raiding his sister's music collection of Def
Leppard, Poison, and Bon Jovi records. Wheeler soon picked up a guitar
and later mastered the drums and piano. By high school, both were music
freaks and in their own little cliques. At a party, Ritter spotted
Wheeler, and it's safe to say that the spiky rock fun of the
All-American Rejects was established right there. Mike Kennerty
(guitar) and Chris Gaylor (drums) were added to Wheeler and Ritter's
rascal group by 2000 and the band was official. With production work
from Tim O'Heir (Sebadoh, Juliana Hatfield, Superdrag), the
All-American Rejects independently released their self-titled debut on
Doghouse in October 2002. Several months later it was reissued by
DreamWorks. They scored a hit with the effervescent "Swing, Swing,"
which brought the guys into the eyes of the TRL crowd and prepped them
for the majors. Move Along, which marked the band's debut for
Interscope, followed three years later and hit the Top Ten. Singles
like "Dirty Little Secret" and "Move Along" quickly climbed the charts
as well. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
Written by MacKenzie Wilson
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