We Are Scientists
is an American band, formed in 2000, featuring Keith Murray (guitar and lead vocals), Chris Cain (bass guitar and backing vocals), Max Hart (keys and guitar), and previously Michael Tapper (drums and backing vocals). In their own words, the band creates "rock music of the thoughtful, sometimes epic, often loud, vaguely danceable, implicitly humanist variety". [1] The band's sense of humor is often commented upon, particularly their banter and jokes between songs at gigs and their often surreal and humorous answers to questions in interviews. They have a larger following in Britain than their native North America.
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WE ARE SCIENTISTS TICKETS
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Name
There are many theories behind the band's name. One story behind the name is that when they were applying for a loan for the band, they said they were scientists who needed funding for a project (as the bank wouldn't have given them a loan to start up a band). That story is untrue. In one of many of the band's stories, their name comes from a conversation they had with a U-Haul worker. When returning a truck, the worker asked them if they were brothers. When they replied no, he looked them up and down, noticed that they were clearly non-athletic and bespectacled, and then asked if they were scientists. According to Keith Murray, the name just stuck.
[2]
Another of the band's stories is that when they were in college they would often be studying in the library. At one point, they were attacked by a herd of nerds. In defence, the band shouted "Stop! We Are Scientists".
History
The band met while its members attended the
Claremont Colleges. Keith Murray and Chris Cain attended
Pomona College; Michael Tapper attended
Harvey Mudd College just a few blocks away. The trio formed the band after they had graduated, and have frequently performed free shows at the colleges ever since.
The band has released two self-made LPs and two self-made EPs -
Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order)
LP,
Bitchin!
LP,
In Action EP, and
The Wolf's Hour EP - and released their major label debut LP,
With Love and Squalor
on
EMI/
Virgin Records. The first three singles are "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", "The Great Escape" and "It's a Hit". Every song has a video, and they are all available on
Crap Attack
, which also includes b-sides and a live show.
In 2006, We Are Scientists began touring with
Arctic Monkeys,
Maxïmo Park and
Mystery Jets as part of the
NME Shockwaves Tour, playing Cardiff and Nottingham en route.
Their music videos typically feature surreal situations such as the band being chased by a man in a grizzly bear costume ("Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt"), having boxing matches ("It's a Hit"), and the three being seemingly connected at the hip throughout an entire day's activities ("The Great Escape"). Three of the videos are directed by
Akiva Schaffer. The video for "Inaction" was directed by Eric Gross, a college friend who became a filmmaker.
Their single 'The Great Escape' got a lot of UK recognition from being available as the free download of the week on iTunes.
The band performed "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" on the
December 19,
2005 episode of the
Late Show with David Letterman, and "It's a Hit" on the
March 14,
2006 episode of
Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Throughout February 2006, "The Great Escape" was heard in a commercial for the
2006 Winter Olympics and on another commercial advertising
BBC Radio stations. An instrumental version of "The Great Escape" has been used in a commercial from various television comedy shows airing on British station E4. It has also been used in the introductions for various Sky Sports channels.
In 2007 the band was nominated for NME Best International Band Award. Upon hearing the news of the nomination, Keith purchased 8 pounds of salted cashews from a nearby
Trader Joe's.
They toured with
Kaiser Chiefs at the end of 2007.
It was announced on
November 1,
2007 that drummer
Michael Tapper would be leaving the band prior to their UK tour. He has since been replaced by Adam Aaronson. Keith and Chris toyed with a number of different drummers before Adam joined, such as Dirty Pretty Things Drummer
Gary Powell who played a number of TV appearances such as "
BBC Switch" and "
Later... with Jools Holland".
The band's latest album entitled
Brain Thrust Mastery debuted in the UK album charts at number 11 after its release on
March 17,
2008.
After Hours is featured in the soundtrack of the 2008 film
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist.
Members
The band's primary members were originally Keith Murray, Chris Cain and Michael Tapper. However, Michael left the band in 2007, leaving the duo of Murray and Cain. Keyboardist Max Hart joined the band just before Michael Tapper left. After Tapper's departure, the remaining members started looking for a new drummer. Tapper plays some drums on
Brain Thrust Mastery
and its singles, but the drums are also played by someone only known as Garett. They tried a few different people to play drums for them live, but then hired Adam Aaronson, formerly the drummer for Max Hart's previous band,
The High Speed Scene. Max Hart's first gigs were
Reading and Leeds Carling Weekend 2007. Adam Aaronson's first gig in the UK was at the Middlesbrough Empire on November 3, 2007. Before this, he had played at a number of promotional events and signings with the band.
As of July 2009,
Andy Burrows, the former drummer for
Razorlight has fulfilled beatmaking duties for the band, taking over from Michael Tapper.
Website
The band has a website, . It features an advice column, reviews of seemingly arbitrary and unrelated subjects, and other humorous articles. The site also has the more traditional features of a band website—discography, merchandise, and a messageboard.
Discography
References
- Powerful information, at your fingertips : We Are Scientists
- Interview with Keith Murray on Songfacts