Mae

Mae
Mae performing at the Soundwave festival 2008.
Background information
Origin	Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Genres	indie rock,[1] emo[2]
Years active	2002–2011, 2013–present
Labels	Tooth & Nail, Capitol, Cell, Spartan Records [3]
Associated acts	River James, Schematic, My God It's Full of Stars
Website	www.whatismae.com
Members	Dave Elkins Zach Gehring Jacob Marshall Rob Sweitzer Mark Padgett
Past members	William Clark Jacob Clemons

Mae is an American rock band that formed in Norfolk, Virginia^[4] in 2001. The band's name is an acronym for "Multi-sensory Aesthetic Experience", based on a course taken by drummer Jacob Marshall while a student at Old Dominion University.^[5]

History

Jacob Marshall and Dave Elkins began what would become Mae by writing their first song, "Embers and Envelopes", in Marshall's living room. The band signed with Tooth and Nail Records and released their first album, Destination: Beautiful, in 2003. They released their second full-length album, The Everglow, in 2005. The band toured extensively to promote it, and also performed on the Vans Warped Tour. Mae re-released The Everglow in 2006, adding three new songs and a two-hour DVD.

Later in 2006, the band signed to Capitol Records for their third full-length album. Mae began recording the album in the fall of 2006, working with producer Howard Benson (who has produced albums for Saosin, My Chemical Romance, Blindside, and Relient K). The album, titled Singularity, was released on August 14, 2007. On June 19, 2007, the band released the first single from Singularity, "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone".

On September 24, 2007 Padgett and Sweitzer parted ways with Mae.^[6] The following year, Mae announced that they had split ways with Capitol Records.^[7] They also stated that they would embark on a new, experimental project, releasing one new song for each month of 2009. Each song would be available to download on their website for a minimum donation of $1, with proceeds going to humanitarian projects of Mae's choosing. Additionally, they would be compiling the monthly songs into three separate EPs entitled (m)orning, (a)fternoon and (e)vening, respectively.

In July 2009, Mae announced they were starting their own label called "Cell Records" through which they would release their three-EP set. In order to get in-store distribution Mae returned to their original label Tooth and Nail Records and signed a distribution agreement with the label. The (m)orning EP was released in stores and online on September 22, 2009. There was a limited edition scratch-and-sniff disk that was only available on their spring US tour and which was scented like the ocean (the band encouraged members in the crowd of their live shows to smell the disc during their song "The Ocean"). Mae released the (a)fternoon EP in stores and online March 30, 2010. The final EP, (e)vening, was initially available in a limited edition on the band's "Goodbye, Goodnight" tour. The EP was then released in stores and online on March 8, 2011 bundled with a DVD of their hometown farewell show filmed at The Norva in Norfolk, VA. The farewell show features 20 songs, with songs from each of their full-length records and their three most recent EPs.

On May 7, 2010 word began spreading of Mark Padgett and Rob Sweitzer rejoining Mae for their upcoming fall tour. On June 19, 2010, Mae played a show in Singapore, and it was the first show since 2007 that included both Mark Padgett and Rob Sweitzer. On June 22, 2010, Mae's Dave Elkins confirmed on the band's forums that Mark Padgett and Rob Sweitzer have reunited with Mae.^[8] On June 28, 2010 Mae announced that their upcoming "Goodbye, Goodnight" Tour would be their last for the foreseeable future, marking their indefinite hiatus.^[9] On August 23, 2010, the newly reunited Mae including Mark Padgett and Rob Sweitzer played their first show back home in the US at Eureka College in Eureka, IL - evidently gearing up for the Goodbye, Goodnight tour. On Saturday November 27, 2010, the band played what was billed as its last show at the Norva in Norfolk, VA. The show was filmed to be released on DVD. What were believed at the time to be Mae's actual final performances consisted of two shows played on February 23 and 24, 2011 at the Shibuya and Shinsaibashi locations of Club Quattro in Japan. However, in late December 2011, the band announced on its website that it would play eight shows in the UK and Europe as part of the Goodbye, Goodnight tour from January 3–10, 2012.

On February 21–23, 2013, Mae played a three show tour to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of the band's album Destination: Beautiful.^[10] Two shows took place in Virginia Beach, VA and one in Nashville, TN. The shows consisted of the band playing their first album in its entirety. At the second Virginia Beach show, current E Street Band saxophonist and early Mae member, Jacob Clemons, made a guest appearance on the band's song "Tisbury Lane" during encore.^[11]

On June 7, 2014 Mae played an online show via stageit. During the concert it was announced that Mae would be reuniting in 2015 to complete a reunion tour in commemoration of the 10 year anniversary of The Everglow.^[12] They also confirmed that they were re-recording several songs for a pressing of Destination B-Sides on vinyl currently rumored to be released via Spartan Records late in the summer of 2014.^[13]

Members

Current members

• Dave Elkins (born Dave Gimenez) – vocals, guitar (2001–present)
• Zach Gehring – guitar (2003–present)
• Jacob Marshall – drums, piano (2001–present)
• Mark Padgett - bass (2002–2007, 2010–present)
• Rob Sweitzer - keyboards (2002–2007, 2010–present)

Former members

• William Clark – bass (2001–2002)
• Jacob Clemons – saxophone (now of the E-Street Band)

Touring members

• Josiah Schlater – bass (from the bands Tokyo and Color)
• Robert Smith – keyboard (from the bands Tokyo and Musicplayer)
• David Pogge – bass (for the (a)fternoon tour)
• Tyler Strickland - guitar (for the (a)fternoon tour)
• Matt Beck - guitar (initial tour, bailed mid-tour, replaced by member Zach Gehring)

Related projects

• Before forming Mae, Dave Elkins was a co-founder and lead vocalist for the indie band "Sky's the Limit". Two songs that Elkins originally wrote for Sky's the Limit have been recorded and released by Mae – "Skyline Drive", on Destination: Beautiful, and "Tisbury Lane", on Destination: B-Sides.^[14]
• After Mae finished their final tour, Dave Elkins began a new project called Schematic.
• Jacob Marshall has formed the band River James with members of the band Army of Me.
• In the fall of 2014, Mae keyboardist Rob Sweitzer announced a crowd-funding project for a solo record of his own, titled "M29", under the act name My God, It's Full of Stars.^[15]

Discography

Albums

EPs and B-sides

Singles

DVDs

• From Toledo to Tokyo (Astorya Entertainment, 2005)
• The Everglow: Special Edition DVD (Tooth & Nail Records, 2006)
• Destination: Beautiful Five Year Anniversary (Mae Recording Company, 2008)
• (M)orning (Cell Records, 2009)
• (A)fternoon (Cell Records, 2010)
• (E)vening (Cell Records, 2011)

Compilation appearances

• Happy Christmas Vol. 4 (2005, contributed "Carol of the Bells")
• Punk Goes 90's (2006, contributed "March of the Pigs")

Song of the Month

Throughout 2009, Mae released 'Songs of the Month' (proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity and Donorschoose.org), with the first four tracks going onto the (M)orning EP, the second set of four going onto the (A)fternoon EP, and the final four on the (E)vening EP:

• January: "The House that Fire Built"
• February: "Boomerang"
• March: "A Melody, The Memory"
• April: "Night/Day"
• May: "Over and Over"
• June: "The Cure"
• July: "The Fight Song"
• August: "In Pieces"
• September: "I Just Needed You To Know"
• October: "Seasons"
• ^†November: "Sleep Well"
• ^†December: "Bloom"

† - Release delayed due to the theft of Mae's instruments and gear in Philadelphia

References

External links

• Mae Official Website.
• Mae on PureVolume Contains MP3s, a biography, show dates and photos.
• Mae on Virb
• Video interview with Mae for AbsolutePunk.net
• This Is Schematic
• Interview with Mae for FussMagazine.com
• Interview with Dave Elkins for freshZIVE.com