The Junior Varsity
The Junior Varsity are an American alternative rock band from Springfield, … Read Full Bio ↴The Junior Varsity are an American alternative rock band from Springfield, Illinois.
Guitarist Andy Wildrick put the original line-up of The Junior Varsity together in 2002. After a few line-up changes, they recorded an EP and began playing around central Illinois. Following the release of full length album on British Records, the band played over 200 shows. “Many people say all you have to do to make it is tour, tour, tour, but we found out this isn’t the case, building a fan base comes slowly,” explained Wildrick, “nevertheless, we got good reviews for the album, and decided to drop out of college and pursue the band full time.” Moving into a dilapidated house in Bloomington, they wrote the album and rehearsed constantly. The band took jobs at fast food joints and in Wildrick’s case, doing experimental drug trials to make ends meet; they spent every spare minute rehearsing or touring in preparation for their next move. Victory Records took notice of their frequent, well-received shows in Chicago, and signed the band to a deal, the same day as their close friends from the local scene, June.
Matt Squire, known for his work with Midtown, Northstar and The Explosion, came on board to produce the album, and the band headed to Maryland to record in his Phase Studios. “We spent five weeks on the album, which was huge for us, it gave us the chance to really make the professional sounding album we had in mind, and Matt’s contributions helped us gain perspective on how to achieve this. We spent a full week on pre-production and changed aspects of every song, and wrote two new ones as well” explained Wildrick, “Tracking was great; it is much easier to be creative when you hear yourself sounding so clear and pristine in studio monitors, there seemed to be more room for experimentation.” Squire encouraged the band to make the most of their time, leaving the studio every night after giving them “homework”, and by morning, sticky arrangements and guitar leads would be completed. “Sometimes when the task is in front of you and there’s nothing else you can do but write, you actually use your most natural creative force,” commented Wildrick.
Lyrically, The Junior Varsity avoid boy/girl conflicts in favor of obscure references that run the gamut from the mythological bent of “Mad For Medusa” to family dramas mentioned in “What It Meant To Be Clean”. Their fascination with the more bizarre side of pop culture evolved into a Big Foot homage and commentary conceived while watching a Girls Gone Wild commercial. But it wasn’t all fun and hard work – some seriously bad luck occurred as well, threatening the morale of the entire band. Their van was broken into four times during the recording phase, losing a vintage moog organ lent by a friend, computers, ipods and thousands of dollars worth of CDs and t-shirts on the eve of their U.K. tour with Straylight Run. “The last attempted robbery was when some assholes backed a U-Haul truck up to the studio door and broke in at 1am with plans to ransack the place,” remembers keyboard player Nick, “luckily we defused the situation and they took off. It was hard to keep out minds completely on our goal of making a great record with stuff like this happening, but somehow nobody was really affected by it. We understood that all we have is this band and making the album was one of the most important things we’ve done in our lives.”
Songs like “If It Hurts You” showcase minor key arpeggios for a spacey presentation, while “Everyone’s Got Something They’re Running Out Of” pays homage to Rush in guitar breaks and lyrical phrasing. “Mad For Medusa” brings a lighter pop side of the band out, with multi-tracked, dual guitars and chiming keyboards giving it extra sheen. The Junior Varsity names bands like American Football, Radiohead and Yes as influences on their sound, and while their influences are heard, they are blended into unique arrangements and augmented by their signature breaks and fills. “Wide-Eyed” is chock full of pop songs with ethereal vocals, layered guitars, tight rhythm and surging keyboards bridging it all.
Their debut release, The Great Compromise, was re-released through Victory Records on May 30, 2006.
The Junior Varsity finished recording their third LP at the conclusion of their December 2006 tour with labelmates Bayside. This album, entitled Cinematographic, was released by Victory Records on June 19, 2007. The Song "The Sky!" was released on "Oven Fresh" on Fuse from their latest effort called Cinematographic.
In August 2007, they were set to tour with Permanent Me and Scenes from a Movie. Soon before the tour started, rumors about Asa Dawson leaving the band were confirmed, and The Junior Varsity left the tour.The JV did play a show at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame without Dawson. The vocalist/ bass player at this show was Brandon Carnes who used to be the frontman for Midnight Fall, a band from Springfield, IL. On October 21, 2007, Andy Wildrick announced that the group would be going on indefinite hiatus, and that the band members would be going to college but may do occasional one-off shows locally in Illinois.
Andy Wildrick is currently in The Dear Hunter, an Indie Rock band from Boston, Massachusetts.
On December 28th, 2007, The Junior Varsity had their official farewell show at Club Chrome in Springfield, IL with opening bands The Graduate, Wise & Burn, and Greenwood. The full lineup performed that evening for the first time since Summerfest.
The band reunited in 2010 and played a show with Park at the Dublin Pub in Springfield, IL. since then, the band has reunited for shows in 2016 and 2022 throughout Illinois & the Chicagoland area.
https://thejuniorvarsityreunion.com/
current/classic line-up:
Asa Dawson - Vocals, Bass
Andy Wildrick - Guitar
Sergio Coronado - Guitar
Nick Dodson - Synth
Chris Birch - Drums
Former Members:
Brandon Carnes - Bass, Vocals
David Bradbury - Bass
Noah Wenger - Vocals
Tony Peck - Drums (plays now in The Forecast)
Guitarist Andy Wildrick put the original line-up of The Junior Varsity together in 2002. After a few line-up changes, they recorded an EP and began playing around central Illinois. Following the release of full length album on British Records, the band played over 200 shows. “Many people say all you have to do to make it is tour, tour, tour, but we found out this isn’t the case, building a fan base comes slowly,” explained Wildrick, “nevertheless, we got good reviews for the album, and decided to drop out of college and pursue the band full time.” Moving into a dilapidated house in Bloomington, they wrote the album and rehearsed constantly. The band took jobs at fast food joints and in Wildrick’s case, doing experimental drug trials to make ends meet; they spent every spare minute rehearsing or touring in preparation for their next move. Victory Records took notice of their frequent, well-received shows in Chicago, and signed the band to a deal, the same day as their close friends from the local scene, June.
Matt Squire, known for his work with Midtown, Northstar and The Explosion, came on board to produce the album, and the band headed to Maryland to record in his Phase Studios. “We spent five weeks on the album, which was huge for us, it gave us the chance to really make the professional sounding album we had in mind, and Matt’s contributions helped us gain perspective on how to achieve this. We spent a full week on pre-production and changed aspects of every song, and wrote two new ones as well” explained Wildrick, “Tracking was great; it is much easier to be creative when you hear yourself sounding so clear and pristine in studio monitors, there seemed to be more room for experimentation.” Squire encouraged the band to make the most of their time, leaving the studio every night after giving them “homework”, and by morning, sticky arrangements and guitar leads would be completed. “Sometimes when the task is in front of you and there’s nothing else you can do but write, you actually use your most natural creative force,” commented Wildrick.
Lyrically, The Junior Varsity avoid boy/girl conflicts in favor of obscure references that run the gamut from the mythological bent of “Mad For Medusa” to family dramas mentioned in “What It Meant To Be Clean”. Their fascination with the more bizarre side of pop culture evolved into a Big Foot homage and commentary conceived while watching a Girls Gone Wild commercial. But it wasn’t all fun and hard work – some seriously bad luck occurred as well, threatening the morale of the entire band. Their van was broken into four times during the recording phase, losing a vintage moog organ lent by a friend, computers, ipods and thousands of dollars worth of CDs and t-shirts on the eve of their U.K. tour with Straylight Run. “The last attempted robbery was when some assholes backed a U-Haul truck up to the studio door and broke in at 1am with plans to ransack the place,” remembers keyboard player Nick, “luckily we defused the situation and they took off. It was hard to keep out minds completely on our goal of making a great record with stuff like this happening, but somehow nobody was really affected by it. We understood that all we have is this band and making the album was one of the most important things we’ve done in our lives.”
Songs like “If It Hurts You” showcase minor key arpeggios for a spacey presentation, while “Everyone’s Got Something They’re Running Out Of” pays homage to Rush in guitar breaks and lyrical phrasing. “Mad For Medusa” brings a lighter pop side of the band out, with multi-tracked, dual guitars and chiming keyboards giving it extra sheen. The Junior Varsity names bands like American Football, Radiohead and Yes as influences on their sound, and while their influences are heard, they are blended into unique arrangements and augmented by their signature breaks and fills. “Wide-Eyed” is chock full of pop songs with ethereal vocals, layered guitars, tight rhythm and surging keyboards bridging it all.
Their debut release, The Great Compromise, was re-released through Victory Records on May 30, 2006.
The Junior Varsity finished recording their third LP at the conclusion of their December 2006 tour with labelmates Bayside. This album, entitled Cinematographic, was released by Victory Records on June 19, 2007. The Song "The Sky!" was released on "Oven Fresh" on Fuse from their latest effort called Cinematographic.
In August 2007, they were set to tour with Permanent Me and Scenes from a Movie. Soon before the tour started, rumors about Asa Dawson leaving the band were confirmed, and The Junior Varsity left the tour.The JV did play a show at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame without Dawson. The vocalist/ bass player at this show was Brandon Carnes who used to be the frontman for Midnight Fall, a band from Springfield, IL. On October 21, 2007, Andy Wildrick announced that the group would be going on indefinite hiatus, and that the band members would be going to college but may do occasional one-off shows locally in Illinois.
Andy Wildrick is currently in The Dear Hunter, an Indie Rock band from Boston, Massachusetts.
On December 28th, 2007, The Junior Varsity had their official farewell show at Club Chrome in Springfield, IL with opening bands The Graduate, Wise & Burn, and Greenwood. The full lineup performed that evening for the first time since Summerfest.
The band reunited in 2010 and played a show with Park at the Dublin Pub in Springfield, IL. since then, the band has reunited for shows in 2016 and 2022 throughout Illinois & the Chicagoland area.
https://thejuniorvarsityreunion.com/
current/classic line-up:
Asa Dawson - Vocals, Bass
Andy Wildrick - Guitar
Sergio Coronado - Guitar
Nick Dodson - Synth
Chris Birch - Drums
Former Members:
Brandon Carnes - Bass, Vocals
David Bradbury - Bass
Noah Wenger - Vocals
Tony Peck - Drums (plays now in The Forecast)
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The Junior Varsity Lyrics
Anti-Climactic It's always I feel I'm not sure if I can…
Cinematographic I'll sell you the things that you really don't need You've…
Demo Car City I'm driving towards towers tops burning red Sunny day and yo…
Do You Mind? Like an ashtray Hidden in The corner of a room That im no…
Don't Forget to Set Your House on Fire Before You Crawl Into Bed Words like butterflies crash into my eyes A kamakize flight…
Everyone's Got Something They're Running Out Of Confess I have kept All that I create Confess I have…
Falling Far Behind Sentimental whispers Drawing through my breath And i am hear…
Get Comfortable Locals read me Like i'm not supposed to be where i…
I Said I Try Watch for the ones who want the war in you Stick…
I Sang a Song to be Sung The last one that is out of this place Is the…
I Went Blind Why don't we just subtract All that's in the abstract Let'…
I'm Home Hooray! Georgia's coming back to claim my brother's half But my full…
If It Hurts You Tick tock the clock of time and beauty Mid-life crisis is…
If You Could Paint Your Own Vacation Where Would You Go? "I'm going to be with you," I said And what it…
Left Foot Right Foot Watch me become what i wasn't to those who know…
Lifted Now, here it comes if you like it or not It's…
Lungs If you don't listen enough All the words in the world Won'…
Mad For Medusa Bigfoot step over me Spare me from embarassing defeat Numb…
Ohio It's back, this time only it's harder, take time, rewind Yo…
Park Your Car I wanted to tell you If you don't make it out I…
Peter Cottontail Struggling to keep my head above water Looking back to what…
Peter Cottontail and the Demise of the Carrot Tree Struggling to keep my head above water Looking back to what…
Raining in Baltimore This circus is falling down on its knees The big top…
Saltwater Fountain Strung up and tuned to the key of anxiety He watches…
Say Goodnight Dim the lighting inside restless beds So leave the light on…
Song To Be Sung The last one that is out of this place Is the…
St. Louis I heard you're having trouble in St. Louis From the look…
The Big Little City Killing Cy If trying seems so hard you'll know what to do You'll…
The Greatest I sought out to be the greatest And my face among…
The Importance Of Being Important You′ve got a good job and a great life Strong belief…
The Sky! So tired and half insane I'm fed a steady diet of…
Try To Defire Arms that move in every direction And two hands to help…
Under The Radar Well I thought we were smart We got caught again Isn't it…
What It Meant to Be Clean The ast took my baby from me And there is no…
When We Meet Aliens... I see no ground or sky I "don't not" see people And…
Wunderdrug You may think its impossible For just a couple of boys Bui…