Dropout Year started out in June 2004, when ex-singer Adam Henderson, Brandon Reter, and ex-drummer Justin Childers (playing as a 3-piece originally known as Far From Home) asked Adam Goodman (a high school friend) to join the band after he witnessed them perform a concert at the Recher Theatre in Towson, Maryland. The band, with manager (and future singer) Steve Reter, completed and released two demo CD's over the next two years. Their first studio EP was titled Seven Unreturned Phone Calls (a quote from the movie "Say Anything") . The EP was recorded with Paul Leavitt (All Time Low, Over It) and the sold-out CD release party was held at the Recher Theatre on August 4, 2006.
In the summer of 2007, they parted ways with their original drummer Justin. Jordan Young was asked to audition after he sent them a video of him drumming, and was officially chosen a few weeks later. Later that year they won national exposure by being selected as a Taco Bell Feed The Beat winner, along with A Day To Remember, Blameshift, and Mayday Parade. Two months later, they were featured as an AP&R band in the October '07 issue of Alternative Press Magazine. From the article: "Everything they touch is currently turning to harmonic gold. They won DJ Rossstar's first national unsigned band contest and this year's Comcast On Demand Music Video Contest and were featured as one of the top unsigned bands in the country by TheDailyChorus.com."
In January of 2008, they parted ways with their singer Adam Henderson. Soon after, it was announced that long-time manager and friend Steve Reter would be the new lead singer and Dan Ciarrocchi would be added on bass (formerly of Bravo Romeo Bravo). In October, they spent three weeks in the studio recording their forthcoming album with producer and ex-Hidden In Plain View member Rob Freeman. The album, titled The Way We Play, was released on April 7, 2009.
Dropout Year has recently won the Ernie Ball contest, playing the Vans Warped Tour 2009. They also won the contest in 2007 and were featured that year on the Warped Tour. The band continued to tour throughout the summer of 2009, including a Hot Topic-sponsored Mall Tour through the Northeast states.
In the Fall of 2009, the band parted ways with drummer Jordan Young and bassist Dan Ciarrocchi, for amicable reasons. Jordan Young joined the band Rookie of the Year for 2 months and is currently pursuing new opportunities. Dan is going back to school, and working on solo material.
Steve, Brandon and Adam recorded a free Holiday album with former drummer Justin Childers in the Winter of 2009, called The Seven Levels of the Candy Cane Forest. The EP was posted for free download to the public on December 22, 2009. Dropout Year is continuing as a 3-piece band, and is currently working on new material to record in 2010.
Hold on Tight
Dropout Year Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
can we stand out in the crowd to hear them sing out loud?
and were giving in to intuition that's telling us to listen to our talents, tell the scene were on a mission.
and well take our time to read between the lies of all the cynics just to show them that we're in this to win.
hold on tight for one hell of a night, for the ride of your lifetime.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say that there's more in store for us.
we'll tear the clocks down from our nine to fives, and step in to this moment to leave this world behind. we're making it happen, and we're doing it right now.
hold on tight for one hell of a night, for the ride of your lifetime.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say hello.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say that there's more in store for us.
as we pave the way through the great unknown, we'll leave a trail back to the east coast just to find our way back home. to the place it all began, where our roots will always stand.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say hello.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say that there's more in store for us
The song "Hold On Tight" by Dropout Year is an anthem to young musicians and dreamers who have a passion and a talent they want to share with the world. The lyrics are a call to arms to pursue their dreams relentlessly and to never give up, no matter the obstacles they may face. The first verse reflects the question that every artist asks themselves: will they make it or will they fall behind and be forgotten? The chorus then encourages the listener to hold on tight and expect the ride of a lifetime, not being afraid to take risks and go against the mainstream.
The second verse is more about trusting your intuition and listening to your inner voice. By doing so, you can discover your talents and use them to make a difference. The lyrics then challenge the cynics who doubt the success of their mission and they vow to prove them wrong. The bridge is a moment of reflection, where the band acknowledges that they're leaving behind their old lives and entering uncharted territory, but they are confident that they will find their way back home. The overall message of the song is to follow your heart, believe in yourself, and pursue your goals with everything you've got.
Line by Line Meaning
Will we make headlines or fall behind the times?
Can we make a name for ourselves or will we be left behind?
can we stand out in the crowd to hear them sing out loud?
Can we be unique enough to get noticed and hear the applause?
and were giving in to intuition that's telling us to listen to our talents, tell the scene were on a mission.
We're following our instincts to showcase our skills and let everyone know we're on a mission.
and well take our time to read between the lies of all the cynics just to show them that we're in this to win.
We'll take time to sift through the negativity of doubters and prove them wrong by succeeding.
hold on tight for one hell of a night, for the ride of your lifetime.
Get ready for an amazing, unforgettable experience.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say hello.
This is the start of something big and we're saying hello to making our dreams come true.
this is our curtain call, and this is our future calling just to say that there's more in store for us.
This is just the beginning and there's so much more in store for us.
we'll tear the clocks down from our nine to fives, and step in to this moment to leave this world behind. we're making it happen, and we're doing it right now.
We're leaving our mundane jobs behind, living in the moment, and making our dreams happen now.
as we pave the way through the great unknown, we'll leave a trail back to the east coast just to find our way back home. to the place it all began, where our roots will always stand.
We're venturing into uncharted territory, but we'll always have a path back to our roots on the east coast.
Contributed by Alexis L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.