Together, they recorded a 5 track demo in Enders' basement and sent it, along with a poorly edited videotape to only one label: Drive-Thru Records.
A couple of months passed while both Sacco and Anello had to budge for more skilled replacements, Steve Nakovich (guitar) and Mike Klemash (bass), until the band got in touch with Richard Reines of Drive-Thru, who luckily was visiting their hometown and agreed to meet with the band to give advice.
Stunned by what he had heard, Reines returned to California to discuss a possible signing with Drive-Thru co-owner Stefanie Reines. A few weeks and yet another line-up change later (Joe Marro joined for Nakovich), Drive-Thru signed The Early November and put them, despite their practically non-existent on stage experience, on 2002's Skate and Surf Fest and on selected dates of the Warped Tour.
Klemash and Marro left the band before the recording of their debut EP For All of This. Anello re-joined on bass, while a temporary second guitarist was found in John Dubitsky. The CD came out on Drive-Thru Records in early November 2002. Enders recorded The Acoustic EP on his own, featuring acoustic versions of most songs off their debut EP, which was released a mere two months later. Simultaneously, guitarist Marro had re-joined the band in exchange for Dubitsky.
Throughout 2003, the band continued to tour and write songs in preparation for their first full-length CD The Room's Too Cold, which was released in fall of that year. Soon afterwards, Enders recorded a solo record under the name I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody's Business. The CD was almost scrapped due to Enders wanting to focus on The Early November after Kummer left the band in summer 2004 and re-joined two weeks later.
While in the long and grueling process of recording their second full-length, the band had their guitar tech Bill Lugg aka UltraBill join, and the triple disc entitled The Mother, the Mechanic and the Path was released on July 11, 2006.
On March 13th, 2007, TEN announced that they would be going on an indefinite hiatus after they complete their current tour. They announced this both online and at their show at the Meridian in Houston that night. They played their last show at the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 6th, 2007, and left open the possibility of one day returning to the stage but were grateful for everyone who supported them throughout the past 6 years.
An official statement from the band:
We would like to announce that at end of our upcoming headlining tour, The Early November will be taking an indefinite hiatus.
Throughout the past six years we have released two LP’s, two EP’s, played over one thousand shows, seen six wonderful countries, have met thousands of great people, made life-long friends, and have broken countless amounts of instruments. We have done more than we have ever thought possible for a small rock band out of southern New Jersey. We are very proud and very grateful of every moment we have spent as The Early November.
In case any of you are wondering, this is not a result of anything one can consider negative. No fighting, no one hates each other, no one has a substance abuse problem… none of the typical baggage that is usually carried along with rock bands taking a hiatus. The situation is actually much the opposite. We all love and care for on another tremendously. We’re as close of friends as we have ever been and, as long as the five of us exist, we will continue to be so. This “hiatus” or “break” is just a result of time and life. As we grow older, priorities change. We’ve decided we need to take some time and see that life isn’t all dirty rock clubs, rest stops at 2 am, and long distance phone calls. We have to be where we haven’t been in the past six years; with our friends, family, and loved ones.
We hope this isn’t completely somber news to anyone of you. We want to view it almost in the same way many cultures view the passing of a friend or loved one. Not to mourn but to celebrate their life and memory. In our small way, we’d like to do the same. We invite you to come and send off something that has meant so much to the five of us for so long. We may or may not be coming back. Who knows. But for now, all we can say is “Thank You.” “Thank You,” to everyone who was or has been a part of making our dreams a reality. Most importantly, “Thank You” to every single TEN fan. We hope you guys understand. We truly love all of you.
- Ace, Joe, Jeff, Serg, Bill
The Early November
Ace carried on writing his solo project and released The World We Know in 2010.
Since then, the band have announced their reunion 2011, and have done a full US tour in 2012. Their first album since the break is set to be released Summer 2012.
Session 07
The Early November Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Yeah, if it was only like that. Oh well. It was hard then, and I was already really bad with people skills. And I had to start all over again pretty much. Anything I felt secure with was gone. And you know what it was probably the only time in my life that I was actually excited to go to school. Not to learn, or get made fun of, but to get out of the house and get away from them. And now that I think about it, I don't think school was any easier.)
The lyrics in The Early November's song Session 07 speak to the experience of the singer's difficult family life and the challenges he faced in entering a new living situation with his parents. The beginning of the lyrics reflect the mixed emotions the singer felt about moving in with his parents. He did not want to initially but felt he had no choice after learning something about his parents. Despite this, he found himself content living with them and feeling happy enough to metaphorically 'clap his hands'.
However, the lyrics take a turn, reflecting that the experience of living with his parents was not as positive as initially believed. The singer had no solid foundation or support, all of which he previously had, leaving him struggling to build new connections and maintain his sense of security. School became an escape from his living situation but was not much better as he still faced difficulties with people and being made fun of.
Overall, the lyrics in Session 07 detail the complexities of family relationships and the difficulties faced when rebuilding one's life in a new living situation. It acknowledges both the good and the bad, the highs and the lows.
Line by Line Meaning
After I learned about my parents, they asked me to live with them.
Once I found out about my parents, they wanted me to move in with them.
And I didn't want to but I really had no choice.
I had no desire to move in with them, but it was necessary.
So I finished out the school year, where I was, I lived with my grandfather, and uh, then I moved in with them.
I stayed with my grandfather until the school year ended, then I went to live with my parents.
And you know what, it was great. I was happy. I was happy and I knew it. I clapped my hands.
Surprisingly, it was a good experience living with my parents, and I was genuinely happy.
Yeah, if it was only like that. Oh well.
Unfortunately, that happiness didn't last forever.
It was hard then, and I was already really bad with people skills.
Living with my parents was difficult, and I was already socially awkward.
And I had to start all over again pretty much. Anything I felt secure with was gone.
I had to start over in many ways, as living with my parents meant leaving behind things that made me feel safe and secure.
And you know what it was probably the only time in my life that I was actually excited to go to school. Not to learn, or get made fun of, but to get out of the house and get away from them.
The only time in my life that I was excited for school was because it meant getting away from my parents who made me feel uncomfortable, not because I actually enjoyed school or learning.
And now that I think about it, I don't think school was any easier.
Looking back, I realize that school didn't make things any easier for me, despite providing a temporary escape.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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