We Are Scientists Biography

We Are Scientists is a New York-based rock band that formed in Berkeley, California in the year 2000. Originally formed of Keith Murray on drums, Chris Cain playing bass guitar and Scott Lamb providing vocals and guitar, before Michael Tapper became drummer and Keith became vocalist and guitarist. The band's breakthrough success came with their second album With Love and Squalor which sold 100,000 copies in the first 6 months. Their second success was with Brain Thrust Mastery which charted at 11 in the UK album chart, with two top 40 singles "After Hours" and "Chick Lit". They are currently promoting the release of their fourth album, Barbara, as well as starring in their own television short Steve Wants His Money.

We Are Scientists members Keith Murray and Chris Cain met in 1997 at Pomona College, along with original guitarist and vocalist Scott Lamb, who would eventually leave the band in 1999, with Keith becoming lead vocalist and guitarist, as opposed to his original position as drummer. Soon after the departure of Scott Lamb, Keith and Chris met drummer Michael Tapper at nearby Harvey Mudd College, with both colleges being in Claremont, California. In 1999 the members moved to Berkeley, California for a short period of time,, becoming We Are Scientists full time, a name which the band have stated a number of origins for, most notably the song "We are Scientists!", from the pivotal '90's band Cap'n Jazz.

After their move to Brooklyn, New York in 2001 the band began self recording their debut album on November 10, 2001 before eventually finishing the recording process in January 2002. The albums title was announced on March 14, 2002 on the band's official website as Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order) as well as the return of original vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Scott Lamb for the band's summer 2002 tour. The album was delayed for some time, due to issues with their record label Devious Semantics, but was eventually released in June 2002. In October after several months of performing in California and New York, amongst other places the band recorded their first EP, available originally only at live shows Bitching! was released on October 14, 2002, and featured 6 tracks. Later Bitching! was made available online on January 16, 2003. In March 2003 the band announced they would be heading to the recording studio with Paolo DeGregorio on April 1 to record a second EP; In Action, which was released through MotherWest records in October 2003, featuring 6 tracks.

A year after recording In Action the band headed once more to the recording studio with Los Angeles based producer Chris Fudurich, where they recorded rough versions of "The Great Escape", "Scene Is Dead" and "This Means War", which would make up half of the band's final independently released EP The Wolf's Hour, other tracks included "Callbacks Under The Sea", "Inaction" and "Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt". The EP was released on November 26, 2004.

On January 11, 2005 the band began the recording their second full length album in Los Angeles with Ariel Rechtshaid and engineering from Rob Brill. The band ended their time in the studio on February 23, throughout their time in the studio the band posted blogs on their official website, many of which told of a cat called Lewis, which would later be used on the albums artwork. On May 15, 2005, the first single from the album was aired in the UK, "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", this came after a number of dates in the UK with Editors. "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt" was released later on June 27 at the same time as their own headline Summer 2005 UK tour.
In July the band shot a music video for their second single, "The Great Escape", as well as appearing on MTV2 for the first time to plug their upcoming release. The band also appeared on at Reading and Leeds Festivals for the first time, performing on the Carling Stage, and later the band released the album With Love and Squalor in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2005 celebrating with an album signing session and intimate gig in London's Selectdisc on Berwick Street.

In December 2005 the band made their U.S. Network television debut on Late Night with David Letterman where they performed "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", as well as announcing the release of their second album, With Love and Squalor which would be released on January 10, 2006, although in January the band would be in the United Kingdom on the NME Shockwaves Tour with Mystery Jets, Arctic Monkeys and Maxïmo Park, before embarking on their on headline tour in April and releasing "Its a Hit" on February 20 and re-releasing "Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt" on May 3. In September a co-headline tour across the USA with Art Brut and a new split single with Art Brut covering W.A.S single "The Great Escape" and in-turn We Are Scientists covering Art Brut's "Bang Bang Rock & Roll". With their ongoing success in the United Kingdom the band embarked on another full 15 date tour, with two nights at Brixton Academy in London due to demand, it was on this tour that the band released Crap Attack, a compilation album of b-sides and covers, as well as a DVD featuring music videos for all of the tracks on With Love and Squalor and live performances.

In July the band shot a music video for their second single, "The Great Escape", as well as appearing on MTV2 for the first time to plug their upcoming release. The band also appeared on at Reading and Leeds Festivals for the first time, performing on the Carling Stage, and later the band released the album With Love and Squalor in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2005 celebrating with an album signing session and intimate gig in London's Selectdisc on Berwick Street.

In December 2005 the band made their U.S. Network television debut on Late Night with David Letterman where they performed "Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt", as well as announcing the release of their second album, With Love and Squalor which would be released on January 10, 2006, although in January the band would be in the United Kingdom on the NME Shockwaves Tour with Mystery Jets, Arctic Monkeys and Maxïmo Park, before embarking on their on headline tour in April and releasing "Its a Hit" on February 20 and re-releasing "Nobody Move, Nobody Gets Hurt" on May 3. In September a co-headline tour across the USA with Art Brut and a new split single with Art Brut covering W.A.S single "The Great Escape" and in-turn We Are Scientists covering Art Brut's "Bang Bang Rock & Roll". With their ongoing success in the United Kingdom the band embarked on another full 15 date tour, with two nights at Brixton Academy in London due to demand, it was on this tour that the band released Crap Attack, a compilation album of b-sides and covers, as well as a DVD featuring music videos for all of the tracks on With Love and Squalor and live performances.
September 2007 saw the arrival of Max Hart, who would be providing guitar and keyboards at live shows, however on November 1, days before the band were set to head out on a UK tour drummer Michael Tapper quit the band, with the official statement stating: "Michael Tapper has relinquished his duties as drummer of We Are Scientists in order to pursue other things." The tour however carried on with drumming responsibilities being carried out by Gary Powell of Dirty Pretty Things, before eventually being handed over to Adam Aaronson, former band-mate of Max Harts former band The High Speed Scene. 8 of their November tour dates would feature self-improvement seminars, called Brain Thrust Mastery, held by the band "We created Brain Trust Mastery as a way to help people not only colour in that original plan, but to add exciting embellishments that, as a small child, they might never have imagined for themselves".

In March 2008 the band announced Brain Thrust Mastery, their new album, which would feature single "After Hours", released on March 3 in the UK as well as a tour across the UK in April. The album would be released on March 17, however was previewed a week earlier on NME.com. The album was later released in the United States on May 13. June 9 saw the band release second single from Brain Thrust Mastery, "Chick Lit" as well as performances at The Great Escape Festival, Oxegen Festival Glastonbury Festival, T in the Park and Reading and Leeds on the main stage, as well as a North American tour in July. In the later months of 2008 the band toured with Kings of Leon in the USA.

On August 7, 2009 it was reported that former Razorlight drummer Andy Burrows would be joining We Are Scientists, Keith stated originally they were going to work with a number of different drummers on their third album, however instead decided to work purely with Burrows after he left Razorlight. According to a post on Andy Burrows twitter, the band are, as of November 11, 7 songs into the album, with 5 left to record.

On Soccer AM in December 2008 the band told the program that they were in talks with a British production company with regard to making a television series, and on October 25, 2009 the band released a clip from their television debut titled 'Steve Wants His Money', which they announced would be aired within MTV's Lil' MTV program on a weekly basis.

On February 8, 2010, NME, Gigwise.com and The Fly announced the release of the album, Barbara, in June 2010, along with the release of lead single "Rules Don't Stop" on April 5, 2010. As well as this, the band performed a sold-out show at London's Hoxton Bar & Grill on February 23, 2010, as part of the NME Awards Shows and to promote the album. Tickets were confirmed to sell out in less than four minutes. The album's first music video is scheduled for shooting during late February. Songs confirmed to feature on the album include "I Don't Bite" and "Foreign Kicks", as well as lead single "Rules Don't Stop".. Two live videos ("Pittsburgh" and "Rules Don't Stop") from the Hoxton show were also released as a freebie via the website. "Rules Don't Stop" can now be heard upon the bands Myspace page and Spotify.