Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Founder | Keith Latinen |
| Defunct | May 7, 2016 |
| Headquarters | Michigan , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan, Australia |
| Products | Music albums, EPs, singles |
| Website | empireempire |
Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) was an emo band originating from Michigan, USA, established in 2006 initially as a solo endeavor by Keith Latinen. Their musical style is strongly influenced by 1990s emo bands such as Mineral and American Football. The project’s first release was the 2007 EP When The Sea Became A Giant, followed by their debut full-length album, What It Takes To Move Forward, in 2009. They were signed to Count Your Lucky Stars Records but also issued records through labels like strictly no capital letters (UK), Topshelf Records, Stiff Slack (Japan), and Hobbledehoy Record Co (Australia). Their sophomore album, You Will Eventually Be Forgotten, arrived on August 19, 2014. In February 2016, the band declared their final tour and subsequent disbandment.
2006–2008: Formation and Early Releases
Keith Latinen initiated Empire! Empire! as a solo project aimed at refining his recording abilities for the band he shared with Cathy Latinen, Anna Flyaway. Following the dissolution of Anna Flyaway, the two continued their musical collaboration under the Empire! Empire! name. January 2007 saw the self-release of their first LP, When The Sea Became A Giant, which was later reissued through their own label, Count Your Lucky Stars Records.
2009–2013: Release and Touring of What It Takes To Move Forward
In September 2009, their first studio album, What It Takes To Move Forward, was released via Count Your Lucky Stars Records. Subsequently, Stiff Slack Records issued a Japanese edition featuring alternate artwork and two additional tracks.
Following this release, the band toured extensively across the United States during 2010 with various supporting musicians. Their track "Keep What You Have Built Up Here" was recognized by Vulture.com as one of the top 100 emo songs.
March 2012 marked a West Coast US tour with Warren Franklin, succeeded by a month-long UK tour in November alongside fellow Michigan act The Reptilian, including performances in Ireland and Scotland.
In April 2013, Empire! Empire! returned to Europe to support The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die on their tour.
2014–2016: Promotion of You Will Eventually Be Forgotten and Disbandment
The band announced their forthcoming album, You Will Eventually Be Forgotten, in June 2014, scheduled for an August release alongside a graphic novel titled Ribbon. The lead single "If It's Bad News, It Can Wait" premiered on Stereogum in July. That summer also featured their inaugural acoustic US tour with The Early November and Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers. Another song from the album, "A Keepsake," debuted on NPR in July.
Ahead of its official release, Interview Magazine streamed the entire album on August 13, 2014. To support this record, they toured with Free Throw in the autumn. The first installment of Ribbon, combining Keith’s narrative with Ben Sears’ artwork, was published on Wondering Sound. In November, they released a split 7-inch record with Joie de Vivre, premiering a track via Stereogum.
In January 2015, Keith and Cathy's home in Michigan was struck by a drunk driver who also damaged the band's van. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist with replacing the vehicle. Despite this incident, they embarked on a tour with Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers just four days later.
During May 2015, Empire! Empire! toured the US alongside Dikembe and later supported The Saddest Landscape on a record release tour in November. That year also saw them release two bonus tracks from You Will Eventually Be Forgotten on Bandcamp as part of the Japanese edition through Stiff Slack Records. In July 2016, they recorded a three-song session for Little Elephant that was issued as a 12-inch vinyl.
After ten years of activity, Empire! Empire! announced their breakup on February 16, 2016, scheduling one last tour with Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers for April. Their final performance took place on May 7, 2016, at Flint Local 432 in Flint, MI, featuring support from multiple acts including Joie De Vivre.
On April 5, the group released their first official music video for "A Keepsake," featuring guest vocals by Bob Nanna of Braid, exclusively premiered on Brooklyn Vegan.
2025: Reunion
On March 4, the group revealed plans for a singular reunion performance scheduled for October at the second annual Best Friends Forever festival in Las Vegas. They also reaffirmed intentions for a comprehensive comeback involving fresh material and a tour, dependent on the Detroit Lions securing a Super Bowl victory.
Name
The band's intricate name was originally devised by Latinen during his solo work, with the intention of creating something artistic; however, he later wished it had been more straightforward for a full band setting. According to Keith, the name captures his dissatisfaction with previous bands: "Empire! Empire!" represents an unattainable aspiration, while "(I Was a Lonely Estate)" conveys a sense of insignificance and difficulty in finding dependable collaborators. The exclamation marks highlight the importance of the dream, and the parentheses illustrate feelings of being overlooked.
Final lineup
- Keith Latinen – vocals, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, cello
- Cathy Latinen – guitar, vocals
- Jon Steinhoff – drums, vocals
- Joseph "Gooey" Dane – bass
Former members
- Drums – Jon Steinhoff, Ryan Stailey, Jon Murrell, Matt Brim
- Bass – DJ Degennaro, Ahmad Naboulsi, Rich Ayers, Danny Miller, Derek McNelly
It is noteworthy that Jon Murrell, Rich Ayers, Ahmad Naboulsi, and Danny Miller did not participate in the band's writing or recording processes.
Studio albums
EPs
- When the Sea Became a Giant EP (2007)
- Summer Tour EP '09 (2009)
- Home After Three Months Away 7-inch (2011)
- On Time Spent Waiting, or Placing the Weight of the World on the Shoulders of Those You Love the Most 7-inch (2011)
- In Which the Choices We Didn't Make Were Better Than the Ones That We Did (2013)
7-inches
- Year of the Rabbit 7-inch (2008)
- SXSW Promo 7-inch (2011)
- Bramble Jam II Promo 7-inch (2012)
Splits
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Football, etc. Split (2009)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Into It. Over It. Split (2010)
- Annabel/Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate) / Joie De Vivre/The Reptilian 4-Way Split 7-inch (2011)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Mountains For Clouds/ Two Knights/ Driving On City Sidewalks 4-Way Split 7-inch (2012)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Arrows Split 7-inch (2012)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Rika Split 7-inch (2012)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Malegoat Split (2013)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Your Neighbour, the Liar/ The Smithsonian Split 7-inch (2013)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/Joie De Vivre Split 7-inch (2013)
- Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)/ Dikembe/ The Hotel Year/ Modern Baseball/ Old Gray/ Pentimento (2013)
Compilations
- Early Discography CS (2010)
- Middle Discography (2011)
Reviews
- Collective Zine: What it Takes to Move Forward
- Sputnik Music: What it Takes to Move Forward
- Positivexposure: What it Takes to Move Forward
- Altsounds: Year of the Rabbit
- Decoy Music: Year of the Rabbit
- Music Emissions: When The Sea Became A Giant
- Absolute Punk: When The Sea Became A Giant