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Mae

From Alfawiki
Mae
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded2001
Headquarters
Norfolk
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, EPs, singles
Websitewww.whatismae.com

Mae (presented as mae) is a rock group originating from Norfolk, Virginia, established in 2001. The band’s name stands for "Multisensory Aesthetic Experience," a concept inspired by a class attended by drummer Jacob Marshall at Old Dominion University.

Formation and early period with Tooth and Nail (2001–2006)

The inception of Mae began when Jacob Marshall and Dave Elkins composed their initial track, "Embers and Envelopes," inside Marshall’s living room. They secured a contract with Tooth and Nail Records, releasing their first album, Destination: Beautiful, in 2003. Their follow-up album, The Everglow, arrived in 2005, accompanied by extensive touring efforts, including appearances on the Vans Warped Tour. In 2006, The Everglow was reissued featuring three additional songs and a two-hour DVD.

Transition to Capitol Records, Singularity, and the (m)(a)(e) EP series (2006–2012)

In 2006, Mae inked a deal with Capitol Records to produce their third studio album, collaborating with producer Howard Benson, noted for his work with artists such as Saosin, My Chemical Romance, and Relient K. The album Singularity was released on August 14, 2007, with its lead single "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone" premiering on June 19, 2007.

On September 24, 2007, band members Padgett and Sweitzer exited the group. The next year saw Mae part ways with Capitol Records and embark on an innovative project in 2009 where they released one new song each month on their website for a minimum donation of $1, benefiting humanitarian initiatives.

In July 2009, Mae launched their own label named "Cell Records" to distribute a trilogy of EPs. By mid-2010, Padgett and Sweitzer had rejoined the lineup for a fall tour. On June 22, 2010, the band officially confirmed their reunion. Shortly thereafter, they announced the "Goodbye, Goodnight" Tour as what was intended to be their final series of performances before entering an indefinite hiatus.

Their first performance after reuniting took place at Eureka College on August 23, 2010. The anticipated final show occurred on November 27, 2010, at The NorVa and was recorded for a DVD release. Additional concluding concerts were held in Japan during February 2011. Nonetheless, in late December 2011, Mae revealed plans for eight farewell shows across the UK and Europe scheduled for early January 2012 as part of the same tour.

Ongoing tours, return to Tooth & Nail, Multisensory Aesthetic Experience, and partnership with Equal Vision (2012–present)

Between February 21 and 23, 2013, Mae performed a three-date tour commemorating the tenth anniversary of their album Destination: Beautiful, playing the record in its entirety in Virginia Beach and Nashville. Jacob Clemons—an early member of Mae now affiliated with the E Street Band—made a guest appearance during the encore at the Virginia Beach show.

On June 7, 2014, Mae streamed a live concert via stageit and announced plans for a reunion tour in 2015 celebrating the tenth anniversary of The Everglow. They also confirmed plans to re-record songs for a vinyl edition of Destination: B-Sides, scheduled for release in late summer 2014 through Spartan Records.

Multisensory Aesthetic Experience was released on November 30, 2018 through their original label, Tooth & Nail Records. This album drew inspiration from an immersive virtual reality project featured at the Forbes Under30 Summit held at Jerusalem’s historic Tower of David, where the band performed live for approximately 700 attendees equipped with VR headsets that synchronized visual elements with their music.

On June 26, 2018, Mae announced an autumn tour incorporating "MAE Day" events in select cities. These gatherings included video screenings, band Q&A sessions, listening parties, communal meals, VR experiences, and other multi-sensory activities aimed at deepening fan interaction.

In September 2023, Mae entered into a recording agreement with Equal Vision Records, marking a fresh phase in their musical journey.

Members

Present

  • Dave Elkins – lead vocals, guitar (since 2001)
  • Zach Gehring – guitar (since 2003)

Touring personnel

  • Josiah Schlater – bass (associated with Tokyo and Color)
  • Robert Smith – keyboards (from Tokyo and Musicplayer)
  • David Pogge – bass (during the (a)fternoon tour)
  • Tyler Strickland – guitar (during the (a)fternoon tour)
  • Matt Beck – guitar (initial tour, later replaced by Zach Gehring)
  • Drew Smyser – bass and backing vocals (2017, 2023–present, affiliated with Whistler Lane)
  • Geoffrey Mutchnik – keyboards (2018–2021)
  • Kipp Wilde – keyboards (2017–2018, 2021–present, from Windsor Drive)
  • Patrick Ryan – bass and guitar (mid 2017–2021)
  • Josh Grigsby – drums (2021–present, formerly of Houston Calls)
  • Aaron Lachman – bass (2022)

Past

  • Jacob Marshall – drums, percussion, piano (2001–2021)
  • Mark Padgett – bass guitar (2002–2007, 2010–2015)
  • Rob Sweitzer – keyboards (2002–2007, 2010–2015)
  • William Clark – bass (2001–2002)
  • Jake Clemons – saxophone (currently with the E Street Band)

Associated endeavors

  • Before forming Mae, Dave Elkins co-founded and fronted the indie band "Sky's the Limit"; two compositions he penned there were later recorded by Mae.
  • Following Mae's concluding tour, Elkins initiated a new venture named Schematic.
  • Jacob Marshall established River James alongside members of Army of Me.
  • In 2014, keyboardist Rob Sweitzer launched a crowd-funded solo album titled "M29" under the moniker My God, It's Full of Stars.

Albums

Title Year Label Chart Rankings
Top 200 US Christian US Rock US Alternative US Digital
Destination: Beautiful 2003 Tooth & Nail Records – – – – –
The Everglow 2005 51 1 – – –
Singularity 2007 Capitol Records 40 – 12 13 40
(M)(A)(E) (Compilation combining Morning, Afternoon, and Evening EPs) 2017 Cell Records
Multisensory Aesthetic Experience 2018 Tooth & Nail Records – – – – –


EPs and B-sides

Title Year Label Chart Rankings
Top 200
Mae EP 2002 Unsigned –
Destination: B-Sides 2004 Tooth & Nail Records –
Connect Sets (Mae 2005 Tooth & Nail Records
Sony Connect 		–
Live Music Series: Mae EP 2006 Beyond Warped –
The Everglow EP Tooth & Nail Records –
Morning 2009 Cell Records –
Afternoon –
Evening 2010 –
3.0 2018 Tooth & Nail Records –

Singles

Year Title Album
2003 "Embers and Envelopes" Destination: Beautiful
"Summertime"
2005 "Suspension" The Everglow
"Someone Else's Arms"
2007 "Sometimes I Can't Make It Alone" Singularity
2009 "The House That Fire Built" (m)orning
2017 "Our Love Is A Painted Picture" –
2017 "Light" –
2018 "5 Light Years" –
2018 "Let It Die" –

DVDs

Compilation appearances

Song of the Month

In the year 2009, Mae launched their 'Songs of the Month' initiative to support Habitat for Humanity and Donorschoose.org. The initial quartet of songs was later compiled into the (M)orning EP, followed by the next set of four tracks on the (A)fternoon EP, and the final four songs on the (E)vening EP:

  • January: "The House that Fire Built"
  • February: "Boomerang"
  • March: "A Melody, The Memory"
  • April: "Night/Day"
  • May: "Over and Over"
  • June: "The Cure"
  • July: "The Fight Song"
  • August: "In Pieces"
  • September: "I Just Needed You To Know"
  • October: "Seasons"
  • †November: "Sleep Well"
  • †December: "Bloom"

† Release postponed due to theft of Mae's equipment in Philadelphia

External links

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