People on Vacation
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Founder | Ryan Hamilton, Jaret Reddick |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Dallas , United States |
| Products | Music albums and EPs |
People on Vacation (commonly known as POV) was a joint project between Ryan Hamilton, known from the indie rock group Smile Smile, and Jaret Reddick, frontman of the pop punk band Bowling for Soup. Their collaboration focused on narrative-driven music, deliberately steering clear of conventional themes such as romantic relationships, and they identified their style primarily as indie rock.
2010–2012: Origin and The Carry On EP
The partnership between Hamilton and Reddick began after Smile Smile supported Bowling for Soup on several tour stops. Within just four days of working together, they composed six tracks, which led to the creation of People on Vacation. Toward the end of 2010, they made "Better Off Dead" available for streaming on their official website and shared demo versions like "Rainy Day" during Bowling for Soup’s podcast episodes. By early 2011, the duo had composed and recorded a total of fifteen songs, with plans to release an album through Kirtland Records.
They offered "She Was the Only One" as a complimentary download via Twitter and debuted the music video for "Better Off Dead" in January 2011. To support the project, People on Vacation served as the opening act during Bowling for Soup’s 2011 UK Acoustic Tour. In July 2011, Reddick revealed intentions to release an extended EP by November and a complete album by the next summer. The Carry On EP officially launched on November 24, 2011, accompanied by a CD release event at Dallas’ Kessler Theater. Additionally, a video for "Where Do We Go" was produced in January 2012.
2012–2013: The Summer and the Fall and Holiday Vacation
Following their initial EP, the band released their first full-length album, The Summer and the Fall, on November 22, 2012. Several songs from this album had appeared earlier on the EP or other compilations. Although they had scheduled their inaugural UK headline performance for March 2012, it was ultimately canceled due to insufficient ticket sales.
In late 2012, People on Vacation initiated a Kickstarter campaign to fund a holiday-themed album titled Holiday Vacation, which contained nine tracks. Supporters who pledged $30 or more were featured with their photographs on the album cover and received acknowledgment in the song "What Would Be Your Christmas Wish." This album was later made available as a free download during the winter of 2014.
2013–2016: The Chronicles of Tim Powers and disbandment
Their sophomore studio album, The Chronicles of Tim Powers, was financed through PledgeMusic and released via Brando Records on February 3, 2015. This followed the free EP Holiday Vacation, which helped maintain fan interest during delays in production. The album’s title pays homage to Tim Powers, one of the campaign’s contributors.
Subsequently, Hamilton announced through PledgeMusic that he and Reddick had ended their collaboration without providing further explanation.
Band members
- Former members
- Ryan Hamilton – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (2010–2016)
- Jaret Reddick – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards (2010–2016)
- Touring members
- Linus of Hollywood – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (2010–2016); participated in The Carry On EP and The Summer and the Fall
- Beau Wagener – bass guitar, backing vocals (2011–2016); featured on The Summer and the Fall
- Todd Harwell – drums (2011–2016); contributed to The Summer and the Fall
- Rob Lane – bass guitar, backing vocals (2013–2016; UK dates)
- Mickey Richards – drums
- Studio members
- Tom Polce – drums on both The Carry On EP and The Summer and the Fall
- Erik Chandler – bass guitar on The Carry On EP
- James Stant – cello on "Back to Being Friends" from The Summer and the Fall; also appeared as touring guest in 2012
Studio albums
- The Summer and the Fall (2012)
- The Chronicles of Tim Powers (2015)
Compilation albums
- Crappy Records Presents: Have a Crappy Summer (2012)
- Holiday Vacation (2012)
Extended plays
- Carry On (2011)
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Better Off Dead" | Carry On | |
| 2012 | "Where Do We Go" | Built By Ninjas | Carry On / The Summer and the Fall |
| "Because It's Christmas" | Holiday Vacation | ||
| 2013 | "I Get You (You Got Me)" | Built By Ninjas | The Summer and the Fall |
| 2014 | "Punk Rock World" | Ryan Hamilton | The Chronicles of Tim Powers |