The Gaslight Anthem
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Headquarters | New Brunswick, New Jersey , United States |
| Products | Rock music albums and live performances |
The Gaslight Anthem is a rock group originating from New Brunswick, New Jersey, established in 2006. The current members are Brian Fallon (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano), Alex Rosamilia (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Levine (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Benny Horowitz (drums, percussion, backing vocals).
Their first record, Sink or Swim, debuted in May 2007 under XOXO Records. This was followed by The '59 Sound released through SideOneDummy Records in August 2008. Later albums include American Slang (June 2010) and Handwritten (July 2012) via Mercury Records, with the lead single "45" becoming their highest-charting track. Their fifth studio release, Get Hurt, came out on August 12, 2014, on Island Records.
After finishing their European summer tour, the band announced an indefinite break on July 29, 2015. They briefly reunited in 2018 for performances marking the 10th anniversary of The '59 Sound before returning to hiatus.
In March 2022, The Gaslight Anthem resumed full-time activity and began work on their sixth studio project. This album, titled History Books, was released on October 27, 2023.
Pre-Gaslight Anthem Era
Prior to forming The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon played in various bands, most notably This Charming Man. Following several personnel changes, the group—comprised of Fallon, Mike Volpe, Benny Horowitz, and Alex Levine—rebranded as The Gaslight Anthem to signify a fresh artistic direction. Volpe eventually departed and was succeeded by Alex Rosamilia, completing the current lineup.
Their inaugural live performance took place at The Only Game in Town venue located in Somerville, New Jersey during early 2006.
Sink or Swim (2007–2008)
The debut album Sink or Swim earned favorable critiques from independent platforms such as punknews.org and AbsolutePunk.net alongside mainstream media including Spin.com. The song "I Coulda Been a Contender" received airplay on commercial radio station WHTG. Additionally, "I'da Called You Woody, Joe" was featured in the video games Skate 2 and Skate It in 2009.
On February 5, 2008, the band released a four-track EP titled Señor and the Queen through Sabot Productions. This was issued on traditional black vinyl as well as limited editions on clear vinyl and red (500 copies), plus white vinyl variants (100 copies).
The '59 Sound and Rise to Prominence (2008–2010)
Their sophomore album The '59 Sound, produced by Ted Hutt and issued on August 19, 2008 via SideOneDummy Records, included guest appearances from Chris Wollard of Hot Water Music and Dicky Barrett of Mighty Mighty Bosstones. eMusic named it the top album of 2008 while Pitchfork Media awarded it strong reviews.
The opening track "Great Expectations" alludes to the Charles Dickens novel of the same name. In that year, they contributed a cover of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" for the Johnny Cash tribute compilation All Aboard! A Tribute to Johnny Cash.
On August 6, 2008, The Gaslight Anthem became the first band to grace the cover of Kerrang! magazine without any prior feature; Kerrang! hailed them as "The best new band you'll hear in 2008." The group gained exposure on BBC Radio 6 Music and toured extensively across the UK and Europe in November. In August 2009, they secured the Kerrang! Award for "Best International Newcomer."
Throughout 2009, The Gaslight Anthem supported Social Distortion during their European tour dates and opened for Bruce Springsteen at Hyde Park Calling. They appeared at Pinkpop Festival on June 1 and performed at Glastonbury Festival on June 27 where Springsteen joined them for "The '59 Sound." Fallon also collaborated with Springsteen on "No Surrender." This partnership continued at London's Hard Rock Calling festival on June 28. Later that summer they played Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival on August 7.
American Slang (2010–2011)
The band's third studio release, American Slang, became available on June 14, 2010, in the United Kingdom and a day later in the United States. Lead vocalist Brian Fallon highlighted that the songwriting approach marked a departure from their earlier works, drawing inspiration from acts such as the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton’s Blues Breakers, and Derek and the Dominos.
In addition to five shows across the UK, the group appeared at prominent festivals including Bonnaroo Festival, Austin City Limits Music Festival, Southside Festival, Hurricane Festival, Hard Rock Calling, Rock Werchter, The Guernsey Festival of Performing Arts, A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise, Reading and Leeds Festivals, and Øyafestivalen.
During late 2010, The Gaslight Anthem toured throughout the UK and Europe, supported by artists like Chuck Ragan and Sharks. On October 22, 2010, they performed two tracks from American Slang on the program Later... with Jools Holland.
Handwritten (2012–2013)
In July 2010, Fallon disclosed plans for a fourth album, with writing commencing in January 2011. By June 2011, ahead of their Pinkpop appearance, only one track titled Biloxi Parish had been completed; this song was performed live at Pinkpop as well as at Rock Am Ring. Fallon suggested that the upcoming album would bear more resemblance to their breakthrough The '59 Sound than to American Slang. Simultaneously, he pursued a side project called The Horrible Crowes alongside Ian Perkins.
On October 6, 2011, the band transitioned from SideOneDummy to sign with Mercury Records to further their professional growth. Their last show before entering the studio was set for December 9, 2011, at Asbury Park Convention Hall.
The album name, Handwritten, was revealed through a Twitter announcement on February 22, 2012. It was released on July 20 in Germany, July 23 in the UK, and July 24 in the US.
A notable moment occurred on September 21, 2012, at DeLuna Fest in Pensacola, Florida, where the band joined Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder for a rendition of "State of Love and Trust". Later that year, during a three-night engagement at New York City's Terminal 5 on November 30, Fallon announced plans to release a live DVD of the previous evening's performance.
Get Hurt (2014–2015)
On July 4, 2013, via Tumblr, the band revealed they were crafting new material aimed at a 2014 release, citing Pearl Jam's No Code as an influence. Speculation about a hiatus emerged on July 29 after Brian Fallon voiced frustration over fans repeatedly requesting Bruce Springsteen covers, stating bluntly, “My name isn’t Bruce.”
In June 2013, they issued a limited edition box set titled Singles Collection: 2008-2011, which collected nine seven-inch singles. December marked their first DVD release with Live in London, followed by January 2014’s The B-Sides, comprising acoustic versions, live recordings, and outtakes.
Recording sessions for their fifth album began on March 10, 2014, at Blackbird Studios in Nashville. By mid-April, production was nearing completion. In an interview with Rolling Stone that May, Fallon described this album as "completely different," emphasizing that changes went beyond merely adding elements like organ or backing vocals.
The album title was unveiled as Get Hurt on June 16, 2014; it was officially released on August 12. The music video for its title track premiered on July 24. Additionally, the bonus track "Once Upon a Time" appeared in the 20th Century Fox movie Devil's Due.
Hiatus and The '59 Sound Anniversary Tour (2015–2021)
Following the conclusion of their European summer tour supporting Get Hurt, which wrapped up at the Reading Festival on August 30, the band announced an indefinite hiatus on July 29, 2015.
After a break lasting two and a half years, the band reunited on January 3, 2018, to perform at the Governors Ball Music Festival in New York City. They also revealed plans for a limited series of shows commemorating the 10th anniversary of The '59 Sound. Brian Fallon discussed the motivation behind this reunion: "This album holds great importance not only for us but also for those who cherish it. Without The '59 Sound, I wouldn’t be discussing my Sleepwalkers project."
Fallon emphasized that no new material would be created during this reunion: "If I had something on par with American Idiot, I might consider pushing for it... but I’m not sitting on that. I don’t have a Born to Run inside me." He further explained, "People ask why pursue a solo record? Because I don’t have anything to express with Gaslight anymore. Those five albums are what we’ve got. When that chapter closes, it’s done."
In June 2018, the band released The 59 Sound Sessions, a special edition marking the 10th anniversary that included early takes and B-sides from The '59 Sound. To support this release, they embarked on tours across North America and Europe. Following these activities, they returned to an indefinite hiatus while Brian Fallon focused on releasing two solo albums: Local Honey in 2020 and Night Divine in 2021.
Reunion and History Books (2022–present)
On March 25, 2022, the band declared their reunion along with intentions to produce a sixth studio album. Brian Fallon indicated that they were resuming full-time activity and had begun writing new material. A world tour was announced three days later on March 28, encompassing dates in Europe, the UK, and the US between August and October 2022, followed by additional North American shows scheduled for May 2023. By December of that year, recording sessions for the upcoming album were underway. On April 28, 2023, they unveiled "Positive Charge," marking their first new release in nine years.
The band announced their first studio album in nearly a decade, titled History Books, on July 21, 2023, with an October 27 release date. The title track features Bruce Springsteen, a collaboration that originated from conversations in 2021 about reigniting the band’s activity. Fallon underscored Springsteen’s participation as a meaningful endorsement amidst frequent comparisons between their musical styles. Subsequent singles included "Little Fires" released on September 5 and "Autumn" on October 3; the latter coincided with news of their 2024 EU/UK tour, which includes a headline performance at the 2000 Trees Festival.
Accompanying the release of History Books, the band debuted a music video for "Spider Bites," the album’s opening track. After teasing new material in February 2024, they launched a four-track companion EP titled History Books - Short Stories on March 22. Produced by Butch Walker, this EP features acoustic renditions of "History Books" and "Positive Charge," a reimagined version of "Blue Jeans & White T-shirts" featuring Emily Wolfe, as well as a cover of Billie Eilish’s "Ocean Eyes" performed with Karina Rykman; this cover was first presented live at Manchester Apollo.
On February 17, 2024, The Gaslight Anthem performed at the NHL Stadium Series event held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During intermission, they delivered a three-song set and also played their track "Howl" after each New Jersey Devils goal—a nod to the team’s home arena goal song tradition—demonstrating their strong connection to the regional market and alignment with local sports culture.
Description and influences
Jon Caramanica, a critic for The New York Times, characterized the group as part of a longstanding New Jersey punk lineage, tracing from the Misfits through to the Bouncing Souls. The Gaslight Anthem’s sound draws from the distinctive Jersey Shore sound. Although Bruce Springsteen is widely recognized as a major inspiration, the band clarifies that emulating his style was never their deliberate goal. One reviewer remarked, "The Gaslight Anthem resemble a concept from speculative fiction: envision pop music if Springsteen had ignored his producer, allowed the Ramones to record 'Hungry Heart', and propelled the C.B.G.B. scene to stardom." Drummer Benny Horowitz and guitarist Alex Rosamilia consider themselves "more admirers of Bruce Springsteen," noting they "only began listening to him after joining the band."
Following the release of their third studio album, American Slang, Fallon reflected, "We draw from such a broad spectrum of sounds and inspirations that it wouldn’t be accurate to pin us down to just one person... There are many aspects of [Springsteen] I respect. We share roots but also diverge in many ways. Still, being compared to him is an honor we’ll accept until it fades." Rosamilia added, "There’s already plenty of discussion about this online."
The track "I'da Called You Woody, Joe" serves as a homage to Joe Strummer, who is often mentioned by Fallon. Additionally, Tom Petty appears as an influence in multiple songs, either explicitly or through lyrical references. The band has performed live covers of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ "American Girl" and "Refugee". On the deluxe edition of Handwritten, they included a cover of the Heartbreakers’ "You Got Lucky" as a bonus track.
Band members
Current members
- Brian Fallon – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
- Alex Rosamilia – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Alex Levine – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Benny Horowitz – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Current touring musicians
- Ian Perkins – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2010–2015, 2018, 2022–present)
- Bryan Haring – keyboards, backing vocals (2022–present)
Former members
- Mike Volpe – lead guitar (2006)
Discography
- Sink or Swim (2007)
- The '59 Sound (2008)
- American Slang (2010)
- Handwritten (2012)
- Get Hurt (2014)
- History Books (2023)