Waking Ashland
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | San Diego , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, singles |
Waking Ashland was a rock ensemble originating from San Diego, California. Established in 2003, the band was affiliated with both Tooth & Nail Records and Immortal Records. Over their active years, they produced two EPs and two studio albums before disbanding in 2007. The final roster featured vocalist and keyboardist Jonathan Jones, guitarist Ryan Lallier, bassist Nate Harold, and drummer Tim Very.
History
In November 2003, Waking Ashland was created by singer/keyboardist Jonathan Jones, guitarist Ryan Lallier, Clayton Boek, and drummer Thomas Lee. Robert Teegarden initially served as the bassist on a temporary basis. The band's name symbolizes the idea of uniting individuals through music and pays homage to Ashland, Oregon. Influenced by artists such as Joe Jackson, Coldplay, The Pixies, and Hüsker Dü, Waking Ashland crafted a unique sound by blending emotive piano lines with gritty guitar riffs.
Their first EP, I Am for You, was self-recorded in early 2004. Although guitarist Nick Rucker and bassist Derek Vaughn briefly joined the group, they soon departed; Andrew Grosse, who had previously played with Jones, became the permanent bassist. Without any label support for distribution, the initial run of 1,000 copies sold out within a month through direct sales at concerts and online platforms. Ultimately, the EP sold in excess of 10,000 copies. This achievement led to securing a booking agent and allowed the band to dedicate themselves fully to their music career. Extensive touring, including participation in the 2004 Warped Tour, expanded their fan base and attracted attention from record labels such as Tooth & Nail Records, known for acts like Further Seems Forever and Mae. In February 2005, they joined the Snake the Cross the Crown on a nationwide tour.
Waking Ashland signed with Tooth & Nail Records and released their debut full-length album Composure in May 2005, with production handled by Lou Giordano. The album sold approximately 2,400 copies during its first week, debuting at number 19 on Nielsen SoundScan's Alternative New Artist chart and number 53 on the Top New Artist Album chart. Additionally, it reached number 29 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
During mid-2005, the band toured alongside Action Action. In September of that year, internal disagreements led to the departure of bassist Andrew Grosse and drummer Thomas Lee. To fill these roles temporarily for touring purposes, drummers Joe Greenetz (Sherwood) and Rob Lynch (Harris) as well as bassists Jon Sullivan (Jack's Mannequin) and Trevor Sellers (Number One Gun) were enlisted. Later in 2005, Waking Ashland supported the Honorary Title on tour.
On February 8, 2006, the group released Telescopes, a nine-track EP exclusive to Japan. The following month featured an East Coast tour with bands such as Sherwood, This Day and Age, and New Atlantic. In April, they toured the Southern United States alongside Quietdrive and Daphne Loves Derby. On May 22, 2006, Waking Ashland signed with Immortal Records, which issued Telescopes in the United States on June 13; this release included two acoustic bonus tracks from Composure. For live performances during this period, permanent members Nate Harold (bass) and Tim Very (drums) joined Jones and Lallier.
The band's online presence on social media platforms like MySpace and PureVolume played a vital role in their popularity; by 2006 their tracks had amassed over 1.3 million plays on MySpace alone. Their song "I Am for You" was featured on compilations released by MySpace Records as well as Drive Thru Records/PureVolume.
Immortal Records released their second album, The Well, on April 17, 2007.
On July 9, 2007, Jonathan Jones announced that Waking Ashland would disband due to irreconcilable differences among members. Following this split, Jones formed the band We Shot the Moon with Trevor Faris (drums), Nathan Miller (guitar), Jason DeLaTorre (guitar), and Adam Lovell (bass). Both Jones and Lallier went on to develop solo careers.
In August 2010, Waking Ashland reunited briefly for three special reunion shows.
Members
- Current roster
- Jonathan Jones – lead vocals, keyboards, piano
- Ryan Lallier – guitar
- Nate Harold – bass guitar
- Tim Very – drums
- Previous members
- Andrew Grosse – bass guitar
- Thomas Lee – drums
- Nick Rucker – guitar
- Derek Vaughn – bass guitar
- Robert Teegarden – bass guitar
- Clayton Boek – guitar
- Brandon Beebe – guitar
Discography
- Studio albums
- Composure (2005)
- The Well (2007)
- Extended plays
- I Am for You (2004)
- Telescopes (2006)
- Singles released
- "I Am for You"
- "Hands on Deck"
- "Julian"
- "Your Intentions"
- Compilation appearances