The Reason

Long time friends Adam White (Vocals) and James Nelan (Guitar) formed The Reason in the winter of 2003 from the ashes of various bands the two had played in while they were growing up. With a new found inspiration and desire to play and tour, The Reason began to write songs and immediately released their first EP - Problems Associated With Running. The band then took their jet propelled, near self-imploding stage show on the road. In the 12 months that followed, the band played over 200 shows across Canada and the northern USA and quickly developed a confidence and professionalism well beyond their short existence.

This confidence encouraged the band to repeatedly try to convince Smallman Records to come and see their live show in January 2004. When Smallman did show up, the band did not disappoint. Their show had all the dedicated intensity that the label was looking for, including an unfortunate post show hospital trip for White due to a torn lip from his over-enthusiastic performance.

With a label now in place, White and Nelan along with Erik Mikalauskas (guitar), Cam Bordignon (drums) and Sean Palmer (Bass), went into the Music Gym in Burlington ON to record their first full length entitled Ravenna. The new album reflected the band’s continued self-assurance in themselves and in their song writing abilities.

“We were writing in avenues and musical styles that we hadn’t ventured into before,” says White of the songs that appear on Ravenna.

It is by challenging the norm that The Reason are now incorporating some of the things that they’ve learned from punk and even perhaps dancey pop music. This in turn is allowing them to challenge a new world.

“There are a lot of dance and funk influences in this album. Everything we’ve ever done has been with a punk ethic, but the style of the music now revolves more around the beat. Everything’s a little more intricate, it’s still hardcore or rock but it comes out with a little more dance feel almost. When we listen to it now - we just never thought we could do something like that,” states White with a genuine sense of surprise and pride.

This musical concept of creating “new from the old” played an integral role in inspiring the title of the forthcoming album - alongside the changes in both the band and personal dynamics that were occurring at the time.

“We wanted the title to revolve around a changing of the guard theme,” offers White on the Ravenna moniker. “Obviously to a much lesser extent, it’s similar to when the Roman Empire moved the capital city from Rome to Ravenna and created this new kingdom and made everything new from the old empire. There’s this theme of a Trojan archer in our artwork as well. It’s all just metaphorical for the personal struggles that have happened in the past few years.”

Their strong group chemistry was solidified with the addition of Jeremy Widerman (replacing Erik on Guitar) in the summer of 2004. Now with an incredible drive and purpose, The Reason is challenging the standards of the stage, the sound and the scene itself.

This fall will be a busy one for The Reason, as they will be touring both Canada and the USA continuously in the upcoming months. Confirmed shows include dates with Murphy’s Law (Interscope) and Billy Talent (Atlantic).