A Million Pieces

In 2009 while living in a communal facility in Southern California, Peter Vanderloos would collaborate with original vocalist Morgan Freed to begin writing songs for a pop punk envisioned project; while at the same time settling on the band's name after a lyric inspired the duo coinciding with events in the book A Million Little Pieces.{{cite web|author=A Million Pieces Releases Debut Video for Laserbeams |title=A Million Pieces Releases Debut Video for Laserbeams |url=http://music.totalassault.com/news/5668/ |publisher=Total Assault Music |accessdate=January 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219193417/http://music.totalassault.com/news/5668/ |archivedate=December 19, 2013 }} After deciding to become serious with the band, Vanderloos would add original OneRepublic drummer Jerrod 'Skins' Bettis as the group's producer/touring drummer,{{cite web|title=A Million Pieces' Single Available on iTunes, Free Record Release Party at the Key Club |url=http://music.totalassault.com/news/5669/ |publisher=Total Assault Music |accessdate=January 4, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219193317/http://music.totalassault.com/news/5669/ |archivedate=December 19, 2013 }} as well as Stephen Soss, and Ryan Brown to the band's lineup.{{cite web|url=http://ampmusicla.tumblr.com/page/4 |title=A Million Pieces: Bio |last=Kimpell |first=Dan |date=March 21, 2011 |publisher=Scallywag Records |accessdate=January 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220132408/http://ampmusicla.tumblr.com/page/4 |archivedate=December 20, 2013 }} In the spring of 2011, A Million Pieces would enlist musical arranger and choreographer Printz Board of The Black Eyed Peas to produce and facilitate the release of their debut EP.{{cite web|author=A Million Pieces Presskit|title=A Million Pieces|url=https://presskit.to/amillionpieces#media|publisher=Presskit.to|accessdate=January 1, 2013}}

During the summer of the same year, A Million Pieces would release a music video for the first single from the EP entitled Laserbeams.{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodhiccups.com/2011/04/26/new-music-a-million-pieces-drops-on-itunes-laserbeams-music-video/|title=NEW MUSIC: A Million Pieces Drops on iTunes|last=Rollings|first=Tristen|date=April 26, 2011|publisher=Hollywood Hiccups|accessdate=January 4, 2013}} Over the next few months Laserbeams would be selected to appear on MTV's Logo Network as part of its NewNowNextPopLab{{cite web|author=Music Industry New Network|title=A Million Pieces Win Big at MTVU'S The Freshmen With Laserbeams|url=http://69.94.12.84/press.php3?press_nb=142576|publisher=Music Industry News Network|accessdate=January 8, 2013}} and would win MTVU's 'Freshmen Battle' for the music video to appear on full rotation on the popular college television outlet.{{cite web|author=MTVU|title=A Million Pieces Wins A Super Close Freshmen Battle|url=http://www.mtvu.com/music/the-freshmen/a-million-pieces-wins-a-super-close-freshmen-battle/|publisher=MTVU|accessdate=January 8, 2013}} Eventually, the videos online presence would travel globally landing a spot on the MTV Asia broadband media site.{{cite web|author=MTV Asia|title=Music Video| A Million Pieces: Laserbeams|url=http://www.mtvasia.com/music/artists/a-million-pieces/videos/laserbeams-648454/|publisher=MTV Asia|accessdate=January 8, 2013}}

However, after a secession of promotional tours across the United States in support of the EP, Vanderloos would decide to part ways with the original group to pursue a more refined pop-rock direction.

After a brief hiatus at the end of 2011, A Million Pieces announced the addition of frontman Graham Fenton to the band. Vanderloos would meet Fenton after a chance encounter at an LA restaurant where Fenton worked as a singing waiter. On hiatus from his lead role in the Grammy Award-winning Broadway show Jersey Boys (hosted in Las Vegas), Fenton seized the opportunity to front A Million Pieces. The full lineup would fall into place as Lucas Gordon (drums) and Brad Crowell (bass) formed a close friendship with Fenton and Vanderloos in 2012, all sharing early influence from 1980s era rock bands Queen and Genesis.

In November 2012 the band announced through a series of audio clips that they would be releasing a new EP entitled Supernatural pending a January 22, 2013 release date.{{cite web|author=A Million Pieces Audio Clips|title=Audio Updates from A Million Pieces|url=https://soundcloud.com/amillionpieces/sets/audio-updates-from-a-million|publisher=Scallywag Media|accessdate=January 1, 2013}}

In May 2013 the band announced the signing of a Publishing Deal with corporate conglomerate Stampede/Cashmere at Stampede Music Publishing.{{cite web|author=A Million Pieces Signs Publishing Deal|title=A Million Pieces Signs Publishing Deal|url=http://amillionpiecesmusic.com/a-million-pieces-signs-publishing-deal/|publisher=A Million Pieces|accessdate=June 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130809153605/http://amillionpiecesmusic.com/a-million-pieces-signs-publishing-deal/|archive-date=August 9, 2013|url-status=dead}}

• A Million Pieces blends a mix of several different genres together including pop, American rock, post-Britpop, Synthpop and show tune music.{{cite web|title=Shockya|date=July 4, 2011 |url=http://www.shockya.com/news/2011/07/04/giveaway-a-million-pieces-ep/|accessdate=January 9, 2013}} Band members have stated chief influences in Queen and Genesis as well as various Synthpop groups popular in the 1980s including Hall and Oates and Tears for Fears.
• Fans and critics have compared A Million Pieces to contemporary acts including The Killers, Muse,{{cite web|title=Property of Zack Showcase A Million Pieces|url=http://propertyofzack.com/post/5191100952/propertyofzack-showcase-a-million-pieces|accessdate=January 9, 2013}} Maroon 5 and Foster the People.

• Graham Fenton- Lead Vocals (2011–present)
• Peter Vanderloos- Guitar, vocals (2009 – present)
• Lucas Gordon- Drums, vocals (2011 – present)
• Brad Crowell- Bass, vocals (2012 – present)

• Morgan Freed- Vocals (2009–2011)
• Jerrod Bettis- Drums (2010–2011)
• Stephen Soss- Piano (2010–2011)
• Ryan Brown- Bass (2010–2012)

• A Million Pieces EP (2011){{cite web|title=The Audio Perv|url=http://theaudioperv.com/2011/05/11/getting-to-know-a-million-pieces/|publisher=The Audio Perv|accessdate=January 8, 2013}}
• Laserbeams- single version (2011)
• Supernatural EP (Pending 2013)

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.facebook.com/ampmusicla A Million Pieces official Facebook]
• [https://twitter.com/AMPmusicLA A Million Pieces official Twitter]
• [https://soundcloud.com/amillionpieces A Million Pieces official Soundcloud]
• [https://www.youtube.com/ampmusicla A Million Pieces official Youtube]
• [https://www.flickr.com/photos/ampmusicla A Million Pieces official Flickr]

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Category:American pop music groups

Category:Rock music groups from California

Category:Electronic music groups from California

Category:Musical groups established in 2009

Category:Musical quartets from California

Category:Music of Los Angeles