Letlive

Letlive was formed in Los Angeles in 2002 by vocalist Jason Aalon Butler, drummer Alex Haythorn, guitarist Ben Sharp and bassist Christian Johansen.{{cite web | last = Heaney | first = Gregory | title = Letlive - Music Biography, Credits and Discography : AllMusic | work = AllMusic | url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/letlive-p664075 | access-date = April 15, 2011}} In 2003, the band's debut EP Exhaustion, Salt Water, and Everything in Between was released on at One Records. After a line-up change (with only Butler and Sharp remaining), their first album Speak Like You Talk was released in 2005, also on at One Records. Bassist Ryan Jay Johnson joined the band before the release, but did not perform on the album.{{cite web|url=https://musicfeeds.com.au/features/interview-letlive-talk-fourth-album-im-devil-black-lives-matter-dealing-social-media-backlash/|title=INTERVIEW: letlive. Talk Fourth Album 'If I'm The Devil...', Black Lives Matter & Dealing With Social Media Backlash|date=June 20, 2016|website=Music Feeds|access-date=February 19, 2019}} In 2007, Ben Sharp left the band and the band was plagued by subsequent line-up changes and a scrapped album.

After establishing a first stable lineup with guitarists Jean Nascimento and Ryan Johnson, and drummer Anthony Rivera accompanying Butler and Johnson, letlive. toured extensively throughout the US and Canada, and gained momentum. The band signed with Tragic Hero Records in 2009 and released their second album titled Fake History the next year. The band continued touring and after signing with Epitaph Records in February 2011, undertook a brief European tour.{{cite web | last = Patashnik | first = Ben | title = Letlive Q+A: 'I want people to have a human experience' | work = Rock Sound | publisher = Freeway Press | date = February 25, 2011 | url = http://www.rocksound.tv/features/article/letlive-qa-i-want-people-to-have-a-human-experience | access-date = April 15, 2011}} They were signed to Epitaph after Bring Me the Horizon frontman Oliver Sykes contacted label owner Brett Gurewitz after watching them perform at a single gig in 2008.{{cite magazine | author = Christopher McLallen | editor = Joe Barnes |date=April 2011 | title = Letlive. lound as shit and with some pretty big deal friends, meet the band you'll tell people you saw when they were small |magazine=Front | issue = 155 | pages =32–33 |location = London | publisher = The Kane Corporation | issn = 1464-4053 | oclc = 226099638 }}

Epitaph re-released Fake History in April 2011 with three additional tracks, including two B-sides and one new song produced by Brett Gurewitz.{{cite web | title = letlive. – Artist Info | publisher = Epitaph Records | year = 2011 | url = http://www.epitaph.com/artists/artist/283/letlive#albdesc | access-date = April 15, 2011}} The re-release has been the subject of several favorable reviews from AllMusic,{{cite web | last = Heaney | first = Gregory | title = Fake History – Review | work = AllMusic | year = 2011 | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/fake-history-r2142486/review | access-date = April 12, 2011}} Alternative Press,{{cite magazine | last = Pearlman | first = Mischa | title = Reviews – Fake History | magazine = Alternative Press | year = 2011 | url = http://www.altpress.com/reviews/entry/letlive_-_fake_history/?amp | access-date = April 12, 2011}} the BBC{{cite web | last = Pearlman | first = Mischa | title = Letlive Fake History Review | publisher = BBC Music | date = April 6, 2011 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/p3gw | access-date = April 15, 2011}} and Rock Sound.{{cite web | last = Newbound | title = letlive. – Fake History Album review | work = Rock Sound | date = April 11, 2011 | url = http://www.rocksound.tv/reviews/article/letlive-fake-history | access-date = April 12, 2011}} Starting in June 2011, the band undertook more extensive touring, including appearances at Download Festival and Leeds Festival, supporting Enter Shikari and Your Demise on their mainland European tour, and, in the United States, supporting Underoath and August Burns Red.{{cite magazine | title = A Bazillion New Download Bands | magazine = Rock Sound | date = April 8, 2011 | url = http://www.rocksound.tv/news/article/a-bazillion-new-download-bands | access-date = April 15, 2011}} In February 2012, letlive. toured again with Enter Shikari and Your Demise for their first time around Australia as a part of the 2012 Soundwave Festival.{{cite web| title = Soundwave 2012 lineup | work = Triple J | publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation | date = January 2012 | url = http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/musicnews/s3333859.htm | access-date = March 25, 2012}} Butler also featured on track Tangled in the Great Escape from Pierce the Veil's album Collide with the Sky.

In October 2012, the band announced they had parted ways with drummer Anthony Rivera.

On June 4, the single "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" was released. On June 17, the full album was streamed on the Rock Sound website, three weeks before the scheduled release. The Blackest Beautiful was released on July 9, 2013 to positive critical reception. The writing process surfaced many creative tensions amongst the band members, about which Butler stated, "We set the bar high and everything needed to be approved by everybody else. Eventually we had to become very transparent with each other and just say 'look, I just don't like this' or 'this isn't working for me.'".{{cite news|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/letlive-interview-with-jason-aalon-butler-rock-music-was-birthed-in-heresy-and-rebellion-a7020016.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/letlive-interview-with-jason-aalon-butler-rock-music-was-birthed-in-heresy-and-rebellion-a7020016.html |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title= Letlive. interview with Jason Aalon Butler: 'Rock music was birthed in heresy and rebellion' |author= Remfry Dedman |newspaper= The Independent |date= May 9, 2016 |access-date= January 20, 2018 }} In an interview with Fuse, released on July 16, it was confirmed that Loniel Robinson, their touring drummer, as well as drum tech for Of Mice & Men, would become a permanent member. The album debuted in the United States at number 74 on the Billboard 200 and number six on Hard Rock Albums,{{cite web | title = The Blackest Beautiful - Letlive | Awards | Allmusic | work = AllMusic | publisher = Rovi Corporation | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-blackest-beautiful-mw0002549822/awards | access-date = November 7, 2013}} selling nearly five thousand copies.{{cite web|url = http://www.metalinsider.net/metal-by-numbers/metal-by-numbers-717-like-festivals-to-flames | title = Metal By Numbers 7/17: Like Festivals To Flames | first=Matt |last=Brown | publisher = Metal Insider | date = July 17, 2013 | access-date = November 7, 2013}}{{cite web|url = http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=3306691 | title = Album Sales Round-Up: Week of July 17th, 2013 | author = Joe DeAndrea | publisher = Absolute Punk | date = July 17, 2013 | access-date = November 7, 2013}} In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 62.{{cite web | title = LETLIVE | Artist | Official Charts | publisher = Official Charts Company | url = http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-blackest-beautiful-mw0002549822/awards | access-date = November 7, 2013}} A music video for the song "Younger" was released on September 26, 2013. On January 23, letlive. revealed that they would be releasing "renditions" of songs from The Blackest Beautiful, featuring various artists on remade versions of the songs. The first "rendition" released was a new version of "27 Club", featuring Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die. On April 23, their second "rendition" released was a new version of "The Dope Beat", featuring Dan "Soupy" Campbell of The Wonder Years.

File:Letlive. Summerblast 2014 (22).JPG

On February 10, 2015, Jean Nascimento left the band for unknown reasons. In light of his departure, Kenji Chan, former live guitarist for Bruno Mars and former member of Ryan and Jeff's previous band, Best Interest, acted as the band's touring guitarist.

On September 25, 2015, the band posted a tweet confirming that they had completed their fourth album and that it would be released in 2016. On the same day, they also confirmed that further additions to their 'Renditions' project/album would be put on hold to focus on new music.{{cite web |title=NEWS: letlive. finish work on fourth studio album! |url=http://www.deadpress.co.uk/54489/news-letlive-finish-work-on-fourth-studio-album |website=Deadpress.co.uk|access-date=September 27, 2015}} On November 3, 2015, in a Revolver Magazine online article, letlive. disclosed that their fourth studio album would be entitled If I'm the Devil....

On April 28, 2017, the band announced that after 15 years together as a band, "there will be no further activity for the foreseeable future".{{Cite web|url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-letlive-decide-to-call-it-a-day/|title=NEWS: letlive. decide to call it a day!|first=Zach|last=Redrup|date=April 28, 2017|website=Deadpress.co.uk|access-date=September 27, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/theletlive/photos/a.128957402014/10154316232952015/?type=3|title=letlive|website=Facebook.com|access-date=September 27, 2020}}

In June and July 2017, Butler, former The Chariot guitarist Stephen "Stevis" Harrison, and Night Verses drummer Aric Improta began teasing a new project called The Fever 333 (later shortened to Fever 333).{{Cite web|url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-jason-aalon-butler-ex-letlive-teases-new-project/|title=NEWS: Jason Aalon Butler (ex-letlive.) teases new project!|first=Zach|last=Redrup|website=Deadpress.co.uk|date=July 2, 2017|access-date=September 27, 2020}} The band performed their first show together out of the back of U-Haul truck in the parking lot of Randy's Donuts in Inglewood, California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/news-the-fever-letlive-the-chariot-night-verses-make-live-debut/|title=NEWS: The Fever (letlive., The Chariot, Night Verses) make live debut!|first=Zach|last=Redrup|website=Deadpress.co.uk|date=July 4, 2017|access-date=September 27, 2020}}

On April 13, 2020, the band started using their Instagram account again and teased fans with a 10th anniversary release of Fake History complete with unreleased songs and demos.[https://wallofsoundau.com/2020/04/13/holy-shit-letlive-are-active-again-on-instagram-theyve-got-a-surprise/]

On April 17, 2024, the band posted an announcement of the remix and remaster of The Blackest Beautiful and announced they will be performing a farewell tour in 2025. "To our friends that we never got to say goodbye to: we'll see you next year to do so," the statement read. "We'd like suitable spaces around the world for proper farewells."{{Cite web |last=Millspublished |first=Matt |date=2024-04-18 |title=“We’ll see you next year”: Letlive are reuniting for a “proper” farewell tour in 2025 |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/letlive-reunite-farewell-tour-2025 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=louder |language=en}} In October 2024, the band announced the first show of their farewell tour as part of the 2025 When We Were Young line-up.{{cite web |last1=Green |first1=Walden |title=Panic! at the Disco and Blink-182 to Headline When We Were Young Festival 2025 |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/panic-at-the-disco-and-blink-182-to-headline-when-we-were-young-festival-2025/ |website=Pitchfork |publisher=Pitchfork Media |access-date=30 October 2024}}

On February 12, 2025, the band confirmed reunion shows will take place in several dates in the US, UK, Europe and Australia throughout 2025 as part of a tour called "sincerely yours,". They also unveiled the reunion line-up, which would consist of Butler and returning guitarists Jean Francisco Nascimento and Jeff Sahyoun. The live line-up would be completed by touring musicians Sage Webber of Point North on drums, and former Issues member Skyler Acord on bass.https://www.theprp.com/2025/02/12/news/letlive-announce-the-dates-for-their-2025-farewell-tour/

letlive.'s musical style has been described as post-hardcore as well as experimental rock,{{cite web|title=Review: letlive. – The Blackest Beautiful|url=https://legendsarising.com/2013/08/29/review-letlive-the-blackest-beautiful/|publisher=Legends Arising|date=August 29, 2013|access-date=October 5, 2016|quote=...their mish mash of Post-Hardcore, Experimental Rock and a variety of other genres...}} art punk{{cite web|title=LETLIVE. Share Summer 2016 U.S. Headlining Tour with Performances by SEAHAVEN and SILVER SNAKES|url=http://puregrainaudio.com/news/letlive-share-summer-2016-us-headlining-tour-with-performances-by-seahaven-and-silver-snakes|last=Gonda|first=Christopher|publisher=PureGrainAudio|date=April 26, 2016|access-date=October 5, 2016|quote=Today, the Los Angeles art-punk band has shared details on their headlining tour...}} and metalcore.{{cite magazine | last = Crane | first = Matt | title = The 15 best screamers in modern metalcore | magazine = Alternative Press | date = February 27, 2014 | url = http://www.altpress.com/features/entry/the_15_best_screamers_in_modern_metalcore | access-date = April 7, 2016 | quote = Here we acknowledge the best screamers in the metalcore genre today.}} Remfry Dedman, writing for The Independent, described letlive.'s sound as "harnessing the severe, frenetic power of Black Flag and marrying it to the melodic, infectious soul of Michael Jackson" In a 2011 interview with Rock Sound, frontman Jason Butler stated that they "want to show people American punk rock soul is very much well and alive". Typical aspects of the band's music include Butler's emotive vocal delivery, duelling guitars and introspective lyrics that cover topics such as infidelity, culture, greed and corruption.

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Current members

• Jason Aalon Butler – lead vocals (2002–2017, 2024–present)
• Jean Francisco Nascimento – lead guitar (2009–2014, 2024–present), keyboards, auxiliary percussion, backing vocals (2007–2014, 2024-present), rhythm guitar (2007–2009)
• Jeff Sahyoun – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2009–2017, 2024–present), lead guitar, keyboards, auxiliary percussion (2014–2017)

Current touring musicians

• Sage Webber – drums (2025–present)
• Skyler Acord – bass (2025–present)

Former members

• Keeyan Majdi – rhythm guitar (2002–2003)
• Alex Haythorn – drums, percussion (2002–2004)
• Christian Johansen – bass (2002–2005)
• Ben Sharp – lead guitar (2002–2007)
• Craig Sanchez – rhythm guitar (2003–2005)
• Adam Castle – drums, percussion (2004–2007)
• Omid Majdi – rhythm guitar (2005–2007)
• Ryan Jay Johnson – bass, backing vocals (2005–2017)
• Brenden Russel – lead guitar (2007–2009)
• Anthony Paul Rivera – drums, percussion (2007–2012)
• Loniel Robinson – drums, percussion (2013–2017)[http://www.fuse.tv/2013/07/warped-tour-2013-letlive-interview Melody in the Chaos: Letlive.'s Jason Butler on His Troubled Youth and 'The Blackest Beautiful' - Fuse]. Fuse.tv (June 20, 2013). Retrieved on 2013-08-06.

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Former touring musicians

• Aric Improta – drums, percussion (2012–2013)
• Kenji Chan – guitar, backing vocals (2015)
• Nick DePirro – guitar (2015–2016)
• Mishka Bier – guitar (2016–2017)

Former studio musicians

• Chelsea Warlick – additional vocals (on Fake History)
• Christopher Crandall – drums, percussion (on The Blackest Beautiful)

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Timeline

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{{Main|Letlive discography}}

;Studio albums

• Speak Like You Talk (2005)
• Fake History (2010)
• The Blackest Beautiful (2013)
• If I'm the Devil... (2016)

{{ods|date=April 2016}}

• 2015 Rise Against North American Summer Tour With Killswitch Engage: The tour begins in Chicago, IL at the FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on July 17 & is scheduled to wrap with a concert in Denver, CO at the Fillmore Auditorium on August 16.{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/rise-against-summer-2015-tour-killswitch-engage-letlive/ |title=Rise Against Announce Summer 2015 Tour With Killswitch Engage + Letlive |website=Loudwire |date= April 6, 2015 |access-date= April 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://rise-against.concerttournewshub.com/ |title=Rise Against 2015 North American Summer Tour Schedule With Killswitch Engage & Letlive |date= April 7, 2015 |access-date= April 8, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.riseagainst.com/news/rise-against-announce-north-american-summer-headline-tour |title=Rise Against Announce North American Summer Headline Tour |access-date= April 8, 2015}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Commons-inline|Letlive.}}
• {{Official website}}

{{Letlive}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:American post-hardcore musical groups

Category:American experimental rock groups

Category:American musical quartets

Category:American musical quintets

Category:Metalcore musical groups from California

Category:Hardcore punk groups from California

Category:Rock music groups from California

Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles

Category:2002 establishments in California

Category:Musical groups established in 2002

Category:2017 disestablishments in California

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2017

Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2024

Category:Epitaph Records artists

Category:Tragic Hero Records artists