The All-American Rejects (4/5)
Having gone through the band's history and who they are and what they sound like, I feel it is time now to turn to the boys in motion.
First off, music videos!
Swing, Swing
aka Nick Wheeler Is Ridiculously Pretty, And So Is Tyson Ritter, Who Has These Cheekbones, Right, No Seriously, They Could Cut Glass -- Oh Yeah, And Chris Gaylor Is Awesome And Mike Kennerty Is Precious. Hey Look, Def Leppard!
The Last Song
This is my second favourite music video of all time. Firstly, it's so pretty! Gorgeous colours throughout. Secondly, the sheer amount of precious contained herein could power the Duracell bunny for weeks. Or something. Tyson's face when he sees the red car! Nick's when he realises the shop is empty! Mike and Chris seeing the deserted golf course and saying hey yeah, we could have some good times here! Nick riding the trolley! Tyson doing the turns! Mike pouring beer onto Froot Loops and eating them with a spoon! Tyson's face when the cop pulls him up! But most of all, NICK AND THE PILE OF BOXES AND THE FACE HE MAKES AT THE CHECKOUT GIRL AHAHAHAHA BEST THING EVER.
Time Stands Still
Nick plays two guitars and the continuity discrepencies kind of drive me nuts sometimes, but who cares! It's a pretty video! Mike looks fantastic, even with the green lighting. Not much happens in it, but it's still a gorgeous video and I like it lots.
My Paper Heart
aka All The Bits That For Some Reason Didn't Go Into "Lost In Stillwater" and I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WEREN'T IN THERE. Why is Nick approving heartily of that burger so precious? And why is him sleepily waving with headphones akin to three kittens in a basket with bows on? Note: this contains one shot of Tyson getting tattooed, in case that freaks you out ♥
Feable Weiner - San Deem Us Ready
This is included because Nick and Tyson are in the video, in sweatbands and vests. They get mobbed by fangirls and show off in a gym and then walk off holding hands at the end. It's pretty awesome, yeah.
Dirty Little Secret
This video is completely awesome! It features tons and tons of postcards from Post Secret, which is just fantastic. I like the way it's shot, and the band all look so good.
Move Along
It took me a few viewings to really get into this video, for some reason. It's a really great concept! Because see, the song is for everyone, and this video shows that with all the costume changes and stuff, which is pretty neat. And then he falls backwards into a swimming pool and the people hold him up and that's just awesome. Then he does that little nod at the end and you feel like he believes in you. It's pretty great.
It Ends Tonight
This video is insanely gorgeous. I cannot stress that enough. Insanely gorgeous. It fits delightfully with the song, especially at the beginning, and then they start letting off the fireworks and I can't take my eyes from the screen. And jesus, the last few seconds, when the sun comes up -- I get tears in my eyes sometimes, when I watch it. It's beautiful.
Top Of the World
Oh my gosh, this video is so precious. It contains Chris in the first few seconds being adorable, Tyson being A TOTAL GOOF -- in fact, all of them being total goofs! -- and it also gives you a good picture of what they're like live: FUN!
Speaking of, it's time for some live stuff! If you poke around on youtube you'll find a whole lot of cellphone footage from shows, but I don't tend to watch those much because there's no way to shoot with a cellphone that doesn't drive me nuts. If that's what you're after, though, do some searches for individual songs and follow the related links and user links and such, because there's some good stuff out there if you've the patience to find it. Most of the live stuff I have is from things like TV performances and things like that. If I could, I would show you all the Too Bad For Hell tour DVD, which was shot back in 2003 on their first headlining tour of the US, and contains the videos for Swing, Swing and The Last Song, a ten-minute documentary called Lost In Stillwater where they show the cameras around their town and the high school, and really great footage of the whole show. The guys themselves now dislike this DVD, but I love it to pieces and watch it on average twice a week. It's well worth getting, if you find it! They're putting out a new DVD in July, which I am so excited about I could burst.
AOL Sessions
This is so extremely awesome, for several reasons: 1) Move Along is amazing; 2) Dirty Little Secret and It Ends Tonight are excellent!; 3) they do the acoustic version of Night Drive, which features Mike on bass and Chris on bongos; 4) Nick and Tyson's Q&A is several minutes of awesome; 5) the behind the scenes stuff features a moon landing joke, and Mike constantly smiling while listing some of the places they've never played. Which is just adorable.
Move Along on Craig Ferguson
I adore Craig Ferguson, so this makes me very happy. Also, Tyson at the end: what a goof :D
The Last Song (acoustic)
This is the video of the audio in the previous post. It features Nick saying "ass" randomly at the start, which makes Tyson smile. It also features Nick looking totally adorable, in that sleepy kitty kind of way.
Photograph at VH1 Rock Honours
Okay, so Nick Wheeler was playing a Def Leppard song to Def Leppard, and he managed not to pass out, which is awesome, because he also managed to play the hell out of that song. Chris is in Union Flag shorts a la Rick Allen, Nick and Ty do their own Gay Wedding Procession down the catwalk so they can lean up against each other and almost make out, and then Nick plays the solo and cannot physically contain his glee. It tries to escape out of his face, but I'm not sure it quite makes it. Mike rocks, Butch Walker plays bass, and basically, this whole thing gives me so much joy I cannot express it in any kind of physical nor vocal nor textual contortion. Please excuse me while I go listen to a lot of Def Leppard and scrunch in a ball of happiness.
Fall Out Boy and the All-American Rejects - Let the Good Times Roll
Is there anything better than two of my favourite bands playing an awesome Cars song together, draping themselves over each other and playing to each other's hips? No, I don't think there is.
Now we come to the interviews! Hooray, interviews!
From 2002, interviewed for The Buzz in a Hooters restaurant
Nick eats his chicken salad with a sharpie! They still sleep in a van! There are seven people living in the Batcave! Their musical influences are Def Leppard and Cats the Musical! They still sleep in a van! They get free beer now! Also, they still sleep in a van! Just in case you missed the part where they still sleep in a van.
Nick and Mike (and Tyson) on Planet Buzz from 2003
There is nothing about this that isn't completely adorable. From Mike in the background constantly smiling but never speaking, through Tyson gatecrashing and then running away, to Nick's "oh, where'd he go, where'd he go?" Which is my second favourite Nick moment ever, how is he that precious? Seriously, how? It's like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit with floppy ears and a twitchy little nose and furry tiny paws oh my gosh ♥___♥ I am sorry, I am just dying of precious.
A college interview from 2005
Tyson and Mike again, talking about their beginnings and lots of stuff. Also, Mike is not a fighting guy. He'll talk shit about you, he'll talk shit to your face, but if you go to punch him, he'll just say woah, I was just talking shit, man! This says a lot about Mike Kennerty. I adore that guy. Also, it is very hard to punch a guy who smiles like that, according to my tattoo artist. Who is right.
Nick and Tyson on Swept Away TV in 2005
They talk about the new album (interviewer: "It's as good, if not better than the first one." Nick: "It's better.") and how people in bands are not celebrities, they're just band dudes. Tyson supplies words for Nick to say, gets really earnest about the Move Along video, and encourages everybody to "rape the world! Rape it!" I ... don't know either.
At Download 2006
Tyson and Mike, talking about gnarly dudes and Reading/Leeds (YAY! /Brit) and lack of soundcheck and outdoor vs indoor and a lot of fascinating musical stuff. Also, American cereal vs British cereal, which had me nodding vigorously, being a Brit who just spent a couple of months in the States.
From the set of the video for It Ends Tonight
Shit blows up good. Or, to put it another way, \o/!
All four on MOD, May 2006 part one and part two
The audience scream loud, which is kind of the risk you take with MOD. This is a pretty good interview! They talk about destiny and yoga, the writing process for the second album ("DON'T LOSE ME MY JOB", oh Mike), college and education, and Nick utters the words "I was guilty of using an umbrella yesterday". Then Tyson says "This sounds like a job for ..." and they all chorus, "THE INTERNETS!" and I die of cute.
Chris, Nick and Mike on Adlercast
They talk Muppets, smoking pot, peeing on tyres, VMA afterparties and nude celebrities. This contains my third favourite Nick moment of all time, right at the end: "And your date was still in heels all eighty blocks, wasn't she? HAH, you dick." That will never get old.
Tyson modelling for John Bartlett part one and part two
He is adorable, it's a change for him to be wearing underwear and no tight pants, they're touching his legs a lot today, he is pleased to be situated next to a guy called Axel, his hair always wanted to look that way it just never knew it, and he is just one dude in a line of dudes. Also, when my girlfriend saw this she texted me saying "HE MADE A ZOOLANDER REFERENCE!" To which I replied, "Baby, his FACE is a Zoolander reference." You know it's true <3
Chris and Nick on 969 in 2006
This is Brian Adler, so of course he and Nick geek about Muppets. (They are kind of madly adorkable.) Nick then humps his own arm, which, I mean, do I even have to spell out how precious he is? No, I didn't think so. Also, they hung out with Fall Out Boy a lot during BC&UD, and talk about crazy guys in the pit who fight each other, in Dublin and elsewhere. Chris could kick your ass, your brother's ass, and your dog's ass. (Nick does not approve of violence.)
Chris and Tyson on Popworld
The British public are asked what they think of the Rejects. Tyson is hypnotised by the presenter's accent, some guy thinks they sound like Bon Jovi, Tyson used to jump around in his pyjamas singing classic rock to stay up late, and he and Chris are such beffies it makes me beam a lot.
And lastly, for now, home videos of the guys goofing off \o/
The Reject Family Christmas
This is hilarious, not least for the last few frames. Also for the insanity.
In the bedroom and the prequel
I -- what? They are crazy, I heart them, etc.
Feed the Children
"DON'T FAIL ME, PALMOLIVE!" The money shot joke! Chris's deadpan "God bless the Queen." Hahahahaaaa!!
Video journal #1
Mike and Chris, working in the studio.
Video journal #2: Shark Leaf
I -- I -- the amount of love I have for this cannot properly be expressed in words. It's mostly a facial expression approximating a mixture of XD and ♥_♥.
The Joy Ride
This is my favourite Rejects thing, and my favourite Mike moment, and he and Chris snuggle, and Nick's hair looks so good!, and MIKE RANTS ABOUT DR PEPPER, GUYS. If you don't love Mike Kennerty after watching this, I am afraid there is no hope for you.
This is by no means everything, but it's a heck of a lot, and pretty much all of my favourites. Except for the stuff I will get to later. >_>
[ Band history | pictures | music | video footage | teh gay]
First off, music videos!
Swing, Swing
aka Nick Wheeler Is Ridiculously Pretty, And So Is Tyson Ritter, Who Has These Cheekbones, Right, No Seriously, They Could Cut Glass -- Oh Yeah, And Chris Gaylor Is Awesome And Mike Kennerty Is Precious. Hey Look, Def Leppard!
The Last Song
This is my second favourite music video of all time. Firstly, it's so pretty! Gorgeous colours throughout. Secondly, the sheer amount of precious contained herein could power the Duracell bunny for weeks. Or something. Tyson's face when he sees the red car! Nick's when he realises the shop is empty! Mike and Chris seeing the deserted golf course and saying hey yeah, we could have some good times here! Nick riding the trolley! Tyson doing the turns! Mike pouring beer onto Froot Loops and eating them with a spoon! Tyson's face when the cop pulls him up! But most of all, NICK AND THE PILE OF BOXES AND THE FACE HE MAKES AT THE CHECKOUT GIRL AHAHAHAHA BEST THING EVER.
Time Stands Still
Nick plays two guitars and the continuity discrepencies kind of drive me nuts sometimes, but who cares! It's a pretty video! Mike looks fantastic, even with the green lighting. Not much happens in it, but it's still a gorgeous video and I like it lots.
My Paper Heart
aka All The Bits That For Some Reason Didn't Go Into "Lost In Stillwater" and I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY WEREN'T IN THERE. Why is Nick approving heartily of that burger so precious? And why is him sleepily waving with headphones akin to three kittens in a basket with bows on? Note: this contains one shot of Tyson getting tattooed, in case that freaks you out ♥
Feable Weiner - San Deem Us Ready
This is included because Nick and Tyson are in the video, in sweatbands and vests. They get mobbed by fangirls and show off in a gym and then walk off holding hands at the end. It's pretty awesome, yeah.
Dirty Little Secret
This video is completely awesome! It features tons and tons of postcards from Post Secret, which is just fantastic. I like the way it's shot, and the band all look so good.
Move Along
It took me a few viewings to really get into this video, for some reason. It's a really great concept! Because see, the song is for everyone, and this video shows that with all the costume changes and stuff, which is pretty neat. And then he falls backwards into a swimming pool and the people hold him up and that's just awesome. Then he does that little nod at the end and you feel like he believes in you. It's pretty great.
It Ends Tonight
This video is insanely gorgeous. I cannot stress that enough. Insanely gorgeous. It fits delightfully with the song, especially at the beginning, and then they start letting off the fireworks and I can't take my eyes from the screen. And jesus, the last few seconds, when the sun comes up -- I get tears in my eyes sometimes, when I watch it. It's beautiful.
Top Of the World
Oh my gosh, this video is so precious. It contains Chris in the first few seconds being adorable, Tyson being A TOTAL GOOF -- in fact, all of them being total goofs! -- and it also gives you a good picture of what they're like live: FUN!
Speaking of, it's time for some live stuff! If you poke around on youtube you'll find a whole lot of cellphone footage from shows, but I don't tend to watch those much because there's no way to shoot with a cellphone that doesn't drive me nuts. If that's what you're after, though, do some searches for individual songs and follow the related links and user links and such, because there's some good stuff out there if you've the patience to find it. Most of the live stuff I have is from things like TV performances and things like that. If I could, I would show you all the Too Bad For Hell tour DVD, which was shot back in 2003 on their first headlining tour of the US, and contains the videos for Swing, Swing and The Last Song, a ten-minute documentary called Lost In Stillwater where they show the cameras around their town and the high school, and really great footage of the whole show. The guys themselves now dislike this DVD, but I love it to pieces and watch it on average twice a week. It's well worth getting, if you find it! They're putting out a new DVD in July, which I am so excited about I could burst.
AOL Sessions
This is so extremely awesome, for several reasons: 1) Move Along is amazing; 2) Dirty Little Secret and It Ends Tonight are excellent!; 3) they do the acoustic version of Night Drive, which features Mike on bass and Chris on bongos; 4) Nick and Tyson's Q&A is several minutes of awesome; 5) the behind the scenes stuff features a moon landing joke, and Mike constantly smiling while listing some of the places they've never played. Which is just adorable.
Move Along on Craig Ferguson
I adore Craig Ferguson, so this makes me very happy. Also, Tyson at the end: what a goof :D
The Last Song (acoustic)
This is the video of the audio in the previous post. It features Nick saying "ass" randomly at the start, which makes Tyson smile. It also features Nick looking totally adorable, in that sleepy kitty kind of way.
Photograph at VH1 Rock Honours
Okay, so Nick Wheeler was playing a Def Leppard song to Def Leppard, and he managed not to pass out, which is awesome, because he also managed to play the hell out of that song. Chris is in Union Flag shorts a la Rick Allen, Nick and Ty do their own Gay Wedding Procession down the catwalk so they can lean up against each other and almost make out, and then Nick plays the solo and cannot physically contain his glee. It tries to escape out of his face, but I'm not sure it quite makes it. Mike rocks, Butch Walker plays bass, and basically, this whole thing gives me so much joy I cannot express it in any kind of physical nor vocal nor textual contortion. Please excuse me while I go listen to a lot of Def Leppard and scrunch in a ball of happiness.
Fall Out Boy and the All-American Rejects - Let the Good Times Roll
Is there anything better than two of my favourite bands playing an awesome Cars song together, draping themselves over each other and playing to each other's hips? No, I don't think there is.
Now we come to the interviews! Hooray, interviews!
From 2002, interviewed for The Buzz in a Hooters restaurant
Nick eats his chicken salad with a sharpie! They still sleep in a van! There are seven people living in the Batcave! Their musical influences are Def Leppard and Cats the Musical! They still sleep in a van! They get free beer now! Also, they still sleep in a van! Just in case you missed the part where they still sleep in a van.
Nick and Mike (and Tyson) on Planet Buzz from 2003
There is nothing about this that isn't completely adorable. From Mike in the background constantly smiling but never speaking, through Tyson gatecrashing and then running away, to Nick's "oh, where'd he go, where'd he go?" Which is my second favourite Nick moment ever, how is he that precious? Seriously, how? It's like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit with floppy ears and a twitchy little nose and furry tiny paws oh my gosh ♥___♥ I am sorry, I am just dying of precious.
A college interview from 2005
Tyson and Mike again, talking about their beginnings and lots of stuff. Also, Mike is not a fighting guy. He'll talk shit about you, he'll talk shit to your face, but if you go to punch him, he'll just say woah, I was just talking shit, man! This says a lot about Mike Kennerty. I adore that guy. Also, it is very hard to punch a guy who smiles like that, according to my tattoo artist. Who is right.
Nick and Tyson on Swept Away TV in 2005
They talk about the new album (interviewer: "It's as good, if not better than the first one." Nick: "It's better.") and how people in bands are not celebrities, they're just band dudes. Tyson supplies words for Nick to say, gets really earnest about the Move Along video, and encourages everybody to "rape the world! Rape it!" I ... don't know either.
At Download 2006
Tyson and Mike, talking about gnarly dudes and Reading/Leeds (YAY! /Brit) and lack of soundcheck and outdoor vs indoor and a lot of fascinating musical stuff. Also, American cereal vs British cereal, which had me nodding vigorously, being a Brit who just spent a couple of months in the States.
From the set of the video for It Ends Tonight
Shit blows up good. Or, to put it another way, \o/!
All four on MOD, May 2006 part one and part two
The audience scream loud, which is kind of the risk you take with MOD. This is a pretty good interview! They talk about destiny and yoga, the writing process for the second album ("DON'T LOSE ME MY JOB", oh Mike), college and education, and Nick utters the words "I was guilty of using an umbrella yesterday". Then Tyson says "This sounds like a job for ..." and they all chorus, "THE INTERNETS!" and I die of cute.
Chris, Nick and Mike on Adlercast
They talk Muppets, smoking pot, peeing on tyres, VMA afterparties and nude celebrities. This contains my third favourite Nick moment of all time, right at the end: "And your date was still in heels all eighty blocks, wasn't she? HAH, you dick." That will never get old.
Tyson modelling for John Bartlett part one and part two
He is adorable, it's a change for him to be wearing underwear and no tight pants, they're touching his legs a lot today, he is pleased to be situated next to a guy called Axel, his hair always wanted to look that way it just never knew it, and he is just one dude in a line of dudes. Also, when my girlfriend saw this she texted me saying "HE MADE A ZOOLANDER REFERENCE!" To which I replied, "Baby, his FACE is a Zoolander reference." You know it's true <3
Chris and Nick on 969 in 2006
This is Brian Adler, so of course he and Nick geek about Muppets. (They are kind of madly adorkable.) Nick then humps his own arm, which, I mean, do I even have to spell out how precious he is? No, I didn't think so. Also, they hung out with Fall Out Boy a lot during BC&UD, and talk about crazy guys in the pit who fight each other, in Dublin and elsewhere. Chris could kick your ass, your brother's ass, and your dog's ass. (Nick does not approve of violence.)
Chris and Tyson on Popworld
The British public are asked what they think of the Rejects. Tyson is hypnotised by the presenter's accent, some guy thinks they sound like Bon Jovi, Tyson used to jump around in his pyjamas singing classic rock to stay up late, and he and Chris are such beffies it makes me beam a lot.
And lastly, for now, home videos of the guys goofing off \o/
The Reject Family Christmas
This is hilarious, not least for the last few frames. Also for the insanity.
In the bedroom and the prequel
I -- what? They are crazy, I heart them, etc.
Feed the Children
"DON'T FAIL ME, PALMOLIVE!" The money shot joke! Chris's deadpan "God bless the Queen." Hahahahaaaa!!
Video journal #1
Mike and Chris, working in the studio.
Video journal #2: Shark Leaf
I -- I -- the amount of love I have for this cannot properly be expressed in words. It's mostly a facial expression approximating a mixture of XD and ♥_♥.
The Joy Ride
This is my favourite Rejects thing, and my favourite Mike moment, and he and Chris snuggle, and Nick's hair looks so good!, and MIKE RANTS ABOUT DR PEPPER, GUYS. If you don't love Mike Kennerty after watching this, I am afraid there is no hope for you.
This is by no means everything, but it's a heck of a lot, and pretty much all of my favourites. Except for the stuff I will get to later. >_>
[ Band history | pictures | music | video footage | teh gay]