The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects Artistfacts

  • 2000-
    Tyson RitterVocals, bass
    Nick WheelerGuitar
    Mike KennertyGuitar
    Chris GaylorDrums
  • Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler originally met in 1997 at a club where an early band of Wheeler's was performing. Ritter wanted to become part of the band so much that he lied he could play the bass. In fact, he'd never played a musical instrument in his entire life. He got his first bass guitar the following Christmas and taught himself something to show Wheeler's band. In the end, Ritter got his place in the band thanks to Wheeler, who decided to make use of his voice.
  • The All-American Rejects were formed by Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler in 2000. They've told different stories about how they got their name, sometimes saying it's a mix of two suggestions, "The Rejects" and "The All Americans," and other times claiming it came from the song "Reject" by Green Day, with the chorus, "a reject, all American."
  • "Swing, Swing" was the first single on the band's 2002 self-titled debut album, The All-American Rejects. The song was written by Tyson and Nick while the two were in Tyson's grandmother's cabin out in the woods.
  • Before achieving national success, the guys lived together in Oklahoma, in a house, nicknamed the Batcave, with a Batman sign saying "THE REJECTS" hung over the door.
  • After a 2003 tour in England, Mike Kennerty and Chris Gaylor set up a side project: a metal band called These Enzymes.
  • Mike Kennerty played guitar and Chris Gaylor played drums on Ben Weasel's album These Ones Are Bitter.
  • The All-American Rejects have all their albums released on vinyl, as they believe traditional records provide the optimum listening experience.
  • Nick Wheeler says he wakes up every morning to the song "Maggie May" by Rod Stewart.
  • The All-American Rejects released the last of their four albums, Kids In The Street, in 2012. That was also the last year they did a full tour until 2023, when they embarked on the Wet Hot All-American Summer Tour with other '00s favorites New Found Glory, Motion City Soundtrack, The Starting Line and The Get Up Kids. Asked about the possibility of making a new album, Tyson Ritter told People, "I never say never, but it would take a lot to get another record out of this band. It is a perfect little time capsule that we've created."

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