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Texas Is the Reason

Band formed in NY

Disbanded in 1997

Texas Is the Reason's Genre:

Emo, Indie Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Post-Hardcore

Biography

Texas Is the Reason imploded at a time when they were being touted as the "next big thing" in the wake of the punk explosion on MTV. They were one of the roots of the then healthy post-Sunny Day Real Estate-core tree, crafting melodious yet forceful indie rock, or emocore, with finesse, sensitivity, and a bit of attitude. Shortly after releasing one of Revelation Records' highest-selling albums, the New York City-based quartet disbanded on the eve of signing with one of several major labels courting them in 1997.

Fanzine editor, freelance writer, and former Shelter guitarist Norm Arenas formed Texas Is the Reason with former 108 drummer and then fellow Hare Krishna devotee Chris Daly. Both desired to get away from the more macho elements of the hardcore sound and aesthetic and the religious preaching of their former, if beloved, bands. Together with Fountainhead bassist Scott Winegard, the guys recruited singer/guitarist Garrett Klahn, one-time bassist for Buffalo's Copper. Taking their name from a line in the Misfits' song "Bullet," the foursome quickly wrote the four tracks that would comprise their debut eponymous debut EP.

The EP was a smash in the underground, helping inaugurate an entire genre of similarly themed emo bands. Texas Is the Reason was different from the pack mainly thanks to Klahn, with his nasally, Liam Gallagher-inspired whine and hot-shot, cavalier rock star attitude and on-stage persona. The band released a split single with Milwaukee's Promise Ring through Jade Tree. In 1995, they contributed one song to a split single with Samuel that was released by Britain's Simba. The split released was followed up by the band's debut full-length album, which was produced by Jawbox's J. Robbins. Klahn titled the record after the last statement John Lennon was alleged to have heard: Do You Know Who You Are? Major-label wining, dining, and serious courting ensued, though the band insisted for a time that they would stay with Revelation as they toured the U.S. with then labelmates Sense Field. Tension between bandmembers eventually came to a head, with Texas Is the Reason breaking up in 1997.

Following the group's dissolution, Klahn formed the band New Rising Sons with a member of Into Another, taking his Britpop fascination a more obvious step further and quickly being snatched up by Virgin Records. Daly lent his talents to a new band called Jets to Brazil. Winegard stayed active, putting out other bands' records through the grapeOS imprint he co-owns, and jamming with members of Helmet and Chamberlain in a band called the Americans. Arenas retreated from both writing and rocking for almost three years, packing up for Chicago and becoming skilled in the art of DJing.

Now living in California, Arenas and Winegard are part of a band called New End Original with the former vocalist of Far and the drummer from Chamberlain. New Rising Sons released two EPs through grapeOS, were dropped by Virgin, and disbanded. Klahn later went on to play in Solea. Texas Is the Reason re-formed for a single performance at New York's Irving Plaza over Thanksgiving weekend in 2006. ~ Ryan J. Downey

AOL Radio Stations Texas Is the Reason is Featured on (2)

Indie

Indie on Slacker Radio is actually a showcase of many different genres, all unified by a common spirit and ethos. Call it College Rock, Post-Punk, Pre-Emo, Indie Rock, Twee Pop, Riot Grrl; call it whatever you like. Just know that all the music on the Indie station is created with the same independent spirit. Hear indie music spanning from the late 70's up until now.

Texas Is the Reason

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like The Promise Ring, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Get Up Kids, Braid, Jets to Brazil, Mineral, Jawbreaker, At the Drive-In, Hot Water Music, Cap'n Jazz and more.

All Stations

Texas Is the Reason's Selected Discography (3)

Do You Know Who You Are?: The Complete Collection

2013 Revelation Records201316 Songs

Do You Know Who You Are?

1996 Revelation RecordsCOMPILATION19969 Songs

Texas Is the Reason

1995 Revelation RecordsEP19953 Songs

All Albums

Artists Related to Texas Is the Reason (50)

	The Promise Ring	The Promise Ring were one of the most popular emo bands of the '90s, epitomizing the poppier, more accessible wing of the style.
	Sunny Day Real Estate	Considering their relatively brief existence, Sunny Day Real Estate racked up enough dramatic twists and turns to rank with some of the great rock soap operas.
	The Get Up Kids	Kansas City's Get Up Kids play melodic, pop-inflected emo similar to the Promise Ring and Braid, with whom the band released a split single in 1998.
	Braid	In a search to find others interested in trading videos of live shows, drummer/singer Bob Nanna, of Friction, placed a classified ad in Maximum Rocknroll and met drummer Roy Ewing, of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, in 1993.
	Jets to Brazil	Consisting of ex-Jawbreaker frontman Blake Schwarzenbach, ex-Texas Is the Reason drummer Chris Daly, and ex-Handsome vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Chatelain, Jets to Brazil could be considered an amalgam of their forefathers with a slightly darker and more mature musical perspective.
	Mineral	When Mineral broke up in 1998, they had been together for only four years and released only two full-lengths, yet their shaping of the indie rock landscape cannot be overstated.
	Jawbreaker	Independently minded and adhering to the old-school D.I.Y. punk mentality, West Coast punk-pop trio Jawbreaker's street-smart -- yet poetic -- lyrics, spirited musicality, and marathon live shows put them a cut above contemporaries like Green Day and blink-182.
	At the Drive-In	Combining emotional melodies and upbeat rhythms moving at an unpredictable rate, At the Drive-In definitely stuck out in their hometown of El Paso, Texas.
	Hot Water Music	The Gainesville, Florida-based post-hardcore quartet Hot Water Music were formed in 1994 by bassist Jason Black, drummer George Rebelo, and singer/guitarists Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard.
	Cap'n Jazz	Short-lived but highly influential, Cap'n Jazz helped transform emo from a deeply underground punk subgenre into a more widely accepted subset of indie rock.
	Knapsack	Indie-rockers with an emotional core to their music as well as the requisite adrenalin rush, Knapsack formed around two high-school pals studying at University of California at Davis.
	The Anniversary	The Anniversary brought their own blend of male-female vocals, jangly guitars, and synth keyboards to the emo scene after signing with Heroes and Villains, an imprint of Vagrant Records, in 1999.
	Hey Mercedes	Born of the ashes of the now legendary Chicago emo outfit Braid, Hey Mercedes had a tough reputation, not to mention their work cut out for them from the start.
	American Football	American Football consists of vocalist/bassist/guitarist Mike Kinsella, guitarist Steve Holmes, and drummer/trumpet player Steve Lamos.
	Cursive	As early as 1995, the original members of Cursive -- Tim Kasher on guitar and vocals, Clint Schnase on drums, Matt Maginn on bass, and Stephen Pederson on guitar -- began work on their newly christened project, experimenting with elements of indie rock and eclectic post-hardcore to fashion a unique sound.
	Jawbox	In their eight-year existence, Jawbox released four studio albums of increasingly skillful post-punk, not necessarily carrying the torch of their Washington, D.
	Fugazi	If history is kind to Fugazi, their records won't be overshadowed by their reputation and methods of operation.
	Saves the Day	Perfecting their power pop rock since the mid-'90s, New Jersey's Saves the Day call it like it is. They refrain from characteristic pogo-bouncing anthems for their own quirky post-punk and energetic live shows, influencing a new school of emo/punk bands along the way.
	Piebald	Emocore outfit Piebald formed in 1994 when vocalist/guitarist Travis Shettel, guitarist Aaron Stuart, bassist Andrew Bonner and drummer Jon Sullivan were still high school students in suburban Andover, MA.
	Elliott	Only frontman Chris Higdon remains from the original lineup of Elliott, a Louisville emo band known for its intense stage presence, replete with piano and percussion samples.
	The Appleseed Cast	Lawrence, KS-based emo quartet Appleseed Cast were originally comprised of singer/guitarist Christopher Crisci, guitarist Aaron Pillar, bassist Jason Wickersheim, and drummer Louie Ruiz.
	Rites of Spring	Because the term emo has come to define a sensibility more than a particular sound, it can be difficult to pin down even if you're not an outsider.
	Small Brown Bike	Growing up together in Marshall, MI, the members of Small Brown Bike have been friends, bandmates, and minor bike mechanics the majority of their lives.
	Thursday	A significant player in the early 21st century's post-hardcore scene, Thursday formed in 1997 in New Brunswick, NJ.
	Planes Mistaken for Stars	Aggressive emocore outfit Planes Mistaken for Stars formed in Peoria, IL, originally consisting of singer/guitarist Gared O'Donnell, guitarist Matt Bellinger, bassist Aaron Wise, and drummer Mike Ricketts.
	Sparta	When At the Drive-In announced a hiatus in March 2001, co-founder Jim Ward (vocals/guitar) immediately started working with bandmates Paul Hinojos (guitar) and Tony Hajjar (drums) under the Sparta moniker.
	Samiam	Part of the Bay Area punk revival of the late '80s and early '90s, Samiam specialized in the catchy, anthemic punk-pop typical of the Warped Tour crowd, but separated themselves with a greater debt to hardcore and a more introspective lyrical bent that won over emo audiences.
	Lifetime	Cult favorite melodic hardcore unit Lifetime was formed in New Jersey in 1990 by singer Ari Katz and guitarist Dan Yemin.
	Drive Like Jehu	Although they weren't around for long, Drive Like Jehu had a tremendous impact on the evolution of hardcore punk into emo.
	Hot Rod Circuit	Originally from Auburn, AL, Hot Rod Circuit comprised Andy Jackson (vocal, rhythm guitar), Casey Prestwood (lead guitar, vocals), Jay Russel (bass, vocals), and Wes Cross (drums), and could be compared to other post-grunge emo rock bands such as Jawbox and the Get Up Kids.
	Jimmy Eat World	Once a trailblazing name in the mid-'90s emocore scene, Jimmy Eat World eventually found a larger audience by embracing a blend of alternative rock and power pop that targeted the heart as well as the head.
	Pedro the Lion	After a shifting lineup, Pedro the Lion finally eventually became a one-man outfit. That man is David Bazan.
	Alkaline Trio	Formed by ex-Jerkwater and Traitors drummer Matt Skiba (vocals/guitar), former 88 Fingers Louie percussionist Glenn Porter, and Rob Doran (bass/vocals), Alkaline Trio was brought together in 1997 by heartbreak, angst, and the companionship of drinking.
	Rainer Maria	Madison, WI, emo trio Rainer Maria emerged in 1995 from the ashes of another poetically inclined local combo, Ezra Pound, reuniting singer/guitarist Kyle Fischer and drummer William Kuehn.
	Superchunk	Perhaps no band was more emblematic of the true spirit of American indie rock during the 1990s than Superchunk, the pride of Chapel Hill, NC.
	Boy Sets Fire	Progressive hardcore band Boy Sets Fire was formed in Delaware in 1994 by singer Nathan Gray, guitarists Josh Latshaw and Chad Istvan, bassist Darrell Hyde, and drummer Matt Krupanski.
	Minus the Bear	With catchy song titles like "Hey, Wanna Throw Up? Get Me Naked," "Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!," and "Lemurs, Man, Lemurs," it's hard not to be at least a little bit curious about this Seattle-based quintet.
	Quicksand	The alternative metal band Quicksand emerged from the New York City hardcore scene of the late '80s; before coming together in 1990, singer/guitarist Walter Schreifels, guitarist Tom Capone, bassist Sergio Vega, and drummer Alan Cage all honed their chops in a series of local acts, including Youth of Today, the Gorilla Biscuits, and Bold and Beyond.
	Reggie and the Full Effect	Reggie and the Full Effect combine infectious melodies, sappy love songs, good-natured yet offbeat slyness, and comic sensibility like virtually no other "band" before them.
	...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead	...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead were formed in late 1994 by singers/guitarists/drummers Jason Reece and Conrad Keely, longtime friends who originally met in Hawaii before settling in the perennial indie hotbed of Olympia, Washington, where Reece drummed for the notorious Mukilteo Fairies.
	The Juliana Theory	The five guys who have chosen the somewhat mysterious moniker of the Juliana Theory to represent their band have successfully transformed themselves from punk and hardcore kids restricted by the constraints of the emo genre into genuine, credible musicians.
	Built to Spill	Built to Spill were one of the most popular indie rock acts of the '90s, finding the middle ground between postmodern, Pavement-style pop and the loose, spacious jamming of Neil Young.
	Joan of Arc	Based on their roots and their hometown, it's not surprising that Chicago's Joan of Arc blends post-rock's atmospherics and punk's volume and dynamics.
	Hum	Endless feedback, a heavenly drone, and an obsession with science and outer space: these three elements perhaps most define the beautiful style that has become the trademark of the unmatchable Hum.
	Modest Mouse	Modest Mouse were one of the most surprising commercial success stories of the new millennium -- while their music was by turns taut and elliptical, and the lyrics sometimes cryptic and introspective, the band broke through to the mainstream audience with the platinum-selling Good News for People Who Love Bad News, and they became genuine rock stars at a time when their musical peers remained cult figures.
	The Dismemberment Plan	Washington, D.C.-based emo quartet the Dismemberment Plan -- frontman Travis Morrison, guitarist Jason Caddell, bassist Eric Axelson and drummer Joe Easley -- debuted in 1994 with the single "Can We Be Mature?," signing to DeSoto to release the full-length ! in the fall of 1995.
	Pavement	With their fractured songs, unexpected blasts of feedback, laconic vocals, cryptic literate lyrics, and defiant low-fidelity, Pavement were one of the most influential and distinctive bands to emerge from the American underground in the '90s.
	Brand New	Although the members of Brand New cut their teeth in various hardcore bands, the group took a more melodic approach to its own work, embracing punk-pop on the debut album Your Favorite Weapon and incorporating aspects of indie rock during future projects.
	Christie Front Drive	Denver-based emo band Christie Front Drive was formed in the autumn of 1993 by singer/guitarist Eric Richter, guitarist Jason Begin, bassist Kerry McDonald and drummer Ron Marschall.
	The Casket Lottery	Coalesce's Nathan Ellis (guitar/vocals) and Stacy Hilt (bass) founded the Casket Lottery in the late '90s and composed a sound around crashing emo-tailored lyrics and heavy guitar work.