Madison’s Official Statement

Drive Thru Records

Madison has posted the reason as to why they’re calling it quits.

After September 1st 2006, we have played our last show as Madison in South Hackensack, NJ. In order to dispel any rumors and make the reasons clear as to why we decided to break up, events of the last year have to be explained.

We would have never guessed that when we signed to Rushmore Records last year, it would have leaded us to our ultimate end. We had known Richard and Stefanie for years and considered them sincere friends so naturally we assumed that working together with them would have worked out perfectly. Starting last September, we took a couple month break to write and demo songs that we were really proud of and would have compiled really well to create what was to become our debut LP.
When we first submitted these songs in early 2006, it took over a month before they were even given a listen by Rushmore. Every time we asked if our demos had been listened to we were blown off instantly, often times in an extremely rude and vulgar manner. It didnt make any sense why our band was offered to sign a recording contract when it seemed as if there was no interest in sending us to the studio to record a record. We werent even given criticism of our songs. We essentially felt that we were last priority on a second priority label.

When a band is in a position where they have no record to tour on, the point of touring is then lost. We were playing songs to kids who had never heard them before and had no way of listening to them afterwards which made building up our fanbase very difficult. It was an extremely difficult decision, but we felt it was necessary for us to request to be released from our contracts and part ways in order to move forward with the band.

Upon that request, we were told that we could easily terminate our contracts in the following weeks. With that being said, we decided that it would have been in our best interest to move away from Rushmore Records.

Our request to be released from Rushmore Records had started on March 26th, 2006. As we were originally told it would only be a matter of weeks before our release was prepared, we spent months awaiting its arrival. Each week, when Rushmore was contacted about the status of the paperwork, we were promised they would be ready next week. This is what we were told every time we asked about the status of our termination agreement since the end of March until the present day.

We originally started this band, because music was something that we all felt passionate about. We loved to do anything it took to spread our music to anyone that was willing to listen to it. Day after day, week after week, getting this band to be a productive entity became a chore, and the one thing that we all collectively loved, became something we despised. Every thing that we felt passionate about was practically stripped from us. After all was said and done, continuing this band was didnt seem possible and it was a terribly hard decision but we felt it was best to just give it up. The Suicide Files song, Things Fall Apart describes the feeling that all of us are going through better than anything else we can say, The only thing worse / Than losing the one thing that you love / Is having the one thing that you love / Turned into everything that you fucking hate.

The six of us wished nothing but for our music to see the light of day for the people who were awaiting its release. For all of you who were hoping for Madison to release a record, we are sorry, we wish we could have released it as bad as you wanted to hear it. The one last thing we wish for as a band, is for us to serve as an example for the future. Be careful what contracts you sign, because as promising as it might seem, it could eventually mean the end of something that you love.

What goes around comes around..
Madison

This article was originally published on AbsolutePunk.net