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The Starting Line
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The Starting Line - Direction
The Starting Line
Direction
The Starting Line - Based on a True Story
The Starting Line
Based on a True Story
The Starting Line - Say it Like You Mean It
The Starting Line
Say It Like You Mean It
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recent interviews
The Starting Line
Kenny Vasoli of The Starting Line
Adam Grundy sits down with Kenny of The Starting Line to discuss the upcoming holiday shows.
The Starting Line
The Starting Line at Warped Tour (Video Interview)
The Starting Line chat with Jackie Cular at the Vans Warped Tour.
The Starting Line
Matt Watts of The Starting Line
Matt Watts of The Starting Line talks about label difficulty and releasing 'Based on a True Story.'
LATEST ARTICLES - PAGE 3

The Starting Line in Portland (Throwback Thursday)

The Starting Line - Photo Gallery
Dave Gaslin

If I recall correctly, this “Throwback Thursday” gallery comes from the first time I ever photographed The Starting Line at the Roseland Ballroom in Portland, OR. I am pretty sure it was also their first national tour, and they were the opening band on a bill with New Found Glory, RX Bandits, and H2O.

It’s been interesting as I continue my deep dive into what seems like a never ending abyss of images; I sort through these boxes and struggle with where to even start. This week, when I came across these rolls of film, I realized these images would end up being a pretty sizable milestone for myself as a photographer. A few of the images from this night ended up being used on the album cover for The Starting Line’s release of The Early Years (We the People Sessions). You’ll find the full gallery below.

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Review: The Starting Line – Direction

The Starting Line - Direction
Jason Tate

This summer reads like a pop fan’s wet-dream.

We find July bringing the trifecta of “must-own” summer albums to a close. For those who lean toward the pop persuasion, The Starting Line will come as a fitting end to a two week burst of purchases that is sure to include multiple trips to the record store in search of Yellowcard and MxPx. This gives you two full weeks to play both of the aforementioned albums – because once you’ve purchased Direction, it’s unlikely to leave your stereo for quite some time.

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Interview: Matt Watts of The Starting Line

The Starting Line
AbsolutePunk

I’d have to say the “Screaming Is For Babies” tour is one of my favorite tours in a long time; how’d it get put together and how’s it been so far?

Well this is kind of like our first real headlining tour—we headlined the Drive Thru tour before, but this was like the first chance for us to go out and headline and pick the bands that we wanted to pick. We got a list of who we could take on the tour, and we wanted to make it sort of a diverse bill of bands that we’re all fans of, and we knew the Cartel guys a little bit before going into it, but not really all that well, and we met the Gatsbys guys on Warped Tour, and we’re just fans of all the bands on it. It’s a lineup that I’d love to see if I was going to a show because there aren’t really two bands that sound alike, and I love going to shows like that. Kids that come for us or Cartel may have not heard Copeland or Gatsbys, and to introduce them to a new band is awesome, especially bands like that.

How does it feel to have your most successful tour in quite some time when some people had maybe written you off?

It’s cool man. The fans are there and it’s proof that good work ethic and grassroots touring makes real fans. Kids support the record, although our record label hadn’t and didn’t really get it out there in full force, but our core audience seems to really like the record or people who didn’t like the last record might like Based On a True Story. It all comes down to the songs, and if people connect with the songs, they’ll support your band.

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Review: The Starting Line – Based on a True Story

The Starting Line - Based on a True Story
Jason Tate

Okay, so let’s start with what we know:

  1. I’m a huge pop-punk kid. It’s the musical style I started listening to back in the day with MxPx and Blink-182. As much as musical purists will complain and moan, it’s the truth, and it’s my roots.
  2. I have been a pretty big fan of The Starting Line from their We the People Sessions back a few years now; however, everyone knows I was let down by their first full-length (Say It Like You Mean It) because I loathed some of the production by Mark Trombino.

I know, I know, so many people disagree with me on that one – but this is my vindication. The Starting Line return May 10th with their new full-length, Based on a True Story, produced by Tim O’Heir – and after hearing this album, it makes me bitter to think how the band’s last album may have sounded without Trombino on the dials. Yet, it makes me incredibly happy to finally have a CD that maximizes everything I’ve wanted this band to be for the past 4 years.

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Review: The Starting Line – Say It Like You Mean It

The Starting Line - Say it Like You Mean It
Jason Tate

Let me start out by saying that I love The Starting Line and have loved all their previous releases (even the little known about We The People Sessions that DTR keeps under lock and key for whenever they need an ‘unreleased’ track) – and no matter what I may say in the next few paragraphs, this is a great CD — if you are a pop-punk fan at all — you will love the new TSL CD, I promise.

The album starts out with a tribute to Blink-182’s “Anthem Part II” — wait, just kidding, it just reminds me of how Blink’s TOYPAJ started. With that behind us, we start out with one of the best tracks on the album, “Up and Go” — does just that, it picks up and takes the listener on a ride through the ups and downs of the song. Great opener track. The second track on the album is a really good song, with good guitar lines, killer drums … and all that; my only beef is the lyrics. I have always loved Ken’s writing, and thought it was the best part of this band, but for a debut full length I find it funny that there is a song saying thanks to the fans. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s awesome that they did it — but I mean, I could see Aerosmith doing something like that, not The Starting Line. Track 3 is the new “Leaving,” sounds good — if you liked the old one, you will like the new one. The next track is “Best Of Me” – it’s the best song on the album; hands down one of the best songs they have ever done.

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