The Get Up Kids is an independent American emo rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. Formed in 1995, the group plays a major role in the emo scene, at this time better known as the "second wave" of emo. As they become more popular, they play alongside bands such as Green Day and Weezer, before playing their own headlining concerts, then touring Japan and Europe >>>. They are launching Heroes and Villains Records, an imprint of the Vagrant Records label that will distribute albums from The Get Up Kids, as well as parallel projects such as The New Amsterdams and Reggie and the Full Effect.
The original band includes Matthew Pryor (vocals and guitar), Jim Suptic (guitar and vocals), Rob Pope (bass) and Nathan Shay (drums). The latter, little attracted by the life of tour, will quickly be replaced by Ryan Pope, the younger brother of Rob. Keyboardist James Dewees will appear for the first time in 1999 on the second album. Originally, the group is called The Suburban Get Up Kids, before realizing that there were more groups whose names began with 'G' than with the letter 'S'>. The group was formed on October 14, 1995 during the 18> anniversary of Suptic>.
The group's debut album appeared on Doghouse Records in 1997. This first emo-pop record, Four Minute Mile, will be recorded in just two days, and will receive excellent reviews. The Get Up Kids then announces its departure from Doghouse Records which attracts the interest of labels such as Sub Pop, Geffen and Mojo Records. The group decides to sign to Mojo, but changes its mind before signing the contract. The band meets Rich Egan, founder of the label Vagrant Records in Los Angeles. They convinced them to sign for Vagrant for a budget of $> for their second album, and the creation of their own independent label, which will become Heroes and Villains Records. The Get Up Kids will spend the next two years touring with Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring and Braid, until the 1999 release of Something to Write Home About, originally released on Heroes and Villains Records. This will be followed by another intense tour, where the band will tour the United States as well as Canada, Japan and Europe, performing in the first part for Weezer and Green Day, also accompanying The Anniversary, Hot Rod Circuit or Ozma. The group also contributes in 1999 a cover of Alec Eiffel for a Pixies tribute album, Where Is My Mind ?. The guitarist Jim Suptic already confirms that the group refused in 2001 the offer made to them Blink-182, very popular at the time, to ensure the first parts of their tour.
In 2001, The Get Up Kids offers a compilation, titled Eudora of Rare or Unprecedented Songs, which also features a few covers, that of the previously mentioned Pixies, as well as Beer for Breakfast (originally from The Replacements), David Bowie's Suffragette City, and Close to Me from The Cure.
