Parkway Drive
By: Mike • Essay • 561 Words • April 30, 2010 • 894 Views
Parkway Drive
Parkway Drive formed in the summer of 2003, its name coming from the street they used to practice on in their home town of Byron Bay, Australia. Not long after it had formed, the band released a split EP with Adelaide band I Killed The Prom Queen (Disbanded). Parkway Drive also made an appearance on the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation What We've Built, preceded by their debut EP, Don't Close Your Eyes.
In May 2005 they headed to the USA to record their debut album with renowned metal producer, Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz (production credits include Unearth and Underoath).
Since the release of Don't Close Your Eyes, Parkway Drive have rapidly accumulated a fanbase Australia-wide, courtesy of support slots for small underground international acts including Hatebreed, In Flames, Chimaira, Shadows Fall, As I Lay Dying, Bleeding Through, Alexisonfire, and performances at Metal for the Brain 2005 and Australia's Hardcore 2005. They have built quite a emps style reputation within the underground music industry, this led to their signing with Epitaph record labels.
In June 2006, the band was signed to Epitaph Records, which released Killing with a Smile in the United States during August of that year.
In late May 2006, second bass player Shaun Cash left the band for personal reasons with the full support of the rest of the members. The band soon found a replacement in their "merch guy" and long-time friend, Jia "Pipey" O'Connor. Now a permanent part of the line-up, he played with them for the rest of their first international tour in the UK and Europe, and later dates in the United States.
In October 2006, they were billed as the Australian contingent on the Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour, playing alongside Anti-Flag, Underoath, Thursday, Senses Fail, Taking Back Sunday and Saosin. During November and December 2006 they appeared at the Homebake Festival, Sound Fest, Resist Records' tour, Soundwave Festival and Gravity G Festival before returning to the UK and Europe.
[edit] Horizons (2007-present)
On 3 March 2007 a new song was previewed to a crowd at Underworld entitled The Siren's Song. This song would later