You, Me, and Everyone We Know

Page

– Photo by Gina Piscitelli

You, Me, and Everyone We Know is an independent group that makes its winter home in the Baltimore, Md. and Washington D.C. area, and spends the spring, summer, and fall touring across the country, playing dozens upon dozens of shows across the country to what has become a deeply loyal fan base. The group is a trio made up of singer Ben Liebsch, guitarist Augustine Rampolla and guitarist Rico Vigil. Like many acts nowadays, it is hard to specifically classify their music, but it is probably best described as equal parts rock, pop, indie, and punk. We want to know what you think of their music and whether you think the guys will soon be moving up into bigger and better venues as they work to “Get Famous!” We have three of YMAEWK’s songs available for you to rate in the HitPredictor jukebox now so that you can tell us what you think. Keep reading to learn more about the guys of YMAEWK and make sure you check out their songs “I Can Get Back Up Now,” “Colorful Language,” and “Do It Again (You’re Not Making Me Want To Touch You)” which will be available to rate until Thursday, March 25.

The guys of YMAEWK just marked their fourth anniversary together, and have evolved over time to become almost entirely self sufficient through a relentless touring schedule. Their perseverance on the road has to do with the state of the music scene in their home base which, as Ben said, “is pretty weak, so we started touring immediately…at first we were just touring until we ran out of money, then we’d go home and work somewhere for a month. Eventually the band became mostly self sufficient, save for the occasional massive vehicle failure.” It hasn’t been easy, as earlier band members have come and gone which “just goes to show that being in an independent blue collar band is tough…however, we’ve come this far and thanks to our amazingly loyal fan base, we’ve been able to weather every storm.”

And storms there have been! In 2008, YMAEWK’s tour van literally went up in flames as the band was arguing about whether to stop touring to record and release a new album, or whether to stick to the road. The right rear tire blew out on the highway, which forced the group to pull off into a patch of dry grass in Georgia (in August!) when “the heat from the tire lit the grass, which lit the undercarriage, which led to everything we owned and weren’t wearing to be completely engulfed in flames in less than 30 seconds.” Reflecting on the experience Ben says “I’ve never been sure where I stand on fate, destiny, or a God watching over everything and occasionally pointing you in a certain direction…but if there is any kind of higher power out there let me say this: That was no sign, it was a f*#ing billboard.” And it got the group back into the studio to record its second EP, So Young, So Insane.

In total, YMAEWK has independently released two EPs and is currently hard at work on recording its first full-length album, which the guys hope to release sometime this summer. To get a little better insight into the message behind the music Ben talked to us about the single “I Can Get Back Up Now,” from the second EP So Young, So Insane:

“The song is about overcoming obstacles. It touches on moments in my life I was angry about, things I was still holding on to (childhood traumas, friends turning their backs, etc.) At some point, you have to stop letting that stuff keep you down. However if it does get the best of you or “kicks you down,” you gotta be strong enough to get back up. I’m not sure I was entirely living by the rules I made for myself by writing that song for a while after I wrote it, but that’s all part of the journey.”

The group itself isn’t consciously influenced by other acts in the music industry, but instead, as Ben describes “relies on the honesty, conviction, and emotion in our songs to draw people in at shows or when listening to us for the first time.” We want to know whether you think YMAEWK has what it takes to “Get Famous” so rate their music now through Thursday, March 24 at HitPredictor and let us know!

For those that want more on the group you can check them out at MySpace, on Pure Volume, Facebook, and Twitter.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

If you want to check out YMAEWK live, check out the group’s upcoming tour dates up and down the east coast, which have been announced through early May:

  • 4/16, Rockville Center, New York
  • 4/17, New York, New York
  • 4/18, Vineland, New Jersey
  • 4/19, Allentown, Pennsylvania
  • 4/20, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • 4/21, Baltimore, Maryland
  • 4/22, Richmond, Virginia
  • 4/23, Bedford, Virginia
  • 4/24, Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • 4/25, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • 4/26, Raleigh, North Carolina
  • 4/27, Columbia, South Carolina
  • 4/28, Charleston, South Carolina
  • 4/29, Jacksonville, Florida
  • 4/30, Winter Park, Florida
  • 5/1, Sarasota, Florida
  • 5/2, Tarpon Springs, Florida
  • 5/3, Augusta, Georgia
  • 5/4, Nashville, Tennessee
  • 5/5, Corbin, Kentucky
  • 5/6, Indianapolis, Indiana

Leave a comment