| Sam Means | |
| Birth Name: | Samuel Thomas Means[1] |
| Birth Date: | 7 May 1982 |
| Origin: | Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Genre: | Indie pop indie rock alternative rock |
| Occupation: | Songwriter Producer Musician |
| Instrument: | Vocals, guitar, piano |
| Years Active: | 1999–present |
| Associated Acts: | The Format, Fun., Destry |
Samuel Thomas Means is an American songwriter, producer and musician, previously songwriter of indie pop band The Format.
Sam Means and Nate Ruess left their previous bands Nevergonnascore and This Past Year and formed the indie-pop duo, The Format, in February 2000.[2] [3] [4] The Format announced a hiatus on February 4, 2008.
On September 29, 2009, Means released the original motion picture soundtrack for the indie film The Sinking of Santa Isabel.[5]
On April 21, 2012, Means released an exclusive 7" for Record Store Day, titled, NONA,[6] on Photo Finish Records.[7] The 7" features an A and B side, with a digital download card for three additional tracks, including a cover of The Hollies', "Carrie Anne".[8] [9] [10]
On April 19, 2014, Means released his second exclusive 7" for Record Store Day, titled, Blue Jeans, on Photo Finish Records.[11] The A Side and title track, "Blue Jeans", is a Lana Del Rey cover,[12] featuring Anthony Green of Circa Survive on lead vocals, with Sizzy Rocket singing back up.[13]
On January 22, 2016, Means released his debut full-length album, 10 Songs on Hello Records.[14] [15] [16] [17] [18] The album reunited Means with his The Format bandmates Don Raymond, Marko Buzzard, Mike Schey, and John O'Riley, along with Dog Problems producer Steven McDonald and arranger Roger Joseph Manning Jr.[19]
The Format reunited for a surprise show on February 3, 2020, performing in Hello Merch's event space.[20] The next day, a brief reunion tour was announced, but would later be canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21]
On October 12, 2020, Means released a 5-track EP titled, I'm Sorry. Means wrote, "I wrote and recorded a little 5 song EP in my laundry this week, while the girls were out of town." The EP was released digitally and on cassette.[22]
For Means' releases with The Format, see The Format discography.
| Year | Artist | Title | Credit | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Sam Means | NONA | Writer, performer, producer, engineer | Photo Finish Records | |
| 2020 | Sam Means | I'm Sorry | Writer, performer, producer, engineer | Hello Records |
| Year | Artist | Title | Track | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sam Means | Phoenix: We Love It | "Yeah Yeah" | Stinkweeds | |
| 2009 | Sam Means | Sons of Men Single EP | "No Motion" (Reuben's Accomplice cover) | Western Tread Recordings | |
| 2011 | Sam Means | Can I Borrow This? Vol. 1 | "Big Drag" (Limbeck cover) | Burning House Records | |
| 2014 | Sam Means | HairBrained (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | "Yeah Yeah" & "Run Away" | Legacy Recordings | |
| 2014 | Sam Means | 538 Hitzone 68 | "Yeah Yeah" | Universal Music | |
| 2014 | Sam Means | 100X Winter 2014 | "Yeah Yeah" | Universal Music |
| Year | Artist | Title | Track | Credit | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | All Tracks | Writer | Fueled by Ramen | |||
| 2009 | "Big Mouths," "Home Isn't Home," "So Far Away," and "Took The Money" | Writer, performer | Paper + Plastick Records | |||
| 2010 | I "Never Can Relax" | Performer | Wasted Summer | |||
| 2013 | Some Nights EP | "At Least I'm Not as Sad (As I Used To Be)," "All the Pretty Girls," and "Walking the Dog" | Writer | Fueled by Ramen | ||
| 2020 | Anthony Green ft. Steven McDonald and Sam MeanS | "Don't Forget Me" Single | "Don't Forget Me" (Harry Nilsson cover) | Performer | Hello Records |
| Year | Artist | Track | Credit | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Sam Means | "Yeah Yeah" | Writer, performer, producer, engineer, Mixer | The Vanity Label | |
| 2011 | Sayid & The Torturers | "SICK" | Writer, performer, producer, engineer, Mixer | Apples & Olive | |
| 2011 | Sam Means | "Christmas All Over Again" (Tom Petty cover) | Performer, producer, engineer, Mixer | Apples & Olive | |
| 2012 | Sam Means | "I Will" (The Beatles cover) | Performer, producer, engineer, Mixer | Apples & Olive | |
| 2014 | Sam Means | "Little Song" | Writer, performer, producer, engineer, Mixer | Apples & Olive | |
| 2014 | Sam Means | "Blue Jeans" (Featuring Anthony Green & Sizzy Rocket) | Performer, producer, engineer | Photo Finish Records | |
| 2020 | Sam Means | "The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1" (Neutral Milk Hotel cover) | Performer, producer, engineer | Hello Records | |
| 2020 | Sam Means | "Where Is My Mind?" (Pixies cover) | Performer, producer, engineer | Hello Records |
In the wake of the Format’s hiatus, Means and his wife, Anita, started a company in Phoenix, Arizona called Hello Merch. According to Hello Merch's website, "[the company] started in 2008 as an outlet for bands, musicians, creative artists and businesses to manufacture and sell merchandise anywhere, without giving up their rights."[23]
The company moved locations numerous times during its early years due to outgrowing the spaces. The company has since found a sizable warehouse at 850 W. Lincoln in Phoenix’s historic warehouse district that they revitalized in 2019. Over the years, Means has extended the Hello brand to other ventures, including an apparel line, a record label, a screen printing and record pressing services, and event space.[24]
The company had worked with many local organizations in creating merchandise such as the Phoenix Suns,[25] the Crescent Ballroom,[26] and the ZONA music festival.[27] They also create merch for numerous well known musicians such as Bebe Rexha, K.Flay, Smallpools, Tori Amos.[28]