Skip School, Start Fights Explained

Skip School, Start Fights
Type:Studio Album
Artist:Hit the Lights
Cover:SkipSchoolStartFights.jpg
Released:July 8, 2008
Studio:Pilot, New Jersey
Genre:Pop punk, easycore
Length:40:36
Label:Triple Crown
Producer:Rob Freeman
Prev Title:This Is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder
Prev Year:2006
Next Title:Coast to Coast
Next Year:2009

Skip School, Start Fights is the second studio album from the American pop punk band Hit the Lights.

Background

On June 28, 2007, it was announced vocalist Colin Ross left the group. Ross explained he "decided [he] would like to take a different direction with [his] life and not live this lifestyle any longer." The band intended to continue and find a new vocalist.[1] Subsequently, the band's guitarist Nick Thompson became their vocalist.[2]

Demo versions of the songs "Drop the Girl," "Stay Out," and "Don't Wait" with Colin Ross' vocals leaked on the internet before the album's release.

Recording

The album was produced by Rob Freeman, with recording taking place at Pilot Studios in New Jersey. It was mixed by Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount.[2] The album features guest vocals from Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low on the song "Don't Wait" and Shane Henderson of Valencia on the song "Drop the Girl."

Release

Hit the Lights supported the Audition on their Spring Break '08 tour in the US from mid-March until early May.[3] In April, the band appeared at the Bamboozle Left festival.[4] Following this, they played a handful of Midwest and West Coast shows with Set Your Goals, I Am the Avalanche, 2*Sweet, and the Years Gone By, then a series of shows with I Am the Avalanche, Jet Lag Gemini, and the Armada until June 2008.[5] [6] On May 18, 2008, Skip School, Start Fights was announced for release in two months' time.[7] On May 28, the band posted "Drop the Girl" on their MySpace profile.[8] "Stay Out" was released as a single on June 24.[9] Skip School, Start Fights was made available for streaming on July 1, before being released on July 8 through Triple Crown Records.[10] Later in July, the band supported All Time Low on their headlining US tour.[11] In September and October, the band supported Chiodos and Motion City Soundtrack on their co-headlining US tour.[12] In October and November, the band supported Cobra Starship on their Sassy Back (Tour) in the US.[13] In December, the band co-headlined a tour of the UK with Bayside. They were supported by Oh No Not Stereo.[14] On December 17, the band's cover of Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know", which was previously only available as an iTunes bonus track, was posted on their MySpace.[15] [16]

On January 20, 2009, the music video for "Drop the Girl" premiered on MTV.com.[17] [18] The song has since been streamed over 8 million times.[19] [20] [21] A few days later, the band performed at the Winter X Games.[22] "Drop the Girl" then aired on MTV2's You Rock the Deuce on February 28.[23] In March, the band supported the Maine and 3OH!3 on the Alternative Press Tour.[24] Later that month, they performed at the Alternative Press party at South by Southwest festival.[25] Between late June and late August, the band performed on the Vans Warped Tour.[26]

A limited vinyl version (250 copies) of the album was released in November 2017 for Triple Crown Records' 20th anniversary.[27]

"Drop the Girl" entered the top 10 on St. Louis, MO's Megarock Radio in July 2017.[28] It peaked at #1 on March 20, 2019.[29]

Reception

Skip School, Start Fights received generally positive reviews from music critics. Jason Tate of AbsolutePunk said, "There will always be a soft spot in my heart for this genre when done right, and this is the kind of album that definitely gets it right. It's fun, energetic, and thoroughly enjoyable." Eric Schneider of AllMusic complimented Nick Thompson's vocals. "Previously the group’s backing vocalist/guitarist, Thompson eases into the spotlight quite well on this 13-song set, as revealed on the boisterous 'Stay Out' and driving 'Don’t Wait.'"

The album sold over 7,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 97 on the Billboard 200 chart. By July 20, 2008, it sold over 10,000 copies.[30] [31]

Acoustic versions of "Tell Me Where You Are" and "Drop the Girl" were released on the band's Coast to Coast (2009) and Just to Get Through to You (2016) EPs.[32] [33]

Track listing

  1. "Count It!" - 1:02
  2. "Breathe In" - 3:07
  3. "Stay Out" - 3:47
  4. "Drop the Girl" (featuring Shane Henderson from Valencia) - 3:21
  5. "Tell Me Where You Are" - 4:02
  6. "Hangs 'Em High" - 2:54
  7. "Back Breaker" - 3:25
  8. "Don't Wait" (featuring Alex Gaskarth from All Time Low) - 3:36
  9. "Cry Your Eyes Out" - 3:07
  10. "Statues" - 3:04
  11. "Say What You Wanna Say" - 3:11
  12. "Wide Awake" - 3:12
  13. "On and On" - 2:56
iTunes bonus tracks
  2. "How Will I Know" (Whitney Houston cover) – 3:54
  3. "Drop the Girl" (Rowdy Boiz remix) – 3:12

Personal

Hit The Lights

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hit The Lights frontman quits band. Alternative Press. June 28, 2007. August 25, 2016.
  2. Web site: Hit The Lights "Skip School, Start Fights" In Stores Tomorrow Tuesday. Melodic. Wippsson, Johan. July 7, 2008. March 17, 2017.
  3. Web site: The Audition hits the road hard. https://web.archive.org/web/20080625080153/http://www.livedaily.com/news/13826.html. LiveDaily. Ticketmaster. Kilgore, Kym. March 12, 2008. June 25, 2008. June 2, 2017. dead.
  4. Web site: Bamboozle Left reveals more bands. Alternative Press. March 13, 2008. July 9, 2017.
  5. Web site: Set Your Goals detail 'Mutiny!' deluxe. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. April 24, 2008. June 15, 2022.
  6. Web site: I Am the Avalanche. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. April 26, 2008. June 15, 2022.
  7. Web site: Hit The Lights set release date. Punknews.org. Reinecker, Meg. May 18, 2008. June 17, 2022.
  8. Web site: Hit The Lights posts new song. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728172108/http://www.altpress.com/index.php/news/entry/archive_3950. Alternative Press. May 28, 2008. July 28, 2017. July 9, 2017.
  9. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160325164052/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/stay-out-single/id282974096. Stay Out - Single by Hit the Lights. iTunes. Apple Inc. March 25, 2016. July 9, 2017.
  10. Web site: Hit The Lights post full stream. Alternative Press. July 1, 2008. July 10, 2017.
  11. Web site: All Time Low On Headlining Tour July 11-July 21; Band Joins Vans Warped. Melodic. Wippsson, Johan. July 4, 2008. May 30, 2017. May 29, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170529165604/http://melodic.net/?page=news&id=9850. dead.
  12. Web site: UPDATE: Craig Owens releases statement; Chiodos co-headline tour with Motion City Soundtrack still o. Alternative Press. July 24, 2008. July 10, 2017.
  13. Web site: Cobra Starship, Forever The Sickest Kids are bringing Sassy Back. Alternative Press. August 5, 2008. July 23, 2017.
  14. Web site: Bayside / Hit The Lights to co-headline UK; Oh No Not Stereo supporting. Alternative Press. December 1, 2008. July 28, 2017.
  15. Web site: Hit The Lights post Whitney Houston cover. Alternative Press. December 17, 2008. July 30, 2017.
  16. Web site: Hit The Lights: 'How Will I Know (Whitney Houston)'. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. December 16, 2008. June 20, 2022.
  17. Web site: Hit The Lights 'Drop The Girl' Video Debut On MTV.com. Melodic. Wippsson, Johan. January 21, 2009. March 17, 2017.
  18. Web site: Hit the Lights post video for "Drop The Girl". Alternative Press. January 20, 2009. July 31, 2017.
  19. Web site: Drop The Girl by Hit The Lights. myspace. July 8, 2008.
  20. Web site: Drop The Girl [Official Music Video]]. YouTube. Hit The Lights . February 2, 2009. June 29, 2017.
  21. Web site: Drop The Girl. Spotify. Hit The Lights . July 8, 2008. June 29, 2017.
  22. Web site: Hit The Lights to play Winter X-Games. Alternative Press. January 23, 2009. July 31, 2017.
  23. Web site: MySpace.com Blogs - Hit the Lights - MTV2 - HTL. https://web.archive.org/web/20090314050740/http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=2010723&blogId=474224024. dead. March 14, 2009. MySpace. Hit The Lights. March 3, 2009. February 13, 2019.
  24. Web site: The Maine: Alternative Press Acoustic Session!. Melodic. Wippsson, Johan. December 30, 2008. March 17, 2017.
  25. Web site: The Used, Anberlin, Isles & Glaciers, 16 more playing AP’s free SXSW party. Alternative Press. February 23, 2009. August 2, 2017.
  26. Web site: Warped Tour 2009. Punknews.org. Paul, Aubin. March 26, 2009. May 22, 2018.
  27. Web site: Hit The Lights - Skip School, Start Fights Vinyl. Triple Crown Records. October 24, 2017. October 29, 2017.
  28. Web site: Megarock Radio. https://web.archive.org/web/20170719114825/https://onlineradiobox.com/us/megarock/. dead. July 19, 2017. Online Radio Box. July 19, 2017. March 27, 2019.
  29. Web site: Megarock Radio. https://web.archive.org/web/20190320055251/https://onlineradiobox.com/us/megarock/. dead. March 20, 2019. Online Radio Box. March 20, 2019. March 27, 2019.
  30. Web site: Weezy, Coldplay Continue To Battle It Out For Billboard's #1. https://web.archive.org/web/20160826131134/http://www.mtv.com/news/2574212/weezy-coldplay-continue-to-battle-it-out-for-billboards-1/. dead. August 26, 2016. MTV. July 16, 2008. June 27, 2017.
  31. Web site: Hit the Lights - Chart history . Billboard. June 22, 2017.
  32. Web site: Tell Me Where You Are (Acoustic). YouTube. Hit the Lights . June 23, 2009. October 4, 2018.
  33. Web site: Drop the Girl (Acoustic). YouTube. Hit the Lights . May 4, 2016. October 4, 2018.
  34. Hit The Lights - Chart History. Billboard. July 26, 2008.

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