Parkway Drive

Parkway Drive

Parkway Drive is an Australian metalcore band from Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia, formed in 2003. As of 2009, Parkway Drive has released two full-length albums, Killing with a Smile and Horizons, an EP, entitled Don't Close Your Eyes and two split albums.

History

Early history (2003–2006)

Parkway Drive formed in the summer of 2003, the origin of the band's name is from the band's hometown in Byron Bay, Australia, the band would practice in a house garage, aptly named the "Parkway House", on the street named "Parkway Dr.". Not long after the band had formed, they released a split EP with metalcore band I Killed the Prom Queen from Adelaide, entitled I Killed the Prom Queen / Parkway Drive in 2003. Parkway Drive also made an appearance on the Byron Bay Hardcore compilation What We've Built, preceded by their 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 whose 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 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. The band's debut album, Killing with a Smile was released in August 2005 and has since sold in excess of 30,000 copies in Australia. They toured strongly behind the album, playing dozens of headlining shows, as well as an appearance the Gold Coast leg of the Big Day Out festival in January 2006.

In June 2006, the band was signed to Epitaph Records, which released their debut album Killing with a Smile in the United States during August of that year. In late May 2006, bass player Shaun Cash left the band for personal reasons with full support from the rest of the members. The band soon found a replacement in their "merch guy" and long-time friend, Jia "Pie" O'Connor. Now a permanent part of the line-up, he played with them for the rest of their first international tour in the United Kingdom 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.

Horizons (2007 onward)

Parkway Drive performing at 2007's Warped Tour.

On 3 March 2007, a new song was previewed to a crowd at Underworld entitled "The Sirens' Song". The song would later feature on Horizons. They were placed on the bill for the U.S. Vans Warped Tour 2007 as the only Australian band on the tour. On 15 August, Winston McCall appeared in an interview on the short.fast.loud show on Australia's Triple J Radio station in which he previewed a track off Horizons entitled "Boneyards."

Horizons was released on 6 October 2007. The album was generally acclaimed by critics and fans alike; especially Blunt Magazine, 'simply slays from the get go' and awarded it 10/10, and planet-loud.com, which suggested that it would 'set the benchmark for metal albums to come'. It debuted at number 6 on the ARIA Charts. After the release of Horizons, the band toured through the US, Australia and Europe with such bands such as Killswitch Engage, Bury Your Dead, Darkest Hour and others.

In February/March 2008, Parkway teamed up with Byron Bay bands/friends 50 lions (fronted by Winston's brother) and Word Up!, to complete the Surf Rats Tour of east coast Australia. This tour (traveling to towns not listed on the standard touring circuit) was based around surfing big surf spots on the way.

In December 2008, Parkway Drive toured Australia nationally on the "Sweatfest" Tour. In support of Parkway Drive was; A Day To Remember, Suicide Silence, The Acacia Strain and Confession. In 2008, Parkway Drive's "Smoke 'Em If Ya Got 'Em" was remixed by Sydney producers Teen Heat. On 12 December 2008 while performing at UNSW Roundhouse, Parkway Drive announced that they were filming a DVD of the show, which would include footage of the performance and a few songs from other bands featured in the Sweat Fest Tour. On 18 January 2009, Parkway Drive announced their headlining US tour with Stick to Your Guns and Mychildren Mybride. On 28 January to 1 February 2009, Parkway Drive went on a tour in Japan with Shai Hulud and Crystal Lake. Parkway Drive played at the 2009 Bamboozle Lineup at the Giant's Stadium parking lots; as well as being confirmed at 2009's Download Festival.

In May 2009, Parkway Drive announced that they would be releasing a live DVD and an Australian tour was also announced with August Burns Red and Architects in support of it. Supporting them on their sold out Sydney leg of the tour will be local Sydney band Hand of Mercy, on their Newcastle leg will be Safe Hands, hometown Byron Bay show will be Sink Or Swim, their Melbourne leg will be local Melbourne band House Vs. Hurricane and In Trenches, on their Canberra leg, Dead Kings, on the Brisbane leg, Wish for Wings, and on their Adelaide leg, Abandon All Hope. In June 2009, Parkway Drive played at the 2009 Download Festival.

After completing their Australian tour, the band returned to writing their forthcoming album; it's current release date is unknown. On 13 November they informed their fans that writing for the album is almost done. On 12 August at the Riverstage in Brisbane the band performed a new song entitled "Unrest". Parkway Drive have recently posted on twitter that they are almost finished writing their new album, due for a 2010 release and still as of yet untitled.

Parkway Drive have been confirmed on the 2010 Warped Tour lineup for all dates.

Discography

Studio albums

• Killing with a Smile (2005, Resist / Epitaph)
• Horizons (2007, Resist / Burning Heart / Epitaph)
• TBA (2010)

EPs

• Don't Close Your Eyes (2004, Resist)
• Don't Close Your Eyes (2006 re-issue, Resist)

Other releases

• I Killed the Prom Queen and Parkway Drive (split album) (2003, Final Prayer)
• What We've Built (split album with Parkway Drive, Shoot to Kill and Think Straight) (2003, BBHC)

DVDs

• Parkway Drive: The DVD (2009)

Videography

Year	Title	Director
2006	"Smoke 'Em If Ya Got 'Em"	Resist Records
2007	"Boneyards"	Epitaph

Members

Current

• Winston McCall - vocals
• Ben Gordon - drums
• Jeff Ling - guitar
• Luke Kilpatrick - guitar
• Jia O'Connor - bass

Former

• Brett Versteeg - bass
• Shaun Cash - bass

External links

• Official website