The Alternate Routes

The Alternate Routes
Origin	Bridgeport, CT Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT, United States
Genres	Rock, roots rock, college rock
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Independent
Members	Eric Donnelly Tim Warren Mike Sembos Kurt Leon
Past members	Chip Johnson Stephen Chopek Richard Medek David Grant Mike Stavitz
Website	thealternateroutes.com

The Alternate Routes are an American rock band out of Bridgeport, Connecticut formed by Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly in 2002 while studying at Fairfield University.

As of the spring of 2013, The Alternate Routes are touring and working on a new album to follow up Lately.

Career

In 2005, the band recorded their debut album, Good and Reckless and True, with producer Jay Joyce in Nashville, TN. The next few years were spent touring and honing their live sound.

In 2006, the band won an Independent Music Award for the song "Ordinary." Later that year, the band signed with Vanguard Records.

In 2007, the band re-released Good and Reckless and True on Vanguard, and released a limited-edition acoustic album. This album, available only at shows, was affectionately titled The Brooklawn Sessions, referring to the house where Tim and then bass player Chip Johnson lived and recorded the album. On April 10, 2007, the Alternate Routes performed their single "Time is a Runaway" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

In 2008, the band recorded their follow-up LP, Sucker's Dream, again with Jay Joyce in Nashville. While waiting for its release in February 2009, the band recorded a five song EP, The Watershed EP, at Tarquin Studios with producer Peter Katis in their hometown of Bridgeport.

In 2010, longtime band member Chip Johnson left the band to pursue his home studio, Alpine Red.

The Alternate Routes parted ways with Vanguard Records in 2010 and shortly headed back to Nashville to begin work on their third studio album, Lately. Lately was produced by Teddy Morgan at Barrio East in Nashville over the course of 6 weeks. The album features drummer Richard Medek and multi-instrumentalist Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket.

In the summer of 2011, the Alternate Routes toured with co-headliners Scattered Trees. The tour introduced the band's new four-piece lineup featuring drummer Richard Medek and longtime guitarist turned bassist Mike Sembos (also of The Backyard Committee).

On December 17, 2013, The Alternate Routes' new single "Nothing More" was featured in its full length during the final scenes of the Christmas episode of NCIS, earning them the #92 rank on the iTunes US charts.

Nothing More was featured in the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics on NBC. The band also performed Nothing More on The Late Late Show was Craig Ferguson in March of 2014.

The Alternate Routes are currently working on their fourth studio album with Producer Peter Katis, tentatively titled, Nothing More.

Members

• Tim Warren - lead vocals, acoustic and electric guitars
• Eric Donnelly - electric guitars, backing vocals
• Ian Tait - bass guitar
• Kurt Leon - drums (2007–2008, then rejoined the band in 2012)
• Taryn Chory- Vocals

Previous Members

• Mike Sembos - bass guitar, backing vocals, electric guitar (2005-2013)
• Chip Johnson - bass, keys, backing vocals, drums (2003–2010)
• Stephen Chopek - drums (2005–2007)
• David Grant - drums (late 2008)
• Mike Stavitz - drums (2008–2010)
• Richard Medek - drums (2010-2011)

Discography

Albums

• This Is When EP (2003)
• Over Your Shoulder EP (2004)
• Good and Reckless and True (2005)
• Good and Reckless and True (2007, re-released on Vanguard Records)
• The Watershed EP (2008)
• Sucker's Dream (2009)
• Live... in Seattle (2010)
• Lately (2010)
• Nothing More (2014)
• It's That Time EP (2014)

Singles

• "Time Is a Runaway" (2007)
• "The Future's Nothing New" (2009)
• "Ain't No Secret" (2009)
• "Carry Me Home" (2011)
• "Nothing More" (2013)

External links

• Official website
• The Alternate Routes collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive