Bandsplain The Get Up Kids with Arielle Gordon
9 snips
Mar 12, 2026 Arielle Gordon, music journalist known for writing about emo, walks through The Get Up Kids' rise. She traces their mix of punk energy and big feelings. They explore key albums, lineup changes, and the band's role shaping third-wave emo. Moments of near-misses and lasting influence get highlighted.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How A Dorm Romance Made A Fan For Life
- Yasi discovered the Get Up Kids when a college dorm fling ("Josh") played them, which sparked her emo conversion.
- The story frames how early personal encounters with a band can cement lifelong fandom and nostalgia.
Matt Pryor Started Writing In A Local Poetry Circle
- Matt Pryor learned poetry and songwriting at local open mic nights and a teens support group, which pushed him from drums to guitar.
- Those early community spaces (a poet called Black, rehearsal wine-cellar) shaped his lyricism and DIY start.
Label Deals Changed The Band's Path
- Label politics shaped the Get Up Kids' trajectory: Doghouse couldn't scale, Mojo demanded merch and re-records, and Vagrant bought them out with a mortgage on a band member's parents' house.
- That buyout and Vagrant's support enabled Something to Write Home About's wider reach.