Fifteenth Summer

We are Fifteenth Summer

Founded in 1999 by frontman Chris DiTuri and guitarist/bassist Benj Roberts, Fifteenth Summer began their run in the suburbs north of Atlanta, GA. Playing their first shows out of the back of a record store, Sea of Timeless Records, the band appeared with local favorites Group X, Galaxy Fair, and Amalgam, and began writing some of the songs that would come to define the Fifteenth Summer sound like “Monday Mourning,” “Short of Air,” and the song that would eventually become “When Angels Cry Blood.” In the following years, the band became a mainstay st the Strand Theater in Marietta, GA, which was operating under the name The Hanger, and played a long series of shows with local band Odd Girl Out.

By 2003 the band had long-since moved into the Atlanta club circuit, playing shows at such clubs as the Somber Reptile and the Masquerade, and DiTuri and Roberts recorded Fifteenth Summer’s first EP, “Fallen Angels.” After the release of the EP, the band was restructured, with Roberts moving from guitar to bass, and they were joined by Chris “Numbers” Neitzer on rhythm guitar, Jay Zaffos on lead guitar, and Greg Malejko on drums. The band supported the EP with countless shows over the next several years, airplay on WRAS 88.5 “Album 88” and WNNX 99.7 “99X” in Atlanta, and were named a Top Atlanta Act in 2004 by localmusic.com . In 2006 Fifteenth Summer played the Emergenza Music Festival at Vinyl Atlanta. The band also formed a close bond with Scarlet Androgyny, which was the springboard for Atlanta favorites Ginger Vee and Daisy Bellis.

In 2007 Fifteenth Summer headed to Atlanta’s Nickel and Dime Sound Studios to record their second EP, “The Long Goodbye.” The release consisted of four new tracks, and went on to become a digital hit on both Facebook and MySpace, with over 8,000 downloads between the two sites. At the same time, the band had the opportunity to perform with national acts Cross Culture and VAST, the latter of the two being a long-time influence of the band. In 2008 the band parted ways with Numbers, and the remaining four members of Fifteenth Summer spent time perfecting newer material like “Losing” and “Graceless.”

After a brief hiatus, Fifteenth Summer regrouped in 2010 for what they originally thought would be a retrospective project, remixing and reworking material from their previous EPs. Working together again, the band saw the project take on a life of it’s own, and what was planned as a retrospective soon developed into plans for a full-length album. In late 2011 Fifteenth Summer went to work at Ledbelly Sound Studios with producer/engineer Matt Washburn, well-known for his work with Atlanta metal powerhouse Mastodon. The album was produced by Chris DiTuri, Matt Washburn, Caleb Warren, and the rest of the band, and was mastered by Washburn and music legend Rodney Mills.

“Shades of Grey,” Fifteenth Summer’s first full-length album is set for release on July 15, 2012 through Interscope Records Digital Distribution. The band consists of Jay Zaffos on lead guitar, Greg Malejko on drums and percussion, Benj Roberts on rhythm guitar and bass, and Chris DiTuri providing vocals, guitar, and programming. “Shades of Grey” will be available on CD and digital download from the following retailers:

Itunes (U.S., Australia/N.Z., Japan, Mexico, Canada, UK/European Union, Latin America)

Amazon

Spotify

MySpace Music

Rhapsody

MediaNet

Zune for XBox Live

eMusic

IHeartRadio

Nokia and NokiaMobile

VerveLife

Google Play

simfy

Deezer

For more information visit Fifteenth Summer at www.facebook.com/fifteenthsummer, www.reverbnation.com/fifteenthsummer, or www.fifteenthsummer.com

Fifteenth Summer has had extensive stage experience over our decade-and-a-half run, playing many Atlanta venues such as Vinyl Atlanta, The Somber Reptile, and The Masquerade. We have played with many great Atlanta bands, as well as national acts like Cross Culture and VAST.

We are influenced by everything from classic rock to alternative, metal, classical, electronic, hard rock, and industrial. Some of our biggest influences include NIN, the Cure, A Perfect Circle, Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots, HIM, Stabbing Westward, VAST, David Bowie, and more.

Fifteenth Summer uses Gibson SG and Les Paul guitars, Fender basses, Pearl drums, Native Instruments, Marshall and Mesa Boogie amps.