Lifehouse is an inspiration to garage bands everywhere. Front-man Jason Wade met bassist Sergio Andrade when he was 15 years old, the new kid in Los Angeles. They became fast friends and jammed together in Jason's garage. They played gigs in their school's auditorium for two years using the name Blyss before they were discovered by producer Ron Aniello. Drummer Rick Woolstenhulme joined, making the band a trio. Another two years passed before their big break came. Jason Wade had been working on a song called 'Breathing'. He got together with the guys and performed for producer Aniello. The rest is history.
With the new name, Lifehouse, the trio signed a contract with DreamWorks Records and released No Name Face in 2000. The album hit number six on the charts and was certified double platinum. The album also featured the hit single 'Hanging By a Moment' which put the band in the hearts of teenage girls across the country. The single made it to number one on the Billboard charts ten weeks after its release and snagged the title of number one most-played radio song of 2001.
The band went on the road with Matchbox Twenty, Fuel, Everclear, and Pearl Jam to plug their debut album, playing to sold out college venues across the country. Their efforts were rewarded in 2001 with five Billboard Music Award Nominations. The group was nominated for Artist of the Year for a duo or group, New Artist of the Year, Hot 100 Single of the Year for 'Hanging By a Moment', Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year, and Modern Rock Single of the Year.
Having added a fourth member to their lineup, guitar player Sean Wollstenhulme (brother of drummer Rick), Lifehouse released their second album, Stanley Climbfall, in 2002. Fans stampeded to the record stores to own the newest album.
Singles like 'Take Me Away' and 'Spin' capture the attention of their young audience with soulful lyrics and a powerful guitar-driven melody. 'Spin' was accompanied by a video directed by Dave Meyers. The video captures moments in the lives of various people which are tied together by the lyrics of the song itself.
Stanley Climbfall was not received with as much attention from the press as their first album, but Lifehouse's popularity with their already strong fan base did not dwindle. They kept coming back for more of the band's trendy, angsty, melodic pop-rock. Heavy on the guitar and smooth vocals of Wade, Lifehouse's music calls to young adults across the US.
Lifehouse continues to tour nationally, and has even done shows in Great Britain. A single from their first album appeared on the popular WB series Smallville in 2003 giving even more young people a chance to experience their unique talents. Wade has continued to work on his songwriting, saying he enjoys writing songs in the back of the tour bus between promoting their concert tickets, playing video game tournaments with his bandmates and crew, and watching movies on the road. This young group of rock stars is down to earth and on the level with their fans. They're serious about music as well as having balance in their life, a quality which is reflected in their music.
