Artist description Across the Way is known for bringing hype to any show. With their melodic melodies, screaming solos, and fast driving bass and drum lines, you are not going to be disappointed with this band!

Music Style Straight Ahead Fast Punk, Melodic Punk, Punk Rock

Musical Influences Mellincolin, Pennywise, Face to Face, Pulley.

Similar Artists Mellincolin, Pennywise, Face to Face.

Artist History Across the Way was formed by Mike Bolton, Greg Lussier and Dan Read while they were still in high school. It was in 1997 when they formed the band, while back then it was called Under Age. After finding out there was an already existing band under that named they quickly changed it. Mike Bolton had come up with the named Across the Way. The named Across the Way came about when Mike had a vision of an old man sitting in his rocking chair on a wooden deck. A kid had asked the old man where some particular place was and the old man simply replied, "over yonder and across the way". Across the Way was a place somewhere. It did not matter where it was, because where ever it was someone wanted to be there. After Mike, Dan, and Greg began playing together they soon began to play shows in the local area. Shortly after playing some shows they added a new member, Bryan Lyons on lead guitar. The set up now consisted of Mike on vocals/guitar, Bryan on lead guitar, Dan on bass/vocals, and Greg on drums. The band then went in together in early 1998 and made a cheap recording of two songs for a small run CD to give out to there friends. The CD was titled "Sliced Bread", which was taken off their original web site forum were someone once posted "They were the best thing in University Place since sliced bread." Impressed by their playing and not the sound recording they were told by friends that they should try to put out a better recording. So while playing shows between late 1998 and early 1999, the band released a somewhat better recording of their music on an album titled "All American Punk". Through 1999 and early 2000 the band continued playing shows in the Western Washington area. In March of 2000 the band went in for a professional recording to recorded their third album, which was titled "Fallen Flags". "Fallen Flags", was released in May of 2000. It was their first album to be professionally recorded and mastered. The band played many shows to promote their new CD and hopefully gain back the money they put into the album. In doing so ATW was able to get the Fallen Flags album into local Sam Goody's music stores in the Western Washington area. Surprisingly ATW sold over 200 copies of the Fallen Flags CD. Then at the end of the summer in 2000, Dan Read was forced to quit the band in order to go to college. Mike, Bryan, and Greg were still in High School at this time. Between September 2000 and December 2000, ATW had a few different bass players. It wasn't until January 2001 when they found their next full time bass player that would be included in their next Album. Around this time of change up in the band, Mike wanted to just sing and bring in another guitar player. A friend of Bryan Lyons by the name of Dean Davis was asked to try out and was accepted into the group. The band at this point was a five piece. But in late 2000 it was broken when lead guitarist Bryan Lyons announced he would be leaving. This became a problem for the group. ATW was just getting ready to create new material for a new album. And because of Bryan’s departure from the group, ATW decided not to add another member in place of Bryan at this time, only feeling that it would create a hold in recording the new material. This is mainly because they would have to teach a new member all of the songs including the old ones. So ATW then push forward to create new material with the exception of some created before Bryan Lyons had left. Mike Bolton did not return to the guitar as Dean said he would take care of business. In early 2001 shows were put on hold so the band could focus on recording their new album. Recording began in April of 2001 and ended in June of that year. The album was mastered soon after and was release in time for a show they had at the end of June. It was release as a self-titled album. This album was also recorded and mastered professionally. After releasing their new album ATW felt it was time to add another guitarist. This guitarist was Stephen Essman. After practicing with Stephen, making sure he had the songs down, ATW planned shows to promote their music. By that June all of the band members, with the exception of Dean Davis and Stephen Essman, had just graduated high school. ATW played numerous shows in the summer of 2001. Sadly the band stopped playing when all the members went their own way for college in the fall of 2001. Some interesting facts: *Even though ATW is no longer playing together as a band, ATW’s material is sold to new listeners every year. *Across the Way was known for playing numerous shows with the Geeks from 1999 through 2001. *Have played with bands such as The Undecided, The Hangnails, and Dogwood. *Known for Josh Mckay's turn at the mic to play at least one 80's cover song during their shows. *During a show in downtown Tacoma, Washington, ATW members, Mike Bolton and Dan Read, were electrocuted on stage and medics were called. Both members came out of it all right with no injuries except for Mike Bolton’s fingers, having holes in his skin where the electric rays entered and exited his body. Reasons for the electrocution where determined that the main PA System was plug into an outlet that was not properly grounded.

Group Members Mike Bolton - Vocals (1997-2001) Bryan Lyons - Lead Guitar (1998-2000) Dean Davis - Guitar/Vocals (2000-2001) Stephen Essman - Guitar (2001-2001) Dan Read - Bass/Vocals (1997-2000) Josh Mckay - Bass/Vocals (2000-2001) Greg Lussier - Drums (1997-2001)

Albums Across the Way - Sliced Bread (1998)(OOP), Across the Way - All American Punk (1999)(OOP), Across the Way - Fallen Flags (2000), Across the Way -

Press Reviews Viking Shield Magazine 2001, page 30-31, written by Noah Burns. Across the Way has been together for a long time and has gone through many changes in it's line up. Greg Lussier and Mike Bolton, the cement that holds the band together, have been playing together for upwards of 4 years. A.T.W. is now comprised of Greg and Mike (Drms. and Voc.), Dean Davis (Guit) and Josh Mckay (Bass). Last Year the band release a full lenght album called "Fallen Flags", and are about to release another that, as of yet, has no title. The band predominately plays straight ahead fast punk, but recently the newly added Josh Mckay has passionately belted out 80's covers to mix things up at the shows. The Addtion of Dean Davis also changed the band, although in a much more substantial way. Josh says that the songs Dean writes are much more "emo", therefore slowing the new album down a bit, and adding more melody. Dean just feels that his pressence has filled the band's sound with "lots of more betterness". Other than these changes, Josh said that "It's pretty much like the first C.D." The new C.D. was recorded by C.H.S's own engineer-extrodinaire T.J. Knockleby, who also recorded Made in the Shade's new e.p. "Fighting Fools". T.J. attains an amazing level of sound quality consisdering his equipment which consists of a medicore digital 8-track and a handful of relatively crappy microphones. Nevertheless, T.J. is a professional no doubt. Dean says the bands decision to use T.J. instead of a professional studio was strictly economical, because he was "Cheap." As for upcoming shows, the band doesn't know of any in the near future. However, you can keep up on all the latest A.T.W info at www.acrosstheway.8m.com and the new album will be out by the end of the school year. Also look for the band at the U.P. festival's "Battle of the Bands" in August.

Additional Info To Purchase an ATW album please email acrosstheway@hotmail.com. You can also find some pictures of the band on this website: http://bandpics.8k.com

Location Tacoma, Wa - USA

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