User:EarlTheSheepshearer/American Lesion (Band)

American Lesion are an American Rock & Roll Band from Atlanta, Georgia and currently based in Savannah, Georgia. Formed July 4th, 2009 by vocalist and songwriter Jonathan Williams, bassist Cody Luna, Guitarist Danial Wilker, Guitarist C.L. Gregg, and Drummer Keith Graham. American Lesion released their first full-length album The Black Plague Revival on May 12, 2010.

Cody recorded bass for "Black Plague Revival" and toured with American Lesion until he left in summer 2011. After Cody left bassist Max Eve joined American Lesion, recording bass and select guitar tracks on "Social Insecurity." Max left the band early 2012. Bassist Lance Rodriguez joined American Lesion after Max left. Lance had originally been a fill-in for Max at several concerts before joining officially and was the primary bassist from 2012 to 2014. He recorded the bass and select guitar tracks on "Dead Petting Zoo." After leaving American Lesion, Lances's former Holocaustion band mate Nich Olas filled-in for the tour and while the band began work on "Not In Public." C.L. went on hiatus in early 2013 but has since reunited with American Lesion spring 2016. Keith recorded primary drums on "The Black Plague Revival," "Social Insecurity," and "Dead Petting Zoo" before leaving in 2015 during the production of "Not In Public."

American Lesion have been categorized by various commentators within the genres of hard rock, grunge, heavy metal, stoner rock, alternative, sludge rock, and punk rock. When asked the members often say: "We play both kinds of music, rock and roll." and allusion to The Blues Brothers. They are often compared to influential classic rock and metal bands from the 1960s and 1970s, including The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and AC/DC. As well as influential alternative bands of the 1980s and 1990s, including Tool, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Fang. Frontman Jonathan Williams has typically led songwriting for American lesion. "The Black Plague Revival" was co-composed heavily with former bassist Cody Luna. C.L. Gregg co-wrote several songs with Jonathan on "Social Insecurity," and a song on "Dead Petting Zoo." Jonathan, Lance, and Danial co-wrote/co-composed/co-produced the album "Dead Petting Zoo." "Not In Public" was largely written and composed by Jonathan Williams, and produced by Jonathan and Danial. [[File:Lesion2011.png|thumb|American Lesion in 2011. Left to right:

Top row: Keith Graham, Danial Wilker;

Middle row: Max Eve, C.L. Gregg;

Bottom Row: Jonathan Williams; ]]

2009-2011: Formation, early years and The Black Plague Revival
[[File:Lesion2009.jpg|alt=American Lesion's first photo, July 4, 2009.|thumb|American Lesion's first photo, July 4, 2009. Left to right: Cody Luna, Danial Wilker, Keith Graham, C.L. Gregg, Jonathan Williams. The birth of American Lesion took place in Porterdale, Georgia on July 4, 2009, when Founding members Jonathan Williams, Cody Luna, Danial Wilker, C.L. Gregg, and Keith Graham first jammed in attic William's home. By the and of the day they would have already composed 3 songs and booked their first show at the Masquerade in Atlanta, Georgia for September 9, 2009. Their first public show was on August 29th at the historical 550 Blue in Macon having been added on to a local show at the last minute. From the day of the first Jam session, American Lesion was recording and composing their  perpetually growing catalog. They released their first EP "The Worst of Many" by their first shows. In demo form for the August 29th show and official on September 9th at The Masquerade in Atlanta.
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Independent of any major label the band released "Worst of Many," and the following LP "The Black Plague Revival" under their own label "Field Theory." The recording sessions simply labeled "Attic Sessions," took place between November 2009 and April 2010. Field Theory Studio One, also known as "The Attic," or "The Lesion Den," was built into vocalist Jonathan William's Attic, of his mid-19th- century home in Porterdale, Georgia. The album "The Black Plague Revival' was primarily mixed and mastered by Jonathan and C.L. with post processed mastering done by Danial.

The first single released was Ed The Butcher on September 1, 2009, via YouTube. The recording session that was used for the initial Ed The Butcher release took place before the band was fully formed. One week before the July 4th jam session, on June 27, Jonathan Cody and Danial recorded Ed The Butcher after auditioning a potential drummer known as 'Scott Lefty.' With Jonathan on drums and Cody filling out the second guitar, this short recording session would eventually become the band's first single.

In the wake of The Black Plague Revival's release American Lesion toured the South Eastern United States become well known in the time span. Local charts regularly had American Lesion placed in the top 20, and top 10. From 2009 to 2012 they were only known to cover two songs. Tools's 'Stinkfist' and Misfits 'TV Casualty.' The former earned them technical notoriety, while the latter earned them the attention of promoters that eventually lead to American Lesion playing with the Misfits in December 2010.

Social Insecurity production began late 2010 and early 2011 with most sessions getting delayed to have more time on the road. These sessions labeled as "Social Sessions," "Anti-Social Sessions" and in some cases simply "Insecure," started recording in Field Theory Studio One, and independently at first.

The original bassist Cody departed from American Lesion May 2011 for unknown reasons. The band often joked at live concerts that Cody was abducted by corrupt police for brainwashing and re-education. Similar to jokes they would tell for other former members.