PureVolume

Members: Brooke Blary, Dan Kemp, Frank Nemec and Shawn Connors

The Red Tie Affair is a working class rock band from the suburbs of Chicago. Many bands of their genre are often label as "emo," but these bands forget all to often that there are more types of emotions than just happy and sad. The Red Tie Affair's music couples lament with ebullience, anxiety with fragility. Their lyrics are metaphoric journeys placing life experience into carefully crafted stanzas.

The group's genesis was predicated by a pair of High School friends from Orland Park. Guitarist, Dan Kemp and bassist, Dan Michaels have been playing music together since the day they picked up their respective instruments. Together they continuely started fly by night garage bands until 2002's forming of Box Elder. This would be the start of getting serious. Along with second guitarist, Brad Baker and drummer, Dave Patton, the band finally had the essientals to be something worth wild.

2004, enter Brooke Blary. A Homer Glen native, Brooke, though playing in bands since the ninth grade was at the time making a name for herself as an up and coming solo artist. She had a series of successful self produced demos, tour experience and a laundry list of credible opening slots for bands such as Fall Out Boy, Lucky Boy's Confusion, Moneen and the Junior Varsity. She was recruited by Box Elder at one of her solo performances to replace their lead singer of the time. Her entry into the ranks completely reshaped Box Elder's sound, so changing their name seemed apropos.

Just as the ball started rolling, Newton's Theory of Friction took over. Dave left the band to pursue his career and Brad relocated to New Jersey. The band seemed completely inept. However, with little to no effort, the band filled the cracks in the pavement. A friend of a friend of a friend or something to that effect, by the name of Shawn Connors stepped in to fill the drum vacancy. Shawn to this day pursues cult-status crediblity in an underground metal band based out of his hometown of Tinley Park, named Bound and Gagged. He seemed an unlikely candidate for an emotion driven rock band, but instead came to fit like a glove. His drumming seemingly added a new dimension to t/r/t/a.

The second guitar slot was never officially filled. Short but notable stints include Anthony Farias and Joe Marcantonio. The hunt has been suspended and the band is carrying on as a four piece until the fates fill the vacancy. Session guitars are provided currently by Shawn.

Late 2006 saw the exit of longtime friend and original member, Dan Michaels. He has been replaced by Frank Nemac, formerly of Killing Revolutions.

November 27, 2007 marked the release of their first formal ep, "You Are Cordially Invited..." on Fire-Tone Records. The band is currently working on new material for a strong, timely follow up and planning to be on the road to promote the ep, frequenting as many stages as they can find. The Red Tie Affair seems to be forging a path to take over the world one stereo at a time.

T.R.T.A.
PO Box 471381
Chicago, IL 60647
708.253.2795
theredtieaffair@gmail.com
www.theredtieaffair.net
www.firetonerecords.com
www.myspace.com/theredtieaffair
http://theredtieaffair.livejournal.com/
talktotrta@aim.com