Cartel
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Epic
Birth of a Band
Cartel is a young, hot band of cute guys with a story to tell in an emo/pop-punk kind of way. Since forming in Atlanta a little over three years ago, the band has already gone on the Warped Tour, been an opening act on New Found Glory's tour, become an AOL Breaker, done AOL Sessions and gotten signed to a major label. So how did they go from unknown to next big thing? We took a look at where this band has been, and where they're going.
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Sessions@AOL
Will Power
Cartel started with vocalist Will Pugh, guitarists Joseph Peppers and Nic Hudson, bassist Ryan Roberts and drummer Kevin Sanders. After releasing their first EP, the record made its way to California, where the Militia Music Group got a listen, and re-released it on their label in 2004.
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Sessions@AOL
Tour Monkeys
Over the next year +, the band began appearing on stages in more and more prominent places, from the Warped Tour to opening gigs for punks bands New Found Glory, who were on tour with The Early November and Hit The Lights. During that year, the Alternative Press named Cartel one of 2005's 'Bands You Need to Know,' and the band's fan base kept growing. Meanwhile, major labels were starting to take note. In the fall of that year, Cartel released their first album, Chroma.
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Scott Gries, Getty Images
The Big Time
After the release of Chroma, Cartel began to get even more traction in the biz. They started getting some airplay on MTV for their video for 'Honestly,' and there was increasing buzz them all over the media. This band was heating up.
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Epic
Working for the Man
In early 2006, Cartel got signed to the Epic Records (a division of Sony). For a small band who's been touring for a short time, the deal was a huge step from relative obscurity and into the spotlight. Being on the Sony boat meant a sail toward bigger ventures and greater prominence. The band was ready to go big-time, and the label was banking on another pop sensation.
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Sessions@AOL
Cartel@Sessions
During that first year of their relationship with Sony, the band lost and gained a member, and kept growing their audience in new places. Despite Cartel's continuing success, Ryan Roberts left the band, but was replaced soon after by Jeff Lett,who Pugh had known for years. Even with this setback, the band plowed ahead with their work, and scored a day with AOL Sessions for a performance and interview series.
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Gary Gershoff, WireImage.com
Total Cartel Live
In recent months, Cartel has been back on the MTV tip, but this time as a featured artist on 'Total Request Live.' For new bands, 'TRL' is like the holy land of TV destinations to fan the flames of buzz. Not only was Cartel's music in rotation alongside major artists, but they also took the TRL stage to rock out a live, televised show. Did they handle the pressure?
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Smallz & Raskind, Vistalux for AOL Music
The Bubble
After a year of significant success and more notches on their media-buzz belts, Cartel scored their biggest gig to date: They're the first band scheduled to record in a 'bubble' studio created by MTV and other sponsors. For two weeks, the band will live and be filmed, reality TV-style, 24/7 while they work on the new record. Will this be riveting programming that results in the best. sophomore. album. ever? Or just sort of boring, with a band that gets antsy under their very public microscope? We'll find out soon.
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