Not Long After

Not Long After is the classic story of a band. Stemming from the boredom and the lack of belonging back in high school. Ryan Moor (bass and vocals) and Brandon Schmunk (guitar and vocals), met at Warped Tour 2000 in Portland, Oregon. They had played in a couple bands here and there, and easily became friends and band mates together with Chris Miles (drummer). Things quickly took off. They started playing shows around town and all over the Northwest. Self booking weekends to several month long tours, their music quickly spread and they developed a good reputation built on a solid performance, great songs, and a professional-like uniqueness unlike many bands their age. Without jobs, and out of high school, it was time to fend for themselves. They started buying blank t shirts and hoodies and, armed with some prior instruction from a teacher in art class, they began silk screening their bands merchandise. Found a local producer, Dana at Suana Studios, and recorded “On The Road To Somewhere” in the fall of 2002. Managed to record 5 songs, including an extra “no charge” song, due to Dana crashing into Ryan’s car. Now with merchandise and a pressed EP, they began roaming the country playing everywhere from coffee shops to parking lots, summer camps to bowling alleys. Sleeping on picnic tables at rest areas, camp sites, random peoples floors, or all sardine style in the van. They shared the stage with bands including Plain White T’s, Acceptance, Something Corporate, All Wound Up, Shorthanded, Sick Shift, Noise Rachet, and Slick Shoes. They played the NW and Canada leg of warped tour, and hit most of the states on a 2 month national tour. Interviewed and performed live on countless college radio stations around the country including an interview on 94.7 FM KNRK Portland with Gustav and Daria. The word was spreading. In the summer of 2002, Not Long After recorded “Contrary to Popular Belief” which quickly sold 1,000 copies at shows. The album showed the growing talent and maturity of the band. The band wanted to add a more musical fluidness to the band, so they added Richie Sandbom as a second guitarist and backup singer. New School Records offered to release the album and sent it to Marc McClusky which gave it the face-lift it needed. After selling out of the original press of the album, they began shopping for a label. In 2004, New School Records offered to record another record, this time sending the band to Atlanta, Georgia to record with Marc. “Tomorrow Come Save Us” was born. This time the band wanted to put out something a little new, defining their sound in “feel good” harmonies and guitar-ripping melodies. The band experienced some down time, the group went their separate ways, some toward other musical efforts, some toward normal jobs. Ryan pushed full steam ahead toward his silk screening supply company which has had amazing success. He married Brandon’s sister which made them official brothers, even though they were pretty much already. Brandon kept writing songs, thought about starting a new band, but just couldn’t stop thinking about the fun they had as NotLongAfter and how much it meant to him to play with people he cared so much for, and clicked with. In the winter of 2007, Brandon and Ryan decided to go for it! Armed with some years of experience and a head full of regret, they started writing and practicing new material. The songs continued from where they had stopped almost like they never quit. They just needed a drummer. What better guy for the job than their brother Jaron, who proved that he could keep up with the best of them. Not Long After is getting back in the groove of things, spreading their music and stage show, writing new songs, and is ready for the next step to their dream. A dream that’s become personal to themselves and their growing fans. With the norm of musicians playing in a band for a year or so, only to fallout and change their image and sound altogether creating a new, fad-like portray of a band chasing stardom and popularity, Not Long After has proven themselves as a committed, hard-working, and professional band. A band that has a great opportunity in becoming the next big thing. They see themselves as caught beneath the wave, that’s about to crash on the world! With plans of a new album, Not Long After has set off to prove that if you keep chasing the impossible, you just might surprise even your toughest critic…. You.