Welcome to Bandictionary!
News and Updates
7.26.10
Dear Bandictionary readers,
In April of 2006, this website was just a dream. A 13-year-old wanted to speak to her favorite bands and hear their stories; she wanted to get behind the music and see the real people. On June 4th, 2006, Bandictionary launched.
Over these four wonderful years, so much has happened. So many interviews and photos, more opportunities than most people get in a lifetime, and an endless amount of personal growth. However, all good things must come to an end, and though this is not something that I am excited to say, I have to announce that the time for Bandictionary.net has passed.
From the start, Bandictionary has had many goals, but there have always been a couple main ones, far off in the distance. For one, I wanted to interview Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance, something that always seemed impossible. At the same time, I always wanted Bandictionary to be a big sensation - the equivalent to Wikipedia in the music world - another goal that never seemed like it could happen. While I know now that nothing is impossible, sometimes it is necessary to accept that not all dreams come true.
Bandictionary has consumed much of my teen years, a time during which so much growth occurs, anyway. But, I don't believe I would have grown nearly as much without all that this website has brought. Before the site even launched, I had my first interview with Ben of the Lashes, something I will never, ever forget. Barely a month after the launch, I was interviewing members of The Academy Is..., Thursday, Gym Class Heroes, and Senses Fail at the Vans Warped Tour. It was surreal.
When you're five feet tall, 13 years old and interviewing people famous enough to be on the Warped Tour, you have to grow up so quickly (or at least learn to fake it) just so you don't get crushed under someone else's personality. But even after my first interviewing experience, I was already learning not to be afraid to talk to other people - something I very desperately needed to learn. Not only that, but I also learned that just because someone is in a band does not mean that he or she is not human, and it most certainly does not mean that he or she can't enjoy the art of a good conversation.
Running Bandictionary has taught me how to act like a professional, from simply writing e-mails to dealing with publicists and artists in real life. It also taught me how to be a little assertive when absolutely necessary. These are all skills I will take with me for the rest of my life, but more importantly, I feel, are the experiences.
I will never forget my first time in the photo pit, holding my tiny point-and-shoot and trying not to get killed by the professionals with cameras that cost more than my first car. I will never forget my phone interview with Jeffree Star as I sat on the curb outside of my high school, having just turned in my homework five minutes before. And I will certainly never forget standing directly in front of My Chemical Romance, photographing and singing along while they played "I'm Not Okay".
In the past, I've been accused of not appreciating everything I have gotten to experience and nothing could be farther from the truth. I have appreciated every moment and will never let go of these memories.
Bandictionary has helped a few smaller bands reach new fans and has shown existing fans a little bit of the personalities behind the hits. It has been such a great pleasure to be a part of the music industry and I don't plan on stopping here. Though my heart is no longer in this website, my heart is still very much in the music business, and while I'm leaving my website-related dreams behind, I am now focusing on different dreams of what I hope is a bright future in my own music career. I hope that someday, I'll be on the other side of the tape recorder and the other side of the camera.
This has become a bit of a life story, but for four years, Bandictionary has been a huge part of my life and I'm very sad that it has to come to an end.
Of course, I can't do this without thanking a few people. To all of you who have contributed to Bandictionary over the years - Alyse, Amber, Brit, Chelsea, Jennasie, Sarah, Taylor, Tony, and Vix - please know that without all of your help, almost none of this would have been possible and I cannot thank you enough. I also want to thank all of the musicians I was able to interview for giving me insight into the music world and the many publicists who made those interviews possible. And, of course, I have to thank my parents, without whom literally none of this would have been possible. The thousands of miles collectively traveled for the countless concerts were part of the whole experience. The time spent in the car or on a plane was not just transport or a way to see and do new things, but also time to bond and grow closer. I love both of you so much.
And with that, I would like to officially say goodbye to Bandictionary. Though not all dreams come true, there are still so many amazing things in life that make your time worthwhile. And sometimes, you discover new dreams that you never knew you had.
Anything is possible.
- Emilee
3.26.10
First update in 2010! (Took us long enough...) We're still working on the last few photo pages that need to be added on the site - expect those very soon. Already in 2010, we've had two lovely bands of the moment. First, we had the local band New Tomorrow and now we have the wonderful Alexx Calise featured. Go check them out! You will not be disappointed. Lastly, the first round of our ongoing photography contest is ending incredibly soon. Keep in mind that you don't have to be a professional photographer by any means to enter. Even blurry photos are welcome if you think they look good! Go send in your pictures!
12.27.09
...And we're back!
Hey guys! So we're finally back from our little hiatus. We have a brand new look and a brand new outlook to match. Go take a look around the site - you'll find that it has been greatly simplified. We're back to the basics! Keep in mind that we're not 100% back quite yet. While you click through, you'll see that some of the photo pages and the majority of the extras pages are coming soon. All of those things will be coming in the days to follow, and we should be completely up and running by January 1st. So check out the new site and tell us what you think! You can do so by using the nifty new form on our contact page. We hope to hear from you soon!
10.26.09
In case you hadn't noticed a ridiculous lack of updates lately... Bandictionary is currently on hiatus. We're getting a few things worked out and we need some time! We're not quite sure when we'll be back (hopefully soon!), but when we are, you can expect things to be very different - in a good way, though, we promise! There will be many more interviews and photos, the site will be less cluttered, and hopefully everything will run a lot more smoothly. Plus, we want to start interacting with you guys more, so look out for that! If you want to be notified when we're back, please send an e-mail to bandictionary@bandictionary.net with the words "notification, please!" in the subject line and we'll make sure you're among the first to know. You can send any suggestions to that e-mail address, as well - things you'd like to see on the site, contest ideas, anything! We could also use a little help with the site - if you'd be interested in interviewing or photographing bands for us, send us an e-mail telling us about any and all experience you've had and some examples of previous stuff you've done, if you have any. No worries if you don't have any experience - we'll still find a spot for you!
We look forward to hearing from you guys and hopefully we'll be back soon!
5.13.09
Hello! As we all know, summer is just around the corner, and you know what that means! That's right, plenty of shows for us to cover, tons of new content, and a bunch of new features that we're really excited about. The site has been slow lately but in just a month or so we'll have all the content you could ever want! Keep a close watch for new interviews, photos, the extras section (finally!) and possibly a new look. Send us your suggestions if you have any. If not, then hang on tight because summer will be here before you know it! Good luck on all those finals!