Early years Dropping Daylight began when the original members (Sebastian Davin, Rob Burke and Jacob "Jake" Englund) were in junior high under the name "Associated Mess". Jake had the vision and worked with local officials in their hometown to start a youth center featuring live music—giving roots to
The Garage. Associated Mess performed there with Aaron Burke on drums and Jake on guitar. Jake switched to drums when Aaron left to attend university. Sebastian, Rob and Jake gigged around Minneapolis during high school.
Sui Generis In 2001, Sebastian and Jake attended the
Berklee College of Music Sebastian and Jake worked on many recordings with other students but Sebastian's original singer songwriter music, Englund's drumming and management and vision and Tim Paul Winer—a friend, student and studio musician, worked on a handful of original songs together. Liking the sound of it they called former Associated Mess member, bassist, Rob Burke who was looking through a dictionary and found the band name "Sui Generis." Sebastian and Jake left Berklee, with a 10-song original record in production, and began playing regional rock shows with Sebastian on Piano and Vocals, Rob on Bass, and Jake on drums and managing the group. The group needed a guitar player and recruited Sebastian's then 14-year old brother, Seth, to round out the band. The band toured on the
Vans Warped Tour for a number of years, but more recently have toured with such acts as
Breaking Benjamin,
Blue October,
Monty Are I,
Meg & Dia and
Jason Mraz. They have been featured on
MTV News: You Hear it First. Their track "Tell Me" off their first full-length album,
Brace Yourself, has been receiving regular radio-play from a number of stations as well as peaking at 30 on
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. They tour regularly with Breaking Benjamin, and Sebastian contributed vocals and piano to Breaking Benjamin's
Phobia album. Sebastian contributed piano to
Paramore's
Riot album.
Brace Yourself is the band's first nationally released album. However it could be considered their third album. Previously demos and releases under various band names were self-titled "Associated Mess", self-titled "Sue Generis", and "Back to Nowhere." Singles and EPs include "Take a Photograph" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." Many songs are reinterpretations of earlier songs all the way back to their original demo. The band has also spread the word of a possible live release from their concert at Wilkes-Barre's Wachovia Arena and Kingston's Joe Nardone's Gallery of Sound.
Kidnap Kings The band changed their name to
Kidnap Kings, and released an album under their new name:
Flashing Lights and Sound. ==Members==