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Mayday Parade arose from the merger of two popular Tallahassee local bands, Kid Named Chicago and Defining Moment, whose combination helped the emo-pop unit amass a quick buzz around its hometown scene. The sextet was initially comprised of vocalist Derek Sanders, vocalist/guitarist Jason Lancaster, bassist/vocalist Jeremy Lenzo, drummer Jake Bundrick, and guitarists Alex Garcia and Brooks Betts. After playing shows on the 2005 Warped Tour, along with sporadic gigs alongside bands like Armor for Sleep, the Rocket Summer, the Starting Line, and Emery, the band hooked up with Fearless Records in August 2006 and released its debut EP, Tales Told by Dead Friends, three months later. Lancaster left Mayday Parade in March 2007 and formed Go Radio; meanwhile, Mayday Parade signed with Atlantic Records and issued their first album without Lancaster, Anywhere But Here, in late 2009. ~ Corey Apar