Artist of the Week: Straylight Run

Straylight Run is an indie rock band based in Baldwin, Nassau County, Long Island, New York. They are currently unsigned after being dropped from Universal Republic Records East. Their latest release is the EP Un Mas Dos, preceded by the full-length album entitled The Needles The Space.

When he was still a member of Taking Back Sunday, John Nolan wrote several songs that he didn't feel would go well with the band. After their departure, John and Shaun Cooper recorded several demos with Taking Back Sunday drummer Mark O'Connell. The band began to take its present form when drummer Will Noon was invited to join after his former band, Breaking Pangaea, broke up. Breaking Pangaea's former lead singer was Fred Mascherino, who later took Nolan's place in Taking Back Sunday. Shortly thereafter, John's sister, Michelle DaRosa, joined Straylight Run. The band's name was taken from the final section of William Gibson's cyberpunk science-fiction novel Neuromancer.

The band gained popularity after posting six demo songs for free download on their official site. By September of that year, they were playing to sold-out crowds in various cities in the Northeastern United States.

Due to John's and Shaun's involvement in their previous band, they were bound by contract to release an album under Victory Records. They began to record their first album in April 2004 and released their self-titled debut album Straylight Run on October 12, 2004 after a one-month postponement. The album sold over 11,000 copies in the first week, and made the Billboard Top 100 Albums list. In late 2005, the band toured with Simple Plan, which in interviews and from the stage, band members have stated was a mistake, done because they were offered a lot of money.

On June 3, 2008 Michelle DaRosa announced that she would be leaving Straylight Run to pursue a solo career. In her MySpace message, she left the door open to rejoining the band at some future time.

Michelle DaRosa
Michelle DaRosa was born Michelle Nolan on September 13, 1980 in Rockville Centre, Nassau County, New York to Tom and Linda Nolan. Like her brother and former bandmate, John Nolan, she grew up in Baldwin, Nassau County, New York.

Before Straylight Run, she provided background vocals for two of the songs off of Taking Back Sunday's debut album, Tell All Your Friends ("Bike Scene" and "Ghost Man on Third"). Also, Michelle was formerly a nanny, hairdresser, and a ballet dancer. She is married to fellow musician, Jeff DaRosa (of Dropkick Murphys fame), and has since taken his last name.

On June 3, 2008 Michelle left Straylight Run on friendly terms to pursue a solo career. She already has a new band called Destry, with Shaun Cooper, bassist of Straylight Run, and Sam Means, guitarist of The Format.

Current Members
John Nolan
Shaun Cooper
Will Noon

Former members
Michelle DaRosa

Discography
Straylight Run (2004)
Prepare to Be Wrong EP (2005)
The Needles the Space (2007)
Un Mas Dos EP (2008)