Coffee, Coffee Everywhere...

Before I started college, “community service” wasn’t something I was particularly interested in doing—at least, not in an organized way. It was always a requirement to fulfill. Curiously enough, I did a lot of skills-based volunteering in high school via the internet, but it didn’t register as “community service” for me, even though it was.

Thrice became my favorite band in 2001, after I saw them perform at the Anaheim House of Blues. I’d heard of them a bit before; they came up at one point when I searched Napster for “punk.” They were something a little bit different, and I appreciated that.

Something that stood out to me was their commitment to bettering their community. They have given proceeds from their albums to numerous non-profit organizations; I’d never heard of a band doing that before, and their label back in 2001, Sub City, had every band giving money to charity.

Thrice was not the only reason I began to volunteer in a more active way, but they did highlight its importance. I don’t know if I would have become so involved if it had not been for them, their commitment, the discussions I was lucky enough to have with band members in 2002-2004, before my shifting priorities led me to stop attending shows as frequently. (Yes, APO, finishing school, and serving in AmeriCorps NCCC became more important than hopping on Greyhound buses all over California to see bands play.)

I think their break also signals the end of an era for me, and I just wanted to share. I’m a human being, not a service automaton. :) Even the little things—what your favorite band does—contribute to who you are as a person. I think Thrice made a positive contribution to my life and shaped me into the person I am today, through their music and their actions as individuals and as a band.

I hope you all have that same experience with a band, or someone else in your lives. That you have people that inspire you to grow and become stronger in the areas that are important to you.

officialthrice:

Thrice is not breaking up. If nothing has broken us up by now, I doubt anything ever could.

However, we will be taking a break from being a full-time band, and the upcoming tour in the Spring will be the last one for the foreseeable future.

Playing music for the past 13 years with…