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Something Corporate's Andrew McMahon and William Tell open up about reuniting after 20 years, balancing day jobs as lawyers - and Lauren Conrad's fashion advice
Something Corporate, the wildly popular pop punk piano band is back in a big way, selling out major venues and making their way across America - but only playing shows on the weekends.
After finding success in the early aughts, the Orange County-based group - also known as SoCo - shocked fans when they went on hiatus in 2005.
During the two-decade long hiatus, lead singer and pianist Andrew McMahon formed Jack's Mannequin and later The Wilderness, while guitarist William Tell released a solo album before attending law school at USC and marrying Laguna Beach star Lauren Conrad.
Nostalgic millennials were overjoyed to see the band reunite on the aptly named Out of Office tour, which sold out immediately.
To find out what it was like hitting the road again - and how the band actually got time off (two members are quite literally something corporate as they're lawyers now), Andrew and Will stopped by the DailyMail.com studio to talk millennial nostalgia, their emotional reunion, and how their families are part of the tour these days.
Something Corporate, the wildly popular pop punk-era piano band who released Leaving Through the Window in 2002 followed by North in 2003, is back in a big way
The Orange County-based Drive-Thru Records band shocked their devoted fans when they went on an extended hiatus in 2005
A reunion 20 years in the making
'I turn around and it feels like this was just last year that we were all doing this,' Will told DailyMail.com. 'Or it feels like it was 40 years ago. I vacillate back and forth between these two feelings.'
The band got back together for an impromptu show for Andrew's 40th birthday when he invited them to come play a few songs together.
Andrew forgot how 'magical' it was playing with the friends he grew up with, especially since they 'learned how to play in bands together,' calling the night 'bliss.'
'Now we're older and we come in with a different sensibility, but then it also just feels like yesterday,' Will admitted.
'There was something in the air even from the time we started rehearsing for those few songs, it just felt inevitable.'
'It just felt like there was momentum between us all,' Will added, calling the impromptu reunion 'kismet,' which led to a longer tour that kicked off this June in New York City.
Unlike their tour dates back in their teens and early 20s, this go-around has been a family affair, with Andrew's daughter Cecelia dancing in the wings (and occasionally onstage), and Will bringing his young sons out a bit later. Bassist Kevin 'Clutch' Page also has his kids on the road.
'It's a weird experience and awesome to see people who are like family to you, seeing their progeny show up and hang out and and integrate with into the whole unit,' Will said.
'I turn around and it feels like this was just last year that we were all doing this,' Will told DailyMail.com. 'Or it feels like it was 40 years ago'
Andrew was booked and busy touring with his act the Wilderness (and appearing in Andy Cohen's clubhouse, above) so the members of SoCo found a hack
Tour prep required a little help from 'Robot Andrew'
Since Andrew was on tour with his indie rock act The Wilderness, the other members practiced for Out of Office Tour with what they called 'Robot Andrew,' a laptop with old recordings that would play with them.
When Andrew showed up at the first rehearsal post-Robot Andrew, it all fell into place.
While he decided to take some time off from writing, he did a small trip to Nashville and ended up writing Death Grip.
Andrew ended up asking his SoCo bandmates to hop on the song and they were enthusiastic about sharing the experience, putting out their first single in 20 years.
According to Andrew, the next song 'feels very SoCo.'
'It's called Happy and it resonates [and] feels right with the band. And there's also lyrics in the song that are very referential to being in this moment of life and also having had these experiences of being in Something Corporate,' Andrew added.
And while pop punk is having a major moment right now, with Gen Z stars like Olivia Rodrigo getting in on the action, Andrew said it's unlikely the band will put out a total pop punk song, asking, 'Did we ever have a full pop punk song?'
When Will brought up Pop Punk Princess, Andrew said it's 'hysterical because it was written as the most boring ballad of all time and our producer was like, "What if we did it like this?"'
When it comes to changing up from being dads to being rock stars, Will admitted his stylish wife, Lauren Conrad (above), is helping him pick out his outfits
Will shared that he 'witnessed an adorable moment' when Andrew was getting dressed and his wife and daughter chimed in with the exact amount of buttons that should be unbuttoned
From dad duties to rock star responsibilities
When it comes to changing up from being dads to being rock stars, Will admitted his stylish wife, Lauren, is helping him pick out his outfits.
'My wife definitely helps me and definitely just gives me the knowing, disapproving nod sometimes that I put the wrong thing on,' Will said.
Andrew has started working with James Ford, after discovering him on the Netflix show Next in Fashion, thinking: 'He dresses kind of like me but definitely better,' and sliding into his DMs.
They pick out clothes for tour together - although his wife and daughter ultimately get the final say.
Will shared that he 'witnessed an adorable moment' when Andrew was getting dressed and his wife and daughter chimed in with the exact amount of buttons that should be unbuttoned.
'It was just a really sweet family moment. And it's something that's a part of our backstage routine that was of course, never there before and just adds this really sweet, wonderful component,' Will said.
Throughout the weekends-only tour, some members are putting their corporate duties on hold, as the band now boasts two lawyers and a business owner, with everyone hard at work when they step offstage.
Guitarist and lawyer Josh Partington often grabs his laptop after the show and can be found answering emails in the lobby. Luckily, his company has been extremely supportive and excited about the gigs.
'I mean, these are long weekends for a reason. And there is there is definitely some life and work happening between these shows,' Andrew admitted.
Andrew put on many Instagram Lives during Covid, including one where he'd make cocktails alongside his fans at home - now, the band is hosting themed happy hours before the shows
Something Corporate struck a pose outside at The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City before their sold-out show
Andrew promised fans will see the 'big Something Corporate songs,' as they're playing about two hours, joking that unlike the Eras Tour, it's the Era Tour
Millennial nostalgia makes for the perfect tour
When it came to figuring out the setlist, Andrew wanted to give the fans what they wanted - so he took to Spotify to see the most listened to songs.
Andrew promised fans will see the 'big Something Corporate songs,' as they're playing about two hours, joking that unlike the Eras Tour, it's the Era Tour.
'I joke our job is to just throw the best, biggest party we can throw and have people have an amazing time,' he said.
'And it makes perfect sense to me now, we're all getting to make contact with formative experiences and the music that shaped us.'
'I was surprised at first, but now I'm so grateful for it,' Andrew added about the emo revival that's been happening with millennials over the last few years as they flock to reunion tours.
'These shows are the biggest shows we've ever headlined. It's a wild thing that it's all coalesced in this way.'