Biography
Emerging from New Zealand, 48May assembled an American pop-punk style so exact that it provoked disputes with Bowling for Soup over comparable sonic textures. The quartet took its name from the Hamilton address of drummer Jarod Brown—48 May Street—where the musicians began rehearsing together in 2003. Brown had previously fronted Mama Said, while his brother Shannon Brown had handled bass duties in Tadpole. Vocalist Jon Austin and guitarist Captain Hook had first met at Hamilton Boys' High School and had already started writing songs at that time. The four decided to leave their existing bands and launch 48May after crossing paths at the 2003 Big Day Out festival.
Support arrived early through a grant from New Zealand On Air, which enabled them to work with producer Greg Haver on the debut album The Mad Love, released in 2004. Two singles reached the Top 20 of the local charts, yet “Leather and Tattoos” was excised from a later pressing after accusations that it echoed Bowling for Soup’s “Punk Rock 101” too closely. Warner backed the follow-up album Streetlights and Shadows, which appeared in 2007.
Support arrived early through a grant from New Zealand On Air, which enabled them to work with producer Greg Haver on the debut album The Mad Love, released in 2004. Two singles reached the Top 20 of the local charts, yet “Leather and Tattoos” was excised from a later pressing after accusations that it echoed Bowling for Soup’s “Punk Rock 101” too closely. Warner backed the follow-up album Streetlights and Shadows, which appeared in 2007.