Motion City Soundtrack is an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1997. Over the course of their career, the group has toured heavily and released seven studio albums, the majority on independent label Epitaph Records. The band’s sound, usually described as pop punk and/or emo, makes notable use of the Moog synthesizer.
The band was founded by Cain and Pierre and took several years to form a stable line-up. Their debut album, I Am the Movie, was released in 2003, and their commercial breakthrough, Commit This to Memory, arrived in 2005. Wikipedia lists five current members, eight former members and several touring musicians.
Justin Pierre – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar (1997–2016, 2019–present)
Justin Pierre co-founded the band with Joshua Cain and mainly handles the lyrics, which often touch on themes of anxiety, alienation, relationships and self-destructive behavior. He also played keyboards from 1998 to 2001 and lead guitar in 2002.
Joshua Cain – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals (1998–2016, 2019–present)
Joshua Cain co-founded the band. He was credited on bass from 1997 to 1998 and in 2002, and on keyboards from 1998 to 2001.
Jesse Johnson – Synthesizer, Keyboards, Piano (2001–2016, 2019–present)
Jesse Johnson has played synthesizer, keyboards and piano since 2001, apart from the gap from 2016 to 2019.
Matthew Taylor – Bass, Backing Vocals, Keyboards (2002–2016, 2019–present)
Matthew Taylor has played bass and sung backing vocals since 2002, apart from the gap from 2016 to 2019.
Tony Thaxton – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals (2002–2013, 2016, 2019–present)
Tony Thaxton plays drums and percussion and sings backing vocals. He was a member from 2002 to 2013, again in 2016, and from 2019 to the present.
Claudio Rivera – Drums (2013–2016)
Claudio Rivera played drums from 2013 to 2016, after Thaxton’s first stretch ended.
Early Motion City Soundtrack Members
- Joe Skinner – lead guitar (1997)
- Andrew Whitney – drums (1997–1998)
- Andrew Gruhn – keyboards (1998)
- Austin Lindstrom – bass (1998–2000, 2001–2002)
- Joel Habedank – drums (1998–2000)
- Matt Potocnik – bass (2000–2001)
- Sidney Burgdorf – drums (2001)
Touring Musicians
- Zach Comtois – rhythm guitar (current, 2023–present)
- Kate Steinberg – synthesizer, keyboards, piano (2024; live substitute for Jesse Johnson)
- Jacob Carlson – lead guitar (2025; live substitute for Joshua Cain)
- Patrick Stump – lead vocals (2025; live substitute for Justin Pierre)
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Motion City Soundtrack formed? The band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1997.
Who founded Motion City Soundtrack? Joshua Cain and Justin Pierre founded the band.
What was the band’s debut album? I Am the Movie, released in 2003.
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