Tyson Ritter (vocals/bass) and Nick Wheeler (guitar/programming) were in junior high when music started to influence them. Both were stuck in the ho-hum life of small-town America. Stillwater, OK, wasn't exactly the most exciting place in the world, so naturally the boys turned to music. While Ritter was staying up late, watching music videos, and rocking out to AC/DC, Wheeler was on the other side of town raiding his sister's music collection of Def Leppard, Poison, and Bon Jovi records. Wheeler soon picked up a guitar and later mastered the drums and piano. By high school, both were music freaks and in their own little cliques. At a party, Ritter spotted Wheeler; it's safe to say that the spiky rock fun of the All-American Rejects was established right there. Mike Kennerty (guitar) and Chris Gaylor (drums) were added to Wheeler and Ritter's rascal group by 2000 and the band was official. With production work from Tim O'Heir (Sebadoh, Juliana Hatfield, Superdrag), the All-American Rejects independently released their self-titled debut on Doghouse in October 2002; several months later it was reissued by DreamWorks ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
