Relient K


 * This article is about the band. For the self-titled album, see Relient K (album).



Overview
Relient K is a Christian rock band from Canton, Ohio consisting of current members Matt Thiessen and Matt Hoopes. Their music is often classified as falling in the genres of pop punk and alternative rock. Most of the songs are comprised of witty, "tongue-in-cheek" lyrics that maintain a Christian focus and incorporate numerous pop culture references.

Formation
The band was formed in 1998 by friends Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman during their junior year of high school. The origin of their name comes from band member Matt Hoopes' vehicle at the time, a Plymouth Reliant K-car, and the name was purposely misspelled as "Relient K [sic]" to avoid trademark infringement.



The band got their start with a self-financed demo disc entitled All Work & No Play, featuring 11 tracks with Todd Frascone on drums. The demo was recorded by Mark Lee Townsend, who had heard about the band through his daughter, Danielle, as she was friends with the founding members and would later marry guitarist Matt Hoopes.

Shortly after the recording of All Work & No Play, Frascone left the band and was replaced by Stephen Cushman. In the meantime, Relient K's demo disc caught the attention of Toby McKeehan (tobyMac) of dc Talk, which ultimately led to the band's signing a record label with Gotee Records.

Debut albums
In 2000, Relient K had their first release under the Gotee Records label as an EP entitled 2000 A.D.D. featuring 4 tracks. On April 25 of the same year, the band released their first official full-length, eponymous album, Relient K. The album is comprised of fourteen tracks, many of which are rewritten or adapted versions of songs that appeared on All Work & No Play and the aforementioned EP.