Matchbook Romance

ByLets Go Punk
Emo and pop punk band from Poughkeepsie

Matchbook Romance was an emo and pop punk band from Poughkeepsie, New York. They began in 1997 under the name Fizzlewink, later became The Getaway, and then settled on Matchbook Romance after signing with Epitaph Records. Across their main run and later reunion bursts, they released two full-length albums and an EP that helped define their early 2000s sound.

How The Band Got Started

The band formed in 1997 when Andrew Jordan and Ryan Kienle started playing together under the name Fizzlewink. Early on, the lineup centered around Jordan on vocals and rhythm guitar, Kienle on bass and backing vocals, and drummer Jon Dunham. In 1999, lead guitarist PJ Manzo joined, giving the group a fuller guitar setup and a clearer direction as they kept writing and playing locally.

From Fizzlewink To The Getaway To Matchbook Romance

In April 2000, Dunham stepped down, and Adam Bock came in on drums in 2000. With Bock, the band recorded and released an independent album, Who’s Listening, on February 2, 2001. Around that stretch, Ryan “Judas” DePaolo joined as an additional guitarist, and not long after, Aaron Stern replaced Bock on drums in 2001.

With the new lineup and newer material, the band changed names to The Getaway. Their online promotion helped their songs get noticed on punk-focused sites, and that buzz reached Epitaph Records. Brett Gurewitz ended up hearing the band and moved to sign them. After that, they changed their name again to Matchbook Romance to avoid a conflict with another group using The Getaway name. Soon after, PJ Manzo left, and the band moved forward as a four-piece built around Jordan, DePaolo, Kienle, and Stern.

First Official Releases And Early Breakthrough

Matchbook Romance’s first professional release was the West For Wishing EP, released April 8, 2003, produced by Brett Gurewitz. Later that year, they released their first full-length album, Stories and Alibis, on September 23, 2003. Around that era they also appeared on a split release with Motion City Soundtrack, including acoustic material tied to their early catalog.

Voices Era And A Clear Sound Shift

After several years of heavy touring, including summer 2005 Warped Tour dates, the band returned with a different approach on their second album. The single “Monsters” arrived October 31, 2005, and got extra visibility through game placements and broader media rotation. The album Voices followed on February 14, 2006, marking a noticeable shift from their earlier style while keeping their melodic core intact.

Hiatus, Returns, And Later Activity

In March 2007, the band announced an indefinite hiatus after about a decade of activity counting the pre-Epitaph years. Members moved into other projects, with Andrew Jordan forming DriftDivision and releasing a self-titled EP in 2010. Aaron Stern played with multiple projects and also spent time as a touring drummer, including a stint touring with Taking Back Sunday in 2007.

Matchbook Romance returned for short runs at different points, including a small East Coast tour in 2009, reunion shows in 2012, and dates connected to the 2015 Vans Warped Tour. They played additional shows in early 2016 tied to the 10-year mark of Voices before stepping back again.

Members

  • Andrew Jordan – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, keyboard
  • Ryan “Judas” DePaolo – lead guitar, vocals, programming, synthesizer
  • Ryan Kienle – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Aaron Stern – drums, percussion

Former members included PJ Manzo (lead guitar), Adam Bock (drums), and Jon Dunham (drums). Chris Vicious has also been listed as a touring guitarist.

Discography

  • Stories and Alibis (2003)
  • Voices (2006)
  • West For Wishing (EP, 2003)

Earlier independent releases under prior names include Fizzlewink’s Who’s Listening (2001) and other self-released items from that era.

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