Background
William John Tell learned to play guitar from his father (also named William Tell) at a young age and began writing his own songs as well.
William John Tell learned to play guitar from his father (also named William Tell) at a young age and began writing his own songs as well.
University of Southern California Gould School of Law.
After leaving the band in 2004 for a solo career, William Tell was signed as a New Door Records solo artist. His first solo record, You Can Hold Maine Down was released on March 13, 2007. Tell went on to get his law degree from University of Southern California Gould School of Law in 2014 and now works in entertainment law.
So on March 27, 2001, Tell permanently joined the Drive-Thru Records piano rock band Something Corporate.
Tell witnessed the success of Something Corporate over the three years he played with them — through their European Parliament Audioboxer, released on October 2, 2001, to their full-length albums Leaving Through the Window (2002) and North (2003), as well as tours with bands like New Foundation Glory. During a break between touring for the band, Tell decided that he wanted to leave to pursue his own solo career.
On February 4, 2004 it was announced by the band that Tell had left. He returned home to California and began writing songs.
His first song, titled "Radio Sound" (which later appeared on his debut album as "Sounds"), was about his mixed emotions dealing with leaving his friends and former band.
Through the course of the next two years, Tell would continue writing and rewriting material, as well as recording. Brian Ireland, drummer for Something Corporate, would come in to help him during the recording process and also play shows as part of Tell"s band. One of Tell"s many performances was the Bamboozle Left festival in Pomona, California on October 14, 2006.
In 2006, Tell was signed to Universal Records" subsidiary New Door Records as a solo artist and began putting the final touches to his debut album.
He collaborated with another Something Corporate member, Andrew McMahon, for the track "Fairfax" on the record. During January 2007, Tell recorded a practice session for the website Rehearsals.com and on March 13, 2007, Tell released his 10-track solo debut album titled You Can Hold Maine Down (named after one of the songs).
