The Academy Is… was a pop-punk band hailing from Chicago. The band was formed by frontman William Beckett, lead guitarist Mike Carden, bassist Adam “Sisky” Siska, rhythm guitarist AJ LaTrace, and drummer Michael DelPrincipe under the name The Academy in 2003. The band later added the “Is…” to their name after the release of their then self-titled EP to avoid legal disputes. Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy discovered the EP, and immediately got the record label Fueled By Ramen to sign them.
2005’s Almost Here saw the band go through a lineup change, which involved dropping LaTrace and DelPrincipe and replacing them respectively with Tom Conrad and Andy “The Butcher” Mrotek, and a heavy touring schedule, most notably the Truckstops and Statelines Tour with Las Vegas band Panic! At The Disco. In 2006, rhythm guitarist Tom Conrad parted ways with the band and was replaced by Michael Guy Chislett. The band also signed to Wentz’s Fueled By Ramen imprint Decaydance Records that year, and released their acoustic EP From The Carpet.
While playing Warped Tour 2006, the band started writing for their sophomore effort Santi, which was released in 2007. The band also embarked on the 2007 Honda Civic Tour in support of the album, alongside the likes Fall Out Boy, Cobra Starship, and +44.