The band mewithoutYou found their heavy rock snarl when they formed in 2001. Brothers Aaron and Michael Weiss, who both grew up listening to Jawbox and Burning Airlines, formerly fronted the hard rock act the Operation with guitarist Christopher Kleinberg. Though releasing one album on Takehold, the band was short-lived, leaving mewithoutYou to come together with bass player Daniel Pishock and drummer Richard Mazzotta. Tooth & Nail was taken by the fiery five-piece's raw appeal and inked them a deal. mewithoutYou released their label debut, [A --> B] Life, in summer 2002. The band's very well-received sophomore effort, Catch for Us the Foxes, followed in late 2004, after which Pishock exited the group to pursue other interests. Greg Jehanian eventually took his position on bass. Tours with the likes of Dredg and Coheed & Cambria took mewithoutYou nicely through the end of 2005, and the guys joined up in the first half of the next year with Thursday. Brother, Sister then appeared in September 2006.