Formed in 2003 in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, All Time Low started out as a high-school cover band before morphing into a melodic emo-pop act. Singer/guitarist Alex Gaskarth and guitarist Jack Barakat were All Time Low's co-founders, with bassist Zack Merrick and drummer Rian Dawson rounding out their energetic pop-punk sound and rowdy live show, which often included silly string and beach balls. Honing their skills between homework and other teenage commitments, the guys managed to tour across the East Coast and South during school breaks. They issued a four-song EP, 2004's The Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End, with help from the local label Emerald Moon, and followed its release with a full-length album, The Party Scene, one year later.