Michael was an Athens, GA-based indie combo with ties to emo and roots in '80s radio. The band first emerged in 1999, when vocalist/guitarist David Fairbairn, bassist John Nowicki, and drummer Bob Sleppy issued the You Must Be This Tall LP through a local Athens indie. Full of scruffy detachment and guitar squelch, it got in line behind '90s fare like Polvo or the Smashing Pumpkins. Guitarist pal Asa Leffer joined Michael in 2000, during sessions for what would eventually become The Day After My Confidence. That album dropped independently in January 2003. It marked a step forward in songwriting and focus for the quartet, and was supported with a brief tour of the West and Southwest that spring. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide