The guys originally formed under a different moniker, but with the subsequent additions of guitarist Austin Cobb and bassist Nathan Hughes, a name change occurred and the quintet's time as Christian rockers Kids in the Way formally began. Combining their love of rock and screamo (the Smashing Pumpkins and Underoath have been named as influences), they initially released a self-titled EP, which helped them spread their name and begin landing bigger shows. Soon enough, a spot playing with Audio Adrenaline led to a deal with Flicker Records, the label co-founded by members of that popular group. Kids in the Way's debut album, Safe from the Losing Fight, appeared in March 2004, and tours with Skillet, Pillar, and Relient K helped increase their growing fan base. Hughes then left the band that November and was replaced on bass by Rian Flynn. Their sophomore effort, Apparitions of Melody, followed in May of 2005; it was reissued in a spruced-up form (renamed Apparitions of Melody: The Dead Letters Edition) in mid-2006, which included a DVD and extra songs. Also by 2006, Kids in the Way had undergone more lineup switches that left them as a quartet; Cobb had exited and new bassist Wille Bostic joined on. ~ Corey Apar