Beau Burchell originally started Saosin

Beau Burchell originally started Saosin after leaving his former band, Open Hand. He began writing demos using early DAW software, eventually composing six or seven tracks by himself that would later be featured on Translating the Name. While Burchell initially performed the vocals, David Richardson—who sang on the “Lost Symphonies” demo—suggested that Anthony Green would be a better fit for the band. Richardson also recommended Justin Shekoski, the former guitarist for his band As Hope Dies. After listening to Saosin’s early material and being contacted by Burchell, Shekoski agreed to join; Green followed suit, flying from his home to California to play with them. Burchell then reached out to Zach Kennedy and Alex Rodriguez, both of whom he had played with in Open Hand. However, Rodriguez was unable to join at the time due to touring obligations. The original lineup of Saosin—comprising Burchell, Shekoski, Kennedy, and Green—finally came together during the summer of 2003. Green lived with Kennedy and his parents until his eventual departure from the band. The band’s name was initially proposed by Green. According to AllMusic , the name comes from the Chinese translation of “be careful” (xiǎoxīn). The phrase translates literally to “small heart”. On June 18, 2023, during their 20th-anniversary show in Garden Grove, California, Chris revealed that Beau had initially proposed naming the band “The Gift”. On June 17, the band unveiled their debut commercial production, the EP titled Translating the Name . This release met immediate success and gained significant popularity on various online forums and music websites.