The Get Up Kids are an American, rock band from Kansas City, Missouri. Created in 1995, the band was a major player in the “second wave” of emo music during the mid-90s, that ushered in acts such as Jimmy Eat World, The Promise Ring, and Braid. As they gained traction, they began touring with bands such as Green Day and Weezer before becoming headliners themselves, eventually embarking on international tours of Japan and Europe.

Members of TGUK founded Heroes & Villains Records, an imprint of the successful indie rock label Vagrant Records. While the imprint was started to release albums by The Get Up Kids, it served as a launching pad for several side-projects such as The New Amsterdams and Reggie and the Full Effect.