Taking Back a previous lineup

Those planning on seeing Taking Back Sunday tomorrow night at the Omni should expect a reuniting of "five dudes having so much fun."

"We're so grateful to have been doing this job for so long and we've had our ups and downs personally and professionally," said bassist Shaun Cooper. "It's a real celebration right now, and we're just loving life right now."

While the band has gone through numerous lineup changes through its tenure, Taking Back Sunday is returning to its previous combination of frontman Adam Lazzara, John Nolan on guitar and vocals, Eddie Reyes on guitar, Cooper on bass and Mark O'Connell on drums.

This is the 2002 lineup who recorded the group's first studio album, "Tell All Your Friends."

Cooper said the band feels this is the right combination of guys in order for Taking Back Sunday to succeed again.

"I think the band did nothing before ‘Tell All Your Friends,' I think they did everything after," he said. "There's a certain creative energy that came back after seven years. I think you can hear it on our new record and at our shows and we rely on each other musically, personally and professionally. There's a certain chemistry between the five of us and I think it's an exceptional thing."

Cooper and Nolan left the band in 2003 to form Straylight Run. Cooper said he needed the split because he and Nolan needed to take a step back, though the other three members wanted to keep going.

"Next thing you know, you go from a 20-year-old kid to 22 and you've been touring for two years and there's no end in sight," he said. "It was too much success too soon and it was overwhelming at the time and we all handled that success in different ways."

Cooper described life while touring as a "continual amount of crazy," with drunken fights breaking out almost nightly.

"A lot of people struggle with people at their jobs, but at least they get to go home at the end of the day," he said. "But us, we're cramped in a van for two years straight and you drink and get into fights with each other. Nothing can really prepare you for that."

Following Cooper and Nolan's departure, Taking Back Sunday moved forward by picking up Fred Mascherino and Matt Rubano to replace them on guitar and bass.

The reconstructed band stayed successful with their second album, "Where You Want to Be."

The group hit mainstream success with their third album, "Louder Now," which included two of their more popular singles, "MakeDamnSure" and "Liar (It Takes One to Know One)." Other well-known tracks include "Twenty-Twenty Surgery" and "Error Operator," which appeared on the "Fantastic Four" soundtrack.

Mascherino was replaced in 2007 by Matthew Fazzi for the fourth studio album, "New Again." Fazzi and Rubano left Taking Back Sunday in March 2010.

Cooper and Nolan performed with Straylight Run for seven years along with Will Noon on drums and Michelle DaRosa, Nolan's sister, on vocals, guitar and piano. The group saw some success, but suffered a major-label flop and other financial issues before officially announcing a hiatus in February 2010. Cooper said the group split months before.

Cooper described the time between bands as "limbo." For several months, he looked for jobs and eventually was forced to move back with his parents.

While Straylight and Taking Back Sunday were slowing down, Cooper said he was asked by O'Connell to possibly reunite with Taking Back Sunday, an opportunity that gave him some hope during his time off.

Cooper and Nolan flew down to Texas in March of last year and the group has since been touring and creating new material. They recorded a self-titled new studio album, which was released in June.

The group has matured in the past seven years and Cooper said it's apparent in their music and lyrics.

"You're not hearing 10 break-up songs," Cooper said. "We've all evolved as musicians and songwriters and I think it's evident. There are a lot of songs about love and life and understanding where you've been. I think it's much deeper than ‘Tell All Your Friends.'"

In addition to musically maturing, Cooper said the group has grown up from their heavier drinking days on tour, and they now handle their problems much better.

Although the group's seen numerous band changes, Cooper said they still work to perform songs from the entire discography.

"There will be slight differences, but we try to do those songs justice," he said.

Through it all, Cooper said he never regrets leaving Taking Back Sunday when he did.

"I'm so glad I did because my life has changed in so many ways, like I never would have met my wife if I would've stayed with Taking Back Sunday," he said. "I'm a very big believer of everything happens for a reason and I couldn't be happier."

Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets for the show are $23 in advance and $25 at the door. Also performing are The Maine and We Are The Fury.