| The Verve Pipe is one of the new artist
success stories of the year. The singles from their platinum debut album
Villains, on RCA Records, have included 'Photograph,' 'Cup Of Tea,' 'Villains'
and 'The Freshmen' -- certified gold and one of the most successful multi-format
tracks of 1997. In addition to their success on radio, sold-out concert
dates throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia, features in Spin
and Rolling Stone and videos on MTV and VH1, the band has made numerous
television appearances, including "The Tonight Show," "Late Night With
David Letterman," MTV's "Jenny McCarthy Show" and "120 Minutes," VH1's
"Hard Rock Live" and "The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show." Since the release
of Villains in March 1996, the band has been touring non-stop, completing
well over 400 shows, bringing their brand of passionate, hard-hitting rock
& roll to clubs and theaters throughout the world, including two months
opening for the reunited Kiss in Europe. Their live performance brings
raves from fans and press alike. According to Album Network, "Theirs was
a show that will go down as one of the best I've seen in the last 10 years."
The Verve Pipe -- from East Lansing, Michigan -- consists of Brian Vander
Ark (Lead Vocals, Guitars), Donny Brown (Drums, Background Vocals), A.J.
Dunning (Guitars, Background Vocals), Doug Corella (Keyboards, Percussion)
and Brad Vander Ark (Bass, Background Vocals). Their two highly praised
independent albums on LMNO Pop! Records -- I've Suffered A Head Injury
and Pop Smear -- had collectively sold more than 50,000 copies before RCA/BMG
re-released the albums nationally earlier this year. "We're not concerned
to what degree it happens for us. We just look forward to playing and having
people know our music," says drummer Donny Brown "and we're happy to have
albums we're proud of." On their major label debut Villains, produced by
former Talking Heads Jerry Harrison, The Verve Pipe combines brawn with
brain, creating memorable songs that strike simultaneously at heart and
head. "The band succeeds in rocking the listener to the soul. Rock 'n'
roll is supposed to be about passion. Passion for a girl. Passion for a
dream. Passion for a song. Too many bands have forgotten that - but not
The Verve Pipe," said Insider Magazine. From Q Magazine, "(Villains) boasts
a richly crafted sound ... there is a real melodic depth to the material
here." In January, a new track from the band can be heard in the 20th Century
Fox film and soundtrack "Great Expectations," a modern-day adaptation of
the Charles Dickens classic starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Ethan Hawke, Robert
De Niro and Anne Bancroft. After taking a short, well-deserved break, The
Verve Pipe returns to the studio in December with producer Jack Joseph
Puig - who produced the radio version of 'The Freshmen' - for their second
RCA release, due in Spring '98. |
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