Letters to Cleo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Letters to Cleo | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Powerpop Post-grunge Punk revival |
| Years active | 1990–2000 2008–present |
| Label(s) | CherryDisc Records, Warner, Wicked Disc |
| Associated acts | American Hi-Fi, Veruca Salt |
| Website | http://www.letterstocleo.net/ |
| Members | |
| Kay Hanley Michael Eisenstein Scott Riebling Greg McKenna Tom Polce |
|
| Former members | |
| Stacy Jones | |
Letters to Cleo is an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts perhaps best known for the 1993 single "Here & Now" from their full-length debut album Aurora Gory Alice. The band was made up of members Michael Eisenstein, Kay Hanley, Stacy Jones, Greg McKenna, Scott Riebling, and Tom Polce. The band disbanded in 2000, although it recently reunited for a small tour, and possibly a new album.
Contents |
[edit] Band history
Letters to Cleo was formed in 1990 by guitarist Greg McKenna and singer Kay Hanley, when they changed their name from Rebecca Lula to Letters to Cleo. Its later lineup included Hanley, McKenna, Mike Eisenstein on guitar, Stacy Jones on drums and Scott Riebling on bass. Their name came from the fact that Hanley had a pen pal named Cleo when she was younger, although the letters she wrote would often be returned. Hanley kept them in a box under her bed marked "Letters to Cleo", and came across the box as the band was attempting to think of a name for itself.
After years on the Boston club circuit, including TT The Bears Place and The Rathskellar, Letters released their first full length record, Aurora Gory Alice on CherryDisc in 1993. The album received extensive airplay around the region and after a much hyped show at South by Southwest in Austin, Letters to Cleo signed a major label record deal with Giant Records. Aurora Gory Alice was re-released worldwide.
The band had their first big hit single with "Here & Now," which received wide exposure from its appearance on the Melrose Place soundtrack. The song reached #10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Singles chart. Appearances on Conan O'Brien and Jon Stewart followed.
In 1995, Letters to Cleo released a followup album, Wholesale Meats and Fish. Its release was followed by extensive tours with Our Lady Peace, Sponge, Neds Atomic Dustbin and others. The single "Awake" achieved moderate rotation on alternative radio. The band also recorded a cover of The Cars song "Dangerous Type" for the major motion picture The Craft.
In 1997, Stacy Jones left the band to join Veruca Salt and was replaced by Tom Polce. That same year, LTC's third album "Go" was released. After a short tour, Polce left the band and was replaced by drummer Jason Sutter. In late 1997, Letters to Cleo parted ways with their record label Giant/Revolution.
1998 saw the release of some early demos and B-sides in the form of the "Sister" EP on Wicked Disc.
Letters to Cleo appeared in the film 10 Things I Hate about You in 1999 (one of the characters considers them a favorite band). They contributed four songs to the soundtrack for the film, which included a Cheap Trick cover (I Want You to Want Me), and a Nick Lowe & Ian Gomm cover (Cruel to Be Kind). Also included were two original tracks, "Come On", and the beginning of "Co-Pilot" (which can be heard at the end of the scene of their performance at a local club). Whereas the covers appeared on the film's soundtrack, "Come On" did not but was released as an MP3 download on the Band's website. "Co-Pilot" was also not on the film's soundtrack, but it does appear on Letters To Cleo's album "Go".
During that same year, LTC opened for Cheap Trick at The Paradise club in Boston.
The band played its last show on May 4, 2000, a benefit for their friend and longtime local supporter, Mikey D. They announced their disbandment in the Boston Globe the following month.
[edit] Solo careers
Most of the band members are now involved in solo careers. Most notable is Kay Hanley's career, which produced the albums Cherry Marmalade in 2002, the The Babydoll EP in 2004, and Weaponize in 2008.
Former drummer Stacy Jones went on to form American Hi-Fi with fellow Boston musicians Drew Parsons, Jamie Arentzen and Brian Nolan.
Scott Riebling went into the production side of music and is now a producer and engineer.
Co-founding member Greg McKenna is currently playing live with his solo project, Murder Capitol of the World. The debut album was released in the summer of 2007.
[edit] Reunion
In September 2008, a press release was issued announcing the band's reformation[1] and that they were scheduled to do a small tour late 2008. In 2008, they also released another compilation of b-sides and rarities called When Did We Do That? A four date tour, in 2009, running from May 20 to May 23 has been announced on the band's MySpace blog. Three of the concerts are going to take place in Texas, May 21 in Houston, May 22 in Austin and Dallas on May 23rd. The first date of these shows is going to be a free show in New Orleans, Louisiana on May 20th.
[edit] Members
- Kay Hanley - vocals
- Greg McKenna - guitar, backing vocals
- Michael Eisenstein - guitar, keyboards, backing vocals
- Scott Riebling - bass, backing vocals
- Stacy Jones - drums
- Tom Polce - drums
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Billboard 200 | Heatseekers |
| 1993 | Aurora Gory Alice | 123 | 3 |
| 1995 | Wholesale Meats and Fish | 188 | 11 |
| 1997 | Go! | - | 45 |
| 1998 | Sister | - | - |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern Rock Tracks | Hot 100 | Hot 100 Airplay | Hot 100 Singles Sales | Top 40 Mainstream | Album | ||
| 1992 | Here & Now/Rim Shack | - | - | - | - | - | Aurora Gory Alice |
| 1995 | Here & Now | 10 | 56 | 72 | 69 | 40 | |
| Awake | 17 | 88 | - | - | - | Wholesale Meats and Fish | |
| 1996 | Dangerous Type | - | - | - | - | - | The Craft OST |
| 1997 | Anchor | - | - | - | - | - | Go! |
[edit] Trivia
- The Giant Records re-release of "Aurora Gory Alice" contains different versions of the songs "Here & Now" and "Rim Shak" than the original CherryDisc release.
- Greg and Kay's previous band had many rotating members, including Abe Laboriel Jr., who is now drumming for Paul McCartney.
- Matthew Sweet stepped in as guest bass player for LTC during the recording of the 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack.
- Letters to Cleo recorded the theme song and music for the short lived animated series Generation O.
- Their video of "Here and Now" was featured in the Beavis and Butt-head cartoon "Beavis, Can You Spare A Dime" on MTV in 1995.
- "Josie & The Pussycats" Original Soundtrack-Play-Tone/Epic/Sony Music Soundtrax EK 85683 Voice of Josie: Kay Hanley on the 11 Josie & The Pussycat's songs (2001)
- Scott Riebling played bass for Weezer on the single version of "Pink Triangle." [1]
- The band is identified as the favorite of Katarina Stratford in the film 10 Things I Hate About You
- The band often considered changing its name to Rula Lenska, after the famous actress.
- Guitarist Mike Eisenstein is extremely patriotic; he is know to friends and family as "U-S-A Mike."
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Dillon, Charlotte. "Letters to Cleo". Allmusic. Retrieved March 28, 2004.
