Jump to content

Marcy Playground: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Grouf (talk | contribs)
1,923 edits
m →Singles: fix table
Line 101: Line 101:
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|align="center"|
|rowspan="3"|''[[Marcy Playground (album)|Marcy Playground]]''
|rowspan="4"|''[[Marcy Playground (album)|Marcy Playground]]''
|-
|-
| 1997
| 1997
Line 108: Line 108:
|align="center"| 4
|align="center"| 4
|align="center"| 1
|align="center"| 1
|rowspan="3"|''[[Marcy Playground (album)|Marcy Playground]]''
|-
|-
| 1998
| 1998

Revision as of 15:35, 20 May 2010

Marcy Playground
For the album, see Marcy Playground (album)

Marcy Playground is an American alternative rock band consisting of three members: John Wozniak (lead vocals, guitar), Dylan Keefe (bass), and Shlomi Lavie (drums). The band is best known for their 1997 hit "Sex and Candy."

History

Early years

Named for the formative location in lead singer John Wozniak's childhood, the Marcy Open grade school in Minneapolis, Marcy Playground emerged in the late 1990s. They had been influenced heavily by Kurt Cobain and his band Nirvana. The influence is quite clear on Marcy Playground's self-titled album, with songs like Shadow of Seattle and Saint Joe On The School Bus. Other influences include David Bowie, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and the Beatles. Frontman John Wozniak's first effort, Zog BogBean - From the Marcy Playground, was self-produced, recorded in his bedroom studio with some help from his then-girlfriend Sherry Fraser and her brother Scott in the early nineties. A small run of CDs were self-released by Wozniak, and to this day they remain extremely difficult to find. "Our Generation" and "Dog And His Master," two songs found on Wozniak's Zog BogBean project, would appear on later Marcy Playground albums. As of April 2009, Zog BogBean is available for download at Marcy Playground's official site as well as other outlets such as iTunes.

Marcy Playground (self-titled album) (1997–1998)

Marcy Playground album cover.

After attending the Evergreen State College for two years, Wozniak moved east to New York, in order to work with Multi-Instrumentalist/Producer Jared Kotler who John had known from suburban Philadelphia. Jared believed in John's songwriting talent and put together money with his cousin Jeff White in order to pay for the duo to record at Sabella Recording Studios, in nearby Rosylyn NY. Jared was influential in forming the sound for the band, playing drums on most of the tracks and overdubbing bass on others. Jared Kotler was involved as a producer in all stages of the production process and was also playing drums with the band as it formed. After hearing the two records worth of material Jared and John had recorded of John's songs, Capitol Records became interested in the music. The band was signed to capitol in 1995 and began a series of NYC club dates that would be the first performances of Marcy Playground as a band. Personal problems between John and Jared reached a peak after a year of playing the New York music scene and drummer Dan Rieser was brought in to replace Jared. A lawsuit revolving around this dispute between the two original members of the band lasted for years and ended in a large cash settlement with Jared Kotler. Jared Kotler's importance and legacy as a co-creater in the band has been systematically written from history by John Wozniac because of this dispute, Including misinformation that has been recorded in this wiki. The self-titled album was released in 1997, and after a failed single release with "Poppies", Marcy Playground emerged into the mainstream with the success of the single "Sex and Candy." The song spent 15 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album went platinum and managed to spawn two other singles, "Saint Joe on the School Bus" and "Sherry Fraser." Marcy Playground is quiet and minimalist in tone. Wozniak's songs run in many different styles: some are modern folk music; many have undertones reminiscent of children's songs; the blurred sound of psychedelia makes appearances; and then there are the songs with a clear rock sound.

Shapeshifter (1999–2000)

Marcy Playground's next outing was 1999's Shapeshifter, not as much of a success commercially as the self-titled album.

A minor controversy came to light when Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers revealed on Marcy Playground's website forum that the cover art for Shapeshifter had originally been conceptualized and commissioned by Leary for his band's aborted After the Astronaut album. He admitted to being a fan of Marcy Playground, but accused the band of an apparent lack of imagination and originality. Leary's outrage was eased once he learned that Capitol Records, former home of the Butthole Surfers and then-current home of Marcy Playground, had pitched the artwork to Wozniak as original work from their own art department and that Marcy Playground had no knowledge of the work's origins. Upon learning the truth, Wozniak proclaimed that he was "honored" to have an album cover designed by Paul Leary.[1] There were apparently no bad feelings between the bands once the controversy had been cleared up. It's Saturday the album's lead single, managed to hit No. 23 on the US Modern Rock Charts, and followed by a second single, Bye Bye.

After Shapeshifter, drummer Dan Rieser left the band to pursue other interests. The position was eventually filled on his recommendation by Gonzalo "Gonz" Martinez De La Cotera, a friend whose previous band Lincoln had opened for Marcy Playground.

MP3 (2004–2006)

File:Marcy Playground mp3.jpg
MP3 album cover.

After a considerable hiatus and at least one failed attempt to record a follow-up to Shapeshifter, Marcy Playground's third album, MP3, was finally released in 2004 with less commercial success than the two preceding albums.

Marcy Playground did little if any touring in support of MP3. The album's first single, "Deadly Handsome Man" was a song featured on the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back movie soundtrack a few years earlier under its original title, "The Devil's Song." The second single, "Punk Rock Superstar" was initially less successful but received a second breath of life and surprised many fans while bringing in some new ones, when it was featured on the XBox 360's playlist upon its re-release in 2006.[2] Other singles from the album include "Blood In Alphabet Soup" and "No One's Boy," neither of which received much radioplay, but were featured on promotional ads for MP3. One album track, "Paper Dolls," was co-written by Jimi Haha of the alternative rock band Jimmie's Chicken Shack.[3] On the track titled, "Hotter Than the Sun," Wozniak reflects on the band's one-time success and remains positive about the band's future.

Leaving Wonderland and B-Sides/Rarities (2008–present)

Marcy Playground's fourth album, Leaving Wonderland ... in a fit of rage, was released on July 7, 2009. Originally conceived as a solo record by John Wozniak, the album was attributed to the band at the request of Wozniak's record label. Leaving Wonderland features 12 songs, including the singles "Good Times" and "Blackbird." Also included on the record is a version of "Memphis," a Marcy Playground b-side that Wozniak's wife felt deserved a second breath of life. Sherry Frasier, Wozniak's longtime friend and lead vocalist of Two Ton Boa, designed the album cover. Leaving Wonderland was Produced, Recorded and Mixed by Producer Jeff Dawson.

The band has also stated its intention to release a collection of b-sides and previously unheard tracks, culled from over a decade of recording sessions. No release date or tracklist has yet been finalized.

2009 Tour

File:MPThirdThurs.jpg
Marcy Playground live in concert November 2008

After Gonzalo Martinez's departure from the band, family-friend Shlomi Lavie stepped in to fill the void as drummer for the band's 2009 tour, promoting two new albums. After a successful 4-Day Carnival Cruise show(s) in the Bahamas alongside Post-grunge band Sponge [4] it was announced that the band would kick off an official tour for the Spring of 2009, playing in venues along the California coastline, including the notorious Key Club, as well as various cities in Canada and North Carolina. On May 8 they played at Cantina's in Sparks, Nevada with opening band "Nevada."

Band members

Current:

Past:

Discography

John Wozniak Solo

Albums

Singles

Year Title Peak chart positions Album
U.S. U.S.
Main 		U.S.
Mod
1997 "Poppies" Marcy Playground
1997 "Sex and Candy" 8 4 1
1998 "Saint Joe on the School Bus" 31 8
1998 "Sherry Fraser"
1999 "Comin' Up From Behind"[A] Shapeshifter
1999 "It's Saturday" 25
1999 "Bye Bye"
2004 "Deadly Handsome Man" MP3
2004 "Punk Rock Superstar"
2004 "No One's Boy"
2004 "Blood in Alphabet Soup"
2009 "Good Times" Leaving Wonderland...in a fit of rage
2009 "Starbaby"

EP's

  • 1999 - It's Saturday College Sampler EP

Soundtracks Featuring Marcy Playground

Cover songs

Touring partners

  • Evoka (2009)
  • Sponge (2008) - Rock the Bahamas Cruise
  • Lincoln (1998)

References

  1. ^ News - Articles - 1426809 - 19991104
  2. ^ Xbox 360 Hard Drive Content Revealed, TeamXbox.com News
  3. ^ Life's a giggle for Jimmie's Chicken Shack's Jimmie HaHa - Fredericksburg.com, Michael Zitz
  4. ^ Sponge And Marcy Playground Rock The Bahamas With 96 rock - Scott, therockdose.com
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marcy_Playground&oldid=363213819"