The Strokes are an American rock band from Manhattan, New York. Formed in 1998, the band is composed of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture, and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. They are one of the more prominent bands of the garage rock and post-punk revivals, aiding in the resurgence of indie rock in New York City.
The Four Seasons are an American rock and doo-wop band that became internationally successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Since 1970, they have also been known at times as Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. In 1960, the band known as The Four Lovers evolved into the Four Seasons, with Frankie Valli as the lead singer, Bob Gaudio on keyboards and tenor vocals, Tommy DeVito on lead guitar and baritone vocals, and Nick Massi on electric bass and bass vocals. On nearly all of their 1960s hits they were credited as the 4 Seasons.
Spoon is an American indie rock band from Austin, Texas, formed in 1993. The band is the brainchild of Britt Daniel and Jim Eno (drums) and has seen many lineup changes throughout their history. Alex Fischel and Gerardo Larios are also currently members of the band. Critics have described the band's musical style as indie rock, indie pop, art rock, and experimental rock.
Julian Fernando Casablancas is an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and primary songwriter of rock band The Strokes, with whom he has released six studio albums since their founding in 1998. Casablancas released a solo album, Phrazes for the Young, in 2009. That same year, he founded the independent record label Cult Records, which has represented artists such as The Growlers, Rey Pila, and Karen O. Since 2013, he has been the frontman of experimental rock band The Voidz, formerly known as Julian Casablancas + The Voidz. The band has released two albums, Tyranny (2014) and Virtue (2018).
Sheik Yerbouti is a double album by Frank Zappa, first released in March 1979 as the first release on Zappa Records. It is mostly made up of live material recorded in 1977 and 1978.
The Rapture is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of Luke Jenner, Vito Roccoforte, and Gabriel Andruzzi. The classic lineup (1999-2009) added Mattie Safer playing bass and sharing lead vocal duties with Jenner. Safer and Jenner's harmonized choruses became part of the signature sound of the band, featuring on several of the band’s more well known songs.
Joe Chiccarelli, a native of Boston, Massachusetts is a music producer, mixer and engineer who has been active since the 1980s. He has produced albums by Stan Ridgway, Morrissey, Oingo Boingo, Spoon, The Shins, Sandra Bernhard, My Morning Jacket, Counting Crows, Augie March, Manchester Orchestra, Minus the Bear, Boy & Bear, Kurt Elling, Saints Of Valory, and Big Talk. Other artists include Elton John, Rufus Wainright, U2, Alanis Morissette, Beck, Etta James, Jamie Cullum, Al Stewart, Tori Amos, The Strokes, The Killers, Cage The Elephant, Cafe Tacuba, Pink Martini, Christina Perri, Glenn Frey and Jason Mraz.
Señor Smoke (2005) is the second album from Electric Six, following Fire in 2003. It was released in the UK February 14, 2005 by Warner Music imprint Rushmore Records. Due to complications with Electric Six's former record label, Rushmore did not release the album in North America. In December 2005, the band announced a new partnership with Metropolis Records that resulted in Señor Smoke's North American release on February 7, 2006.
All Over the Place is the debut studio album by American pop rock band the Bangles. Released in 1984 through Columbia Records, the sound is lively and shows more Bangles collaboration and fewer keyboard overdubs than were used later on their more commercially successful albums. Although the album was not a major commercial success — peaking at #80 on the Billboard 200 albums chart — and didn't produce a hit, it sold respectably, mostly through steady airplay on college stations. It also gave them the chance to perform as an opening act for Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis and the News, and brought the group to the attention of Prince, who would write "Manic Monday", their first hit.
High Energy is the twenty-eighth studio album by the Supremes, released in 1976 on the Motown label. The album is notable for featuring the last Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 pop hit for the group, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking".
The Brooklyn Dreams were an American singing group of the late 1970s, mixing R&B harmonies with contemporary dance/disco music and best known for a number of collaborations with singer Donna Summer. The band consisted of Joe "Bean" Esposito, Eddie Hokenson and Bruce Sudano. Esposito provided lead vocals for the band and played guitar, while Sudano played keyboards and Hokenson played drums and occasionally sang lead vocals.
Don't Back Down is the sixth studio album by the American punk rock band the Queers, released in August 1996 by Lookout! Records. The band and Lookout! president Larry Livermore, who served as executive producer, sought to balance the sounds of the Ramones and the Beach Boys, and enlisted the help of former Queers guitarist JJ Rassler and Cub singer Lisa Marr. The album's title track is a cover version of the Beach Boys song of the same name; it also features covers of the Hondells' "Little Sidewalk Surfer Girl" and Hawaiian punk band the Catalogs' "Another Girl". The album produced the band's first music videos, for "Punk Rock Girls" and "Don't Back Down".
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is the sixth studio album by American rock band Spoon. It was first released on July 7, 2007, through Merge Records and Anti-. It received critical acclaim and appeared on several year-end album lists. The album debuted at number 10 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and at number 1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums, selling 46,000 copies in its first week. By January 2010, the album had sold 318,000 copies in the United States. It was supported by two singles; "The Underdog" and "Don't You Evah".
The Natural History were a band composed of Tepper brothers singer–guitarist Max and bassist Julian, along with drummer Derek Vockins. After playing locally in the New York area and self-recording their own three-song EP, The Natural History caught the ear of local NYC label Startime International, whose roster includes Brendan Benson, The Walkmen, The French Kicks, among others. Recording with Greg Talenfeld at Stonehouse studio in Nyack, New York, the band released the finished product as a self-titled EP in July 2002. The EP was promoted with a year-full of touring with Enon and Spoon, whereupon the band also found time to record their debut full-length effort Beat Beat Heartbeat, which was released in May 2003.
"Ambitions" is a song by Norwegian band Donkeyboy, taken from their debut album Caught in a Life. It was released as their debut single in 2009 and was a number-one hit in the Norwegian Singles Chart.
The Gap Band II is the fourth studio album by The Gap Band, released in 1979 on Mercury Records. It is their second major label release, and produced by Lonnie Simmons.
Modern Madness is the second studio album from American singer and songwriter Robert Tepper.
DNCE is an American dance-rock band. The group consists of vocalist Joe Jonas, drummer Jack Lawless, bassist and keyboardist Cole Whittle, and guitarist JinJoo Lee. The group signed with Republic Records, who released their debut single, "Cake by the Ocean", in September 2015. The song reached the top 10 on several charts, including on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 9. Their debut extended play, Swaay, was released about a month later. Their self-titled debut studio album was released in November 2016. They were also nominated for Favorite New Artist for the 2016 Kids' Choice Awards and Best Song to Lip Sync and Best Anthem for the 2016 Radio Disney Music Awards. The group performed at the 2017 Fashion Meets Music Festival. Following the reunion of the Jonas Brothers in 2019, the group has entered an indefinite hiatus.
Wet is an American indie pop group from Brooklyn, New York. The band's first two albums—the 2013 self-titled EP and 2016 Don't You—are credited to Kelly Zutrau, Joe Valle, and Marty Sulkow. In March 2018, Wet released a single, "There's a Reason", as a duo of Zutrau and Valle. Signed to Columbia Records, Wet was called the most promising group in music by The Fader in 2015.
Julian Tepper is an American writer and musician. His novels include Balls (2012), Ark (2016), and Between the Records (2020). He co-founded the Oracle Club, a literary salon in New York City that was open from 2011 until 2017, and was formerly a member of the indie rock band The Natural History.
