“When we formed Smile Smile, we looked at what was missing in the world of folk and pop and then tried to create a sound that was uniquely ours,” says Jencey. “We really wanted our music to be catchy and memorable, but also focusing on the issues that we care about.”

The duo garnered local and national success in 2006 with their debut full-length album Blue Roses. Its full of infectious melodies, dusty blue lyrics whispers, hand-claps and toe-tappable folk songs set to guitar and keys. Smile Smile were nominated for “Best Folk Rock Song (“Sad Song”) at the Los Angeles Independent Music Awards, nominated as “Best USA Act” in the Toronto Independent Music Awards, and have had several tracks from Blue Roses licensed for programming on MTV’s NEXT. Smile Smile was also featured in the film Jack and Jill vs the World starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Tarynn Manning.

Although known for their subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) back and forth jabs onstage, when the pair sing together their voices sound as if they are one. Stripping songs down to the bone and emphasizing the simplicity of beautiful music, is about the only thing the two can agree upon.  Curious about their relationship? The duo will release their sophomore album Truth on Tape on February 9, 2010 which chronicles their lives. Together. And apart. And…?

Everlast

Erik Schrody (born August 18, 1969, in Valley Stream, New York), better known by his stage name Everlast, is an Irish-American rapper and singer-songwriter, best known for his hit “What It’s Like”, and for his unique genre-crossing mix of hip-hop and acoustic-based rock music.

He was the frontman for rap group House of Pain until 1996. In 2000, he won a Grammy for best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with Latin Rock musician Carlos Santana for “Put Your Lights On.” (see 1999 in music).

Early days & House of Pain

Emerging as a member of the Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast’s first solo album Forever Everlasting (1990), largely made possible by MC Ice T, was a disappointment both critically and commercially. Following the album’s failure, Everlast teamed up with DJ Lethal and high school friend Danny Boy to form House of Pain. The group was signed to Tommy Boy Records, and their eponymous debut album (1992) went multi-platinum, spawning the successful DJ Muggs produced single “Jump Around”. This song was also remixed twice by Pete Rock, one version featuring a verse from him and one without. The album also featured Cypress Hill member, B-Real, on the song “Put Your Head Out”.

Fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish American hooligans (Lethal is actually of Latvian heritage), they toured with various rap and alternative-rock bands after their breakthrough. They participated together with Helmet, along with several other rap acts, on the influential 1993 rock-rap collaborative Judgment Night movie soundtrack. The group eventually disbanded in 1996, and Everlast once again pursued a solo career.

What It’s Like

Everlast’s second solo album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998)– which was released a full eight years after his solo debut and after he had a major heart attack – was both a commercial and critical success (selling more than 3 million copies). Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was hailed for its blend of rap with acoustic and electric guitars, developed by Everlast together with producers Dante Ross and John Gamble (aka SD50). The album’s lead single “What It’s Like” proved to be his most popular and successful song, although the follow up single, “Ends”, also reached the rock top 10.

Everlast followed-up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track “Put Your Lights On” on Santana’s 1999 album Supernatural. It charted at #118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at #8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. “Put Your Lights On” won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards. At the end of the song, Everlast can be heard singing the first part of the Shahadah “La ilaha illa Allah”, the Islamic profession of faith. Everlast is a devout Muslim.

Despite the success of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and his success with Santana, Everlast’s follow-up album, Eat at Whitey’s (2000), stumbled commercially at first in the United States. However, it was eventually certified gold. The album was also embraced critically, especially by Rolling Stone Magazine which reviewed the album between “good” and “great” and focused on it as that month’s most important release.

Lewis has appeared in over forty films and made-for-TV movies. She has also appeared in a GAP commercial which she was dancing with Daft Punk to the tune of the song “Digital Love”. In 1992, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Cape Fear. She received an Emmy nomination for her performance in My Louisiana Sky in 2001.

Lewis has also launched a career as a solo singer and musician, leading a group called Juliette and the Licks which has released a number of recordings. She has worked with rock songwriter Linda Perry, among others, and has also appeared on three tracks by rock-techno group The Prodigy’s 2004 CD “Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned” (Spitfire, Get Up Get Off and Hot Ride). She is in the H.I.M. video for “Buried Alive By Love”.

Amanda Warner and Peter Wade were introduced to each other one year ago, when she arrived in New York from Oakland, CA. Born and raised on a farm in Fargo, North Dakota, Amanda has used MNDR as an “alter-ego” artist nickname in various scenes across the US, having toured with and opened for groups including Yacht, The Shins, and Deerhoof. A self professed gear head, Amanda started programming beats as a teenager and her impressive skills recently landed her an offer from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ to design their touring keyboard rig for It’s Blitz.

Peter Wade has made a career as a songwriter/producer in the pop music arena. After six years working with major labels, producing for artists such as Yoko Ono, 88-Keys, Jennifer Lopez and Melanie Fiona, he started a label called WonderSound to put out the experimental pop music he was most interested in making and eventually met Amanda.

The band was initiated in 2001 as a recording project by Huntington Beach High School student Forrest Kline. With the aid of fellow student Jesse Kurvink, Kline started recording synthesized power pop songs on his computer, which originally only served the purpose of entertaining their friends. However, as more and more of their songs appeared on MP3.com, Hellogoodbye’s fanbase grew. According to Kline, the band name was inspired by,a line from the TV series Saved by the Bell and the general transience of opportunities.

In 2002, without even having a release out, Hellogoodbye began playing local concerts in front of crowds of hundreds. For live shows, vocalist/guitarist Kline and keyboardist Kurvink were accompanied on drums by either Parker Case, who would later form the now defunct JamisonParker, or Aaron Flora. Flora and bassist Marcus Cole soon joined them permanently, completing the band’s line-up.

“This band is the fucking tits!!!” – The New Yorker

“Part of the homosexual agenda…” – Wall Street Journal

“I was always the first in the gym and the last one to leave…” – Larry Bird

“Pop monsters…” – NME

Band Members:

Dylan Rau – vocals/guitar
Ted Feldman – guitar/percussion
Val Loper – bass/percussion
Tj Orscher – drums/vocals

After playing countless hometown shows, the Futureheads took the show on the road with a massive helping hand from Slampt Records’ Milky Wimpshake. A tour of Squats and Youth Centres in Central Europe came in summer 2001, due to which the band switched out drummers. In place of Peter Brewis ambled a young pretender, Mr David Hyde (Drums, Vocals).

Several singles followed – the first, Nul Book Standard, can now be seen casually hanging out on eBay from time to time. A relationship with the lovely people at Fantastic Plastic briefly followed. ‘The Futureheads’ was released in summer 2004, on 679 Recordings, and then the band hit the road. Some highlights of 2005 include playing Glastonbury Festival on Baz’s birthday, Hounds Of Love going Top Ten, meeting Dennis Hopper on Jimmy Kimmel’s US TV Show, and getting that most infamous of Albatrosses, The Second Album under their belts.

‘News and Tributes’ was released in May 2006. It reached 11 in the album chart, and saw the band touring the world and continuing to win fans and supporters with their exhilarating live shows.

Fast forward to 2008, and The Futureheads are back, bolder and better than ever, exploding back onto the scene with their new album ‘This Is Not The World’. Embracing the punk-rock ethic like never before, Barry, Ross, Jaff and Dave are releasing their third album independently and taking control of their own destiny. It’s going to feel like the first time, all over again…

The band formed at Wesleyan University in Connecticut where they fleshed out Walters’ basement laptop compositions. The band self-released the 5 song Compass EP in 2008, which was later re-released by Tough Customer Records in the same year.

In 2009, the band moved to Brooklyn, New York and completed their first full-length album, Robots & Roses. The album’s synthesizer drenched, heavy-hitting, melancholic songs tell the story of Walters’ long New York nights from bars to bedrooms. His lyrics range from dreamlike and surrealistic portraits of city life to direct confrontation of lovers. They are stories of irresponsibility and indignation; love and loathing; sincerity and sarcasm. The album sounds just as great on a lonely subway ride home as it does on booming dance floor speakers.

Biography

When he was still a member of Taking Back Sunday, John Nolan wrote several songs that he didn’t feel would go well with the band. After their departure, John and Shaun Cooper recorded several demos with Taking Back Sunday drummer Mark O’Connell. The band began to take its present form when drummer Will Noon was invited to join after his former band, Breaking Pangaea, broke up. Breaking Pangaea’s former lead singer was Fred Mascherino, who later took Nolan’s place in Taking Back Sunday. Shortly thereafter, John’s sister, Michelle DaRosa, joined Straylight Run.

The band gained popularity after posting six demo songs for free download on their official site. By September of that year, they were playing to sold-out crowds in various cities in the Northeastern United States.

The band’s name was taken from the final section of William Gibson’s cyberpunk science-fiction novel Neuromancer.

Straylight Run (2004)

Due to John’s and Shaun’s involvement in their previous band, they were bound by contract to release an album under Victory Records. They began to record their first album in April 2004 and released their self-titled debut album Straylight Run on October 12, 2004 after a one-month postponement. The album sold over 11,000 copies in the first week, and made the Billboard Top 100 Albums list. In late 2005, the band toured with Simple Plan, which in interviews and from the stage, band members have stated was a mistake, done because they were offered a lot of money.