Michigan Grown Series
With a reputation for spectacular live performances, the genesis of multi-platinum artist The Verve Pipe can be traced back to the early 90s when the principal members of two rival Michigan bands joined forces. After releasing two independent albums, I’ve Suffered A Head Injury and Pop Smear; the group quickly garnered a regional following for its textured rock songs distinguished by innovative arrangements, soul-searching lyrics, and layered vocals.
The success of both albums attracted the attention of RCA Records, which released their platinum major label debut, Villains, in 1996. The album featured the radio hit "Photograph" and the #1 single "The Freshmen," one of the most successful multiformat tracks of 1997 and winner of an ASCAP Pop Award. Their follow-up release, the critically acclaimed self-titled LP The Verve Pipe, featured "Hero," a Top 15 hit at Modern Rock radio.
In 2001, RCA released Underneath, which produced the singles "Happiness Is" and "Never Let You Down," one of the most-played songs for Adult Top 40 and Modern A/C radio that year. The album also included "Colorful," the emotive ballad featured in the film and soundtrack Rock Star, starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston and also co-starring lead singer Brian Vander Ark in his first major film role.
In addition to their success on radio, TV, and film, 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 With Jay Leno and Late Night With David Letterman.
After an eight-year hiatus, The Verve Pipe was approached to submit an original song for a compilation album of children’s music. That session inspired A Family Album, their critically acclaimed introduction to the world of children’s music, as well as their follow-up release, Are We There Yet? Both albums contain music intended for the entire family, with fun and inventive lyrics set to the memorable melodies the band is known for.
In 2014, The Verve Pipe released their first rock album in over 13 years with Overboard, a collection of ten new songs, including the haunting title track. This long incubating project brought renewed energy and focus to the band as they soon followed with the album Parachute and their first-ever live album, Villains – Live & Acoustic, featuring an acoustic re-imaging of their platinum debut album Villains. Their latest, the critically acclaimed Threads, maintains their commitment to forward-thinking rock and roll as the band continues to reinvent itself with each new release.
The Verve Pipe continues to tour, performing both rock and kids shows throughout the U.S., including special appearances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Festival, Hangout Music Festival, SummerStage in Central Park, and many more.
