Juliet Simms
Encyclopedia
Juliet Simms is a singer/songwriter
. She is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the band Automatic Loveletter.
, an aunt played violin for Rod Stewart
, Wayne Newton
and Pavarotti. Brother Tommy Simms, of top Florida band Win Win Winter is a producer, singer, songwriter and produced Juliet's first CD. Singing since she was four, writing since she was nine, Simms became a fixture of the local music cafes as a teenager. It was here where the first of 5 major labels who offered her deals, caught a live performance.
At 17 she spent a year in L.A. living out of a duffle bag driving a 1986 primer colored Crown Victoria cop car while trying to promote her music and record an album. Here she landed her first deal with baby indie label, Umbrella Ent. She had the opportunity to work with Richie Zito who produced and wrote for Elton John, the Motels, and Heart. He brought Juliet's recording to completion in August 2005. One unmastered burn of her album in hand, her label still going through growing pains and unequipped to promote her -she left LA .
So in summer 2005 Juliet began a solo tour across the US back from L.A. ending up in Florida where she played many shows at last attracting major label offers through Myspace as well as through a particular live performance where Sony's Laurie Lavine first spotted her.
A week before her performance for Laurie and her friends, in October 2005, Juliet was invited to New York City by the head of A and R Island Records who after hearing her live performance wanted to sign her and escorted her immediately to the Chairmen of Island, L.A. Reid.
During the same trip she showcased for Columbia and Jive but felt she came home when playing for Allison Hagendorf, Pete Geberga and others at Sony's EPIC label. She also played for Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Don Ienner, then President and CEO of the Sony Music Label Group, who validated her efforts with another offer.
With industry buzz ignited, Juliet was then flown to Los Angeles where she played for Capitol's A and R dept who wanted to sign her, as well as the president at Geffen where she was offered yet another major deal.
Her first 4 songs were produced by the Grammy nominated members of the [alternative metal] band [Spineshank], but Juliet's melodic rock tunes "The View From Below", "Changing Skies", "Old Movie", and "I Notice" were not the right fit for that production team. Juliet asked the label for a different producer and they brought in studio master Richie Zito, a writer and producer for Elton John, the Motels and Heart, and he and Juliet re-recorded a handful of tracks that immediately garnered wide notice. "Someday" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes" captured the number one spots in three separate genres of the MySpace music charts, where Juliet became a Featured Artist. Her music was subsequently licensed to MTV's The Real World and Road Rules. Her ballad, "Old Movie" was aired as a closing song on the 2006 season finale of The Real World.
Juliet also finally acoustically laid down all of the songs she had been writing over the last three years for consideration for her first major label album. Signed by Allison Hagendorf now host of Fuse TVs "The Pop Show", then working at Epic Records, Juliet went on to form Automatic Loveletter while Epic struggled with the 2005 Payola Scandal and internal problems finally dropping over 70 bands in 2007. With Allison as Juliet's champion, Automatic Loveletter was not dropped but was also not supported for the next year and 1/2 touring in the drummer's Ford Excursion, making feather hair clips and burning their own copies of the Epic Produced CD with hand painted slip covers to help fund their tours.
Automatic Loveletter did record their album in 2007 with producer Matt Squire
(Panic! at the Disco
, Boys Like Girls
, All Time Low
, Cute is What We Aim For, The Cab
, The Maine). "He challenged me and I challenged him", Simms said. "I felt very comfortable and that's when the best of me comes out. The entire time was playful and fun and that's what rock n roll's about to me -- having a good time." Simms took her massive songbook to Squire and narrowed down the right tunes and crafted them to fit together, sometimes taking songs in entirely new directions. "The Answer", for instance, was originally a ballad, but became one of the more upbeat numbers on the album. Daniel Currier and lead guitarist Joe Nelson both played on the album, Sean Noll officially joining just before some of their first tours together and big brother Tommy occasionally touring with the band to play lead, or rhythm guitar in larger venues and outdoor concerts filling up the sound and the stage.
But the Squire Album was never fully released, however tracks like "The Answer", "Parker", "August", "Hush" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes" were all released on an EP Recover'" and sold through Hot Topic and on-line distribution.
Up to and while touring with 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Automatic Loveletter held #1 or #2 position on the Myspace Music Emo chart for 6 months, hitting 10 Million Listens, hit #2 on Smart Punk for three weeks and Artisan News Reported them as The Next Big Thing. But after the tour when Epic was scheduled to release the album Automatic Loveletter (acronym A.LL.) were told to continue touring and asked by then President Charlie Walk to write more upbeat music. Instead, Juliet submitted a fan favorite "Black Ink Revenge" which was rejected several times for re-write until it became "My Goodbye" one of the tracks off the upcoming Sony release. "I had been signed to Epic for going on three years, toured in cars with my completely broke band and was feeling like I disappointed my fans who had been promised music for over a year so I sat in my room for four days re-writing and re-submitting that song like 5xs. I like "My Goodbye" a LOT but it was the result of a lot of pressure and the desire to get an album released." "My Goodbye", "The Day that Saved Us" and "Let it Ride" were quickly released as another self titled EP just before the final chapter with Epic Records when they fired all the members except Currier before the first headlining tour, held auditions for new members, hired Jacob Fatoroochi, James Bowen and Wayne Miller then half way through the tour called Juliet and told her that all of the pay for the band she was being withdrawn and the band was not being supported anymore. The band went on to sell out venues like the Knitting Factory in LA and San Francisco.."It was very liberating. After crying my eyes out for a couple hours I had some of my best shows ever on that tour." [June 5 Automatic Loveletter Myspace Blog: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&bID=535020983]
Almost immediately the band was picked up by RCA and Juliet asked to write for a new album produced by Josh Abraham
(Weezer
, 30 Seconds to Mars
, Velvet Revolver
). They released their first full length album, Truth or Dare on June 22, 2010. just before heading out on Vans Warped Tour 2010.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. She is the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the band Automatic Loveletter.
Early life
Simms was raised by a family of musicians. Her grandfather, Frank Todaro, is a jazz piano player in Aspen, ColoradoAspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
, an aunt played violin for Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton
Wayne Newton is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nicknames The Midnight Idol, Mr. Las Vegas and Mr. Entertainment...
and Pavarotti. Brother Tommy Simms, of top Florida band Win Win Winter is a producer, singer, songwriter and produced Juliet's first CD. Singing since she was four, writing since she was nine, Simms became a fixture of the local music cafes as a teenager. It was here where the first of 5 major labels who offered her deals, caught a live performance.
Juliet Simms
After spending more time playing in divey venues and sleeping on floors than the average Indie band, 19 year old singer, songwriter Juliet Simms, will combine her beautifully unique vocal stylings and raw edge lyrics with her classic hooks to produce melodic rock ear candy on Sony/Epic Records.At 17 she spent a year in L.A. living out of a duffle bag driving a 1986 primer colored Crown Victoria cop car while trying to promote her music and record an album. Here she landed her first deal with baby indie label, Umbrella Ent. She had the opportunity to work with Richie Zito who produced and wrote for Elton John, the Motels, and Heart. He brought Juliet's recording to completion in August 2005. One unmastered burn of her album in hand, her label still going through growing pains and unequipped to promote her -she left LA .
So in summer 2005 Juliet began a solo tour across the US back from L.A. ending up in Florida where she played many shows at last attracting major label offers through Myspace as well as through a particular live performance where Sony's Laurie Lavine first spotted her.
A week before her performance for Laurie and her friends, in October 2005, Juliet was invited to New York City by the head of A and R Island Records who after hearing her live performance wanted to sign her and escorted her immediately to the Chairmen of Island, L.A. Reid.
During the same trip she showcased for Columbia and Jive but felt she came home when playing for Allison Hagendorf, Pete Geberga and others at Sony's EPIC label. She also played for Wyclef Jean of the Fugees and Don Ienner, then President and CEO of the Sony Music Label Group, who validated her efforts with another offer.
With industry buzz ignited, Juliet was then flown to Los Angeles where she played for Capitol's A and R dept who wanted to sign her, as well as the president at Geffen where she was offered yet another major deal.
Automatic Loveletter
Automatic Loveletter was formed with Juliet Simms on guitar and lead vocals, Daniel Currier on drums and brother Tommy Simms playing bass and producing, with bassist Sean Noll sitting in on occasion in Tommy's home studio in the Tampa Bay area. The band was first called Stars and Scars and recorded its first rock song together in December 2005, naming the song after the band but written by lead singer Juliet Simms. They also recorded "Tin Lizzy", written by Tommy.Her first 4 songs were produced by the Grammy nominated members of the [alternative metal] band [Spineshank], but Juliet's melodic rock tunes "The View From Below", "Changing Skies", "Old Movie", and "I Notice" were not the right fit for that production team. Juliet asked the label for a different producer and they brought in studio master Richie Zito, a writer and producer for Elton John, the Motels and Heart, and he and Juliet re-recorded a handful of tracks that immediately garnered wide notice. "Someday" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes" captured the number one spots in three separate genres of the MySpace music charts, where Juliet became a Featured Artist. Her music was subsequently licensed to MTV's The Real World and Road Rules. Her ballad, "Old Movie" was aired as a closing song on the 2006 season finale of The Real World.
Juliet also finally acoustically laid down all of the songs she had been writing over the last three years for consideration for her first major label album. Signed by Allison Hagendorf now host of Fuse TVs "The Pop Show", then working at Epic Records, Juliet went on to form Automatic Loveletter while Epic struggled with the 2005 Payola Scandal and internal problems finally dropping over 70 bands in 2007. With Allison as Juliet's champion, Automatic Loveletter was not dropped but was also not supported for the next year and 1/2 touring in the drummer's Ford Excursion, making feather hair clips and burning their own copies of the Epic Produced CD with hand painted slip covers to help fund their tours.
Automatic Loveletter did record their album in 2007 with producer Matt Squire
Matt Squire
Matt Squire is an American multi-platinum music producer and writer. He has produced, engineered, or written tracks for One Direction, 3OH!3, Good Charlotte, New Boyz, Selena Gomez, David Archuleta, Taking Back Sunday, HIM, The Used, All Time Low, Panic! at the Disco, Boys Like Girls, The Cab,...
(Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco
Panic! at the Disco is an American alternative rock duo, formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005. Since its split, the band's line-up includes Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith . Former members Ryan Ross and Jon Walker left the group in 2009...
, Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls
Boys Like Girls is an American rock band from Massachusetts. Formed in 2005, the group gained mainstream recognition when it released its self-titled debut album. Boys Like Girls was the co-headliner with Good Charlotte for the Soundtrack of Your Summer Tour 2008 that toured across the United...
, All Time Low
All Time Low
All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
, Cute is What We Aim For, The Cab
The Cab
The Cab is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. Their debut album, Whisper War, was released on April 29, 2008. They have been called "The Band You Need to Know 2008" by Alternative Press magazine...
, The Maine). "He challenged me and I challenged him", Simms said. "I felt very comfortable and that's when the best of me comes out. The entire time was playful and fun and that's what rock n roll's about to me -- having a good time." Simms took her massive songbook to Squire and narrowed down the right tunes and crafted them to fit together, sometimes taking songs in entirely new directions. "The Answer", for instance, was originally a ballad, but became one of the more upbeat numbers on the album. Daniel Currier and lead guitarist Joe Nelson both played on the album, Sean Noll officially joining just before some of their first tours together and big brother Tommy occasionally touring with the band to play lead, or rhythm guitar in larger venues and outdoor concerts filling up the sound and the stage.
But the Squire Album was never fully released, however tracks like "The Answer", "Parker", "August", "Hush" and "Make-up Smeared Eyes" were all released on an EP Recover'" and sold through Hot Topic and on-line distribution.
Up to and while touring with 2008 Vans Warped Tour, Automatic Loveletter held #1 or #2 position on the Myspace Music Emo chart for 6 months, hitting 10 Million Listens, hit #2 on Smart Punk for three weeks and Artisan News Reported them as The Next Big Thing. But after the tour when Epic was scheduled to release the album Automatic Loveletter (acronym A.LL.) were told to continue touring and asked by then President Charlie Walk to write more upbeat music. Instead, Juliet submitted a fan favorite "Black Ink Revenge" which was rejected several times for re-write until it became "My Goodbye" one of the tracks off the upcoming Sony release. "I had been signed to Epic for going on three years, toured in cars with my completely broke band and was feeling like I disappointed my fans who had been promised music for over a year so I sat in my room for four days re-writing and re-submitting that song like 5xs. I like "My Goodbye" a LOT but it was the result of a lot of pressure and the desire to get an album released." "My Goodbye", "The Day that Saved Us" and "Let it Ride" were quickly released as another self titled EP just before the final chapter with Epic Records when they fired all the members except Currier before the first headlining tour, held auditions for new members, hired Jacob Fatoroochi, James Bowen and Wayne Miller then half way through the tour called Juliet and told her that all of the pay for the band she was being withdrawn and the band was not being supported anymore. The band went on to sell out venues like the Knitting Factory in LA and San Francisco.."It was very liberating. After crying my eyes out for a couple hours I had some of my best shows ever on that tour." [June 5 Automatic Loveletter Myspace Blog: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&bID=535020983]
Almost immediately the band was picked up by RCA and Juliet asked to write for a new album produced by Josh Abraham
Josh Abraham
Josh Abraham is a Grammy-winning record producer and co-owner of Pulse Management and Check Your Pulse Publishing. He has produced songs and albums for many of the industry's most successful artists such as Velvet Revolver, 30 Seconds to Mars, Linkin Park, Kelly Clarkson and Courtney Love...
(Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
, 30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars
30 Seconds to Mars is an American rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1998. Since 2007, the band has consisted of actor Jared Leto , Shannon Leto and Tomo Miličević...
, Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver
Velvet Revolver is an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N' Roses members Slash, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum, alongside Dave Kushner formerly of punk band Wasted Youth. Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland was Velvet Revolver's lead singer from their formation until...
). They released their first full length album, Truth or Dare on June 22, 2010. just before heading out on Vans Warped Tour 2010.
Discography
- LoveHateHeroLoveHateHeroLoveHateHero is a post-hardcore band from Burbank, California. They are signed to Ferret Records and have released three albums, Just Breathe in May 2005, White Lies in February 2007 and America Underwater in November 2009....
- Just BreatheJust BreatheJust Breathe is LoveHateHero's first album, released on May 17, 2005. The song "Theatre of Robots" features the vocals of Juliet Simms of Automatic Loveletter.- Track listing :# "Intro" - 0:25# "This Dream Called Life" - 2:52# "Second Chance" - 3:52...
(2005, vocals on "Theatre of Robots") - CartelCartel (band)Cartel is a American pop rock band from Conyers, Georgia that formed in 2003. The band is best known for their single "Honestly", featured on their 2005 debut album Chroma, and for their 2007 appearance on MTV's Band in a Bubble....
- CartelCartel (album)-Reception:The album received mixed reviews by critics, most saying the album was rushed, undefined, and unemotional.-Credits:* Nic Hudson – guitar* Joseph Pepper – guitar* Will Pugh – vocals, guitar, piano, programming* Jeff Lett – bass, Backing Vocals...
(2007, vocals on "Lose ItLose It (Cartel song)"Lose It" is a single by the five-piece American pop-rock band Cartel, recorded for the MTV show Band in a Bubble. This was the first song recorded by Cartel while they spent 20 days recording a new album in a glass bubble. It was released as the group's first single from their self-titled second...
") - All Time LowAll Time LowAll Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...
- So Wrong, It's RightSo Wrong, It's Right-Personnel:* Alex Gaskarth: lead vocals, guitar* Jack Barakat: guitar, backing vocals* Zack Merrick: bass, backing vocals* Rian Dawson: drums, percussion* Juliet Simms: guest vocals on "Remembering Sunday"...
(2007, vocals on "Remembering Sunday") - 3OH!33OH!33OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...
- Careless WhisperCareless Whisper"Careless Whisper" is a 1984 single by George Michael , released by Epic Records in the UK, Japan, and other countries; and by Columbia Records in North America. The song was George Michael's first solo single although he was still performing in Wham! at the time...
(2008, vocals, with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low) - Secondhand SerenadeSecondhand SerenadeSecondhand Serenade is an American acoustic rock band, led by vocalist and guitarist John Vesely. Vesely has released three studio albums to date under the name Secondhand Serenade: Awake in 2007, A Twist in My Story in 2008 and Hear Me Now in 2010...
- A Twist in My StoryA Twist In My StoryA Twist in My Story is the second studio album from Secondhand Serenade. It was released on February 19, 2008 on Glassnote. The album features the songs "Maybe" and "Your Call", which are new versions of the songs from Awake produced with a band. The first single, "Fall for You" was released on...
(2009, vocals on "Fix You") - Secondhand Serenade - Hear Me NowHear Me NowHear Me Now is a compilation album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in the United States in 1971 and did not chart.-History:...
(2010, vocals on "Hear Me Now") - Every AvenueEvery Avenue-History:Every Avenue formed in Marysville, Michigan in 2003. Early on, they changed lead singers, and the former lead singer James Beesley later became the group's tour manager, and is currently working with former drummer Mike Govaere. They self-released two EPs in 2004 and 2006 before signing to...
- Punk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic RockPunk Goes Classic Rock is the ninth album in the Punk Goes... series, released by Fearless Records. It was released on April 27, 2010. This also features Your Love by The Outfield for the second time to be covered. And also has a Bonus Sampler CD with it...
(2010, vocals on "Take Me Home Tonight", Eddie MoneyEddie MoneyEddie Money is an American rock guitarist, saxophonist and singer-songwriter who found success in the 1970s and 1980s with a string of Top 40 hits and platinum albums...
cover)
External links
- Juliet Simms' profile at MyspaceMyspaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- Automatic Loveletter's profile at PureVolumePureVolumePureVolume was the first independently run website of its type, allowing for the upload and stream of music files. It was created in 2003 by Jennifer Welch , in conjunction with the Unborn Media team; Brett Woitunski, Nate Hudson, and Mitchell Pavao; all from the University of...