Lit
Encyclopedia
Lit is an alternative rock
band
, based in Fullerton, California
. They released several singles
in the late 1990s and early 2000s including their #1 hit "My Own Worst Enemy", "Miserable
", "Zip-Lock", "Over My Head", "Lipstick and Bruises", "Addicted", "Looks Like They Were Right" and "Times Like This".
. Malicious Vinyl went out of business shortly after Tripping The Light Fantastic was released, which left the band unsigned once again. They spent their time writing a new batch of songs and showcasing for various record labels until they signed with RCA Records
in 1998.
album
, A Place in the Sun, released in 1999. A Place In The Sun yielded the hit single
, "My Own Worst Enemy," which held the number one position on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks
chart for three months, and received a Billboard
Music Award for the biggest modern rock song of 1999. It was followed by "Zip-Lock" (which featured Blink-182
in the video
) and "Miserable
", the latter of which was among the top ten most played songs of 2000 and featured Pamela Anderson
in the video. The band performed over 286 shows and toured worldwide in support of A Place in the Sun. In addition to the Vans Warped Tour and a slot on Woodstock 1999
, the band toured with The Offspring
, Garbage
, and No Doubt
.
Lit followed up A Place in the Sun with the 2001 release of Atomic
which gave the band another Top 10 hit with "Lipstick And Bruises". Lit toured to support Atomic with Kid Rock
, and Butch Walker
. The group was released from their contract with RCA Records in late 2002.
label on June 24, 2004. The single "Looks Like They Were Right" made it on the Top 40 charts. That year the group also put out its first long-form DVD
, All Access, on November 16, 2004.
In March 2006, "The Slidebar" restaurant and bar opened in Fullerton, California, of which the band are investors.
On May 5, 2008 it was announced that Lit's drummer
, Allen Shellenberger, was diagnosed with a malignant glioma (brain tumor). On July 26, 2008, Lit held a benefit for Allen at House Of Blues in Anaheim, California
. A number of bands performed including Sugar Ray
and Handsome Devil. No Doubt
drummer Adrian Young
filled in for Shellenberger on the drums for a few songs. Both drummers also played at the same time for a few songs. Shellenberger died on August 13, 2009, at the age of 39.
On November 27, 2009, Lit officially announced that Nathan Walker would be the new drummer for Lit and that writing had begun on a new album.
In April 2010 during an interview with OC Talk Radio, Lit hinted they are currently talking with and would return to a major label for their next release. They also revealed they are working on a new management deal as well as performing new material live.
In September 2010, Kevin Baldes confirmed that Lit were currently in the studio, writing and recording their sixth studio album. The band is working with producer Marti Fredericksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill).
The band reported they were still in the studio recording another album in July 2011, and released a demo titled "You Tonight".
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, based in Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
. They released several singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the late 1990s and early 2000s including their #1 hit "My Own Worst Enemy", "Miserable
Miserable (song)
"Miserable" is a song from Lit's album A Place in the Sun. It was the third single released from the album. It also had an accompanying music video directed by Evan Bernard, produced by Keeley Gould, in which the band is portrayed performing the song on and around a huge Pamela Anderson, who wears...
", "Zip-Lock", "Over My Head", "Lipstick and Bruises", "Addicted", "Looks Like They Were Right" and "Times Like This".
As "Razzle" (1989-1996)
The band was formed in 1989 under the name Razzle. The group released a demo tape in 1990 and an EP entitled "New Vibe Revolution" in 1993. A few years later, the group changed its name to Stain, but due to another band owning the name, they changed their name to Lit in 1996.Tripping The Light Fantastic (1997-1998)
In the spring of 1997 the group released Tripping the Light Fantastic on the Malicious Vinyl record labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. Malicious Vinyl went out of business shortly after Tripping The Light Fantastic was released, which left the band unsigned once again. They spent their time writing a new batch of songs and showcasing for various record labels until they signed with RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
in 1998.
The RCA years (1999-2001)
The group shot to stardom with the platinumMusic recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, A Place in the Sun, released in 1999. A Place In The Sun yielded the hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
, "My Own Worst Enemy," which held the number one position on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart for three months, and received a Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Music Award for the biggest modern rock song of 1999. It was followed by "Zip-Lock" (which featured Blink-182
Blink-182
Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
in the video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
) and "Miserable
Miserable (song)
"Miserable" is a song from Lit's album A Place in the Sun. It was the third single released from the album. It also had an accompanying music video directed by Evan Bernard, produced by Keeley Gould, in which the band is portrayed performing the song on and around a huge Pamela Anderson, who wears...
", the latter of which was among the top ten most played songs of 2000 and featured Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
in the video. The band performed over 286 shows and toured worldwide in support of A Place in the Sun. In addition to the Vans Warped Tour and a slot on Woodstock 1999
Woodstock 1999
Woodstock 1999, also called Woodstock 99, performed July 22–25, 1999, was the second large-scale music festival that attempted to emulate the original Woodstock Festival of 1969. Like the previous Woodstock festivals it was performed in upstate New York, this time in Rome, New York, around 200...
, the band toured with The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
, Garbage
Garbage (band)
Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
, and No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
.
Lit followed up A Place in the Sun with the 2001 release of Atomic
Atomic (album)
Atomic is Lit's third album, released on October 16, 2001. It peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200."Happy In The Meantime" is located on the soundtrack for Mr. Deeds and is played as the credits roll....
which gave the band another Top 10 hit with "Lipstick And Bruises". Lit toured to support Atomic with Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
, and Butch Walker
Butch Walker
Butch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
. The group was released from their contract with RCA Records in late 2002.
Independent years (2002-present)
Lit went on a small, intimate club tour in the fall of 2003 before releasing the self-titled Lit on the DRT EntertainmentDRT Entertainment
DRT Entertainment is a New York City based independent record label founded in 2003 by Derek Shulman, Ron Urban and Theodore "Ted" Green. It is now solely owned by Derek Shulman....
label on June 24, 2004. The single "Looks Like They Were Right" made it on the Top 40 charts. That year the group also put out its first long-form DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, All Access, on November 16, 2004.
In March 2006, "The Slidebar" restaurant and bar opened in Fullerton, California, of which the band are investors.
On May 5, 2008 it was announced that Lit's drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, Allen Shellenberger, was diagnosed with a malignant glioma (brain tumor). On July 26, 2008, Lit held a benefit for Allen at House Of Blues in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
. A number of bands performed including Sugar Ray
Sugar Ray
Sugar Ray is a band from Orange County, California. The band, starting off more as an alternative metal band, first gained fame in 1997 with their release of the song "Fly". This song's success, coupled with its pop rock sound that was quite different from the rest of their material at the time,...
and Handsome Devil. No Doubt
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
drummer Adrian Young
Adrian Young
Adrian Samuel Young is the drummer for the rock band No Doubt.-Biography:Young's parents were hippies. He has four brothers: Alex, Damian, Jeff and Aaron. His father is a teacher in Cypress CA and his stepmother, Jeanne, is currently suffering from ALS...
filled in for Shellenberger on the drums for a few songs. Both drummers also played at the same time for a few songs. Shellenberger died on August 13, 2009, at the age of 39.
On November 27, 2009, Lit officially announced that Nathan Walker would be the new drummer for Lit and that writing had begun on a new album.
In April 2010 during an interview with OC Talk Radio, Lit hinted they are currently talking with and would return to a major label for their next release. They also revealed they are working on a new management deal as well as performing new material live.
In September 2010, Kevin Baldes confirmed that Lit were currently in the studio, writing and recording their sixth studio album. The band is working with producer Marti Fredericksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill).
The band reported they were still in the studio recording another album in July 2011, and released a demo titled "You Tonight".
Band members
- A. Jay Popoff - lead vocals (1989–present)
- Jeremy Popoff - guitar (1989–present)
- Kevin Baldes - bass (1989–present)
- Nathan Walker - drums, percussion (2009–present)
- Ryan Gillmor - guitar, keyboards (2010–present)
Former members
- Sean Holland - guitar (1989–1992)
- Chadd Anthony - guitar (1992–1995)
- Allen ShellenbergerAllen ShellenbergerAllen Shellenberger was an American drummer who played in the band Lit.- Career :Shellenberger founded Lit in 1989 in Fullerton, California alongside brothers A...
- drums, percussion (1989–2009)
Albums
- New Vibe Revolution (as Razzle) (1993)
- Five Smokin' Tracks from LitFive Smokin' Tracks from LitFive Smokin' Tracks from Lit is an EP by the rock band Lit. It was released on December 10, 1996 on the Malicious Vinyl label.-Track listing:# "Bitter" # "Fireman" # "No Big Thing" # "Beginning"...
(1996) - Tripping the Light Fantastic (1997)
- A Place in the Sun (1999) Platinum
- AtomicAtomic (album)Atomic is Lit's third album, released on October 16, 2001. It peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200."Happy In The Meantime" is located on the soundtrack for Mr. Deeds and is played as the credits roll....
(2001) - Platinum & Gold Collection (2004)
- LitLit (album)Lit is Lit's fourth album, and their first all-new disc in three years. It also marks the first album issued by their new label Nitrus Records/DRT Entertainment. The album was recorded at World Class Audio in Anaheim and The Pool House in Fullerton, California...
(2004)
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US Mod | US Main | UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||||||
| 1997 | "Bitter" | — | — | — | — | — | Tripping the Light Fantastic | ||
| 1999 | "My Own Worst Enemy" | 3 | 51 | 1 | 6 | 16 | A Place in the Sun | ||
| "Zip-Lock" | — | — | 11 | 34 | 60 | ||||
| 2000 | "Miserable Miserable (song) "Miserable" is a song from Lit's album A Place in the Sun. It was the third single released from the album. It also had an accompanying music video directed by Evan Bernard, produced by Keeley Gould, in which the band is portrayed performing the song on and around a huge Pamela Anderson, who wears... " |
— | 117 | 3 | 29 | — | |||
| "Over My Head" | — | — | 22 | — | 37 | Atomic | |||
| 2001 | "Lipstick and Bruises" | — | — | 10 | 28 | — | |||
| 2002 | "Addicted" | — | — | 23 | — | — | |||
| 2004 | "Looks Like They Were Right" | — | — | 34 | — | — | Lit | ||
| "Times Like This" | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||||||||
Music videos
- "My World" - 1995
- "Bitter" - 1997
- "My Own Worst Enemy" - 1999
- "Zip-Lock" - 1999 (featured blink-182Blink-182Blink-182 is an American rock band consisting of vocalist and bass guitarist Mark Hoppus, vocalist and guitarist Tom DeLonge, and drummer Travis Barker. They have sold over 27 million albums worldwide since forming in Poway, California in 1992...
and Dee SniderDee SniderDaniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
of Twisted SisterTwisted SisterTwisted Sister is an American heavy metal band from Long Island. Musically, the band implements elements of traditional heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, along with a style that is similar to early glam metal bands...
) - "MiserableMiserable (song)"Miserable" is a song from Lit's album A Place in the Sun. It was the third single released from the album. It also had an accompanying music video directed by Evan Bernard, produced by Keeley Gould, in which the band is portrayed performing the song on and around a huge Pamela Anderson, who wears...
" - 2000 (featured Pamela AndersonPamela AndersonPamela Denise Anderson is a Canadian-American actress, model, producer, author, activist, and former showgirl, known for her roles on the television series Home Improvement, Baywatch, and V.I.P. She was chosen as a Playmate of the Month for Playboy magazine in February 1990...
) - "Over My Head" - 2000
- "Four" - 2000
- "Best Is Yet To Come Undone" - 2000
- "Lipstick And Bruises" - 2001
- "Something To Someone" - 2002
- "Live For This" - 2003
- "Looks Like They Were Right" - 2004
- "Too Fast For A U-Turn" - 2004
- "Needle & Thread" - 2006
- "Here's To Us" - 2009 (Allen Shellenberger tribute video)
- "You Tonight" - 2011 (Demo Version)
Soundtrack appearances
- Ready To RumbleReady to RumbleReady to Rumble is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Steven Brill, which is based on Turner Broadcasting's now defunct professional wrestling promotion, World Championship Wrestling...
(2000) featuring "My Own Worst Enemy" - The ReplacementsThe Replacements (film)The Replacements is a 2000 American film directed by Howard Deutch. It stars Keanu Reeves, Gene Hackman, Brooke Langton and Orlando Jones.-Plot:...
(2000) featuring "Zip-Lock" - Little NickyLittle NickyLittle Nicky is a 2000 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill. It stars Adam Sandler as Nicky, one of Satan's three sons.-Plot:The story revolves around a struggle to determine which of Satan's three sons will succeed their father as ruler of Hell...
(2000) featuring "Perfect One" - Titan A.E.Titan A.E.Titan A.E. is an American animated post-apocalyptic science fiction film directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman released in 2000. The title refers to the spacecraft that is central to the plot, with A.E. meaning "After Earth."...
(2000) featuring "Over My Head" - American Pie 2American Pie 2American Pie 2 is a 2001 comedy film and sequel to American Pie and is the second film in the American Pie film series. It was written by Adam Herz and David H. Steinberg, and directed by J. B. Rogers. The film picks up the story of the four friends from the first film as they reunite during the...
(2001) featuring "The Last Time Again" and "A Place in the Sun" - Out ColdOut Cold (2001 film)Out Cold is a 2001 American comedy film about a group of snowboarders in Alaska. It is the first feature film by the music video directing team The Malloys. The movie presents itself as something of a parody of 1980's "ski school" movies and makes a number of references to the film Casablanca...
(2001) featuring "Lipstick and Bruises" - Orange County (2002) featuring "Everything's Cool"
- ClockstoppersClockstoppersClockstoppers is a 2002 science fiction film released by Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies. It was directed by Jonathan Frakes, produced by Gale Anne Hurd and Julia Pistor and written by Rob Hedden, Andy Hedden, J. David Stem and David N...
(2002) featuring "Quicksand" - Triple Play 2002Triple Play seriesTriple Play was a series of computer and video games based on Major League Baseball, published by EA Sports until their replacement by the MVP Baseball in 2003....
(2002) featuring "I Wanna RockI Wanna Rock"I Wanna Rock" is a song from the album Stay Hungry by American heavy metal band Twisted Sister. In 2009 it was named the 17th VH1 Greatest Hard Rock Songs by VH1...
" - Mr. DeedsMr. DeedsMr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film, directed by Steven Brill and starring Adam Sandler and Winona Ryder. The movie, which is loosely a remake of the 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, also stars Peter Gallagher, John Turturro, Allen Covert and Steve Buscemi...
(2002) featuring "Happy in the Meantime (remix)" - CrossroadsCrossroads (2002 film)Crossroads is a 2002 comedy-drama road film directed by Tamra Davis and starring American recording artist Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana and Taryn Manning...
(2002) featuring "Lipstick and Bruises" - Rock Band 2Rock Band 2Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
(2008) featuring "My Own Worst Enemy"
Touring partners
- RadishRadish (band)Radish were a self-proclaimed "Sugar Metal" band formed in 1993 by Ben Kweller, John David Kent, and Bryan Blur.-History:The trio played locally in and around Greenville and recorded two independent releases, Dizzy and Hello . Kweller sent a copy of Dizzy to Guitarist Nils Lofgren who grew up with...
(1997) - SilverchairSilverchairSilverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
(1999) - Eve 6Eve 6Eve 6 is an American rock band from Southern California, who are most well known for their hit singles "Inside Out", "Leech", and the slow anthem "Here's to the Night". They disbanded in 2004, returned in 2007 with a new lineup, and finally reunited with all three original members in March 2011...
(1999; 2010) - The OffspringThe OffspringThe Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
(1999) - GarbageGarbage (band)Garbage are an alternative rock band formed in Madison, Wisconsin in 1994. The group consists of Scottish singer Shirley Manson and American musicians Duke Erikson , Steve Marker and Butch Vig . All four members are involved in songwriting and production...
(1999) - 22 Jacks22 Jacks22 Jacks is an American punk rock supergroup, consisting of members of Wax, The Breeders, The Adolescents and Royal Crown Revue. They were active from 1995 to 2001, and again from 2007 on.-Career :...
(2000) - Save FerrisSave FerrisSave Ferris was a ska punk band formed circa 1995 in Orange County, California. Their name is a reference to the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off.-History:...
(2000) - No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
(2000) - Handsome Devil (2001) (2002)
- Kid RockKid RockRobert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
(2002) - Butch WalkerButch WalkerButch Walker is an American recording artist, songwriter, and record producer. He was the lead guitarist for the metal band SouthGang from the late 80s to early 90s as well as the lead vocalist and guitarist for rock band Marvelous 3 from 1997 until 2001.-Career:Walker grew up in Cartersville,...
(2002) - American Hi-FiAmerican Hi-FiAmerican Hi-Fi is an American pop punk band from Los Angeles, California, which originally hailed from Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of vocalist Stacy Jones, guitarist Jamie Arentzen, bassist Drew Parsons, and drummer Brian Nolan...
(2003) - The MatchesThe MatchesThe Matches are a United States-based band formed in 1997 in Oakland, California. It currently is composed of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Shawn Harris, lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jonathan Devoto, bassist and backup vocalist Dylan Rowe, and drummer Matt Whalen...
(2003; 2004)