Sparkle and Fade
Encyclopedia
Sparkle and Fade is the second album
by Everclear
, released on May 23, 1995. It was their first album to be released exclusively on Capitol Records
; their previous effort, World of Noise
, was re-released on Capitol after its introduction through the Portland, Oregon
based label, Tim/Kerr Records
.
The album's lead single
, "Heroin Girl," performed well on college radio but did not gain significant mainstream airplay. That would be granted to their follow up, "Santa Monica," which effectively put Everclear on the map. The next two singles, "Heartspark Dollarsign" and "You Make Me Feel Like A Whore," would have moderate rotation, but the band wouldn't gain major success again until their next album, So Much for the Afterglow
.
The cover art to Sparkle and Fade features childhood pictures of the three members of the band, with bassist Craig Montoya
on the left, guitarist/singer Art Alexakis
in the middle, and drummer Greg Eklund
on the right.
The album is Everclear's third best selling album to date with 1 million copies sold. It was dedicated to slain singer Mia Zapata
of the Seattle punk rock
band The Gits
.
Japan release
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...
by Everclear
Everclear (band)
Everclear is a rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992 best known for their radio hits spanning more than a decade. For most of its existence, Everclear has consisted of Art Alexakis , Craig Montoya , and Greg Eklund . Eklund replaced original drummer Scott Cuthbert in 1994...
, released on May 23, 1995. It was their first album to be released exclusively on Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
; their previous effort, World of Noise
World of Noise
World of Noise is the debut album recorded by the band Everclear. It was recorded in a friend's basement for $400 with Art Alexakis on vocals/lead guitar, Craig Montoya on bass, Scott Cuthbert on drums and was released in 1993 by Tim Kerr Records....
, was re-released on Capitol after its introduction through the Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
based label, Tim/Kerr Records
Tim/Kerr
Tim/Kerr was a record label in Portland, Oregon, run by Thor Lindsay and Tim Kerr, who closed the business in Spring of 1999. Some of the better known bands that were on the label include Everclear and The Dandy Warhols. The label also released a collaboration between Kurt Cobain and author William S...
.
The album's lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Heroin Girl," performed well on college radio but did not gain significant mainstream airplay. That would be granted to their follow up, "Santa Monica," which effectively put Everclear on the map. The next two singles, "Heartspark Dollarsign" and "You Make Me Feel Like A Whore," would have moderate rotation, but the band wouldn't gain major success again until their next album, So Much for the Afterglow
So Much for the Afterglow
-Personnel:* Art Alexakis - Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Guitar , Keyboards, Vocals, Producer, Vocal Arrangement, Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements, Cover Art Concept, Cover Design, Toy Piano...
.
The cover art to Sparkle and Fade features childhood pictures of the three members of the band, with bassist Craig Montoya
Craig Montoya
Craig Montoya is the American bassist of Castella and Tri-Polar and former bassist of Everclear.-Early life:...
on the left, guitarist/singer Art Alexakis
Art Alexakis
Arthur Paul "Art" Alexakis is best known as the American singer, composer, and lead guitarist of the rock band Everclear. He has been a member of several notable bands, in addition to his own work as a songwriter for other artists...
in the middle, and drummer Greg Eklund
Greg Eklund
Greg Eklund was the American drummer for the rock band, Everclear, until 2003.Eklund attended high school at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, graduating in 1988...
on the right.
The album is Everclear's third best selling album to date with 1 million copies sold. It was dedicated to slain singer Mia Zapata
Mia Zapata
Mia Katherine Zapata was the lead singer for the Seattle punk band The Gits.-Life and career:Zapata was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky...
of the Seattle punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Gits
The Gits
The Gits were an American punk rock band, formed in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1986. Known for their part in the burgeoning Seattle music scene of the early 1990s, their distinct punk rock sound gained a reputation for its bluesy street punk aesthetic...
.
Track listing
All songs written by Art Alexakis, Craig Montoya, and Greg Eklund, except as noted.- "Electra Made Me Blind" (Alexakis, Cuthbert, Montoya) – 3:43
- "Heroin GirlHeroin Girl"Heroin Girl" is a rock song by the band Everclear from their 1995 album Sparkle and Fade. This song is generally agreed to be about lead singer, Art Alexakis's girlfriend and brother overdosing on heroin; he heard the policeman say "Just another overdose" about his brother's death, a lyric used in...
" (Alexakis, Cuthbert, Montoya) – 2:23 - "You Make Me Feel Like a Whore" – 2:47
- "Santa MonicaSanta Monica (song)"Santa Monica" is a rock song by the band Everclear, from their 1995 album Sparkle and Fade. The song was written by the band's lead singer, Art Alexakis...
" – 3:11 - "Summerland" – 3:42
- "Strawberry" – 2:35
- "Heartspark Dollarsign" – 2:52
- "The Twistinside" (Alexakis, Cuthbert, Montoya) – 4:37
- "Her Brand New Skin" – 2:02
- "Nehalem" – 1:53
- "Queen of the Air" (Alexakis, Cuthbert, Montoya) – 2:59
- "Pale Green Stars" – 4:17
- "Chemical Smile" – 1:49
- "My Sexual Life" (Alexakis, Cuthbert, Montoya) – 3:51
Japan release
- "Heroin Girl" (Acoustic version) – 2:53
- "Happy Hour" (Demo) – 2:16
- "Sin City" – 4:34
Personnel
- Art AlexakisArt AlexakisArthur Paul "Art" Alexakis is best known as the American singer, composer, and lead guitarist of the rock band Everclear. He has been a member of several notable bands, in addition to his own work as a songwriter for other artists...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Greg EklundGreg EklundGreg Eklund was the American drummer for the rock band, Everclear, until 2003.Eklund attended high school at Lake Braddock Secondary School in Burke, Virginia, graduating in 1988...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Craig MontoyaCraig MontoyaCraig Montoya is the American bassist of Castella and Tri-Polar and former bassist of Everclear.-Early life:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....