Sponge (band)
Encyclopedia
Sponge is a post-grunge band from Detroit
, Michigan
formed in 1991
by Vinnie Dombroski
, Mike Cross, Tim Cross (all formerly of the hard rock
band Loudhouse) and Joey Mazzola
. Sponge was signed to Sony Records
in 1994
but have since switched to other labels.
, released in 1994, was a major hit, received heavy play on radio and MTV
, and was certified gold by the RIAA. The two biggest singles from that album were "Plowed" and "Molly" but by the end of 1994 Charlie Grover replaced drummer Paluzzi. Their follow-up album was called Wax Ecstatic
; the track "Have You Seen Mary" was included in the Kevin Smith
film Chasing Amy
.
On June 28, 1996, Sponge was the opening act on the first night of the Kiss
reunion tour. The band had been tapped a few weeks earlier to replace the Stone Temple Pilots
, who had to bow out of the opening spot due to Scott Weiland
's drug problems. The show was one of the last concerts held at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
New Pop Sunday
, on Beyond Records, was a departure from the grittier sound of the first two albums, featuring songs that were pop rock in nature. The band's popularity waned sharply during this period. The only single, "Live Here Without You", was nominated for the Outstanding National Single award by the Detroit Music Awards
in 2000
.
In 2001, Dombroski joined the Seattle side project Spys4Darwin
, which recorded one EP and worked together into the following year. During that time, the Cross brothers and Charlie Grover left Sponge, and the remaining members (Mazzola and Dombroski) recruited drummer Billy Adams, guitarist Kurt Marschke and bassist Tim Krukowski. Sponge continued their career with For All the Drugs in the World
on Idol Records
in 2003.
The band stayed with their current record label. Vinnie Dombroski created a new lineup once again, this time without the other founding member Joey Mazzola. Dombroski became the only remaining original member of Sponge; although, Adams and Krukowski from the previous album stayed. The Man
was released through traditional channels on Idol Records.
It was announced in November 2007 that the band would release a new album, titled Galore Galore
, on their newly signed label Bellum Records. In addition, the lineup from The Man would be the same for the new album. This is the second time that the lineup stayed the same, the first time being between Wax Ecstatic and New Pop Sunday. The album was finally released on December 4, 2007 (the release date varied depending on the outlets that supplied the album). In 2009, former Sponge producer Tim Patalan replaced Krukowski on bass.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
formed in 1991
1991 in music
See also:* 1991 in music Record labels established in 1991-Summary:The year 1991 is the year that grunge music made its popular breakthrough. Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", becomes the most popular U.S. album of the year...
by Vinnie Dombroski
Vinnie Dombroski
Mark “Vinnie” Dombroski is an American musician best known as the lead vocalist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Sponge. He has also fronted various Detroit-based bands throughout his career.-Sponge:-Albums:...
, Mike Cross, Tim Cross (all formerly of the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Loudhouse) and Joey Mazzola
Joey Mazzola
Joseph "Joey" Mazzola is a guitarist, songwriter and is probably best known as a founding member of the American rock band Sponge. He is currently a member of The Detroit Cobras and The Sugarcoats.- Sponge :...
. Sponge was signed to Sony Records
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
in 1994
1994 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
but have since switched to other labels.
History
The band recruited Jimmy Paluzzi on drums to round out the lineup. Their debut album, Rotting PiñataRotting Piñata
Rotting Piñata is the debut album by American rock band Sponge, released in 1994 on Work Records. Hit singles from this album, such as "Molly" and "Plowed," helped launch the band's career and pushed the album to Gold. The name of the album came from a conversation the band had regarding shock punk...
, released in 1994, was a major hit, received heavy play on radio and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and was certified gold by the RIAA. The two biggest singles from that album were "Plowed" and "Molly" but by the end of 1994 Charlie Grover replaced drummer Paluzzi. Their follow-up album was called Wax Ecstatic
Wax Ecstatic
Wax Ecstatic is the second album by the band Sponge. It was released in 1996 on Columbia Records. Originally intended to be a concept album revolving around the death of a Memphis drag queen, that idea was aborted, though many of the tracks that ended up making the cut originated from this...
; the track "Have You Seen Mary" was included in the Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
film Chasing Amy
Chasing Amy
Chasing Amy is a 1997 romantic comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. The central tension revolves around sexuality, sexual history, and evolving friendships. It is the third film in Smith's View Askewniverse series....
.
On June 28, 1996, Sponge was the opening act on the first night of the Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
reunion tour. The band had been tapped a few weeks earlier to replace the Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
, who had to bow out of the opening spot due to Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland
Scott Weiland is an American musician, lyricist, and vocalist, most notable for his work with Grammy Award-winning rock band Stone Temple Pilots. Weiland is also known for his five-year career with supergroup Velvet Revolver as well as his own solo career...
's drug problems. The show was one of the last concerts held at Tiger Stadium in Detroit.
New Pop Sunday
New Pop Sunday
New Pop Sunday is the third album by the band Sponge , released in 1999 on Beyond Records. The only single generated from this album was "Live Here Without You", which did not receive much airplay.-Track listing:...
, on Beyond Records, was a departure from the grittier sound of the first two albums, featuring songs that were pop rock in nature. The band's popularity waned sharply during this period. The only single, "Live Here Without You", was nominated for the Outstanding National Single award by the Detroit Music Awards
Detroit Music Awards
The Detroit Music Awards was initially proposed in 1988. Presented by the Motor City Music Foundation, the multi-genre awards ceremony was established to bring recognition to Detroit area musicians. The first award show was held in 1992 at Detroit's Music Hall, and moved to the State Theatre in...
in 2000
2000 in music
See also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
.
In 2001, Dombroski joined the Seattle side project Spys4Darwin
Spys4Darwin
-Post-Spys4Darwin:In 2002, the members of Spys4Darwin had begun to move on to different projects. April 2002 saw the death of Layne Staley, a longtime band mate to both Kinney and Inez. This put Alice in Chains into official hiatus with Inez rumored to replace Metallica's Jason Newsted later that...
, which recorded one EP and worked together into the following year. During that time, the Cross brothers and Charlie Grover left Sponge, and the remaining members (Mazzola and Dombroski) recruited drummer Billy Adams, guitarist Kurt Marschke and bassist Tim Krukowski. Sponge continued their career with For All the Drugs in the World
For All the Drugs in the World
-Band members:* Vinnie Dombroski - vocals* Joe Mazzola - guitar* Billy Adams - drums* Tim Krukowski - bass* Kurt Marschke - guitar-Additional personnel:* John Mathiason - management* Mike Rand - Booking agent...
on Idol Records
Idol Records
Idol Records is a Dallas, Texas-based record label and publishing company founded in 1993 by Erv Karwelis who serves as President of the label. Its roster currently consists of bands such as The O's, The Crash That Took Me, Here Holy Spain, Sponge, Watershed, Flickerstick, and PPT...
in 2003.
The band stayed with their current record label. Vinnie Dombroski created a new lineup once again, this time without the other founding member Joey Mazzola. Dombroski became the only remaining original member of Sponge; although, Adams and Krukowski from the previous album stayed. The Man
The Man (Sponge album)
The Man is the fifth album by alternative rock band Sponge. Vocalist Vinnie Dombroski is the only original band member left on this recording...
was released through traditional channels on Idol Records.
It was announced in November 2007 that the band would release a new album, titled Galore Galore
Galore Galore
Galore Galore is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Sponge.-Track listing:-Band members:* Vinnie Dombroski - vocals* Billy Adams - drums* Tim Krukowski - bass/back-up vocals* Kyle Neely - guitar/back-up vocals...
, on their newly signed label Bellum Records. In addition, the lineup from The Man would be the same for the new album. This is the second time that the lineup stayed the same, the first time being between Wax Ecstatic and New Pop Sunday. The album was finally released on December 4, 2007 (the release date varied depending on the outlets that supplied the album). In 2009, former Sponge producer Tim Patalan replaced Krukowski on bass.
Current
- Vinnie Dombroski - 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...
- Billy Adams - 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 ....
- Kyle Neely - 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...
- Andy Patalan - guitar/backing vocals
- Tim Patalan - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Former
- Tim Krukowski - bass
- Kurt Marschke - guitar
- Charlie Grover - drums
- Mike Cross - guitar
- Tim Cross - bass
- Joey MazzolaJoey MazzolaJoseph "Joey" Mazzola is a guitarist, songwriter and is probably best known as a founding member of the American rock band Sponge. He is currently a member of The Detroit Cobras and The Sugarcoats.- Sponge :...
- guitar/backing vocals - Jimmy Paluzzi - drums/backing vocals
Albums
| Year | Title | Label | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Rotting Piñata Rotting Piñata Rotting Piñata is the debut album by American rock band Sponge, released in 1994 on Work Records. Hit singles from this album, such as "Molly" and "Plowed," helped launch the band's career and pushed the album to Gold. The name of the album came from a conversation the band had regarding shock punk... |
Sony |
|
| 1996 | Wax Ecstatic Wax Ecstatic Wax Ecstatic is the second album by the band Sponge. It was released in 1996 on Columbia Records. Originally intended to be a concept album revolving around the death of a Memphis drag queen, that idea was aborted, though many of the tracks that ended up making the cut originated from this... |
||
| 1999 | New Pop Sunday New Pop Sunday New Pop Sunday is the third album by the band Sponge , released in 1999 on Beyond Records. The only single generated from this album was "Live Here Without You", which did not receive much airplay.-Track listing:... |
Beyond | |
| 2003 | For All the Drugs in the World For All the Drugs in the World -Band members:* Vinnie Dombroski - vocals* Joe Mazzola - guitar* Billy Adams - drums* Tim Krukowski - bass* Kurt Marschke - guitar-Additional personnel:* John Mathiason - management* Mike Rand - Booking agent... |
Idol | |
| 2005 | The Man The Man (Sponge album) The Man is the fifth album by alternative rock band Sponge. Vocalist Vinnie Dombroski is the only original band member left on this recording... |
||
| 2007 | Galore Galore Galore Galore Galore Galore is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Sponge.-Track listing:-Band members:* Vinnie Dombroski - vocals* Billy Adams - drums* Tim Krukowski - bass/back-up vocals* Kyle Neely - guitar/back-up vocals... |
Bellum | |
| 2010 | Destroy the Boy Destroy the Boy Destroy the Boy is an EP by Sponge, released in 2010.-Track listing:All songs produced by Tim Patalan and Vin Dombroski.-Band members:* Vin Dombroski - vocals* Billy Adams - drums* Kyle Neely - guitar and vocals... |
Three One Three Records | |
| 2012 | Soak It Up | Bellum |
Singles
| Year | Title | US Hot 100 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 Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Plowed" | - | 5 | 9 | Rotting Piñata |
| "Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)" | 55 | 3 | 11 | ||
| "Rainin'" | - | 34 | 18 | ||
| 1996 | "Neenah Menasha" | - | - | - | |
| "Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina) Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina) "Wax Ecstatic " is a song by alternative rock band Sponge, released in 1996 as the debut single from their second album Wax Ecstatic.-Track listing:-Chart performance:... " |
- | 15 | 11 | Wax Ecstatic | |
| 1997 | "Have You Seen Mary" | - | - | 7 | |
| 1999 | "Live Here Without You" | - | - | - | New Pop Sunday |
| "1000 Times" | - | - | - | ||
| 2003 | "Treat Me Wrong" | - | - | - | For All the Drugs in the World |
| "Leave This World" | - | - | - | ||
| 2005 | "The Man" | - | - | - | The Man |
| "Higher" | - | - | - | ||
| 2009 | "Come In from the Rain" | - | - | - | Come In from the Rain |
| 2010 | "Destroy the Boy" | - | - | - | Destroy the Boy |
Other Releases/Bootlegs
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | In Concert | Westwood One |
| 1999 | The Exclusive Sponge Sessions (Live & Acoustic) | BMG |
| 2000 | Molly (Sixteen Candles) | Sony |
| Rarities Volume 1 and 2 | Bootleg | |
| 2002 | Live | Radio Show Bootleg |
| 2005 | Hard to Keep My Cool Hard to Keep My Cool Hard to Keep My Cool is an album by the band Sponge. This album is currently only sold at shows.-Track listing:#"If It Gets You High" – 3:52#"Hard to Keep My Cool" – 2:56#"Assume the Position" – 3:03#"Wasted" – 3:15... (Exclusively Sold at Shows) |
Idol |
| 2007 | Alive in Detroit | |
| 2008 | Come In from the Rain/Loose Yourself (Single) | |
| 2009 | Hits & B Sides Volume 1 (EP) | |
| 2010 | Destroy the Boy (EP) | Buddy No Larry, Inc |
Non-album songs
| Year | Song | Release |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Seventeen" | Mallrats Mallrats Mallrats is a 1995 film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the second to be set in Smith's View Askewniverse series of interlocking films set mostly in New Jersey, although the movie was filmed in Eden Prairie Center and Osowski's Flea Market which are located in Minnesota... soundtrack |
| "Isolation" | Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon Working Class Hero is a 1995 tribute album to Beatles singer/songwriter John Lennon. It gets its name from a Lennon song of the same name. The album was produced by Lindy Goetz through Hollywood Records in support of the Humane Society of the United States... |
|
| "Go Speed Racer" | Saturday Morning: Cartoons' Greatest Hits | |
| 1996 | "All This and Nothing" | The Craft The Craft (film) The Craft is a 1996 American supernatural teen horror film directed by Andrew Fleming and starring Robin Tunney, Rachel True, Fairuza Balk and Neve Campbell. The film's plot centers on a group of four teenage girls who pursue witchcraft and use it for their own gain... soundtrack |
| "Christmas Day" | O Come All Ye Faithful: Rock 4 Choice | |
| 1999 | "Chameleon" | The Musician's Choice, Volume 1 |
External links
- Sponge website
- [ Sponge at the AMG]