The Spongetones
The Spongetones, formed in 1979, are a power pop band from Charlotte, North Carolina. They formed from a desire to play Beatles and other 60's music they grew up with.[1]
Very much influenced by the British Invasion, the Spongetones carried on the musical genre through acclaimed original songwriting, jangle pop riffs, and lilting vocals of Beatlesque quality. In his 2007 book, Shake Some Action, John M. Borack rated the Beat and Torn album at number 25 of his Top 200 Power Pop Albums of all time, comparing the album to early Beatles and Searchers, calling the album "simply wonderful."[2] Rolling Stone gave Beat and Torn a 3-1/2 star review.
Band members
The following are the original and current members of The Spongetones:
- Jamie Hoover (guitars, vocals, occasional bass and drums) -- Hoover also has toured and recorded with Don Dixon and Marti Jones, the Smithereens, Graham Parker as a member of "The Small Clubs", and produced Americana artist Rebecca Rippy, as well as playing several instruments on both of her releases. He owns and operates a project studio in Charlotte, NC, called "Hooverama@Liquid Studios". Musician Bill Lloyd collaborates with Jamie Hoover via "through-the-mail writing".[1]. Hoover has produced (or co-produced) all the Spongetones' albums.
- Steve Stoeckel (bass,ukulele vocals, guitars) --
- Rob Thorne (drums, percussion) --
- Pat Walters (guitars, vocals and keyboards)
Also:
- Greg James (bass, keyboards, backing vocals) -- James took over as the official Spongetones bassist after 1985 when Stoeckel left the band for a time. This occurred after the release of Torn Apart.The band recorded the album "Whereverland" during this period.Stoeckel rejoined the band before the recording of "Oh Yeah". James, while not in the band, has been a co-writer on many Spongetones songs.
Influences
The band cites the following influences: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Dave Clark 5, The Animals, The Zombies, The Hollies, Manfred Mann, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Searchers, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, The Yardbirds, The Byrds, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, The Who, and Spirit.[3]
Reviews
- "The Spongetones are aglow with a forward-thrusting musical abandon that recalls the glory days of many of the most familiar British Invasion front-liners, including the Beatles, the Dave Clark Five, the Zombies and the Who....But the SpongeTones' music has little of the rote, dogmatic obeisance of mere revivalism; instead, it sounds like the soundtrack to a party so good it could never happen in real life." - Rolling Stone, September 15, 1983
- Chris Woodstra (Allmusic) called the Spongetones' albums "effortlessly catchy." Woodstra wrote that 1995's Textural Drone Thing was more subtle than the Spongetones' other albums.[2]
- "The SpongeTones are without a doubt the finest example of pure, unadulterated Beatlesque joy to emanate from the indie pop underground." - Goldmine Magazine, November 2006.[3][4]
Discography
Albums
- Beat Music (1982)[4]
- Torn Apart (1984 - mini LP)
- Where-Ever-Land (1987)
- Oh Yeah! (1991)
- Textural Drone Thing (1995)
- Odd Fellows (2000)
- Number 9 (2005)
- Too Clever By Half (2008)
- Scrambled Eggs (2009)
Compilations
- Welcome to Comboland: A Collection of Twelve Artists From North Carolina (1986), which also included songs by The Connells, The Othermothers and Fetchin' Bones[5]
- Beat & Torn (1994) (compiles Beat Music and Torn Apart, + one bonus track)
- Beat the Spongetones (2005) (compiles early demo recordings)
- Mersey Christmas (2006) (compiles Christmas-themed fan-club releases)
- Always Carry On: The Best of the Spongetones (2007)
Jamie Hoover solo
- Coupons, Questions and Comments (1990)
- Jamie Hoo-Ever (2004)
- Lind Me Four (2006)
- Most Loved Melodies (2006 - compilation)
Jamie Hoover and Steve Stoeckel ("Jamie and Steve[5]")
Jamie Hoover and Steve Stoeckel continue to work together, writing and recording new music.
- English Afterthoughts [6] (2009)
- The Next Big Thing [7] (2011)
Jamie Hoover and Bill Lloyd
References
- Borack, John M. (2007). Shake Some Action. Not Lame. ISBN 978-0-9797714-0-8
- Billboard, March 24, 2001, p. 55.
- Rolling Stone, September 15, 1983, p. 61; May 10, 1984, p. 56.
- Washington Post, April 22, 1988, p. N23.
- The Spongetones - News, Interviews, Biography, Lyrics, Songs...
- The Spongetones - Odd Fellows
- The Spongetones Biography
External links