Sponge (band)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sponge | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Genre(s) | Post-grunge |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Label(s) | Sony, Beyond, Idol |
| Associated acts | Loudhouse |
| Website | spongetheband.com |
| Members | |
| Vinnie Dombroski Billy Adams Tim Krukowski Kyle Neeley Andy Patalan |
|
| Former members | |
| Mike Cross Joey Mazzola Tim Cross Jimmy Paluzzi Charlie Grover Kurt Marschke |
|
Sponge is a Detroit, Michigan, Post Grunge band formed in 1991 by Vinnie Dombroski, Mike Cross, and Joey Mazzola — all formerly of hard-rock band Loudhouse. Sponge were signed to Sony Records in 1993.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
The band recruited Mike Cross' brother, Tim Cross, on the bass and Jimmy Paluzzi on drums. The band's debut album, Rotting Piñata, 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 (Sixteen Candles)." Their follow-up album was called Wax Ecstatic; the track "Have You Seen Mary" was included in the Kevin Smith film, Chasing Amy. This time around, Charlie Grover replaced drummer Paluzzi.
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 unmistakably 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.
The Cross brothers and Charlie Grover left the band, 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.
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).
[edit] Band members
[edit] Current
- Vinnie Dombroski - vocals
- Billy Adams - drums
- Kyle Neeley - guitar
- Tim Krukowski - bass
- Andy Patalan - guitar/backup vocals
[edit] Former
- Jimmy Paluzzi - drums
- Mike Cross - guitar
- Tim Cross - bass
- Charlie Grover - drums
- Kurt Marschke - guitar
- Joey Mazzola - guitar/backup vocals
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Rotting Piñata | Sony |
| 1996 | Wax Ecstatic | Sony |
| 1999 | New Pop Sunday | Beyond |
| 2003 | For All the Drugs in the World | Idol |
| 2005 | The Man | Idol |
| 2007 | Galore Galore | Bellum |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | US Hot 100 | US Modern Rock | US Mainstream Rock | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Rainin' | - | 34 | 18 | Rotting Piñata |
| 1995 | Plowed | - | 5 | 9 | Rotting Piñata |
| 1995 | Molly (Sixteen Candles) | 55 | 3 | 11 | Rotting Piñata |
| 1996 | Neenah Menasha | - | - | - | Rotting Piñata |
| 1996 | Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina) | - | 15 | 11 | Wax Ecstatic |
| 1997 | Have You Seen Mary | - | - | 7 | Wax Ecstatic |
| 1997 | I Am Anastasia | - | - | - | Wax Ecstatic |
| 1999 | Live Here Without You | - | - | - | New Pop Sunday |
| 2003 | Treat Me Wrong | - | - | - | For All The Drugs In The World |
| 2003 | Leave This World | - | - | - | For All The Drugs In The World |
| 2005 | The Man | - | - | - | The Man |
| 2005 | Higher | - | - | - | The Man |
[edit] Other releases/bootlegs
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | In Concert | Westwood One |
| 1999 | The Exclusive Sponge Sessions [Live & Acoustic] | BMG |
| 2000 | Molly (Sixteen Candles) | Sony |
| 2000 | Rarities Volume 1 and 2 | Bootleg |
| 2002 | Live | Radio Show Bootleg |
| 2005 | Hard to Keep My Cool | Self-released & available only at shows. |
| 2007 | Sponge Alive in Detroit |
[edit] Non-album songs
| Year | Song | Release |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Seventeen" | Mallrats Soundtrack |
| 1995 | "Isolation" | Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon |
| 1995 | "Go Speed Racer" | Saturday Morning |
| 1996 | "All This and Nothing" | The Craft Soundtrack |
| 1999 | "Chameleon" | The Musician's Choice Volume 1 |
[edit] See also
- 1990s music groups
- List of alternative rock artists
[edit] References
- ^ Sponge biography at MTV.com
- Huey, Steve. "Sponge". All Music Guide. Retrieved June 13, 2005.
