Sixpence None the Richer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sixpence None the Richer | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New Braunfels, Texas, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Pop rock, Christian rock |
| Years active | 1992–2004 2007–present |
| Label(s) | Warner Bros. Records R.E.X. Music Squint Entertainment Reprise Records |
| Website | http://sixpence-ntr.com |
| Members | |
| Leigh Nash Matt Slocum Justin Carey |
|
| Former members | |
| Dale Baker Sean Kelly Tess Wiley Rob Mitchell Jerry Dale McFadden J.J. Plasencio TJ Behling |
|
Sixpence None the Richer is a Grammy-nominated American Christian pop/rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, eventually settling in Nashville, Tennessee. The name of the band is inspired by a passage in writer C. S. Lewis's Mere Christianity. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Guitarist/songwriter Matt Slocum met vocalist Leigh Bingham Nash at a church retreat in the early 1990s. They recorded a demo with bassist TJ Behling (which now circulates as "The Original Demos") at Verge Music Works recording studio in Dallas, and eventually an album, The Fatherless and the Widow, for the independent R.E.X. Music record label in 1993. The record featured Chris Dodds of Slocum's first band (Love Coma) on drums. Shortly after the release of The Fatherless and the Widow, Slocum left Love Coma to pursue Sixpence full-time. The band added Tess Wiley (guitar) JJ Plasencio (bass) and Dale Baker (drums) for 1995's This Beautiful Mess. Both albums were produced by Armand John Petri , 10,000 Maniacs and John & Mary Producer, who also managed the band from 1993 to 1997. Shortly after the release of This Beautiful Mess, Wiley left the band.
In 1997, the group signed to Steve Taylor's label Squint Entertainment and released a self-titled album, which slowly began garnering attention from a wider audience in the mainstream industry. Although Placencio played bass on most of the album, he left the band before it was released and was replaced by Justin Carry, who joined the band around the same time as second guitarist Sean Kelly.
In 1999, "Kiss Me" was released as a single, propelling Sixpence into the national pop spotlight. That year the song was also featured in the film She's All That as the newly made-over protagonist, Laney Boggs, is revealed, and again at the end, during the film's credits. In 2001 the film Not Another Teen Movie would use the song in a parody of that scene. "Kiss Me" was also played on the WB teen drama Dawson's Creek in episodes #2-06 "The Dance" and #2-18 "The Perfect Wedding," and is found on the show's first soundtrack CD, Songs from Dawson's Creek (Volume 1).
In 1999, the band recorded a cover of The La's' "There She Goes", which became their second hit single. This recording was subsequently added to the band's self-titled album in the US, though it had already appeared on all copies of the album internationally.
In 2000, Sixpence contributed the song "Us" to Today Presents: the Best of Summer Concert Series CD, which raised money for the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. Later that year, the band recorded a Japanese version of "Kiss Me", which was released exclusively in Japan on an EP with numerous versions of the song, as well as remixes of other songs on the self-titled album.
The band had a follow-up album ready to release, but their label Squint Entertainment started to fall apart, leaving the band in limbo for several years. Finally, Squint Entertainment folded and that album, Divine Discontent, was released in October of 2002.
Baker left the band before that album's release and was replaced by Rob Mitchell. The album itself differs significantly from the first pre-release version of it that had circulated: the songs "Us," "Deeper," "Don't Pass Me By," "Too Far Gone," Northern Lights," and "Loser Like Me" were cut, and "Down and Out of Time," "A Million Parachutes," "Tonight," "Waiting on the Sun," and "Don't Dream It's Over" were added. All of the unreleased songs were eventually featured on singles or compilations, with the exception of "Deeper."
Sixpence has recorded a number of cover songs for compilations and soundtrack albums throughout their career, including:
- "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (How the Grinch Stole Christmas),
- "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times" (The Beach Boys),
- "On the Run" (Electric Light Orchestra),
- "Bouquet" (Steve Taylor),
- "I Need Love" (Sam Phillips),
- "Carry You" (Sam Phillips),
- "Don't Dream It's Over" (Crowded House),
- "Christmastime Is Here" (Vince Guaraldi, Peanuts),
- "Love Letters in the Sand" (Patsy Cline, Pat Boone and others),
- "Goodnight Children Everywhere" (Vera Lynn),
- "Road to Zion" (Petra),
- "Dancing Queen" (ABBA),
- "Love Is Blindness" (U2),
- "Every Heartbeat" (Amy Grant).
- "Brighten My Heart" (Michael W. Smith's Exodus album).
- "With Every Breath" (with Jars of Clay).
- "Breathe" (on the album Streams).
On February 26, 2004, Matt Slocum announced that the group had disbanded. On July 22, 2004, it was reported that Matt Slocum had started a new band, the Astronaut Pushers, with Lindsay Jamieson (of the band Departure Lounge) and Sam Ashworth (son of influential musician Charlie Peacock). John Davis (formerly of the band Superdrag) joined the band in 2005. The Astronaut Pushers released a self-titled, four-song EP on their own label, Runway Network, in 2005. Sam Ashworth reported via MySpace that he and Slocum had acquired and were operating a recording studio in Nashville in early 2006.
Leigh Nash began work on a solo album titled Blue on Blue with producer Pierre Marchand in the fall of 2005. On July 14, 2006, Nash's single "My Idea of Heaven (Radio Edit)" was released. The album was released by Nettwerk Records under Nash's own imprint, One Son Records. The album's official release date was August 15, 2006, she also released a Christmas EP Wishing For This on 14 November 2006.
In November 2007, Leigh and Matt met over coffee and positively discussed the reuniting of Sixpence. The band is currently in the process of tracking a new EP, with tour dates planned throughout 2008.[1]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Year | Album | US | US Heatseekers | US Christian | UK | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Fatherless & the Widow | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1995 | This Beautiful Mess | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1997 | Sixpence None the Richer | 89 | #1 | #1 | 27 | Platinum |
| 2002 | Divine Discontent | 154 | – | 9 | – | – |
| 2004 | The Best of Sixpence None the Richer | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2005 | The Early Years | – | – | – | – | – |
- Notes:
- Sixpence None the Richer were no longer eligible to appear on the US Heatseekers chart after the Sixpence None the Richer album appeared in the top 100 of the US Album Chart.
[edit] Other Releases
- 1993 - The Original Demos
- 1996 - Tickets for a Prayer Wheel (EP)
- 2002 - Mega 3 Collection
- 2006 - Blue on Blue (Leigh Nash's solo album)
- 2006 - Wishing for This (Leigh Nash's EP)
[edit] Singles
| Year | Single | Album | US | US AC | US Adult Top 40 | UK | AUS | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Angeltread" | This Beautiful Mess | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1999 | "Kiss Me" | Sixpence None the Richer | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | Gold |
| 1999 | "There She Goes" | Sixpence None the Richer | 32 | 19 | 7 | 14 | 47 | – |
| 2000 | "I Can't Catch You" | Sixpence None the Richer | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2002 | "Breathe Your Name" | Divine Discontent | – | – | 18 | – | – | |
| 2003 | "Don't Dream It's Over" | Divine Discontent | 78 | 12 | 9 | – | – | |
| 2008 | "My Dear Machine" | Upcoming EP | – | – | – | – | – | – |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official Site (Controlled by Word Records)
- The Vine (Sixpence Discussion Group)
- Methnen's Mess (Sixpence News and Media)
- Sixpence None the Richer Radio (Pandora Internet Radio)
- Sixpence None the Richer Radio & info (Last.Fm radio)
- dalebakerdrummer.com (Dale Baker Drummer Web Site)
- Sirens of Song: Leigh Nash
- JJ Plasencio Website (JJ Plasencio Bassist Website)
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