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In following up its successful 1998 debut -- which spawned the crossover hit "Inside Out" -- Eve 6 has reunited with producer Don Gilmore to create "Horrorscope," due in stores July 25.
However, according to the young Los Angeles trio's front man, Max Collins -- who sings, plays bass, and writes the group's lyrics -- no adjustment was made in order to match its first album's success. Not that the act's members weren't aware of "the sophomore slump thing," says Collins, and the attendant "pressure looming over our shoulders. We didn't do anything different."
Eve 6 will embark on a stateside tour in July. Rock festivals in Japan and Canada follow, with additional U.S. touring from mid-August through the end of September. Collins, incidentally, is doffing his bass at live gigs in order to step out more as a vocalist. Hence, a touring bass player will be brought in, but not as an official band member.
The video-game styled graphics for "Horrorscope" involve a female superhero type "straight out of 'X-Men' or something," says Collins, who notes that he and bandmates Jon Siebels and Tony Fagenson are video game fanatics. The actual CD features V-Flash technology, enabling computer users to add an Eve 6 icon onto their screens tying in with special band information and promotions.
Meanwhile, the Eve 6 Web site (eve6.com) will incorporate material filmed during the production of "Horrorscope."
Eve 6 - Promise
Weeks on Chart: 6 Peak Position: 16 (July 2000)
Promise is from Eve 6's upcoming Horrorscope CD. For a band who aren't awful but aren't great either and aren't obviously different from Iots of other groups, the success of Eve 6's debut was a bit of a fluke. The key to their early success was their irresistably hooky single Inside Out. Promise isn't quite as catchy and is unlikely to be another big radio hit. Promise is pretty good guitar based pop though. Max Collins, the band's singer, has a presence and can write a perky rock song. Promise, in which he makes pretty modest promises, trying to make a relationship work, reminds me more of Leech and Tongue Tied, light pieces of guitar based pop rock from the first record which I though were more fun than Inside Out.
EVE 6: HORRORSCOPE
Lyrics: B (3.0)
Vocals: A- (3.8)
Guitar: A (4.0)
Bass: B+ (3.5)
Drums: B+ (3.5)
Songs: B+ (3.5)
Overall: 3.55 (out of 4)
There are many Third Eye Blind type bands making themselves one-hit wonders and settle for one good song and never be heard of again. Eve 6 is different. Eve 6 has a talent and such an original sound that you would be hard-pressed to find a better all-around band. No sophomore flop here, just an amazing follow-up to an outstanding debut. No experimentation, no changes except for a little maturing lyrically and in their composition. Perhaps the most impressive track on this disc is the bittersweet masterpiece "Here's to the Night," where the band shows their softer side. Try it out, if you don't like, go buy a Milli Vanilli album, because you don't have a chance.
FM SUGGESTS: "Rescue" (Track 1), "Promise" (Track 2), "On The Roof Again" (Track 3), "Here's to the Night" (Track 5), "Nightmare" (Track 10)
ONLY IF YOU LIKE: Eve 6's self-titled, Third Eye Blind, Lit, The Gravel Pit.
Eve 6 has fun with `Horrorscope'
Trio uses same producer, but this time songs are more cohesive, amusing
BY JIM BESSMAN
NEW YORK: In following up its successful 1998 debut -- which spawned the crossover hit Inside Out -- Eve 6 has reunited with producer Don Gilmore to create Horrorscope, due in stores July 25.
However, according to the young Los Angeles trio's front man, Max Collins -- who sings, plays bass and writes the group's lyrics -- no adjustment was made to match its first album's success. Not that the act's members weren't aware of ``the sophomore slump thing,'' says Collins, and the attendant ``pressure looming over our shoulders. We didn't do anything different.''
He does agree, though, that the new album's 12 songs are more cohesive.
``We learned so much from the past two years about recording and touring, and just being in a band,'' says Collins, whose group was signed to an RCA recording contract while its members were in high school. ``So we had a much firmer grasp of what we wanted, and the songs mesh well with each other.''
Collins says the new songs show more humor lyrically, even the track On the Roof Again, which is about a suicidal friend.
``Songs you hear on the radio these days sound so serious to the point of pretension,'' adds the songwriter, ``so I tried to throw in a twist of fun this time -- even if it's a pretty weighty subject.''
The element of humor also is present in the album title, which Collins says is ``a fun little play on words and a good title for a rock album.''
Eve 6 will embark on a stateside tour this month. Rock festivals in Japan and Canada will follow, with additional U.S. touring from mid-August through the end of September. Collins, incidentally, is doffing his bass at live gigs in order to step out more as a vocalist. Hence, a touring bass player will be brought in, but not as an official band member.
The video-game styled graphics for Horrorscope involve a female superhero type ``straight out of X-Men or something,'' says Collins, who notes that he and bandmates Jon Siebels and Tony Fagenson are video game fanatics. The actual CD features V-Flash technology, enabling computer users to add an Eve 6 icon onto their screens, tying in with special band information and promotions. [aww. . . i wish it did. . .]
Meanwhile, the Eve 6 Web site (eve6.com) will incorporate material filmed during the production of Horrorscope.
``Someone literally spent every minute of the day filming their lives, so we have 40 six-hour tapes of footage that we're editing down to create an episodic story like MTV's Real World,'' says Dave Gottlieb, RCA marketing/artist development vice president.
All about Eve 6
With illustrated arms, pierced bodies and chops that make girls swoon and
boys pump fist, Eve 6 is riding what's left of the punk-pop wave.
This guitar, drums and voice trio-which appeared at the Bowery Ballroom
Tuesday with the addition of a bass player--wowed the predominantly female
crowd with a solid yet short set.
Considering how brief this show was, the band was wise to hit the stage running with the fast, furious "Rescue," the same number that opens the group's just released "Horrorscope" disc.
Ardent students from the keep-it-short-and-snappy school, the boys managed to squeeze in all thier fans favorites as well as most of the new album in just more than an hour.
The music was edgy enough to be interesting and pop enough to make your head bob to the beat, but Eve 6's secret weapon is lead singer Max Collins, who was all chrisma and confidence at the Bowery.
The close-cropped, copper topped singer was bluster and brass, working the music with wide-gesture body language, fast hand jive and a nimble voice. As strange as it may sound, he is a very angular person who moves his body with fluid, yet mechanical symmetry. In the close confines of the tiny theatre, Collins dominated the stage, looking larger than you'd expect. His sense of drama that successfully brought the songs to life wasnt lost on the fans, who clamored with the outstretched arms just to touch him.
Later in the show, he poured a bottle of water on the heads of a clutch of adoring Lolitas, spoiling their carefully applied makeup. By the way he acted at times, you'd think the guy didn't like girls. Still, the abuse didnt dampen the girls' attraction.
Other than those transgressions, the show was excellent. the pop-ish "Jet Pack," the head-banging thrash metal of "USS Bitch" [sic] and the oddball calm-to-storm version of the ancient Peter Paul & Mary classic "Leaving on A Jet Plane" (which they played during the brief encore) were the musical highlights.
Newcomer Good Charlotte, with a debut CD due out on Epic in late September, was outstanding in its opening set. The group displayed admirable three-chord punk intensity and a handful of memorable songs, including "Waldord Wordwide" and "Little Things." This is a band you'll be hearing more of.
'Horrorscope' gives Eve 6 a bright future
Kyle O'Brien of The Oregonian staff
Artist:Eve 6
CD: "Horrorscope" (RCA)
Grade: B+
The story: In case you hadn't heard the tale upon the release of their first self-titled album, the three guys who make up Eve 6 -- vocalist/bassist Max Collins, guitarist Jon Siebels and drummer Tony Fagenson -- were discovered by their record label, RCA, while they were still in high school in Southern California. The record execs wisely promised them a contract, but only after they finished school. Upon graduation, they stormed out of the gates with the first disc, quickly hitting the charts with the catchy and intelligent single "Inside Out," with its tongue-twisting refrain: "Want to put my tender heart in a blender, watch it spin round to a beautiful oblivion, rendezvous and I'm through with you." The album was a great mix of teen angst, smart lyrics, hook-filled tunes, a punkish attitude and tight harmonies and produced two notable singles, including the second, "Leech," about a teacher becoming involved with a student.
The album: Collins continues his lyrical wordplay on "Horrorscope," and the group remains as accessible as ever. Adding layered elements of keyboards (by Fagenson) and even some strings has filled up the band's sound, though the clean production takes away some of the band's needed grit. But on musicianship and pure energy alone, the disc steams along, uncovering harmonic gems with each track. The music itself isn't complex, but the execution of "Horrorscope" has already produced one radio-friendly track, "Promise," and soon another, "Rescue," with its playful chorus: "Like Jessica Rabbit she collects bad habits, gets her drinks for free, animated vixen stole Cupid's arrow and came to rescue me." The disc shows a more-rounded effort than the debut and a growth that, if it continues to the next few albums, should result in stardom and at least one Grammy.
Must hear/must skip tracks: Aside from the infectious and hook-laden "Promise" and "Rescue," listen to the band's growth on the rapid-fire "On the Roof Again" and the driving power-pop-rock of "Nightmare." The group's stab at a ballad, "Here's to the Night," with its string-filled chorus, is a rather predictable three-chord pop-rock romantic ballad that doesn't do the band justice.
If you like this, listen to: Green Day, Sugar, Cockeyed Ghost, Goldfinger, Third Eye Blind.
Coming up: Eve 6 is on tour, though no Portland dates have been scheduled yet.
Bottom line: No sophomore slump here. Eve 6 proves it has the pop smarts and musical integrity to continue its power-pop-punk hit-making ways.
EVE 6 GRADUATES TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH 'HORRORSCOPE'
By GERRY GALIPAULT
Fresh out of high school, you record your first album for a major label and, out of nowhere, it catches fire, selling more than 1 million copies and yielding a pair of monster modern-rock hits.
How would you feel if you were Eve 6?
Drummer Tony Fagenson feels just fine, thank you, and so do his bandmates, singer-bassist Max Collins and guitarist Jon Siebels.
"It would freak anyone out to all of a sudden be in that position," Fagenson said during a recent tour stop, "but I feel like we're a real band now. We've been touring for quite a bit, and we've got our groove going on. We're in a good place right now, and if we can do this for 20 more years, we'd be totally happy."
They're well on their way with their second - and far more cohesive - RCA album, "Horrorscope" (released July 25), and their first single, "Promise." The album debuted a few weeks ago at No. 34 on Billboard's pop chart, and "Promise" recently peaked at No. 3 on the modern rock tracks chart.
No sophomore jinx here.
Fagenson says they learned a lot from their 1998 experiences with their self-titled debut album (which included the smashes "Inside Out" and "Leech") and the nonstop touring that went with it.
"On the first year and a half of touring for the first record, it was this crazy whirlwind, and we didn't really know how to balance it," he said. "When we came home, we took some time off before starting the new record. We were able to learn that we had a life outside the band, and we had to nurture that.
"By doing that, it made us go into the new record with more of a positive attitude. We were able to focus more on making the album. We grew up. I always like to think of our experience with the first album and the tour as our college; that was our equivalent of college. We were able to get out there and be on our own and learn responsibility, but it still wasn't a real job yet. It was this magical thing, and we got lucky.
"Now we've put the work in, and here's the real life. This is after college now, we're making our own way into the world. Our perspectives are more mature. We know more how to balance ourselves and keep everything in perspective."
Hence, "Horrorscope" - produced by Don Gilmore - is infinitely more upbeat than their debut album, from the songs on down to the comic-book-styled drawing of a female superhero for the cover art.
"There's just as much energy, if not more, as the first record," Fagenson said, "but the songs aren't all about heartbreak. It's a lighter-hearted album, it's a funner album.
"We went in there wanting to make a great record. When we were recording, we tried not to think about all that 'sophomore slump' stuff and just have fun with it. And it worked. We feel proud of the record, and we're happy with how it turned out."
Collins and Siebels, with another drummer, formed Eve 6 while in high school in Los Angeles and were signed to RCA after the label saw potential in their showcase performances. Rather than rush them into the studio, RCA let them find their musical direction on their own and finish high school.
In the meantime, Fagenson came along and took over on drums.
"I came in a little later, like right before we started working on the first album," he said. "I had been in a hundred bands before, but none of us ever thought this would happen. We were never shooting for having a platinum record; we just wanted to get as many people to our club shows as possible. We had very short-term goals, and that's what I think led to the success of the band. We weren't always out there searching for a deal and all that stuff. We took our time getting our act together live, and that got us to where we were.
"RCA gave us time till the guys actually finished high school, and I was going to USC for a semester. That allowed us to develop musically. I think if we had put the record out right when the band was signed, I don't know if we'd be having this conversation right now. We definitely weren't ready."
Fagenson had no trouble seeking advice on various career moves. He had the infinite wisdom of his father, Don ("Don Was"), to fall back on. Don Was led the Detroit R&B group Was (Not Was) in the 1980s and later became a prolific producer (Bonnie Raitt, The B-52's, Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, Paula Abdul).
"We're making our own way in the world," Tony Fagenson said, "but I sought his advice for big business decisions, like getting our new manager or picking a producer for the album. He's been through it all; he knows all the pitfalls, and he knows where the traps are, so he's been invaluable about that. He showed us different things in different lights; he made us realize that there's two sides to every story and we always have to be on the lookout for people who have their own interests beyond ours.
"He never made phone calls for us; we did it on our own. Max and Jon, with another drummer, got signed to RCA before I joined, and then I joined soon afterward, so they had the deal before I entered the picture."
Growing up in such a musical family was bound to rub off on Fagenson, but it happened naturally, he says.
"I didn't think about it too much," he said. "Being around music was par for 
the course. But I did my own music; I never really did anything with my dad musically. I might have done a couple of things on sessions just for fun, but I always made my own path for music. I had all my various band incarnations in high school, jazz trios and, of course, Eve 6. I went and did my thing, but I think he was always there as a subconscious influence.
"He was shocked that we had all this success so early. He thinks it's so great."
Fagenson, though, wouldn't mind following in his father's footsteps into the studio and producing others.
"Definitely, it's something I want to do," he said. "On both of our records, I was very hands-on with it. I did it just on an amateur level with various people up until Eve 6, producing friends' demos and stuff like that. That's something I'd like to get into even after the run of this record, signing an act to produce. That's really where my love is, just the craft of making records. I love it, and I'm looking forward to making the next Eve 6 one, too."
He's also looking forward to buying his first house, one of the fringe benefits of platinum success.
"We have three weeks off in October, enough time to get all my ducks in a row before I go to a real estate agent," he said. "I'm not a millionaire yet; I was just want something in a nice area that I can afford for me and my girlfriend. I've never been the kind of guy dreaming about a certain type of house with all the fancy trimmings. All I know is: I'm ready to be a homeowner."
THE FIRST RECORD I EVER BOUGHT: "I had stuff that my dad gave me, but the first one I remember having a real impact on me was Michael Jackson's 'Thriller.' I listened to it all the time. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. It's a great record."
THE FIRST CONCERT I EVER WENT TO: "I remember going to an Ozzy (Osbourne) concert when I was real young, probably at Irvine Meadows (Calif.) and I thought it was the shit. I think I was 6, and my dad took me to it; he wanted me to see it, and he had me listening to Twisted Sister when I was 5. That concert's what started me off on my rock thing. I got into the metal bands and Metallica. It was so bombastic, with the lights and stuff. It was a huge, orgasmic sensory explosion, and for a young kid to see that, it totally had me hooked."
THE LAST CD I BOUGHT: "Eminem, which I love. He's one of those few artists that's being brutally honest, telling it like it is, and he's a brilliant craftsman at the same time. He's rock 'n' roll, he's what rock 'n' roll's all about. I like that he's scaring the masses a little. I don't agree with his views, but I've got to respect his fearlessness and his artistic expression."
BWF (before we forget): Scope out Eve 6 on the Web @ www.eve6.com. ... Upcoming Eve 6 tour dates - Sept. 1, Pontiac, Mich., Phoenix Plazz Amphitheater; Sept. 2, Columbus, Ohio, Newport Music Hall; Sept. 3, Cincinnati, Swayer Point; Sept. 5, Minneapolis, Quest Club; Sept. 6, Milwaukee, The Rave; Sept. 7, Chicago, Vic Theatre; Sept. 12, Cohoes, N.Y., Saratoga Winners; Sept. 16, Charlotte, N.C., Blockbuster Pavilion; Sept. 19, Washington, D.C., 9:30 Club; Sept. 20, Old Bridge, N.J., Birch Hill Nite Club; Sept. 22, Providence, Rhode Island College; Sept. 23, Ithaca, N.Y., Emerson Suites; Sept. 24, College Park, Md., Chapel Field; Sept. 26, Norfolk, Va., The NorVa; Sept. 27, Winston-Salem, N.C., Ziggy's; Sept. 30, Greenville, N.C., WXNR radio show; Oct. 1, Atlanta, Lakewood Amphitheater; Oct. 3, Hartford, Conn., Webster Theater; Oct. 4, Boston, Axis; Oct. 6, Pittsburgh, Metropol; Oct. 7, Huntingdon, Pa., Juniata College.