A.Jay Popoff - Vocal
Jeremy Popoff - Guitars
Kevin Baldes - Bass
Allen Shellenberger - Drums
What brought the four of us together in the first place was our love of music,
recalls Kevin Baldes, LIT’s bassist. We were friends even before we started
playing together. In addition to Baldes, the band features singer A.Jay Popoff,
his brother Jeremy Popoff on guitars and drummer Allen Shellenberger. The group’s
lineup has remained unchanged since its inception nine years ago. LIT is a
top-drawing band in Orange County, California, consistently selling out Club 369
in Fullerton, a venue that has hosted innumerable shows by luminaries such as No
Doubt and Korn. And while all four members of LIT grew up in Orange County, they
can’t be categorized with any of the area’s many musical movements. "We’re not
really a part of any scene. We just play music that we’re into, instead of
worrying about what other bands are doing," Allen admitted. Added Jeremy:
"We have our own warehouse in Anaheim where we practice and write songs. We just
focus on LIT." LIT’s influences run the gamut from Iron Maiden to Elvis Costello,
from 1960’s Las Vegas to 1980’s MTV. Although it is the winning hybrid of styles
that marks the band’s musical turf, there are the incredible live performances,
vintage Cadillacs, late night poker games and frequent excursions to Las Vegas
that combined complete "A Place in the Sun," LIT’s first release on RCA Records.
“A Place in the Sun” features a collection of memorable tracks: “My Own
Worst Enemy,” chronicles a tale about waking up one morning and
realizing how much you screwed up the night before; “Down” explores the
special relationship between a man and his Cadillac (both of the Popoff
brothers own restored 1960’s Cadillacs); and “Happy” which finds the band
working with a full horn section. “We wanted to use horns on ‘Happy,’ but
in more of a 1970’s Chicago kind of way than the 90’s ska approach,”
Jeremy explained. And while LIT’s sound is grounded in a heavy vein, their
love of pop is revealed on tracks like “Quicksand” and “Four.”
The group’s debut album, “Tripping the Light Fantastic,” was released in
April 1997 on an independent label. The album netted LIT enthusiastic
reviews and strong college airplay (#1 most added CMJ, #2 most added
Gavin) across America. “Tripping the Light Fantastic” will be re-released on
the band’s own label, Dirty Martini, and will contain an enhanced portion
with a full length video and a previously unavailable track. “The first album
was a lot heavier and angrier,” Jeremy admitted “but we left a lot of doors
open. On this record, nobody’s gonna think we did a 180.”
LIT signed with RCA in October 1998. “We didn’t want to be a buzz band.
We didn’t want 10 labels to like us; we just wanted one to love us,” A.Jay
said. Added Jeremy: “When we met Ron Fair and Bruce Flohr (executive
vice presidents of A & R), everything changed. We knew we had finally
found the people who believed in our music the way we do and who were
ready to work as hard and fast as we are.”
So fast, in fact, that LIT found themselves in the studio even before the
deal was signed. The band co-produced “A Place in the Sun” with Don
Gilmore, and the album was mixed by Brian Malouf.
Although LIT was happy to have the time and resources to make an album
that represents their musical vision, they are anxious to get back out on
the road. “Being on the road is what this band is all about,” said Kevin. LIT
sets out to make clubgoers feel like they are at an arena rock concert.
“There is more to LIT than the music alone,” said Jeremy, noting the band
has an attitude in sync with the 1960’s Las Vegas era as personified by
the Rat Pack. “Our sound is today, but our vibe is a long time ago.”
A.Jay adds: “We want to bring showbiz back into rock.”
Lit
Formed by four high school
friends in 1990, Lit blends
'90s alt-rock with '60s Las
Vegas attitude. Comprising
brothers A.Jay Popoff (vocals)
and Jeremy Popoff (guitars),
Kevin Baldes (bass) and Allen
Shellenberger (drums), the band became popular on
the Orange County music scene that helped launch
the careers of bands like No Doubt and Korn. They
released the EP Five Smokin' Tracks from...Lit in
1996 and followed it with their debut album, Tripping
the Light Fantastic, on Malicious Vinyl in 1997.
By late 1998, Lit had signed to RCA Records. They
released their sophomore effort, A Place in the Sun,
in early 1999.
When four friends from Orange County formed a band in 1990
called Stained (soon to be Lit, which was initially the title of their
debut album) they had no idea that 10 years later would find
them on sound stage, on top of an asteroid while shooting aliens
in outer space. As the band soon discovered, having the lead
single from a major motion picture will lead to big budget,
futuristic video shoots complete with towering blue screens,
exploding stages and 40 scantily dressed extras. This is not
entirely new for A.Jay (vocals) and Jeremy Popoff (guitar), Kevin
Baldes (bass) and Allen Shellenberger (drums) as the video for
their last single, "Miserable," featured the band performing on a
60-foot tall Pamela Anderson Lee. All of this kitsch is somewhat
ironic, given the band members' love of Las Vegas nostalgia The
success of "Miserable," from their platinum RCA debut A Place In
The Sun, along with 1999's Modern Rock Single Of The Year, "My
Own Worst Enemy," put the band at the top of Glen Ballard's
wish-list for the Titan A.E project. Due to the band's 18-month
non-stop touring schedule, it took writing and recording sessions
in Los Angeles, New York and Boston to complete "Over My
Head." As a bonus for the band, Steven Tyler, one of their idols,
wandered into the studio and ended up recording backing vocals
for the track. Another benefit from their involvement with Titan
A.E. will be a performance at Los Angeles' Staples Center on June
13th to kick off the movie premiere. Of course even this
appearance will require a cross-country flight in between dates on
their national tour opening for No Doubt. The tour will help
promote Lit's reissued independent debut album, Tripping The
Light Fantastic, which they were recently able to buy back as a
small reward for being one of the hardest working, most humble,
band's around.
recalls Kevin Baldes, LIT’s bassist. We were friends even before we started
playing together. In addition to Baldes, the band features singer A.Jay Popoff,
his brother Jeremy Popoff on guitars and drummer Allen Shellenberger. The group’s
lineup has remained unchanged since its inception nine years ago. LIT is a
top-drawing band in Orange County, California, consistently selling out Club 369
in Fullerton, a venue that has hosted innumerable shows by luminaries such as No
Doubt and Korn. And while all four members of LIT grew up in Orange County, they
can’t be categorized with any of the area’s many musical movements. "We’re not
really a part of any scene. We just play music that we’re into, instead of
worrying about what other bands are doing," Allen admitted. Added Jeremy:
"We have our own warehouse in Anaheim where we practice and write songs. We just
focus on LIT." LIT’s influences run the gamut from Iron Maiden to Elvis Costello,
from 1960’s Las Vegas to 1980’s MTV. Although it is the winning hybrid of styles
that marks the band’s musical turf, there are the incredible live performances,
vintage Cadillacs, late night poker games and frequent excursions to Las Vegas
that combined complete "A Place in the Sun," LIT’s first release on RCA Records.
in outer space. As the band soon discovered, having the lead
single from a major motion picture will lead to big budget,
futuristic video shoots complete with towering blue screens,
exploding stages and 40 scantily dressed extras. This is not
entirely new for A.Jay (vocals) and Jeremy Popoff (guitar), Kevin
Baldes (bass) and Allen Shellenberger (drums) as the video for
their last single, "Miserable," featured the band performing on a
60-foot tall Pamela Anderson Lee. All of this kitsch is somewhat
ironic, given the band members' love of Las Vegas nostalgia The
success of "Miserable," from their platinum RCA debut A Place In
The Sun, along with 1999's Modern Rock Single Of The Year, "My
Own Worst Enemy," put the band at the top of Glen Ballard's
wish-list for the Titan A.E project. Due to the band's 18-month
non-stop touring schedule, it took writing and recording sessions
in Los Angeles, New York and Boston to complete "Over My
Head." As a bonus for the band, Steven Tyler, one of their idols,
wandered into the studio and ended up recording backing vocals
for the track. Another benefit from their involvement with Titan
A.E. will be a performance at Los Angeles' Staples Center on June
13th to kick off the movie premiere. Of course even this
appearance will require a cross-country flight in between dates on
their national tour opening for No Doubt. The tour will help
promote Lit's reissued independent debut album, Tripping The
Light Fantastic, which they were recently able to buy back as a
small reward for being one of the hardest working, most humble,
band's around.