Although they didn't cross over into the mainstream the way some of their peers did, Holland's Bettie Serveert became significant college-radio stars during the '90s with their jangly, sweetly melodic, at times surprisingly muscular guitar pop. Their sound was familiar, even archetypal, yet with its own distinct flavor that suggested any number... [+] Read More

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By using their influences as a mere launching pad and consistently developing their many strengths, Catherine Wheel was able to outlast all of their early peers. With their initial singles and first album, the band from East Anglia fit snugly with the remainder of bands that the British press eventually labeled as shoegazers, a short-lived... [+] Read More

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Five rail-thin longhairs from Reading, England, Chapterhouse was first linked to the space rock likes of Spacemen 3 and Loop -- the connection with the former being inextricable during the band's youngest months, thanks in part to vocal support from Sonic Boom. Early on, the two bands also shared the same management and gigged together. As the... [+] Read More

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I was born and raised in Brawley, CA. I grew up listening to Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. I've since moved on to bands like MGMT, Interpol, Bloc Party, and The Rakes. I still enjoy the classics, but I'm into new trends. First and foremost I'm a songwriter. I draw from personal experiences. I'm nothing if I'm not honest with my music. What... [+] Read More

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Contemporary Christian synth pop group Joy Electric is the brainchild of Orange County, CA, native Ronnie Martin, formerly of Rainbow Rider and Dance House Children (which also featured his brother, Jason Martin, of Starflyer 59).

Originally conceived as a solo project for Martin, Joy Electric featured bouncy pop songs with... [+] Read More

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Julee Cruise was the talent scout for composer Angelo Badalamenti when he was working on David Lynch's film Blue Velvet in 1985. Badalamenti discovered that her airy voice fitted a song for the film, so she wound up recording "Mysteries of Love" for the soundtrack. Three years later, she released her first album, Floating Into the Night, which... [+] Read More

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The lush, dreamlike British pop trio Kitchens of Distinction was formed in London in 1986 by singer/bassist Patrick Fitzgerald, guitarist Julian Swales and drummer Dan Goodwin. Taking their name from a Hygena advertisement, they issued their 1987 debut single "Last Gasp Death Shuffle" on their own Gold Rush label, signing to One Little Indian... [+] Read More

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Radiohead was one of the few alternative bands of the early '90s to draw heavily from the grandiose arena rock that characterized U2's early albums. But the band internalized that epic sweep, turning it inside out to tell tortured, twisted tales of angst and alienation. Vocalist Thom Yorke's pained lyrics were brought to life by the group's... [+] Read More

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Named in honor of a passage from C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity, the Austin, TX-based CCM trio Sixpence None the Richer began taking shape in the early '90s, when guitarist Matt Slocum first met vocalist Leigh Nash (nee Bingham) at a church retreat. Initially a trio rounded out by bassist T.J. Behling, the group recorded a 1993 demo which led to... [+] Read More

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Long acclaimed as among the most innovative and spellbinding bands on the contemporary British pop scene, the Verve finally broke through to a mass international audience in 1997 with the instant classic "Bittersweet Symphony." By no stretch a study in overnight success, the group's rise was instead the culmination of a long, arduous journey... [+] Read More

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Thicker is a female-fronted rock/alternative/indie band that started in March of 2006. Influences include Verbena, Pixies, Flair, Sugar, PJ Harvey, and Starflyer 59.

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The gothic dream pop collective This Mortal Coil was one of the most representative bands on the 4AD label, not least because they were run by 4AD president and co-founder Ivo Watts-Russell. Whether they played covers (of Watts-Russell's favorite artists) or originals, their material epitomized the haunting, ethereal sound that came to be... [+] Read More

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