Lit | Main

Modern rockers Lit formed in Orange County, CA in 1990 featuring frontman A. Jay Popoff, his guitarist & brother Jeremy, bassist Kevin Baldes and drummer Allen Shellenberger. After years of sellout gigs at local venues like the noted Club 369 in Fullerton, in the spring of 1997 Lit issued their debut album Tripping the Light Fantastic; the record became a college radio hit and landed the group at RCA, with the release of A Place in the Sun two years later. The album was successful for Lit when the mainstream caught on thanks to the catchy rock riffs of singles "My Own Worst Enemy," "Zip-lock" and "Miserable." They went on to share dates with The Offspring, No Doubt, and Garbage as well as earn a spot on the 2000 Vans' Warped Tour. "My Own Worst Enemy" also received awards from Billboard and ASCAP. A third album, Atomic was released in fall 2001. The single "Last Time Again," which was featured on the soundtrack to American Pie 2, was a modest hit among modern rock radio stations. "It's not our job to sell records," states soft-spoken Lit front man A.Jay Popoff. "Our job is to write good songs and kick ass live. If we're not doing that, then we've failed." On their new self-titled fourth CD, this quartet has not only done their job-- they might just be due a promotion. They've delivered a stellar 13-song disc, full of personal, passionate and diverse songs, without a thought to trends. Of course, Lit can't seem to stop selling records either, with platinum sales, world tours and videos as clever as the band's witty lyrics cementing Lit's deserved success. Together for nearly 15 years, Lit have, in their own manner, begun anew with their direction. Now on Nitrus/DRT/Dirty Martini Recordings after a productive stint with RCA, the band produced Lit themselves, and did it "their way." Jeremy explains: "We went back to our warehouse in Anaheim, feeling free, jamming, for the reasons we started playing in the first place. No deadlines, no expectations, and no one polluting the process; just getting together to have fun and write songs. That said, this record is a little more serious than our others." With songs like "Bulletproof," about a friend who committed suicide, and "Lullaby," a song written for his son, the album showcases a more grown up band. Lit fans need not be concerned, however. The new disc possesses everything that made and makes Lit great: The bouncy musicality, heavy choruses, irresistible hooks, and clever lyrics. With a nod to Elvis Costello, Lit have created a musical and lyrical time capsule of their past couple years. The whole record was written, recorded and mixed in Orange County. Plus, the classic band photo on the CD cover is in line with the sort of basic "this is Lit" vibe the band was feeling. Bass player Kevin Baldes says, "This record is more rocking than our other records. The guitars are thicker, everything is just more 'real' sounding." The "real sound" matches the gut-level "weird combination of personal issues and drama," that went into the writing on Lit. This included becoming first-time dads for Jeremy and A.Jay, plus the mixed emotions of opting to sever ties with a major label. Another collaboration comes in the form of Lit's first-ever DVD, due in Fall 2004, and featuring two-and-a half hours of cool "shenanigans" with Lit and their friends. Plus, it features live gig footage and videos, all compiled by a close friend of the band's from an astonishing 700 hours of videotape. It chronicles the band's history from the mid-'90s right up to the completion of Lit. Like the band's past efforts, Lit is clearly loaded with potential singles, but they never know what will "hit," and still marvel that "My Own Worst Enemy" is still played over 500 times a week on radio. "It's unbelievable to us. When you write a batch of songs, they feel like a body of work; you never imagine one will take on a life of its own like that," A.Jay confesses. "It could have happened to anybody, but you still have to be proud that you're part of rock history in a way." Jeremy adds, "It's awesome to have written a classic riff. It's always a rush to play those first two notes live, because the crowd always goes nuts!" It's been a journey for Lit so far, but it's not one that is over yet. As the last song on the new self-titled album says, in homage to Cheap Trick, "Here we are/ We're alright."