Vertical Horizon
Photo: RCA

In the two and a half years Vertical Horizon spent touring behind 1999's Everything You Want, the band discovered the secret to capturing an audience's attention for an entire evening.

Some might call it raw energy, but they prefer to call it imperfection. And now the pop-rock foursome that formed more than a decade ago at Georgetown University is applying what it learned on the road to its work in the studio.

For their next album, Go, due September 24, Vertical Horizon took a carefree approach that they feel yielded even better material than that of their multiplatinum major-label debut.

"We didn't sweat the details," singer Matt Scannell said from the Los Angeles studio where they recently finished Go. "When we made Everything You Want, we were very concerned with every note, every 16th note. It was very precise. I felt like it was important for us to back off a little bit this time around and let the humanity of the performances come through a little bit — allow some of the live feeling to come through. To me, there's perfection in energy."

The album's title is an appropriate summation of the recording session — as in the "just go for it" mentality — though it also fits with much of the album's subject matter.

"It's a very active word," Scannell said. "A lot of the themes in these songs are about taking control of your life and living it the way you want to live it, and acting and doing and not just talking and thinking about it. It's really important in the big sense in a post-9/11 world to make sure we all live our life in a way where we feel good about it."

None of the 16 tracks Vertical Horizon recorded for Go (only 11 or 12 will make the album) directly references the terrorist attacks, though Scannell said the events had a profound effect on his songwriting.

"There are certainly messages within some of the songs at certain points on the album that deal with feelings of loss and those types of emotions, and also some feelings of, 'Hey, I want to get up and dust myself off and get on with my life,' " he explained. "Both of those could be seen as viable and relevant reactions to 9/11."

One of the reasons Everything You Want did well, drummer Ed Toth theorized, is because the lyrics are easy to relate to. Vertical Horizon's next album will be no different in that respect, only the music will be a bit more experimental.

"We tried a lot of different methods of working," Scannell said. "There's a song called 'Forever' that I love. We started out with a drum loop and an acoustic guitar, and those sort of became the sacred tracks of the song. The feeling of the song was encapsulated in those tracks, and we felt free to paint different colors over those with the band performing live. That was a cool way for us to work."

On another track, "Inside," the band and producer John Shanks (Sheryl Crow, Michelle Branch) composed it as if it were an orchestra piece and then filled it out with a string section. "It opens up and we're not in a hurry to get anywhere," bassist Sean Hurley explained. "There's a theme in the verses, and the final verses are variations on the main theme. The choruses are just wham, right there — distorted guitars, heavy bass. And then the song continues where it might normally end, not in a self-indulgent way, but more like, 'I'm not ready for this to end because it feels good.' To not edit ourselves too much is very exciting."

Although Vertical Horizon, whose lineup also includes guitarist Keith Kane, have not decided on a first single (or a final track list), both Toth and Hurley are leaning toward "When You Cry," a harder rock tune with a sharp pop hook.

Scannell, however, is partial to "Forever," which he wrote in a half an hour when he woke up in the middle of the night last fall with a creative urge.

"When you have to earn a song and sweat over every detail, those songs really feel like they are yours," he said. "But every once in a while it's really fun when a song comes out of the blue and presents itself almost as if it's from a third person."

Other tracks that will likely make the album include "Underwater" and "Sunshine," "which grabs you by the collar and tells you what it wants to say and then lets you go," according to Toth.

Vertical Horizon will take a few weeks off this summer but plan on hitting the road to promote Go in August.

• Vertical Horizon

Sisqo's ode to thong undies helped him win big at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Tuesday, as the Dru Hill crooner took home six awards and left 'NSYNC, Destiny's Child and the Dixie Chicks in his wake.

But Destiny's Child and 'NSYNC captured the night's top prizes, with the R&B girl group nabbing Artist of the Year and the pop heartbreakers scoring Album of the Year for their record-setting third album, No Strings Attached. The awards, held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and broadcast by Fox, are based on record sales and radio airplay as published in industry trade magazine Billboard. Sisqo, whose "Thong Song" hit #1 on both the pop and R&B charts, won Male Artist of the Year, New Artist of the Year and R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, along with three other awards.

Of all his trophies, Sisqo said the one that meant the most was his Male Artist of the Year nod.

"It's kind of like saying you were the illest male this year," he said backstage. The singer pulled out a pair of black thong underwear from his pants pockets to show reporters, declaring, "This is my date tonight." Onstage, Sisqo thanked God, fans, his Dru Hill mates, his lawyer and "Thong Song." 'NSYNC, who co-hosted the show with actress/comedian Kathy Griffin, won three other awards in addition to their Album of the Year honor, including Top 40 Artist of the Year and an award for the biggest sales week. No Strings Attached shattered the sales record by selling 2.4 million copies in its first week of release in March; it is now certified 10-times platinum.

Though the Florida-based 'NSYNC were all smiles as they strolled down the red carpet before the ceremony, Chris Kirkpatrick said he wasn't exactly at ease. "We have to perform, we're hosting and we're up for some awards, too," he said. "All that adds to the tension — I'm about to crack." In addition to Artist of the Year, Destiny's Child picked up Group of the Year, Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year and Hot 100 Singles Group of the Year. The Texas trio, whose personnel changes at times overshadowed their music this year, are currently at #1 on the pop singles chart with "Independent Women, Part I." Their song "Say My Name," off their multiplatinum The Writing's on the Wall, also topped the pop singles chart.

"This is definitely important to us because the awards are based on record sales and airplay," lead singer Beyoncé Knowles said backstage. "You know you made it when you win a Billboard award — especially when you win Artist of the Year. It's such an honor for us." The Dixie Chicks won Country Artist of the Year, Country Group of the Year, Country Album of the Year and Country Albums Artist of the Year for their smash Fly. Faith Hill reeled in Hot 100 Single of the Year for her crossover hit "Breathe," Female Hot 100 Singles Artist and Female Country Artist of the Year.

"It's been a year that if I had kept a journal day by day and were to go back and read it two years from now, I wouldn't believe it," Hill said backstage.

Creed, who last week won four trophies at the My VH1 Music Awards, were named Billboard's Rock Artist of the Year for the second consecutive time. Their sophomore album, Human Clay (1999), has sold more than 6 million copies and produced the hits "With Arms Wide Open" and "Higher," the latter of which the band performed for the ceremony atop a nearby hotel.

"It's a respect thing for us," singer Scott Stapp said of the band's week of wins. "We're finally getting the sense that people respect us for who we are and what we do and what we have accomplished." Britney Spears was named Albums Artist of the Year, for her second album Oops! ... I Did It Again, while Christina Aguilera won Female Artist of the Year.

Son by Four cleaned up in the Latin categories, taking home the Latin Tracks Artist of the Year honor as well as four more awards for their song "A Puro Dolor." Veteran singer/songwriter Randy Newman received the previously announced Century Award for distinguished creative achievements. Don Henley presented him the honor, calling Newman "our modern-day Mark Twain." "I'm glad I stayed alive to get it," Newman said onstage, before giving advice to the younger artists in attendance. "Try not to live what you write. Lie." Among the performance highlights was former "Brady Bunch" actor Barry Williams singing his single "The Real Greg Brady," a spoof of Eminem's hit "The Real Slim Shady." Williams mimicked the rapper's performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, walking down the aisles with several other Greg Brady look-alikes who wore curly brown wigs and polyester.

"It's a tribute to him — I think Eminem's got a really important place in music, letting the kids blow off some steam," Williams said backstage.

Ricky Martin, 3 Doors Down, Dixie Chicks, Mystikal and Faith Hill also performed during the show.

Baha Men, who won World Music Artist of the Year and World Music Album of the Year for Who Let The Dogs Out, opened the event with their album's hit title track (RealAudio excerpt), while dogs ran down the aisles of the arena.

Host Griffin, who joked throughout the show that she was trying to determine which member of 'NSYNC she should marry, at one point handcuffed herself to Justin Timberlake. Spears, who is dating the 'NSYNCer, quickly came to the rescue, chiding Griffin: "Easy, skank, step off." "Ladies, don't get your panties in a wad," Timberlake said. "There's plenty of Justin for everybody." 2000 Billboard Music Awards Winners: Artist of the Year:
Destiny's Child

Male Artist of the Year:
Sisqo

Female Artist of the Year:
Christina Aguilera

Male Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:
Sisqo

Female Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:
Faith Hill

Hot 100 Singles Artist of the Year:
Destiny's Child

Hot 100 Singles Duo/Group of the Year:
Destiny's Child

Duo/Group of the Year:
Destiny's Child

Albums Artist of the Year:
Britney Spears

Albums Duo/Group of the Year:
'NSYNC

R&B/Hip hop Artist of the Year:
Sisqo

New R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:
Sisqo

R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Artist of the Year:
Sisqo

Female R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:
Toni Braxton
Female Country Artist of the Year:
Faith Hill

Country Album of the Year:
Dixie Chicks, Fly

Country Duo/Group of the Year:
Dixie Chicks

Country Artist of the Year:
Dixie Chicks

Country Albums Artist of the Year:
Dixie Chicks

Modern Rock Track of the Year:
3 Doors Down, "Kryptonite"

Rock Artist of the Year:
Creed

Rock Track of the Year:
3 Doors Down, "Kryptonite"

Hot 100 Single of the Year:
Faith Hill, "Breathe"

New Artist Duo/Group of the Year:
3 Doors Down

New Artist of the Year, Male:
Sisqo

New Artist of the Year, Female:
Pink

Album of the Year:
'NSYNC, No Strings Attached

World Music Artist of the Year:
Baha Men

World Music Album of the Year:
Baha Men, Who Let the Dogs Out

R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Track of the Year:
Joe, "I Wanna Know"

Top 40 Artist of the Year:
'NSYNC

Top 40 Track of the Year:
Vertical Horizon, "Everything You Want"

Adult Top 40 Artist of the Year:
Vertical Horizon

Hot 100 Songwriter of the Year:
Rob Thomas

Latin Tracks Artist of the Year:
Son by Four

• Sisqó
• Destiny's Child
• *NSYNC
• Britney Spears
• Creed

The Wallflowers and Vertical Horizon will bring a little Yuletide cheer to Atlanta this weekend, as both bands have been tapped to perform at a fund-raiser for a local food bank.

Sponsored by Atlanta radio station WNNX and Bass Ale, the 2000 edition of the 99X Deck the Hall Ball is set for the Atlanta Civic Center on Saturday and will include an opening set from Los Angeles newcomers Paloalto.

Concertgoers are being asked to donate three canned goods apiece, and the collected food and money will be donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, a charity group that helps distribute food to non-profit agencies assisting hungry people in the metro-Atlanta area and north Georgia.

Last year's event featured performances from Kid Rock and Oleander and brought in more than 7,600 pounds of food and $27,000 in ticket sales, according to a public relations associate for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

For information on the fund-raiser or to find out more about the Atlanta Community Food Bank, check out the organization's Web site at www.acfb.org.

• The Wallflowers
• Vertical Horizon

Vertical Horizon will officially kick off the "Red Summer Sun" tour with Third Eye Blind on July 7 in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the band recently shot a video for its next single, "You're A God."

The video is set in a small Southern town and features former "Beverly Hills 90210" actress Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, who plays a self-consumed girl on the day of her beauty pageant.

The clip for "You're A God" is expected to hit the air in mid-July, by which time Vertical Horizon will be well into its summer outing, which will keep the group on the road through mid-September.

Vertical Horizon bassist Sean Hurley recently explained to the MTV Radio Network about its decision to continue touring in support of its "Everything You Want" album, which was released in June 1999, rather than take a few months off and begin demoing new material.

"Really, we're brand new to a lot of people," Hurley said, "so we don't want to say, 'Oh yeah, we're a little tired. We've been doing this for a year, so we're going to do a new album.' That time is not right. The time is right to put out more singles."

"'Everything You Want' is really the second single," he continued. "We're going to do two or three more, hopefully get through the next year, and just make videos. [Our plan is to] get a greater awareness for us with things like the Third Eye Blind tour and just try to grow as big as we can, and do it in a sane way. Then, when we're satisfied with that and we're ready, we'll go in the studio and do something else." [RealAudio]

On July 4, Vertical Horizon will play Muskegon, Michigan's Summer Celebration concert.

• Vertical Horizon

As Vertical Horizon continues to dominate Contemporary Hit Radio with "Everything You Want," the band has just added more dates to its upcoming tour plans, including an appearance at the Hard Rock Rockfest in July and an opening stint for the Dave Matthews Band in September.

• 9/4 - Antioch, TN @ AmSouth Amphitheatre
• 9/6 - Orlando, FL @ TD Waterhouse Centre
• 9/8 - West Palm Beach, FL @ Mars Music Amphitheatre
• 9/9 - Tampa, FL @ Ice Palace
• 9/10 - Atlanta, GA @ Lakewood Amphitheatre

• Dave Matthews Band
• Dave Matthews
• Vertical Horizon

Two of modern rock radio's favorite bands, Third Eye Blind and Vertical Horizon, are pooling their resources for a U.S. tour kicking off in July.

3EB has a fistful of radio station-sponsored dates coming up, and after that the group will hook up with the "Everything You Want" rockers for a month-long trek that begins on July 7 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The Vertical Horizon dates will come after 3EB hits Washington's HFStival, Los Angeles' KROQ Weenie Roast, and other radio shows in Chicago, Trenton, Sacramento, San Francisco, and more. Even after launching its run with Vertical Horizon, 3EB will take a couple of breaks from the tour to play other dates, including the Hard Rock Rockfest in Chicago with Metallica, Kid Rock, Stone Temple Pilots, and others (see "Metallica, Kid Rock, 3EB Rev Up For Rockfest 2000"), and the KNDD radio show in Seattle.

Here's how the band's dates with Vertical Horizon look:

• 7/7 - St. Paul, MN @ Roy Wilkins Auditorium
• 7/8 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
• 7/9 - Maryland Heights, MO @ Riverport Amphitheatre
• 7/11 - Cedar Rapids, IA @ Five Seasons Center
• 7/12 - Rockford, IL @ Rockford MetroCentre
• 7/14 - Noblesville, IN @ Deer Creek Music Center
• 7/15 - Louisville, KY @ Louisville Gardens
• 7/17 - Toledo, OH @ Zoo Amphitheatre
• 7/18 - Cleveland, OH @ Nautica Stage
• 7/19 - Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
• 7/21 - Lansing, MI @ Common Ground Festival
• 7/23 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Allen Co. Mem. Coliseum
• 7/25 - Darien Center, NY @ Darien Lake Six Flags P.A.C.
• 7/27 - Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
• 7/28 - Wantagh, NY @ Jones Beach Amph.
• 7/29 - Holmdel, NJ @ P.N.C. Bank Arts Center
• 7/30 - Wallingford, CT @ Oakdale Theatre
• 8/1 - Scranton, PA @ Montage Mountain
• 8/2 - Pittsburgh, PA @ I.C. Light Amphitheater
• 8/4 - Mansfield, MA @ Tweeter Center PAC

• Third Eye Blind
• Vertical Horizon

Vertical Horizon's major label debut, "Everything You Want," has just been certified gold, and now the New England-based band is preparing to head out on a spring tour beginning Thursday night in Dallas.

• 3/23 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
• 3/24 - College Station, TX @ Shadow Canyon
• 3/25 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Alternative Stage
• 3/26 - Lafayette, LA @ Grant Street Dance Hall
• 3/31 - Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
• 4/4 - Montevallo, AL @ University of Montevallo
• 4/5 - Troy, AL @ Troy State University
• 4/7 - Memphis, TN @ Rhodes College
• 4/8 - Nashville, TN @ Lipscomb University
• 4/9 - Columbia, SC @ 3 Rivers Music Festival
• 4/11 - Salisbury, NC @ Shuford Stadium
• 4/13 - Winston-Salem, NC @ Wake Forest University
• 4/14 - Greensboro, NC @ JC Parking Lot
• 4/15 - E. Stroudsburg, PA @ Abeloff Convocation Center
• 4/17 - Buckhannon, WV @ Rockefeller Center Gym
• 4/18 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Union Ballroom
• 4/19 - Easton, PA @ Kirby Fieldhouse
• 4/21 - Seabright, NJ @ Tradewinds

• The Police
• U2
• Vertical Horizon

After releasing three indie albums and hitting the road with the likes of Better Than Ezra and the Allman Brothers Band, Boston's Vertical Horizon is stepping out on its own right with its just-released major-label debut, "Everything You Want."

• Vertical Horizon