Fronted by charismatic singer-songwriter-guitarist Matt Friction, power-pop band THE PINK SPIDERS has gained almost as much notoriety for their exploits, attitude and iconic look, as they have for the catchy and explosive sound they generate. Infamy and chaos has followed them since they first stormed onto the Nashville music scene in 2004 with their self-released debut The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over.
It was that notoriety that translated into immediate results, as the band signed to thei...
Fronted by charismatic singer-songwriter-guitarist Matt Friction, power-pop band THE PINK SPIDERS has gained almost as much notoriety for their exploits, attitude and iconic look, as they have for the catchy and explosive sound they generate. Infamy and chaos has followed them since they first stormed onto the Nashville music scene in 2004 with their self-released debut The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over.
It was that notoriety that translated into immediate results, as the band signed to their first indie deal less than 6 months after forming. The guys quickly generated a big buzz with their 2005 indie label release Hot Pink, an infectious dose of dark pop detailing fast getaways and faster women. Less than three weeks after the Hot Pink release, and in the midst of a nationwide tour, the band found themselves at the center of a major-label bidding war. The Pink Spiders landed a deal with Geffen/Suretone Record, and in short order released their highly praised major label debut, Teenage Graffiti.
Produced by hit-maker and legendary frontman of The Cars, Ric Ocasek, Teenage Graffiti stood out from the pack with the hit "Little Razorblade," which exploded on radio stations from coast to coast as well as on Total Request Live, with MTV describing Teenage Graffiti as "a collection of sweaty, fist-pumping anthems" and declaring that The Pink Spiders' "rock and roll assault was underway."
That album, coupled with the band's no-holds-barred live show, earned them a summer-long appearance on the Van's Warped Tour, a bizarre show in the outfield of Dodger Stadium, and heaps of praise from such respected media outlets as Spin, Billboard, Blender, USA Today and more. Alternative Press named The Pink Spiders as one of its "100 Bands You Need to Know in 2006,” while Rolling Stone said they have “enough catchy charm and ass-kicking propulsion to suggest a ballsier Weezer or a punk-schooled Cheap Trick...the Spiders are ready to spin a power-pop revolution." Entertainment Weekly appreciated their "ideal blend of sweetness and crunch," and Spin declared the album "angst-ridden, smart-assed and slickly catchy."
Having departed from Suretone, as the topsy-turvy world of major labels continues to sway unsteadily on shaky ground, Matt Friction and his bandmates are poised to prove that the success of Teenage Graffiti was no fluke. They have persevered to make sure that their best work to date sees the light of day on the strength of their own efforts, being co-released by Friction’s own label Mean Buzz, via Adrenaline Music.
“My idea of success has always been to do things our way and on our own terms,” says Pink Spiders frontman Matt Friction. “Being an independent band, in control of our own destiny, feels great.”
The Pink Spiders are now priming their fan base for a new fix later this year. With producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Bruce Springsteen) at the helm, the band is set to release Sweat It Out on September 23, 2008. Giving fans a taste of what’s to come, the new album's first single "Gimme Chemicals" - which screams “summer teen anthem” - will be released to radio in August. That tune will be followed thereafter by future hits "Busy Signals" and "Seventeen Candles," the latter of which the band performed earlier this year to over 11 million viewers on the hit reality show Hell's Kitchen.
With the new album prepped to go this fall, the group is currently enjoying a stint on this summer’s renowned Van's Warped Tour, followed by dates on their own headlining tour. On the road and on the radio, Sweat It Out is set to bring the full-on power-pop n’ roll revolution of The Pink Spiders.
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