Lit (band) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lit
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Lit performing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut in 2005
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Razzle (1988–1994) Stain (1994–1995) |
| Origin | Orange County, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Lit is an American rock band that started in 1988. They are from Orange County, California. The band is most famous for their 1999 album A Place in the Sun. This album included their big hit song "My Own Worst Enemy". Other popular songs from the album were "Zip-Lock" and "Miserable". A Place in the Sun sold so well that it became a platinum album.
History of the Band
Early Years (1986–1995)
The band's story began in 1986. Guitarist Jeremy Popoff and bassist Kevin Baldes met and started playing music. In 1987, Jeremy Popoff formed a band called Strate Lace. They played a few shows.
Around 1988, Kevin Baldes and Jeremy's younger brother, A. Jay Popoff, formed a band called Razzle. Kevin played bass and sang, and A. Jay played drums. Their first show was in June 1988. In 1989, A. Jay became the lead singer. Jeremy Popoff joined on guitar, and Allen Shellenberger joined on drums.
The band released a demo tape in 1990 and an EP called New Vibe Revolution in 1993. Razzle then changed their name to Stain in 1994. Their music became heavier. They released another demo in 1995. Later that year, they found out the name "Stain" was already taken. So, they changed their name one last time to Lit.
First Album and New Record Deal (1996–1997)
Lit released their first album, Tripping the Light Fantastic, on April 1, 1997. They played many local shows and toured with other bands. This helped them gain more fans.
Their record label, Malicious Vinyl, soon lost its ability to distribute music widely. This allowed Lit to leave their contract. They then spent time writing new songs. In 1998, Lit signed a new deal with RCA Records.
Becoming Famous (1998–2002)
Lit became very popular with their second album, A Place in the Sun, released in February 1999. The song "My Own Worst Enemy" was a huge hit. It was number one on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart for 11 weeks. It also won a Billboard Music Award.
After that, they released "Zip-Lock" and "Miserable". The video for "Zip-Lock" featured the band Blink-182. The video for "Miserable" featured actress Pamela Anderson. Soon after, A Place in the Sun became a platinum album in the US. It was also certified gold in Canada. This made it the band's best-selling album.
Lit played over 286 shows to support the album. They toured all over the world. They played at the Vans Warped Tour and Woodstock 1999. They also toured with bands like the Offspring and No Doubt. Their songs were used in movies like Ready to Rumble and The Replacements. The band also appeared on TV shows and in the movie Replicate.
In 2001, Lit released their next album, Atomic. The song "Lipstick and Bruises" was their highest-charting single from this album. Lit toured to support Atomic. They also helped other bands release music through their own label, Dirty Martini.
New Album and a Sad Loss (2003–2009)
Lit continued to tour and play at festivals. On June 24, 2004, they released their self-titled album, Lit. The song "Looks Like They Were Right" became a Top 40 hit. In November 2004, they released their first DVD, All Access.
In May 2008, the band shared sad news. Their drummer, Allen Shellenberger, was diagnosed with brain cancer. He received treatment, but sadly, the cancer was incurable. Lit had to cancel some tour dates with Kiss.
On July 26, 2008, Lit held a benefit concert for Allen in California. Many bands played to support him. No Doubt drummer Adrian Young even filled in for some songs. Allen Shellenberger played his last show with the band on September 28, 2008. He passed away from cancer on August 13, 2009, at age 39.
On November 23, 2009, Lit played their first concert since Allen's death. Nathan Walker, who had helped out before, became their new drummer. The band then announced they were working on a new album.
New Music and Tours (2010–2014)
In April 2010, Lit mentioned they might sign with a major record label again. They also started working on new songs. In September 2010, Kevin Baldes confirmed that Lit was in the studio. They were recording their sixth album with producer Marti Frederiksen.
In December 2011, Lit announced they were finishing their new album with producer Butch Walker. They also signed with Megaforce Records. Their new album, The View from the Bottom, was released on June 19, 2012. The first song, "You Tonight", came out in May 2012.
In 2013, the band released a video for their song "Miss You Gone". On December 9, 2013, Lit announced a special show. They would play their entire A Place in the Sun album to celebrate its 15th anniversary. This show happened on February 28, 2014.
Changing Sounds (2015–2021)
On October 1, 2015, the band shared that they were working on new music. On October 26, 2016, Lit's music video for their new song "Fast" was released. It became number one on a TV countdown.
The band announced a campaign for their new album on December 6, 2016. They also released another new song, "Back with You". These songs showed a change in their sound. They started to include more country influences. The band released their sixth album, These Are the Days, on December 15, 2017.
Lit's song "My Own Worst Enemy" became double platinum on May 8, 2020. On June 12, 2020, the band released their first live album. It was called Live in NY, 99 and was from their performance at Woodstock '99. On July 3, 2020, they released a video for an old song called "Get Back".
The band released a new song called "Yeah Yeah Yeah" on October 25, 2021. The music video for the song came out a few days later.
Latest Album (2022–present)
Lit announced their seventh studio album, Tastes Like Gold, on April 8, 2022. They also released the song "Kicked Off The Plane" that same day. The album was released on June 17. Lit joined Bowling for Soup for a tour in Europe in April. They also toured across the eastern United States in May.
Musical Style and Influences
Lit's first album, Tripping the Light Fantastic, mixed punk rock, grunge, and heavy metal. For their album A Place in the Sun, they changed to a pop-punk and power pop style.
Overall, Lit is mainly known for their alternative rock and pop-punk sound. They have also been described as post-grunge. With their 2017 album, These Are the Days, they explored a country sound. However, they returned to rock music with their 2022 album, Tastes Like Gold.
Lit has been influenced by many different artists. Some of these include Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Jimi Hendrix, the Cars, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Nirvana, Weezer, Metallica, Elvis Costello, Ozzy Osbourne, and Boston.
Band Members
Current Members
- Kevin Baldes – bass (1988–present), backing vocals (2004–present); co-lead vocals (1988–1989)
- A. Jay Popoff – lead vocals, percussion, acoustic guitar (1989–present); drums, percussion (1988–1989)
- Jeremy Popoff – lead guitar, backing vocals (1989–present)
- Taylor Carroll – drums, percussion (2018–present)
Former Members
- Sean Holland – guitar, backing vocals (1988–1992; only with band as Razzle)
- Charles Ward – lead vocals (1988–1989; only with band as Razzle)
- Allen Shellenberger – drums, percussion (1989–2009; his death); backing vocals (2004–2009)
- Chadd Anthony (Chad Benekos) – guitar, backing vocals (1992–1995; only with band as Razzle and Stain)
- Nathan Walker – drums, percussion (touring substitute 2008, 2009; 2009–2016)
- Ryan Gillmor – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2010–2012, 2016–2020; touring member 2015–2016; touring guest 2013)
- Evan Kilbourne – drums, percussion (touring member 2017; 2017–2018; touring substitute 2018)
Former Touring Members
- Terry Stirling Jr. – drums, percussion (2016)
Touring Substitutes
- Adrian Young – drums, percussion (2008)
- Rich Redmond – drums, percussion (2008)
- Stan Frazier – drums (2008)
Touring Guests
- Jay Sparring – guitar (2013)
Timeline
Discography
- Studio albums
- Tripping the Light Fantastic (1997)
- A Place in the Sun (1999)
- Atomic (2001)
- Lit (2004)
- The View from the Bottom (2012)
- These Are the Days (2017)
- Tastes Like Gold (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Lit para niños
