Red Hot Valentines
Indie Rock / Undefined
The Red Hot Valentines have earned their place as one of today's most promising acts by sharing the stage with the Alkaline Trio, Superdrag and other luminaries of the indie-rock movement along with an impressive string of releases. The group recently signed to Polyvinyl Records, the label that helped launch such acts as Braid, Rainer Maria, and Mates of State.
After forming in a dormroom at an Illinois college, the band quickly took shape with founding members Jeff Johnson and Toby Kirk collaborating on guitars and vocals. "We originally set out to write the catchiest pop songs possible and along with guitars, we used this little Casio synth" explains Johnson. "In a way, it was our own almost sarcastic response to the cheesy mainstream pop stuff that was starting to become popular at the time" Kirk elaborates. Melding their early 90's alt-rock influences with a more overt pop sensibility garnered instant interest and a band was soon formed. Eric Humbert and David Gerkin were recruited to play drums and bass, respectively, and the band relocated to Champaign, Illinois where keyboardist Tyson Markley signed on in the Spring of 2002.
The band's latest release, a Matt Allison (Alkaline Trio) produced split EP with Chicago band Retro Morning, was released this summer on Double Zero Records and made an impressive debut on the CMJ charts. Their debut full length album originally self-released in February of 2002 was also picked up by Double Zero this summer. In late August the band plans to enter Pogo Studios with Mark Rubel (Hum, Shiner) to record a new three song EP for Polyvinyl. A comprehensive fall tour is planned in support of the new EP. The 'Valentines will be recording their second full length this winter, to be released on the Polyvinyl label in spring 2003.
|