Despite the similarity in name to the British band The Verve, there is no relation between the two.
In 1992, working with producer/engineer Jon Frazer, they released their first album, I've Suffered a Head Injury, which featured an acoustic version of the band's calling-card hit, "The Freshmen." The original 10-song version of the CD is no longer available. A 7-song version, without the original recording of "The Freshmen" and two songs written by Stout, was later released as an EP.
The band, known for its energetic live performances, built strong followings during its early years, especially in the college towns of Kalamazoo and East Lansing.
In the fall of 1993, the band released a second album, Pop Smear again working with Frazer that helped them gain a devoted following in their native state of Michigan and their eventual signing with RCA Records in 1995. AJ Dunning replaced Stout on guitar for the recording of Pop Smear and remained in the band for their three RCA records. This album featured the popular tracks "Spoonful of Sugar" and "Victoria" among others. While Doug Corolla played on Pop Smear, he was not a full member of the band until 1994.
Their first major label release was 1996's Villains, which was a minor hit and launched two respectably-selling singles, first Photograph then the #1 hit The Freshmen. They came back with The Verve Pipe in 1999, with such tracks as "Supergig," "Generations" and "She Has Faces." The album, however, failed to contain the commercial appeal of its predecessor.
The band's final release for RCA Records was 2001's Underneath. The song "Colorful," from Underneath, was featured on the soundtrack of Rock Star. Underneath's release unfortunately coincided with the September 11th terroist attacks which contributed to the album's poor sales which led to the band being dropped from RCA.
On September 15, 2009, Brian Vander Ark announced on his Web site that the band would be releasing a new album called A Family Album in October, 2009. The band had been approached to contribute a song for an album called "Calling All Kids" which led to them creating an entire album of family friendly songs.
Lead singer Brian Vander Ark has also released four solo albums: 2003's Resurrection, 2006's Angel, Put Your Face On, 2008's self-titled release Brian Vander Ark and 2011's Magazine.
Since the release of Underneath, the band's line up has changed frequently with former members including Joel Ferguson, Dan Matheny and John Conners. The current line up is as follows:
* Brian Vander Ark – lead vocals, guitars
* Donny Brown – drums, background vocals
* Andy Reed – bass, background vocals
* Randy Sly – keyboards, background vocals
* Lou Musa - guitars, background vocals
* Craig Griffith - harmonica, background vocals
Supergig
The Verve Pipe Lyrics
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Angry once, we're not so anymore
And all that we desire is sweep the stage of fliers
It was funny once it's not so anymore
Me, I've got a super gig, got a brand new rig
I'll crank it for you all
Once seemed loud, he's not so anymore
The catalog of ballads we played to clean your plates
We used to care, we don't care anymore
Me, I've got a super sound when I play around the gyms or parties
Me, I've got a super sound either way
There's not a missing link no matter what you think
Right before the break-up we turn around and make up
Once stupid we are not so anymore
The fear of bargain basements are gone without a trace, yeah
We used to care, we don't care anymore
There ain't no way any super girl's gonna change my world
Or keep me down cause
Me, I've got a super rig whether at a gig or playing in my room
The Verve Pipe's song, Supergig, is a commentary on the evolution of a band's mentality and approach to their craft. The opening lines, "Turn the cushions over, tonight we're coming over / Angry once, we're not so anymore," indicate that the band is no longer as angry or aggressive as they used to be. They have grown and matured, and their priorities have shifted. Instead of being focused on anger and rebellion, they are now more interested in putting on a good show and sweeping the stage clean of fliers. The line, "It was funny once it's not so anymore," suggests that their sense of humor has also changed over time.
The chorus, "Me, I've got a super gig, got a brand new rig / I'll crank it for you all," highlights the band's renewed enthusiasm for their music. They have invested in new equipment and are excited to showcase their sound to their fans. The line, "The drummer's got a hard-on for every song he starts on," speaks to the drummer's passion and enthusiasm for each and every song they play. The band's catalog of ballads, which they used to play to "clean your plates," is no longer as important to them, as they have moved on from caring about pleasing their audience in that way.
The final verse speaks to the band's ability to overcome obstacles and evolve over time. "There's not a missing link no matter what you think / Right before the break-up we turn around and make up / Once stupid we are not so anymore / The fear of bargain basements are gone without a trace, yeah / We used to care, we don't care anymore," suggests that the band has been through some tough times in the past, but they have come out on the other side stronger and more resilient. They no longer fear failure or rejection, and they are not concerned with impressing anyone but themselves.
Line by Line Meaning
Turn the cushions over, tonight we're coming over
We're excited to come over and hang out, let's freshen up the place a bit!
Angry once, we're not so anymore
We used to be angsty and upset about things, but we're over that now and just want to have a good time.
And all that we desire is sweep the stage of fliers
We just want to clean up the stage and start fresh for our performance.
It was funny once it's not so anymore
We used to find certain things amusing or entertaining, but we've moved on and our tastes have changed.
Me, I've got a super gig, got a brand new rig
I'll crank it for you all
I'm excited to play my music for all of you and I have some new equipment that I'm eager to use.
The drummer's got a hard-on for every song he starts on
Once seemed loud, he's not so anymore
The drummer is really into the music and gets excited to perform each song. We used to think they played too loudly, but it doesn't bother us now.
The catalog of ballads we played to clean your plates
We used to care, we don't care anymore
We used to play more mellow songs to appease the audience, but now we play what we want and don't worry as much about pleasing everyone else.
There's not a missing link no matter what you think
Right before the break-up we turn around and make up
Once stupid we are not so anymore
The fear of bargain basements are gone without a trace, yeah
We used to care, we don't care anymore
Despite any doubts or disagreements we may have had, we always come back together and make it work. We used to worry about performing in less prestigious venues, but now we don't care as much and are more focused on the music itself.
There ain't no way any super girl's gonna change my world
Or keep me down cause
Me, I've got a super rig whether at a gig or playing in my room
No one person is going to have complete control over me or change the course of my life, because I have my music and my own personal drive to keep going.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: A.J. DUNNING, BRAD VANDER ARK, BRIAN VANDER ARK, DONNY BROWN, DOUG CORELLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind