A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India, Ireland) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher, prep; slang plural frosh, freshmeat or pichones) is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, college or university. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves (e.g. They are first years).

Scotland & Ireland[link]

In Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, the term "first year" refers to the first years of either secondary school or university. In the case of university students, the term "fresher" is also used as in the United Kingdom.

New Zealand[link]

The term first year is used within New Zealand universities, primarily to describe students in their first year of tertiary education direct from secondary school.

Portugal[link]

In the Portuguese Praxe, the whole of the student and academic traditions of Portuguese universities, a major part of it is the hazing of freshmen (in Portuguese, Caloiros). It is accompanied by a series of music festivals and partying.

There is an actual "Praxe Code" that describes the entire set of traditions, including the Freshman's rights. These include "The Freshman has NO rights" so he must obey. One of the traditions includes to force the freshman to sing university songs and paint their faces and nails with several colors and play several games. The tradition says that the haze must not involve harmful content or dangerous games. It is also tradition to host friendly dinners to the freshman so they can meet other people from their course. Usually are the third year students who guide the freshmen, and there´s a symbolic ceremony where the freshmen must choose a Godmother or Godfather from the third year to be his guidance through university years. When the ceremony takes place, the freshman no longer can be hazed unless his godparent gives permission. Most of times it is required that third year students must wear their university traditional outfit to the ceremonies with the freshmen. Usually the sophomores are not allowed to practice haze to freshmen or to join third year students and they are not allowed to wear the university traditional outfit on the first semester.

England & Wales[link]

The term first year is occasionally used in the pre-University and college English education system, and in schools it is no longer in official usage. In England and Wales a student's school career (not including pre-school nursery education) now begins with Reception, usually at the age of four, and continues up to either Year 11 or Year 13 depending on whether the student is going on to further education. However, in informal usage the term "first year" is still very common. Before the introduction of the "Year [number]" in most secondary schools in September 1990, the first year or first form almost always referred to the first year of secondary education. Years 12 and 13 are known as Sixth Form or "lower sixth" and "upper sixth" respectively.

In English universities, new students are referred to as "freshers", but not "freshmen" or "freshwomen". They are, of course, first-years, but generally only called "fresher" early in the first year. At some universities (such as Cambridge) certain students may continue to be referred to as "freshers" until they have sat their first examination.

Scotland[link]

In Scotland, the first year of compulsory education is Primary 1 (P1). The first year of secondary school is known as S1 but one can freely use first year.

At the four ancient Scottish universities the traditional name students for the four years at university Bejant/Bejantine (1st), semi (2nd), Tertian (3rd) and Magistrand (4th), though all Scottish universities will have a "freshers' week" and the term is as widely used with more traditional terms.

United States[link]

In the United States, freshman, rather than being a slang term, is officially used by most high schools and universities.

Freshman is commonly in use as an US English idiomatic term to describe a beginner or novice, someone who is naive, a first effort, instance, or a student in the first year of study (generally referring to high school or university study).^[1]

New members of Congress in their first term are referred to as freshmen senators or freshman congressman, no matter how experienced they were in previous government positions.

High School first year students are almost exclusively referred to as Freshmen, or in some cases by their grade year, 9th graders. Second year students are Sophomores, or 10th graders, then Juniors or 11th graders, and finally Seniors or 12th graders.

At College or University Freshman denotes students in their first year of study. The grade designations of high school are not used, but the terms Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors are kept at most schools. Some Women's colleges in the US do not use the term Freshman, but use the perceived gender neutral term: First Year, instead. Some liberal arts colleges do not use the terms Freshman, Sophomore, etc. at all, but rather stick to First Year, Second Year, Third Year, and Fourth Year designations.^[2] Beyond the fourth year, students are simply classified as fifth years, sixth years, etc. Some institutions use the term freshman for specific reporting purposes.^[3]

See also[link]

• Freshman fifteen
• Sophomore
• Junior (education)
• Senior (education)

References[link]

The Verve
The Verve performing at Madison Square Garden in 2008.
Background information
Origin	Wigan, Greater Manchester, England
Genres	Alternative rock, neo-psychedelia, Britpop, shoegazing, dream pop, space rock
Years active	1990–1995, 1997–1999, 2007–2009
Labels	EMI, Hut, Virgin, Parlophone, Vernon Yard
Associated acts	RPA & The United Nations of Sound, Richard Ashcroft, The Black Ships, The Shining
Website	www.theverve.co.uk
Past members
Richard Ashcroft Nick McCabe Simon Jones Peter Salisbury Simon Tong

The Verve were an English rock band formed in 1989 in Wigan by lead vocalist Richard Ashcroft, guitarist Nick McCabe, bass guitarist Simon Jones and drummer Peter Salisbury. The guitarist and keyboard player Simon Tong later became a member. Beginning with a psychedelic sound indebted to shoegazing and space rock, by the mid-1990s the band had released several EPs and three albums. It also endured name and line-up changes, breakups, health problems, drug abuse and various lawsuits. Filter referred to them as "one of the tightest knit, yet ultimately volatile bands in history".^[1] The band's commercial breakthrough was the 1997 album Urban Hymns, one of the best-selling albums in UK Chart history, and the single "Bitter Sweet Symphony", which became a worldwide hit.^[2] In 1998, the band won two Brit Awards—winning Best British Group, appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in March, and in February 1999, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.^[3][4][5]

Soon after this commercial peak, The Verve broke up in April 1999, citing internal conflicts.^[6] During an eight year split, Ashcroft dismissed talk of a reunion, saying: "You're more likely to get all four Beatles on stage."^[6] The band's original line-up reunited in June 2007, embarking on a tour later that year and releasing the album Forth in August 2008. In 2009, the band broke up for the third time.^[7]

History[link]

[edit] Formation and Verve (1989–1992)

The founding members of Verve met at Winstanley Sixth Form College, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester. The band's first gig was at a friend's birthday party at the Honeysuckle Pub, in Wigan, on 15 August 1990.^[8] Most of the band's early material was created through extensive jam sessions.^[9] Fronted by singer Richard Ashcroft, the band caused a buzz in early 1991 for its ability to captivate audiences with its musical textures and avant-garde sensibilities.

The group were signed by Hut Records in 1991^[10] and their first studio releases in 1992, "All In The Mind", "She's a Superstar", and "Gravity Grave" (along with the December 1992 Verve) saw the band become a critical success, making an impression with freeform guitar work by McCabe and unpredictable vocals by Ashcroft. Those first 3 singles reached the first spot in the UK Indie charts, and "She's a Superstar" did enter the UK Top 75 Singles Chart. The band saw some support from these early days in the United States in some music scenes in big cities like New York connected with psychedelic spacey music.

[edit] A Storm in Heaven (1993–1994)

1993's A Storm in Heaven was the band's full-length debut, produced by esteemed record producer John Leckie (of Radiohead, The Stone Roses, XTC and The Fall fame). "Blue" was released as the lead single and again managed to enter in the UK Top 75 at #69 and reached #2 in the Indie charts. The album was a critical smash, but was only a moderate commercial success, reaching #27 in the UK album chart that summer.^[10] The second single from the album, "Slide Away", topped the UK indie rock charts. During this period the band played a number of gigs with Oasis who, at the time, were relatively unknown.^[11]

In 1994, the band released the album No Come Down, a compilation of b-sides plus a live version of "Gravity Grave" performed at Glastonbury Festival in 1993. It was the band's first release under the name The Verve, following legal difficulties with the jazz label Verve Records.^[12]

The band then played on the travelling U.S. alternative rock festival, Lollapalooza, in the summer of 1994. A new mix of "Blue" was released in the U.S. to promote the band. The tour became notorious for the events of 11 July - Ashcroft was hospitalised for dehydration after a massive session of drinking,^[13] and Salisbury was arrested for destroying a hotel room in Kansas in a drug-fuelled delirium.^[14] However, the band were performing again the very next day.^[15] Ashcroft later recalled: "At the start, it was an adventure, but America nearly killed us."^[16]

[edit] A Northern Soul and first breakup (1995–1996)

The band's physical and mental turmoil continued into the chaotic recording sessions of the band's second album, 1995's A Northern Soul, produced by Owen Morris. The band departed from the neo-psychedelic sounds of A Storm in Heaven and focused more on conventional alternative rock, with Ashcroft's vocals taking a more prominent role in the songs, although reminiscent of some of the early work. Around this period, Oasis guitarist and friend of Ashcroft, Noel Gallagher, dedicated the song "Cast No Shadow" on the album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? to Ashcroft, and Ashcroft returned the gesture by dedicating the song "A Northern Soul" to Noel.

The band released the album's first single "This Is Music" in May, and it reached #35, their first single to reach the Top 40. It was followed by "On Your Own" in June which performed even better, reaching #28. This single was particularly new for The Verve as it was a soulful ballad. The album reached the UK Top 20 upon its release in July, but Ashcroft broke up the band three months later, just before the release of the third single "History", which reached #24 in September. Ashcroft later stated: "I knew that I had to do it earlier on, but I just wouldn't face it. Once you're not happy in anything, there's no point living in it, is there? But my addiction to playing and writing and being in this band was so great that I wouldn't do anything about it. It felt awful because it could have been the greatest time of our lives, with "History" doing well, but I still think I can look myself in the mirror in 30 years time and say, 'Yeah man, you did the right thing.' The others had been through the same thing. It was a mixture of sadness and regret, and relief that we would have some time away."^[17]

Ashcroft reunited with Jones and Salisbury just a few weeks after the breakup, but McCabe did not rejoin them. The new band hired former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, but he spent only a couple of days with the band. The band then chose Simon Tong, a school friend credited with originally teaching Ashcroft and Jones to play guitar. The band made no live appearances for all of 1996, apart from a solo performance from Ashcroft supporting Oasis in New York.^[18] The rest of the year was spent playing and recording songs for a new album.

Commercial success and second breakup (1997–1999)[link]

However, in early 1997, Ashcroft decided to ask McCabe to return, claiming "I got to the point where nothing other than The Verve would do for me".^[19] McCabe obliged and with the original lineup back together (Tong remained on guitar alongside McCabe), the group went through a "spiritual" recording process to finish their third album Urban Hymns which was completed by early summer.

	"Bitter Sweet Symphony" noicon The lead track on their album, Urban Hymns, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is renowned for its signature swirling orchestral melody.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

For the first time in their career, The Verve experienced widespread commercial success with their new material. The album's first single "Bitter Sweet Symphony" entered the UK charts at number 2 in June 1997, but the song's success was marred by legal problems regarding ownership of the song. Even though the group had secured permission to use a sample of 4 bars of an orchestral rendition of "The Last Time" by The Rolling Stones, it was successfully argued that the group had relied too heavily on the song's original vocal melody as well, and they were forced to surrender copyright and royalties to Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.^[20][21] The music video for "Bitter Sweet Symphony", which received heavy rotation on MTV, focuses on Ashcroft lip-synching the song while walking down a busy London pavement, oblivious to what is going on around and refusing to change his stride or direction throughout.^[22][23] In August, the band began playing their first gigs in two years, beginning the Urban Hymns Tour. The next single, "The Drugs Don't Work" gave the band their first UK number 1 single in September.^[24] The album immediately reached number 1 on the charts later that month, knocking off Oasis' highly anticipated album Be Here Now in the process.^[24] The band saw an overwhelming increase in popularity overseas, and "Bitter Sweet Symphony" reached number 12 on the U.S. charts, the band's highest ever American position.^[25] The album reached the US Top 30, going platinum in the process.^[10]

Critic Mike Gee of iZINE said of this time, "The Verve, as he (Richard Ashcroft) promised, had become the greatest band in the world. ...The Verve were no longer the question mark or the cliché. They were the statement and the definition."^[26] By November the band released "Lucky Man" in the UK and reached number 7.^[24] At the 1998 Brit Awards in February, The Verve won the awards for Best British Group and Best British Album (Urban Hymns).^[27] The band's singles were given extensive airplay on US rock stations and Ashcroft, and band mates, appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine in March 1998.^[4] Then, as the band was on a successful tour to promote the album, Jones collapsed on stage. This was the first of many problems to come for the band in the next months. In 1998, McCabe, Tong, Jones and drummer Leon Parr formerly with Mr. So & So and Mosque were commissioned for a soundtrack for a Jonny Lee Miller film which was recorded in Kilburn. These never made it to the final film due to delays on their part. At the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was nominated for Video of the Year, Best Group Video, and Best Alternative Video.^[28]

On 24 May of that year, the band played a homecoming concert in front of 33,000 fans in the grounds of Haigh Hall & Country Park, Aspull, supported by Beck and John Martyn. The band then played gigs in mainland Europe. However, on 7 June a post-show bust-up at Düsseldorf-Philipshalle left McCabe with a broken hand and Ashcroft with a sore jaw. After this, McCabe decided he could not tolerate the pressures of life on the road any longer and pulled out of the tour, leaving the band's future in jeopardy, with rumours of disbandment circulating in the press.

Despite this, the band continued with established session guitarist B. J. Cole replacing McCabe. McCabe's guitar work was heavily sampled and triggered on stage. The band played another American tour, which was riddled with problems as venues were downsized^[29] and the support act Massive Attack dropped out.^[30] The band then returned to England for two headline performances at the V Festivals, which received poor reviews, with NME stating "where songs used to spiral upwards and outwards, they now simply fizzle tamely."^[31] In February 1999, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song.^[32] The Verve played their last gig at Slane Castle in Ireland on 29 August. A long period of inactivity followed. Finally, in April 1999, it was announced that The Verve had split up.^[33]

Post-breakup activities (2000–2006)[link]

By the time the band had split, Ashcroft had already been working on solo material accompanied by, among others, Salisbury and Cole. In 2000, he released his first solo album, Alone with Everybody, which reached number 1 in the UK album charts.^[24] Ashcroft's next album Human Conditions was released to less positive reviews and poorer sales in 2002, and Ashcroft was subsequently absent from the music business for several years. During this time Salisbury was the drummer for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's UK tour in 2004, after their original drummer briefly left due to alcohol and drug abuse. Salisbury also owns a drum shop in Stockport. Ashcroft appeared with Coldplay at Live 8 in 2005, followed by the release of Keys to the World in 2006 and a particularly successful tour that included gigs as the support act for Coldplay's Twisted Logic Tour.

Tong and Jones formed a new group called The Shining, which initially included former Stone Roses guitarist John Squire; however Squire left the band before recording and touring had begun. The band released one album, True Skies, before disbanding in 2003. Jones went on to join the band of Irish artist Cathy Davey. Tong appeared as a live replacement for ex-guitarist Graham Coxon in Blur, and as additional guitarist for Gorillaz (both Jones and Tong played guitar for Demon Days Live). Tong is also a member of an unnamed supergroup formed by Damon Albarn of Blur which released its first album The Good, the Bad & the Queen in January 2007. McCabe worked in different projects like the London-based Neotropic project and played with some established artists, including John Martyn, Leeds-based band The Music, The Beta Band and Faultline.

The Verve's members sometimes expressed bitter sentiments about the band's later years. In his only interview after the split, McCabe said of Urban Hymns: "By the time I got my parts in there it's not really a music fan's record. It just sits nicely next to the Oasis record",^[34] though conceding, "I'm not going to say it was bad. I mean, we were good as far as pop goes".^[34] During his solo career, Ashcroft expressed regret at having asked McCabe to return for the album instead of releasing it under his own name, saying: "Imagine being the guy that's written an album on his own, bottles it near the end, feels like there's unfinished business, rings Nick McCabe up who adds some guitars, puts it out as The Verve and the same problems arise again. Imagine being that mug. I've now got to rewrite history. Everyone thinks those songs are somehow associated with another bunch of people that I'm not with now".^[35] Jones claimed that "The Verve were going off in a direction of strings and ballads, and that's not where I was coming from at all. Loud guitars is it for me",^[36] though noting that this was not why the band split up.^[37]

[edit] Reunion and Forth (2007–2008)

The Verve performing in Greenwich, London on 13 December 2007.

Ashcroft had been adamant that The Verve would not reform, once remarking: "You're more likely to get all four Beatles on stage".^[38] However, after Ashcroft learned that Salisbury was in contact with McCabe over a possible side project, Ashcroft contacted McCabe and Jones, making peace with them, and the band reformed. Tong was not asked to rejoin, so as to keep the internal issues that split the band up a decade ago to an absolute minimum. Jones explained this decision by stating: "It would have been too hard, it's hard enough for the four of us. If you bring more people to it, it's harder to communicate and communication has always been our difficulty".^[39] On 26 June 2007, the band's reunion was announced by Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 1. The band, reuniting in their original line-up, announced they would tour in November 2007, and release an album in 2008. The band stated: "We are getting back together for the joy of music",^[40] though they turned down a multi-album deal offer "because the "treadmill" of releasing albums and touring marked the beginning of the end for the band a decade ago".^[41]

Tickets for their six-gig tour in early November 2007 sold out in less than 20 minutes. The tour began in Glasgow on 2 November, and included 6 performances at the Carling Academy Glasgow, The Empress Ballroom and the London Roundhouse.^[42] Since the 6-gig tour went extremely well in sales, the band booked a second, and bigger tour for December. They played at O2 arena, the SECC in Glasgow, the Odyssey in Belfast, the Nottingham Arena and Manchester Central. Each show from the first and second part of the tour were sold out immediately. The band continued touring in 2008. They played at most of the biggest summer festivals and a few headline shows all over North America, Europe, Japan and the UK between April and August. Including shows at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, also at the Madison Square Garden Theater, and the Pinkpop festival, T in the Park, the V Festival, Oxegen Festival, Rock Werchter, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park and The Eden Project Sessions.^{[43][44][45][46][47]}

The Verve at Pinkpop, Netherlands in 2008.

The band's new single, "Love Is Noise", was premiered by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 on 23 June.^[48] They performed at the coveted Sunday night slot on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury on 29 June, closing the show with the new song. The Verve released a free download of a non-album track, "Mover", on 30 June. The song had been performed by the band in 1994, but had never seen a proper recording until the reunion. The track was available for download from their official website for one week only.

The band announced the new album's title: Forth, which was released in the UK on 25 August and the following day in North America. The album reached #1 on the UK Albums Chart on 31 August. The lead single "Love Is Noise" was released in the UK on 3 August digitally and one week later (11 August) on its physical form, peaking at #4 in the UK.^[49] The song was a moderate success in Europe, charting at #16 in the European chart (with 6 weeks in the Top 20). "Rather Be", the second single from the album, was released in November 2008 but did not become as successful as "Love Is Noise" was, peaking at number 56 on the UK Singles Chart.

The Verve on holiday (2009–present)[link]

In August 2009 The Guardian speculated that The Verve have broken up for a third time,^[50] with Jones and McCabe no longer speaking to Ashcroft as they felt he was using the reunion as a vehicle to get his solo career on track.^[50] Being asked about the supposed split, Ashcroft told The Daily Telegraph, "I can confirm we did what we set out to do [...] Right now there are no plans to be doing anything in the near future."^[7]

McCabe and Jones have since started their own project, The Black Ships, along with electric violinist and arranger Davide Rossi and drummer Mig Schillace.^[50][51] Nick McCabe says "The Verve seems to be on holiday" on his MySpace page.

On July 7, 2010 Ashcroft confirmed that the band "is over for good",^[52] though some weeks later did not rule out another Verve reunion.^[53]

Band members[link]

Official members[link]

• Richard Ashcroft – lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, percussion (1990–1995, 1996–1999, 2007–2009)
• Nick McCabe – lead guitar, piano, keyboards, accordion (1990–1995, 1997–1998, 2007–2009)
• Simon Jones – bass, keyboards, backing vocals (1990–1995, 1996–1999, 2007–2009)
• Peter Salisbury – drums, percussion (1990–1995, 1996–1999, 2007–2009)
• Simon Tong – guitar, keyboards (1996–1999)

Live or session members[link]

• Bernard Butler – lead guitar (1996) (Session member, considered for becoming a full time member before McCabe returned to the band to record Urban Hymns)
• B. J. Cole – lead guitar (1998) (Live member in the final months of 1998 after McCabe's second quit)

Discography[link]

• A Storm in Heaven (1993)
• A Northern Soul (1995)
• Urban Hymns (1997)
• Forth (2008)

Legacy[link]

After The Verve split in 1999, many of their songs have been covered or reinterpreted in recent years, such as in these examples:

• Limp Bizkit created a mashup of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" on their Greatest Hitz album.
• Singer/songwriter Ben Harper covered the song "The Drugs Don't Work" in a live show, which is found on the live album Live From Mars.
• The string section of "Bitter Sweet Symphony" has been sampled by artists such as Madonna and Kanye West in live concerts.
• Moby has created a remix of the song "Bitter Sweet Symphony".^[54]
• In the movie Cruel Intentions, "Bitter Sweet Symphony" is played at the final scene.
• The music video for "Bitter Sweet Symphony" was parodied by Fat Les for the 1998 World Cup song "Vindaloo".
• Also notably Vernon Kay is a big fan of The Verve, and conducted his last interview on T4 with Richard Ashcroft.
• Noel Gallagher of Oasis has covered "Bitter Sweet Symphony" on a few occasions, most recently on the 2006 Acoustic Stop The Clocks Tour. Also, the song "Cast No Shadow" was written as a homage to Richard Ashcroft, who in turn wrote "A Northern Soul" from the band's second album for Noel Gallagher.
• Both "Lucky Man" and "Rather Be" are featured in the film Marley & Me.
• "Lucky Man" is featured in the 2004 film The Girl Next Door.
• "Slide Away" is featured in the film The New Age, during the jacuzzi/party scene, and has also been featured in the House M.D. episode "Ugly".
• "Star Sail", the opening track of A Storm In Heaven, is featured in the 1993 film Sliver and is featured on the Virgin Records US release of the soundtrack.
• "Appalachian Springs" is featured in season 4, episode 19 of the show The Unit.
• "Lucky Man" is featured in the 6th season premiere of HBO's Entourage.
• In 2009, Bitter Sweet Symphony was voted number # 14 in Triple Js Hottest 100 of all time.^[55]
• "One Day" and "The Drugs Don't Work" are played on BBC Two comedy-drama Home Time.
• Three Days Grace's Adam Gontier did an Acoustic Cover of The Verve's "The Drugs Don't Work"

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• The Verve on Myspace
• The Verve at the Internet Movie Database

The Verve Pipe is an American rock band from East Lansing, Michigan. It was formed in 1992 by Brian and Brad Vander Ark, Brian Stout and Donny Brown.^[2]

History[link]

In November 1992, working with producer/engineer Jonathan Frazer, they released their first album, I've Suffered a Head Injury. The original 10-song version of the CD is no longer available. A 7-song version, without the original recording of "The Freshmen" 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. A.J. 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".

Their first major label release was 1996's Villains, which was a minor hit and launched two respectably selling singles, first "Photograph" then the #5 Billboard Hot 100 hit "The Freshmen", which was their one and only hit. They came back with a new album, The Verve Pipe, in 1999. The album, however, failed to contain the commercial appeal of its predecessor.

The band's 2001 release Underneath, contained the song "Colorful", which was featured on the soundtrack of the film, Rock Star and "Happiness Is" featured on the soundtrack of the film "Joe Somebody".

On September 15, 2009, Brian Vander Ark announced on his website that the band will be releasing a new album called A Family Album in October, 2009. The band had been approached to contribute a song for a compilation album called Calling All Kids, which led to them creating an "entire album of family friendly songs". It was also noted in the announcement that a new album of rock material would follow the family album.^[3] Immediately after the release of the family album, the band undertook a series of small-venue performances, mostly around Michigan and the East Coast.^[4]

Timeline[link]

 id:Lead           value:green legend:Vocals,Guitar
 id:Drums          value:gray(0.4)       legend:Drums,Vocals
 id:Bass           value:blue legend:Bass
 id:Guitar         value:red legend:Guitar
 id:Keyboard       value:yellow        legend:Keyboards
 id:Harmonica      value:orange legend:Harmonica
 id:Lines          value:black     legend:Albums
 id:grid1          value:gray(0.3)
 id:Tours          value:gray(0.5)

 at:11/19/1992 color:black layer:back
 at:12/09/1993 color:black layer:back
 at:03/26/1996 color:black layer:back
 at:07/27/1999 color:black layer:back
 at:09/25/2001 color:black layer:back
 at:12/18/2007 color:black layer:back
 at:10/06/2009 color:black layer:back

 bar:BVA text:"Brian Vander Ark"
 bar:DB text:"Donny Brown"
 bar:BVA2 text:"Brad Vander Ark"
 bar:BS text:"Brian Stout"
 bar:AJD text:"AJ Dunning"
 bar:DC text:"Doug Corella"
 bar:CG text:"Craig Griffith"
 bar:JF text:"Joel Ferguson"
 bar:DM text:"Dan Matheny"
 bar:JC text:"John Connors"
 bar:LM text:"Lou Musa"
 bar:RS text:"Randy Sly"
 bar:AR text:"Andy Reed"

 width:10 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
 bar:BVA from:01/01/1992 till:end color:Lead
 bar:DB from:01/01/1992 till:end color:Drums
 bar:BVA2 from:01/01/1992 till:08/01/2001 color:Bass
 bar:BS from:01/01/1992 till:03/31/1993 color:Guitar
 bar:AJD from:04/01/1993 till:05/31/2002 color:Guitar
 bar:AJD from:08/01/2008 till:04/17/2009 color:Guitar
 bar:DC from:01/01/1994 till:02/01/2010 color:Keyboard
 bar:CG from:01/01/2002 till:end color:Harmonica 
 bar:JF from:01/04/2001 till:12/31/2007 color:Bass
 bar:DM from:06/01/2002 till:06/30/2008 color:Guitar
 bar:JC from:06/01/2005 till:08/26/2010 color:Bass
 bar:LM from:04/30/2009 till:end color:Guitar
 bar:RS from:02/01/2010 till:end color:Keyboard
 bar:AR from:09/01/2010 till:end color:Bass

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Pop Smear (December 1993)
• Villains (March 1996) #24 U.S. RIAA Platinum
• The Verve Pipe (July 1999) #158 U.S.
• Underneath (September 2001)
• A Family Album (October 2009)^[2]

EPs

• I've Suffered a Head Injury (November 19, 1992)^[2]
• A Homemade Holiday (December 18, 2007)

Compilation albums

• Platinum & Gold Collection (March 2004)
• Super Hits (2007)

Singles[link]

^[2]

Compilation appearances[link]

• Yikes! Records: So This Is East Lansing Vol. 1 - "Spoonful of Sugar" (original mix) (1993)
• Aware Vol. 2 - "Spoonful of Sugar" and "What You Wanted" (1994)
• Jensen International Sampler - "Spoonful Of Sugar"
• Westwood One Entertainment Play Station Sampler (PSX)- "Drive You Mild" (remix) (1995)
• Yikes! Records Vol. 5...So This is a Compilation...Best of Michigan - "Blue Beret" (XTC) (1995)
• A Testimonial Dinner — The Songs of XTC - "Wake Up!" (XTC) (Thirsty Ear Records) (1995)
• CMJ New Music Monthly Sampler - "Photograph" (1996)
• WGRD RadioactivII - "Veneer" (live)
• EdgeFest 1996 (Dayton, Ohio) - "Photograph" (live) and "Cup Of Tea" (live)
• LAUNCH CD-ROM (vol. 8) - Interview & "Villains" (live)
• WKLQHometown Music Search III - "Villains" and "Reverend Girl" (live) (1996)
• Aris' Big Disc 3 - "Villains" and "Reverend Girl" (live) (1996)
• SuperSnax Summer '96 - "Cup Of Tea"
• SuperSnax Winter '96 - "Photograph"
• Singles Mix 1 Volume 33 - "Photograph"
• FMBQ Modern Rock Sampler 3/96 - "Photograph"
• Pulse Cuts Vol.1 - "Cup of Tea"
• Groove Wallet - "Cup of Tea"
• Album Network's Rock Tune-Up #151 1996 - "Cup Of Tea"
• Virtually Alternative 70 - "Cup Of Tea"
• Virtually Alternative - "Villains"
• 81 Disc A - "Villains"
• RCA Summer/Fall 1996 Sampler - "The Freshmen" (album version) and "Penny is Poison"
• FMBQ Vol. 25 Morning Sickness '96 - "The Freshmen" (mix 1) and "The Freshmen" (album edit)
• All-Star Cover Songs 4/28/97 - "Strawberry Fields" (live)
• Hit Zone (BMG) - "The Freshmen"
• Hits Post Modern Syndrome - "The Freshmen"
• Airwalk Sno-Core Tour '97 - "The Freshmen"
• WBCN Naked Disc - "The Freshmen" (acoustic live in studio performance) (1997)
• WGRD RadioActiv3 - "Cup of Tea" (acoustic live in studio performance) (1997)
• KNDD The End Sessions - "The Freshmen" (acoustic live in studio performance)
• Sam Goody/Musicland Class Of '97 - A Year In Review Sampler - "Photograph"
• MuchMusic Big Shiny Tunes Vol. 2 - "The Freshmen"
• Y-100FM Sonic Sessions - "The Freshmen" (live in studio performance) (1997)
• Sweet Digizine CD-ROM Vol. 1, Issue 2 (retail version)
• Great Expectations (soundtrack) - "Her Ornament" (1998)
• MTV 120 Minutes Live - "Villains" (live) (1998)
• The Avengers (soundtrack) - "Blow You Away" (1998)
• Clay Pigeons (soundtrack) - "1229 Sheffield" (1998)
• Best Of Rockline - "Drive You Mild" (live in studio performance) (1999)
• Rock Star (soundtrack) - "Colorful" (2001)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• The Verve Pipe on Myspace
• Brian Vander Ark's official website
• Brian Vander Ark on Myspace
• The Verve Pipe collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Jeffery Johnson Jr. (born April 2, 1990), better known by his stage name Roscoe Dash, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia.

Career[link]

Early career[link]

Johnson started composing rap lyrics at the age of 12, after his older brother Snooki introduced him into the world of hip-hop.^[1] In high school, he and his brother Snooki put together a rap group that consisted of four young men who went by the name of “Black Out Boiz aka B.O.B.”, where his original stage name “ATL” came into play and also where his eccentric use of the "mohawk" hairstyle became as he thought popular. Though the group had been receiving positive notoriety, ATL (Johnson) would eventually leave “Black Out Boiz aka B.O.B.” and get started in his pursuit of solo projects.^[2] He continued recording in his basement and making mixtapes to network himself, and this hard work led Johnson to come across his cousin, Torrey “YT” Hood, who happened to be a sponsor of a local rap group who called themselves Travis Porter.^[3] He let them listen to a song he had recorded at the time called “All the Way Turnt Up”,^[4] and the group automatically wanted to be a part of it. Since Travis Porter was already an established local group, he handed the song over to them and was featured on the track. It was featured on Travis Porter’s next mixtape,” I’m a Differenter 2”^[5] The hit became very popular, but most people labeled the song as being Travis Porter’s. The song was accredited as “Travis Porter featuring YT and "ShadowFade.” He felt as if he wasn’t getting enough credit for the song that he had created. This caused conflicts between Johnson and Travis Porter. Johnson soon recognized that he had to create a new identity other than “Shadowfade” to restart his career, and be acknowledged for his own work.^[6] He “Googled” names of comic book heroes, and came across the name “Roscoe Dash.” Johnson says, “I needed something more marketable. I felt Shadowfade would have given my secret identity away. Plus it put me in that box of an Atlanta rapper so I needed something that would catch the ears and eyes of whoever was listening or reading the name Roscoe Dash and make them want to do research on Roscoe Dash.”^[7]

Major label success[link]

Roscoe Dash released a song All the Way Turnt Up! was originally recorded with Travis Porter, and released on their mixtape I'm a Differenter. Dash was only credited as a featured artist. According to Travis Porter, this was just a mistake.^[8]

Later, he recorded the song again, featuring Soulja Boy Tell 'Em. The song turned into a club hit, and Roscoe Dash signed with Interscope. He then recorded the album Ready Set Go, but in his opinion, the album was released unfinished. So, it currently has no release date after a couple pushbacks^[9]. He therefore refers to the following EP J.U.I.C.E. as his first album.^[10]

In 2012 Dash was featured on the cover of XXL as part of their annual "Top 10 Freshmen list" along with fellow rappers French Montana, Machine Gun Kelly, Hopsin, Iggy Azalea and Danny Brown.^[11]

Personal life[link]

Johnson is the oldest of his siblings. He has a brother, two half-sisters, and two stepbrothers. Johnson also has a daughter, she was born August 13, 2005, which he had at age 15.

Discography[link]

Studio Albums

• Ready Set Go! (TBA)

Extended plays

• J.U.I.C.E. (2011)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Roscoe Dash at Allmusic

George Kelly Barnes
Mugshot of George "Machine Gun Kelly" Barnes
Born	(1895-07-18)July 18, 1895 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	July 18, 1954(1954-07-18) (aged 59) Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.
Charge(s)	Conspiracy to kidnap and bank robbing
Occupation	Gangster, bootlegger and businessman
Spouse	Kathryn Kelly

George Celino Barnes (July 18, 1895 – July 18, 1954), better known as "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster during the prohibition era.^[1][2] His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thompson submachine gun. His most famous crime was the kidnapping of oil tycoon and businessman Charles Urschel in July 1933 for which he, and his gang, earned $200,000 ransom. Unfortunately, their victim had collected and left considerable evidence that assisted the subsequent FBI investigation that eventually led to Kelly's arrest in Memphis, Tennessee on September 26, 1933.^[2] His crimes also included bootlegging and armed robbery.

Career[link]

During the Prohibition era of the 1920s and 1930s Kelly worked as a bootlegger for himself as well as a colleague. After a short time, and several run-ins with the local Memphis police, he decided to leave town and head west with his girlfriend. To protect his family and escape law enforcement officers, he changed his name to George R. Kelly.^[3] He continued to commit smaller crimes and bootlegging. He was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for smuggling liquor onto an Indian Reservation in 1928 and sentenced for three years to Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas, beginning February 11, 1928. He was reportedly a model inmate and was released early. Shortly thereafter, Kelly married Kathryn Thorne, who purchased Kelly’s first machine gun and went to great lengths to familiarize his name in the underground crime circles. She was known to hand out the expended .45cal cartridge casings from his Tommy Gun as souvenirs. Some historians claim that Kathryn even went so far as to plot some small bank robberies.^{[citation needed]}

George "Machine Gun" Kelly is led from Shelby County Jail enroute to the Memphis airport and Oklahoma City for his trial for the kidnapping of Charles F. Urschel, October 2, 1933

Nonetheless, Kelly’s last criminal activity proved disastrous when he kidnapped a wealthy Oklahoma City resident, Charles F. Urschel and his friend Walter R. Jarrett. Urschel, having been blindfolded, made sure to foil his kidnappers by noting all possible evidence of his experience such as background sounds, counting footsteps and leaving fingerprints on every surface in reach. This in turn proved invaluable for the FBI in their investigation, as they learned that Urschel had been held in Paradise, Texas.

Machine Gun Kelly's hideout at 1408 Rayner Street in Memphis, Tennnessee (2010)

An investigation conducted at Memphis disclosed that after 56 days on the run, the Kellys were staying at the residence of J.C. Tichenor. Special Agents from Birmingham, Alabama, headed by Special Agent in Charge, William "ash" Rorer, were immediately dispatched to Memphis on the orders of J. Edgar Hoover, where, in the early morning hours of September 26, 1933 a raid was conducted, led by agent Rorer. George and Kathryn Kelly were taken into custody and Memphis police officers Sergeant William Raney and officer Thomas Waterson. Caught without a weapon, George Kelly supposedly cried, "Don’t shoot, G-Men! Don’t shoot, G-Men!" as he surrendered to FBI Agents. The term (which had applied to all federal investigators, meaning simply 'Government Men') became synonymous with FBI Agents. Reports of the raid, however, indicate that George Kelly came to the door, dropped his pistol and said, "Okay, boys, I’ve been waiting for you all night." Recent research revealed a 1933 newspaper interview with one of the federal agents at the arrest. He commented that, upon their arrest, Kathryn Kelly put her arms around George and said, "These G-men will never leave us alone." The FBI press machine generated the G-Man story to build its own reputation.^[4] The arrest of the Kellys, however, was overshadowed by the escape of John Dillinger's gang from Michigan City, Indiana.

In October 1933, George and Kathryn Kelly were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. The trial was held at the Post Office, Courthouse and Federal Office Building in Oklahoma City. Kathryn Kelly and her mother had all charges dropped and were released in 1958 from prison in Cincinnati.

The kidnapping of Urschel and the two trials that resulted were historic in several ways: 1) they were the only federal criminal trials in the United States in which moving cameras were allowed to film; 2) the first kidnapping trials after the passage of the so-called Lindbergh Law, which made kidnapping a federal crime; 3) the first major case solved by J. Edgar Hoover’s evolving and powerful FBI. For that, Kelly got sent into Alcatraz; 4) the first crime in which defendants were transported by airplane. At the time, it was the largest ransom ever paid in the United States.

Death[link]

His gravestone marked "George B. Kelley"

Machine Gun Kelly spent his remaining 21 years in prison. During his time at Alcatraz he got the nickname "Pop Gun Kelly." This was in reference, according to a former prisoner, to the fact that Kelly was a model prisoner and was nowhere near the tough, brutal gangster his wife made him out to be. He spent 17 years on Alcatraz, working in the prison industries, and was quietly transferred back to Leavenworth in 1951. He died of a heart attack at Leavenworth Federal Prison, Kansas on July 18, 1954, his 59th birthday. He is buried at Cottondale Texas Cemetery with a small headstone marked "George B. Kelley 1954".^[5]

In popular culture[link]

• Crime novelist Ace Atkins' 2010 book Infamous is based on the Urschel kidnapping and subsequent multi-state misadventures of George and Kathryn Kelly as they attempted to flee both the FBI and other gangsters eager to claim the Urschel ransom money.
• Machine Gun Kelly and Kathryn Kelly were the inspiration for "Machine Gun Kelly" (1970), a song written by Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar and recorded by James Taylor on his 1971 Album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon.
• Machine Gun Kelly and his crimes were (loosely) portrayed in the 1958 film Machine-Gun Kelly starring Charles Bronson.
• Machine Gun Kelly is a central character in the 1974 TV film Melvin Purvis: G-Man.
• Kelly is (along with Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson) one of the main characters of the comic book series Pretty, Baby, Machine.
• Punk band the Angelic Upstarts released a single in 1984 titled Machine Gun Kelly.
• Machine Gun Kelly is referenced in the film So I Married an Axe Murderer by Phil Hartman's character while touring Alcatraz.
• In the song "MVP" by the late Harlem rapper Big L, he says: "I run up like Machine Gun Kelly, with a black skully, put one in your belly, leave you smelly, then take your Pelle Pelle."
• In the song "Bluesman" by Harry Chapin, there's a line that goes "No! A fool plays the blues like Machine Gun Kelly, Five hundred notes to the bar...".
• Female Rapper Foxy Brown refers to "Machine Gun Kelly" in her song "Massacre"
• Mentioned in These Animal Men's I'm Not Your Babylon: "Machine Gun Kelly was the first to crack".
• Rapper of the same name from Cleveland, Ohio. See Machine Gun Kelly (rapper).

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Machine Gun Kelly

Further reading[link]

• Hamilton, Stanley (2003). Machine Gun Kelly's Last Stand. University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1247-5. 
• Atkins, Ace (2010). Infamous. G.P. Putnam's Sons. 
• Dowd, James (April 26, 2010). Book tells tale of capturing infamous Machine Gun Kelly. Memphis Commercial Appeal (newspaper). http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/apr/26/capturing-kelly/. 

External links[link]

• Machine Gun Kelly at Find a Grave
• FBI file on George "Machine Gun Kelly" Barnes