Post by flickerfan01 on Apr 16, 2007 16:43:10 GMT -5
Still Flickering: VH1 ‘Bands on the Run’ champs outlive TV notoriety
By Michael Marotta
Monday, April 16, 2007 - Updated: 05:52 AM EST
Once a VH1 “band on the run,” Flickerstick is now just another band on the road.
That’s perfectly fine with singer Brandin Lea.
In 2001, Flickerstick won the VH1 musical reality show “Bands on the Run.” The members of the Texas band, on an East Coast tour that rolls into the Middle East tonight, understand that their TV fame still overshadows their music, a situation they may never be able to change.
“I don’t think it’ll ever be possible,” Lea said from a Florida tour stop. “At the same time, it doesn’t bother me anymore. We never expected to be a triple-platinum-selling stadium band. We just wanted to tour.”
No coincidence that the band that won the TV contest is the only one of the four competing outfits still working the tour circuit: Flickerstick’s shiny indie rock triumphed over San Diego’s rap-rocking Soulcracker, Los Angeles’ neo-goth, chick-led Harlow, and the piano-mad funk-rock of Philadelphia’s Josh Dodes Band.
Lea hasn’t spoken to the other bands in a long time.
“Not for many years,” he deadpanned.
After winning the “Survivor”-style battle of unsigned bands six years ago, Flickerstick immediately was signed to Epic Records, which released the band’s first single, “Smile,” on Sept. 11, 2001. Talk about bad timing.
A rereleased version of the band’s self-released “Welcoming Home the Astronauts” followed a month later, but sales were disappointing despite a heavy promotional push from VH1. Not long after, Epic bid Flickerstick goodbye.
Still, Flickerstick couldn’t escape a backlash from cynical fans. VH1’s heavy promo push followed a suspect “Bands on the Run” finale featuring a poorly explained scoring system that led many viewers to believe Flickerstick’s victory was the result of a fix.
“No, but I wish it was,” Lea said with a laugh. “It would have been a lot easier for all of us.”
If the show wasn’t fixed, its budget was certainly broken. Despite the popularity of “Bands on the Run” and an Emmy nomination, VH1 pulled the plug on a second season.
But Flickerstick has survived the ups and downs, including the departure of hard-partying drummer Dominic Weir in 2002 and co-founding guitarist Corey Kreig in 2005. The band has released two studio CDs, two live CDs and an EP since its brush with celebrity, but Lea is left wondering whether the experience was worth it.
If he had the choice, would he do it all over again?
“Probably not, but it’s such a double-edged sword,” he said.“We just keep on going. We’ve been to a lot of good cities. And (the crowds the band’s notoriety still attracts) makes playing not-so-good cities on a Monday night feel all right.”
Flickerstick, at the Middle East, Cambridge, tonight. Call 617-864-EAST.
- mmarotta@bostonherald.com
By Michael Marotta
Monday, April 16, 2007 - Updated: 05:52 AM EST
Once a VH1 “band on the run,” Flickerstick is now just another band on the road.
That’s perfectly fine with singer Brandin Lea.
In 2001, Flickerstick won the VH1 musical reality show “Bands on the Run.” The members of the Texas band, on an East Coast tour that rolls into the Middle East tonight, understand that their TV fame still overshadows their music, a situation they may never be able to change.
“I don’t think it’ll ever be possible,” Lea said from a Florida tour stop. “At the same time, it doesn’t bother me anymore. We never expected to be a triple-platinum-selling stadium band. We just wanted to tour.”
No coincidence that the band that won the TV contest is the only one of the four competing outfits still working the tour circuit: Flickerstick’s shiny indie rock triumphed over San Diego’s rap-rocking Soulcracker, Los Angeles’ neo-goth, chick-led Harlow, and the piano-mad funk-rock of Philadelphia’s Josh Dodes Band.
Lea hasn’t spoken to the other bands in a long time.
“Not for many years,” he deadpanned.
After winning the “Survivor”-style battle of unsigned bands six years ago, Flickerstick immediately was signed to Epic Records, which released the band’s first single, “Smile,” on Sept. 11, 2001. Talk about bad timing.
A rereleased version of the band’s self-released “Welcoming Home the Astronauts” followed a month later, but sales were disappointing despite a heavy promotional push from VH1. Not long after, Epic bid Flickerstick goodbye.
Still, Flickerstick couldn’t escape a backlash from cynical fans. VH1’s heavy promo push followed a suspect “Bands on the Run” finale featuring a poorly explained scoring system that led many viewers to believe Flickerstick’s victory was the result of a fix.
“No, but I wish it was,” Lea said with a laugh. “It would have been a lot easier for all of us.”
If the show wasn’t fixed, its budget was certainly broken. Despite the popularity of “Bands on the Run” and an Emmy nomination, VH1 pulled the plug on a second season.
But Flickerstick has survived the ups and downs, including the departure of hard-partying drummer Dominic Weir in 2002 and co-founding guitarist Corey Kreig in 2005. The band has released two studio CDs, two live CDs and an EP since its brush with celebrity, but Lea is left wondering whether the experience was worth it.
If he had the choice, would he do it all over again?
“Probably not, but it’s such a double-edged sword,” he said.“We just keep on going. We’ve been to a lot of good cities. And (the crowds the band’s notoriety still attracts) makes playing not-so-good cities on a Monday night feel all right.”
Flickerstick, at the Middle East, Cambridge, tonight. Call 617-864-EAST.
- mmarotta@bostonherald.com
