Verve Pipe in the Studio

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Verve Pipe in the Studio

By Robert E. Martin

Word from former Saginawian Donny Brown is that The Verve Pipe, who

scored three chart-topping singles with their major label debut on RCA in

1999, only to have the follow-up sink into obscurity, are back in the

studio with Fountains of Wayne co-founder Adam Schlesinger.

Schlesinger, the sugary-pop songwriter who penned That Thing You Do for the

hit Tom Hanks movie of the same name, has been working with the group since

early November in a Chicago studio. The as yet untitled album is due in the

Spring.

Photos by Kay McEntee

"In the past, they've been pushed in different directions that ignored

certain facets of what they can do, and we're trying to bring that stuff

out on this record," explained Schlesinger in a recent interview.

"We're really having a fun time. That was part of our goal working

together. They've had some tough experiences making records before, so it's

been nice that we're peers and it's a light atmosphere."

Schlesinger is a big leap from Michael Beinhorn, the Hole, Soundgarden and

Marilyn Manson producer who worked on the Verve Pipe's last album.  The new

material is expected to be more like 1995's breakthrough Villains album,

which included the singles The Freshman, Photograph, and Cup of Tea.

Photos by Kay McEntee

"We have very similar taste in music," Schlesinger said. "They're really

knowledgeable guys. Between the five of them, they probably know every

album ever recorded. We all hit it off right away and it's been very easy

to communicate. I come at producing from a songwriter's perspective, and

that's what they were looking for."

The group has recorded at least 14 songs for the album, which will be their

fifth, and will finish tracking and begin mixing at the end of January.

"The hardest thing has been eliminating songs, "Schlesinger noted. "We had

a lot to choose from and so far all of the songs are panning out."

Each of the bandmembers wrote several songs before entering the studio,

Schlesinger said. He tabbed Brown's I Want All of You and Brian VanderArk's

'Colorful' as his favorites. The latter song was originally written &

recorded for a prime spot in the upcoming Mark Wahlberg film, Rock Star.

Yet when asked about Brown's contributions, the producer commented: "He's

their secret weapon."

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