AMERICAN HI-FI

'American Hi-Fi' is a power pop/alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, best known for their 2001 hit "Flavor of the Weak". To date they have released three studio albums, as well as a live album released only in Japan. The band will return to the Studio to record their fourth album in May 2007. According to a radio interview given by the band in 2001, their name came from a chance meeting with Keith Richards at a club. When they mentioned to him that they were looking for a name, he suggested "American Hi-Fi."

Contents

Formation and Early Success

Label Troubles

Took a Break

Back to the Studio

Influences

Band members

Discography

Full Length

Singles

Non-album tracks

External links

Formation and Early Success

American Hi-Fi was formed in Boston in 1998. Stacy Jones had been a drummer for several bands (including Letters to Cleo and Veruca Salt), during which time he did not sing and could not play the guitar. While on tour, he bought a Mel-Bays guitar book and taught himself to play in the back of the tour bus. After the Veruca Salt tour, Jones formed his own band with three of his friends, Brian Nolan, Jamie Arentzen and Drew Parsons. Though all members were in other bands at the time, they found time to "hang out, drink beer, and play Cheap Trick covers."
In the summer of 1998, Jones headed to Maui to help record Nina Gordon's debut solo album with producer Bob Rock. ''Flavor of the Weak'', which would become American Hi-Fi's first hit single, was written by Jones and was originally produced for the Nina Gordon album. During the recording process, however, Jones decided to keep the song for himself and use it as a demo for the new band. While in Maui, Jones also talked up the new band and left demos with Rock. Impressed, Rock later had the band fly to Maui to record an album. The band stayed on Maui for several months playing local bars under the name "BMX Girl;" Rock suggested the name change from BMX Girl to American Hi-Fi.
Their debut album, ''American Hi-Fi'', was released on February 27, 2001. ''Flavor of the Weak'' was a hit and received significant airplay through the summer. The album was a success and was followed by a world tour.
For their second album, ''The Art of Losing'', the band worked with producer Nick Launay and made some stylistic changes; the album reflected something of a punk/college rock sound. The single ''The Art of Losing'' was a minor hit but never became as successful as ''Flavor of the Weak''. The video for ''The Art of Losing'' was shot at a college party at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. The band was dropped by Island Records in 2003, just before beginning a European tour with Matchbox Twenty.
The record company went on to say that they were looking to go with "Emo" bands instead. The band had no promotion before and during the time when "The Art of Losing" album came out. Island Records is known for dropping Artists at the peak of their careers, at the time other artists besides American Hi-Fi were dropped as well. Many believe the Merge between PolyGram and Universal (Universal owns Def Jam Island Records) created many bands/artists like American Hi-Fi to be dropped.

Label Troubles

In early 2004 and without a backing label, the band headed to Los Angeles to begin work on a new album with producer Butch Walker. The album, ''Hearts on Parade'', was released in Japan on July 14, 2004.
In 2005, American Hi-Fi were signed by Maverick Records, a division of Island. Maverick helped promote the lead single from ''Hearts on Parade'', ''The Geeks Get the Girls'', releasing it as a single for radio airplay and following with a music video in February 2005. American release of the full album was repeatedly delayed, finally occurring on April 12, 2005, almost a year after the initial release in Japan. Neither single released with the album broke into the Billboard Modern Rock charts. Fans complained that the new album was too "pop". Maverick dropped the band in autumn 2005 citing poor record sales.
In the winter of 2005, Playtone Records began seeking submissions for the ''Superman Returns'' soundtrack. The band submitted a demo, ''The Rescue'', which had been recorded for ''Hearts on Parade'' but was cut from the album. ''The Rescue'' was selected for the soundtrack and ran in promotions for the film. ''The Rescue'' also received frequent radio airplay into the spring of 2006, but did not result in a new record contract for the band.

Took a Break

The members of American Hi-Fi were by 2007 involved in a number of side projects. Stacy Jones married long-time girlfriend Jade Loop in California in the fall of 2006. Jason Sutter left American Hi-Fi and Joined ''Smash Mouth''. In late 2006 Jones and Arentzen helped produce an album for recording artist
''Candice''.
In early 2007, Jamie joined up as part of Butch Walker's touring band the Let's-Go-Out-Tonites for their spring tour.

Back to the Studio

In December 2006, Parsons and Jones met for plans for a follow-up album, the plans were put on hold due to Jones busy schedule and Arentzen plans to join Butch Walker's touring band in Spring 2007.
In April 2007, American Hi-Fi announced that the band will record their fourth follow up record in May 2007. There is no word on what "Sound" will be involved with the new Record nor when the release date is. Former Drummer Brian Nolan has re-joined the band for their follow up and will stay in the band until further notice.

Influences

According to their myspace, they are influenced by Cheap Trick, The Pixies, Teenage Fanclub, Blur, The Posies, Joe Jackson, The Jam, Foo Fighters, Oasis, Mötley Crüe, Squeeze, XTC, My Bloody Valentine, Superdrag, The Lemonheads, Nirvana, Buffalo Tom and The Clash.

Band members

★ Stacy Jones - vocals, guitar, drums

★ Jamie Arentzen - guitar, piano and backing vocals

★ Drew Parsons - bass and backing vocals

★ Brian Nolan - drums (1998-2003) (2007-present)

Discography

Full Length

Singles

'Year'	'Title'	'Peak Chart positions'		'Album'
		US Hot 100	US Modern Rock
2001	"Flavor of the Weak"	#41	#5	''American Hi-Fi''
2001	"Another Perfect Day"	-	#33	''American Hi-Fi''
2003	"The Art of Losing"	-	#33	''The Art of Losing''
2003	"The Breakup Song"	-	-	''The Art of Losing''
2005	"The Geeks Get the Girls"	-	-	''Hearts on Parade''
2005	"Hell Yeah!"	-	-	''Hearts on Parade''
2006	"The Rescue"	-	#49	''Sound of Superman''

Non-album tracks

★ "Black Satellite" - bonus track on the Japanese and UK version of ''American Hi-Fi''.

★ "Still Sideways" - bonus track on the Japanese version of ''American Hi-Fi''.

★ "Vertigo" - featured on the ''American Pie 2'' soundtrack

★ "When the Breeders Were Big" - bonus track on the Japanese version of ''The Art of Losing''

★ "Message in a Bottle" - featured on the ''Rugrats Go Wild'' soundtrack.

★ "Deceiver" - on the Australian single for ''The Art of Losing''

★ "My Soul To Lose" and "Victory Song" - featured on a "Hearts On Parade" EP, given during the Butch Walker vs. AHF tour (July 2004)

★ "Dead on the Inside" and "We're Gonna Find a Way" - demos from a free EP given out with preorders of ''Hearts on Parade''.

★ "The Rescue" - featured on the ''Sound of Superman'' album

External links

★ Official band website

★

★ Teenage Alien Nation American Hi-Fi Fan Site

★ Official band myspace page

★ American Hi-Fi at Rolling Stone