Letters to Cleo
Revolution Records
By: Alex Steininger
After a very long stint on the road promoting their music and trying to expand their fan base, Letters to Cleo realized it was time to take a rest before they had nothing left. They decided that a six month vacation and separation from the band would be a nice relief from the burnt out state of minds they were currently in. Going back home and just resting, the band finally had some time to themselves."The break up rumors started to fly when we didn't start playing shows once we got home. And with our drummer playing with Veruca Salt, all hell broke lose. People were calling us, bugging us, and asking us what was going on with the band. They wanted to know if we were finished," explains Kay Hanley (lead vocals/lyrics) about their six month break from music. "I just sat around and played pool, drank, and just hung out. It was great to have some free time again. And of course, I started writing songs."
The rumors kept flying around, but after six months the band once again re-grouped and focused on their new album. Setting a release date for the album with their label, the band quickly jumped into gear. "I had writers block for awhile, but once we got back into gear and I had to have stuff done by a certain date, the songs started coming to me. And to say the songs don't reflect your personal life, well that's a lie. I think any song writer writes from their life views and experiences." With that in mind, the band hit the studios with a new drummer, and started working on what would eventually be "GO!"
"We went into the studio more experienced. This was our third album, so we knew from past mistakes what to do and what not to do. We went in their with a good idea of the songs, but we wanted to experiment more. We also wanted the feel of our past two albums, but with more power and emotion to them. I think we did that really well on the new album, but when we were in the studio I wasn't sure how it was going to come out," says Kay while sipping on a beer. With experienced producer Peter Collins on their side, and with a talent for writing well-crafted, infectious pop melodies, Letters to Cleo's experimentation and drive paid off. The outcome was "GO!" Combined with the experience and expertise of the road, the band maturity due with time, eleven golden pop songs were the outcome.
"Those six months off were really important, but now I'm eager to hit the road again, and this tour is very exciting for us. It's going great, and we're just glad to be back on the road, and playing our music for fans." With a great new record behind them, and a live show that will knock you off your feet, Letters to Cleo will once again dominate the pop world.
NOTE: Check out our review of "GO!" in the "rock" section of this issue.
