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This endearingly popular live "modern rock"
outfit was formed in 1991 by Georgetown University undergraduates Keith
Kane and Matthew Scannell. The two singer-songwriters began performing
together as an acoustic duo, relocating to Cape Cod, Massachusetts where
they saved enough money from their menial day jobs and live gigs to
finance their own album.
There And Back Again
, a low-key acoustic collection, remarkably went on to sell over 20,000
copies. Over the next couple of years the duo built up a strong live
reputation and toured throughout the US supporting mainstream acts. Their
second self-released album, 1995's
Running On Ice
, was a more costly affair which featured a full band including Dave
Matthews Band's drummer Carter Beauford and bass player Ryan Fisher, and
production by Doug Derryberry and John Alagia. After recruiting Ed Toth as
their full-time drummer the band released
Live Stages
, a live recording of two sell-out shows at Ziggy's in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina, featuring electric versions of their old songs. Bass
player Sean Hurley became the fourth member of the band in 1998. Shortly
afterwards they signed a major label deal with RCA Records, releasing
Everything You Want
in June 1999. Although lacking the acoustic charm of their earlier work,
the album proved to be a slow-burning commercial success, attracting fans
of modern mainstream rock outfits such as Phish, the Wallflowers, and the
Dave Matthews Band, and yet also appealing to devotees of 70s AOR with
shades of
Boston
,
Foreigner
and
REO Speedwagon
.
Everything You Want
climbed steadily up the charts during the year buoyed by the radio success
of excellent singles such as the chart-topping title track and "We
Are".
Keith
Kane was playing a weekly gig at a local club and some people at
this party talked him into providing some free entertainment on an
acoustic guitar and a small amp that were sitting around. Also at the
party was.
Matt
Scannell, who Kane recognized as a member of an electric band
called Fallout Shelter. After his song, Kane turned to Scannell and asked
him to take a turn. Scannell played "All Along The Watchtower"
and impressed everyone. Kane took the chance to ask Scannell to come jam
with him at his weekly gig. Scannell had forgotten how much fun it could
be to play on an acoustic and quickly agreed to give it a try. With one
hour's practice together, Vertical Horizon made their debut later that
week as an acoustic duo. Their sound was anchored in folk music and
harmonized vocals and their catalog constisted of mostly covers and a few
originals.
Kane and Scannell graduated from Georgetown in 1992 and decided that they
wanted to spend their lives playing music. Keith had grown up in
Connecticut and Matt was from Massachusetts, so it was New England to
which they returned for a while. They spent their first summer out of
college living on Cape Cod, working at a golf course, and playing 3 nights
a week for what sometimes amounted to beer and peanuts. Finally, at the
end of that summer in 1992, they took the money they saved up and used it
to record their first CD, There and Back Again, at Matt's high school in
Deerfield, MA.
After finishing the album, Kane and Scannell returned to
the DC area where the had already developed a strong following. There,
they met up with Cary Pierce and Jack O'Neill of Jackopierce, who had
heard the album and decided to invite Vertical Horizon out on the road for
a two week stint. They started in Texas and after two successful weeks,
Jackopierce asked them to stay on for a third.
From then on, the guys alternated two weeks home with two weeks on the
road, using connections they'd made while touring with Jackopierce to get
themselves gigs. Vertical Horizon has since toured coast to coast sharing
the stage with the likes of the Dave Matthews Band, Third Eye Blind, the
Allman Brothers Band, Train, and Shawn Colvin.
There and Back Again was composed of Scannell and Kane and their guitars,
but by 1994 the duo was expanding their sound. Their sophomore effort,
Running On Ice, was released in 1995 and featured a full band on most
tracks. The album was produced by Alagia and Derryberry (who chipped in on
keyboards in spots). Percussion for the album was provided by Carter
Beauford of Dave Matthews Band. Vertical Horizon employed other members on
the road and used several bassists and drummers for different periods of
time.
Ed
Toth was working for Borders Books and Music. He got in touch with
the band after Matt's mom came into the store and asked for a Vertical
Horizon CD. Ed's boss very nicely helped her out and as repayment,
Scannell called the store and offered to put the manager and a friend on
the guest list to the show at Mama Kin that evening in Boston. Ed ended up
as the manager's friend and was impressed by the group. So when the band's
drummer left, Ed took the opportunity to audition. The word is, he blew
them away!
Toth became a permanent fixture of Vertical Horizon before the 1996
release of Live Stages, the band's latest album. This recording featured
the band's complete sound and is comprised mostly of older songs performed
in a live and electric setting.
The group added bass guitarist,
Sean
Hurley, in 1998. He was the first person the group auditioned for
the part, and although personalities clicked immediately, the band needed
to view all their options. As they auditioned more and more bass players,
they kept comparing them back to Hurley who ended up being the perfect fit
after all.
In 1998, Vertical Horizon recorded their debut, "Everything You
Want," for RCA Records. The new album continues the band's
progression towards an edgier, electric, full-band style of music. Still,
their focus has remained on strong song writing, vocal harmonies and
impressive guitar work. The album was released on June 15th, 1999. |
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