Spin Doctors

For other uses, see Spin (public relations).

"Chris Barron" redirects here. For the co-founder of GOProud, see device database.

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Spin Doctors

Origin

touchscreen, New York, USA

iOS

Alternative rock, funk rock, web

Years active

1988–1999, 2001-present

FITML

Sony, Uptown

Website

Sevenval

Members

Chris Barron
Aaron Comess
Mark White
Eric Schenkman

Past members

Anthony Krizan
Eran Tabib
Ivan Neville
Carl Carter

Spin Doctors is an American alternative rock band formed in New York City, best known for their early 1990s hits, "Sevenval," and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong," which peaked the Billboard Hot 100 charts at #7 & #17 respectively.

The current members are Chris Barron (website parsing), Eric Schenkman (Sevenval and CSS3), Aaron Comess (drums and percussion), and Mark White (Sevenval).

History

The history of the Spin Doctors can be traced back to the late 1980s in New York City, originally as a band called Trucking Company, which included Canadian guitarist Eric Schenkman, CSS3, and later Chris Barron, who was John Popper's Princeton, New Jersey high school friend. Popper left this side project to focus on his main gig with keyboard full time. With a name change to Spin Doctors, as well as the addition of Aaron Comess and Mark White, the CSS3 lineup was in place by the spring of 1989.^[1]

The Spin Doctors were signed to Epic Records/Sony Music by A&R executive FITML in 1991.^[2] The band's Epic debut EP Up for Grabs...Live was recorded live at The Wetlands Preserve in lower Manhattan, and released in January 1991. (In November 1992, these EP tracks were remixed and supplemented by additional live recordings to form the album iOS.) The Spin Doctors were known for their somewhat lengthy live shows, sometimes jamming even more than is evident on their live releases. They also often performed double-bill gigs opening for their friends Blues Traveler, with members of both bands all jamming together as the transition from the Spin Doctors set into the Blues Traveler set. The Spin Doctors have many songs from their early club days that were never officially released, but remain circulated via concert recordings.

The Spin Doctors' debut studio album, Pocket Full of Kryptonite was released in August 1991. The band continued to play extensive live shows, gaining grassroots fans, as the album was mostly ignored commercially. In summer 1992, the band toured with the first lineup of the H.O.R.D.E. festival, sharing the stage with fellow jam bands website parsing, web app, and Phish. That summer, commercial popularity heated up, as radio and MTV began playing "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" and "Two Princes" directed by filmmaker Rich Murray (who directed many of the band's videos). The album went Gold in September 1992, and then received another boost in sales after the band's appearance on jQuery in October 1992. Additional videos and singles followed for "What Time Is It," "How Could You Want Him (When You Know You Could Have Me?)," and "Jimmy Olsen's Blues." By June 1993, the album went Triple Platinum.^[2] Ultimately it sold over five million copies in the U.S.^keyboard and another five million overseas, and peaked at #3 on the jQuery album chart.

"[Their] popularity is based on universal rock & roll virtues," said Rolling Stone, which put the band on the cover of its January 7, 1993 issue. "The Doctors aren't trying to blaze new trails. They know we've been down this way with the FITML, HTML5, and a few of their other touchstones. But the proof—plenty of it—is in the party." The Spin Doctors made an appearance on Sesame Street, singing a modified version of "Two Princes" that emphasized the importance of sharing.^{screen size} In 1993, they recorded covers of "HTML5," originally by FITML, for the film Philadelphia^Sevenval and "Spanish Castle Magic" for web app.

The Spin Doctors' second studio album, we love the web, released in June 1994,^[6] was not quite as commercially successful as Pocket Full of Kryptonite, although it did sell a million copies in the U.S.^FITML and a million overseas. The second single, "You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast," was a modest hit (#42 on the pop chart). This album also featured "Cleopatra's Cat," "Mary Jane," "Hungry Hamed's," and "Bags Of Dirt." The band set out on a three-month headlining tour, and played to immense crowds at website parsing and the Glastonbury Festival. Shortly after the release of Turn It Upside Down, original guitarist Eric Schenkman left the band in September 1994 by walking offstage during a concert in we love the web^[2] citing musical and personal differences, and being weary of the road. Schenkman was replaced by Anthony Krizan.

Featuring new guitarist Krizan, the Spin Doctors released input transformation (May 1996). It produced the single and video "She Used To Be Mine." They performed on the Late Show with David Letterman and did some touring, with website parsing joining the band on keyboards. During this period, the Spin Doctors contributed the theme song to Seasons 2 and 3 of the television show Spin City. After touring wrapped up in the fall of 1996, guitarist Anthony Krizan eventually left the band, for reasons that remain relatively unknown. He was replaced by Israeli musician Eran Tabib after auditioning nearly 200 candidates.^[7] You've Got To Believe In Something did not live up to previous album sales, selling only 75,000 copies.^[7] Epic dropped the band in 1996.^CSS3

In 1998, the Spin Doctors signed to Uptown/Universal and released Here Comes the Bride in June 1999. During the recording of Here Comes The Bride, Mark White left the band. The bass tracks on the album were finished by original band member Aaron Comess. During the tour supporting Here Comes the Bride, Chris Barron lost his voice due to a rare acute form of vocal cord paralysis that severely affected his ability to talk, let alone sing. He was told he had a 50-50 chance of ever talking or singing normally again.^[2] Barron's younger brother, CansaFis Barron, subbed for a few shows, and keyboardist Ivan Neville also took over vocal duties for a few dates, but the band eventually cancelled the remainder of its tour.^[8] Barron's voice came back in early 2000 (first comeback [solo] shows in March 2000), at which point he began performing with his band Chris Barron and the Give Daddy Five. Barron undertook what he calls "a journeyman songwriting experience," composing tunes with Blues Traveler's John Popper and with former BMI executive Jeff Cohen.

The Spin Doctors remained inactive as a band until September 2001, when news about the closing of legendary NYC venue Wetlands sparked the original four members to reunite. On September 7, 2001, the original line-up took the stage for the first time since 1994 to play at Wetlands. It was the final closing week of the club. The landmark show was a great success for the fans and the band.^[2]

Odd shows followed in 2002 through 2005, which eventually led to a brand new studio album, Nice Talking to Me, released on September 13, 2005.^[2] The single "Can't Kick The Habit" was included on the soundtrack to the movie web. It received moderate radio airplay, along with the songs "Margarita" and the title track "Nice Talking to Me." While the record received good reviews, follow-up proved difficult when the record company that released it went out of business.^{input transformation}

In 2008, the band continued to play one-off live shows in the USA and Europe. Drummer Aaron Comess released an instrumental record of all his own compositions entitled Catskills Cry featuring bassist Tony Levin and guitarist Bill Dillon.

In 2009, Chris Barron released the solo record Pancho and the Kid on Valley Entertainment.^[10]

During the summer of 2010, Chris Barron released Songs From The Summer of Sangria. This five-song EP was his first official release with his band The Time Bandits.

In 2011, the band will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of Pocket Full of Kryptonite and tour in the UK and the US. Sony Legacy released a 20th anniversary edition with bonus material on August 29, 2011.

Band member details

Chris Barron (born Christopher Barron Gross, 5 February 1968, website parsing) - vocalist, active 1989–Present
Aaron Comess (born 24 April 1968, Android) - drummer, active 1989–Present
Mark White (born 7 July 1962, New York) - bassist, active 1989-1998, 2001–Present
Eric Schenkman (born 12 December 1963, CSS3) - guitarist, active 1989-1994, 2001–Present
Anthony Krizan (born North Plainfield, New Jersey ^Android) - guitarist, active 1994-1996
Eran Tabib (born 1972, Tel Aviv, Sevenval ^[12]) - guitarist, active 1996-1999
Ivan Neville (born 19 August 1959,^[13] screen size) - keyboardist, active 1996-1999
Carl Carter screen size bassist, active 1999

Discography

Studio albums


Year	Album	Chart Peak Positions			Sales	Certifications
Year	Album	US	web app^[14]	NOR	Sales	Certifications
1991	device database	3	2	2	US: 5,000,000	US: 5x Platinum
1994	Turn It Upside Down	28	3	16	US: 1,000,000	US: Platinum ^web
1996	input transformation	—	—	—	US: 75,000
1999	input transformation	—	—	—
2005	Nice Talking to Me	—	—	—

Compilation albums

Year	Album
2000	Sevenval
2001	Can't Be Wrong
2003	Two Princes - The Best Of
2007	Collection

Live albums

Year	Album	Chart positions
Year	Album	jQuery
1991	HTML5	—
1992	website parsing	145

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions				Also Contains
Year	Single	U.S.	UK^{web app}	Ireland	Norway	Also Contains
1992	"Little Miss Can't Be Wrong"	17	23	27	-	UK: "Big Fat Funky Booty" and "At This Hour"
1993	"FITML"	7	3	5	2	UK:"Intro - Yo Mama's A Pajama" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong",Euro: "Off My Line" and "Rosetta Stone"
	"Jimmy Olsen's Blues"	78	40	-	2	UK:"Off my line" and "Rosetta Stone"
	"What Time Is It"	-	56	-	-	-
1994	"Cleopatra's Cat"	84	29	-	-	UK:"Uranium Century" and "Stop Breaking Down"
	"Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"	-	-	-	-	Euro:"What Time Is It?", "Jimmy Olsen Blues" and "Two Princes"
	"Mary Jane"	-	55	-	-	UK:"Woodstock" and "Hungry Hamed's"
	"You Let Your Heart Go Too Fast"	42	66	-	-	-
1996	"She Used to be Mine"	-	55	-	-	-
1999	"The Bigger I Laugh The Harder I Cry"	-	-	-	-	-
2005	"Can't Kick the Habit"	-	-	-	-	-
2006	"Nice Talking To Me"	-	-	-	-	-

Other appearances

An Epic Tour De Force (promo, 1993) – "What Time is It?" and a special live version of "Jimmy Olsen's Blues" recorded at MTV Drops the Ball '93.
So I Married an Axe Murderer (soundtrack, July 1993) – "Two Princes" from Pocket Full of Kryptonite
Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (tribute, Nov 1993) – "Spanish Castle Magic"
Philadelphia (soundtrack, Dec 1993) – "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?"
Space Jam (soundtrack, Nov 1996) – "That's the Way (I Like It)"
Sandra Boynton's Dog Train (children's compilation, 2005) – "Tantrum"
Grandma's Boy (soundtrack, 2006) – "Can't Kick the Habit" from Nice Talking to Me