Lolly Pop
Encyclopedia
Lolly Pop is the stage personae of U.S. vocalist/songwriter Brooke Aldridge, as directed by British composer John Matthews (aka Ricardo Autobahn
) and Minneapolis songwriter/producers Monte Moir
(The Time
) and Doctor Fink
(Prince & The Revolution).
, Massachusetts on May 20, 1975. She was raised between the United States
and Zimbabwe
, Africa
and was a Top of the Pops
addict who scoured TM Supermarket
s as well as Meikles
department stores for hits. Her first 7" purchase was Big In Japan by Alphaville
.
In 1994, Aldridge left Harare
, Zimbabwe
for Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, where she received breaks as a backing vocalist for local acts CXR, Chuck Zwicky, Jazz-Noise-Improv group Brown Rainbow and fronted the band Burning Shakespeare. She designed web banners for Adam Ant
bassist Chris De Niro, had a stint as a dancer with the Lords of Acid
, recorded with members of The Suburbs
and appeared in the Prince
& NPG
"Get Wild
" video. Following a studio internship with NPG
keyboardist Morris Hayes and IPR founder Jack Robinson , she studied music business as a Twin/Tone Records
office intern. Post Twin/Tone, Pop formed TELEPHONE!- an Electro-Clash trio that caught the attention of Monte Moir
and Doctor Fink
. She spent 2004 working as a demo singer for Fink
as well as touring the East Coast to promote the TC Electropunk compilation series TELEPHONE! appeared on .
During 2005, Lolly Pop & The Couture Club emerged. In 2006, with the help of John Matthews
, Moir
, Fink
as well as author Matthew Chojnacki, the band pressed their first release. The Glamorous '06 tour- which featured Moir as band leader in an "Electro Pop Operetta"- opened with a warm-up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 14. A retro-now nod to Adam Ant
and Sheila E.
, the tour was built around Pop's eponymous album, which consisted of a Cinderella
-like story line with a cast of charectures . The tour moved to Cleveland, Ohio, Boston
, Massachusetts, New York
, New York, Indianapolis
, Indiana, and closed in Minneapolis. In February 2007, the record was released by U.K. label Modo Disco; in the U.S., it remained on I-tunes and various digital outlets. The Elevator Operator maxi single followed with a video remix by DJ Danny Morris, which was distributed by Rockamerica
. The song infiltrated DJ decks at WMC
, where Pop appeared in-person to promote. Elevator Operator also surfaced on the soundtrack of the 2007 film Loveless In Los Angeles
.
In 2009, Pop/Aldridge penned Looking 4 The KLF
, then assembled quad-continental act POP INC with Matthews
, Crush Songs Germany and assorted guests. With a cameo from BBC
actor Simon Jones
and support from KLF Communications
, POP INC released Looking 4 The KLF
independently June 23, 2009. Thanks to Billboard reporting DJ Ron Slomowicz, the Ricardo Autobahn
remix earned 'Song Of The Day' on DanceMusicAbout.com . An early version of the video- edited by Danny Morris- was picked up by Promo Only
, Rockamerica
, as well England's NME
. Shortly after, Looking 4 The KLF
hit #5 on the UK's WMR
chart and was re-released on the Ninthwave Records
compilation Synthetic Dance Music Volume Two. POP INC have a new video/single (Boulevard of Broken Dreams) arriving 10/28/11 and have teamed up with Trans-X
to finish their freshman LP, due Spring 2012.
Lolly Pop last surfaced on KSTP
/ABC TV
.
, Second Harvest Heartland
, Bridge For Runaway Youth, Amnesty International
, United Way and Planned Parenthood
. With the help of First Avenue night club, Pop coordinated as well as performed in "Girlfest 2004" to support the Harriet Tubman Organization.
Maxi Single(in Production)
POP INC- LP (in Production)
POP INC- Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Video/DVD 10/28/11
Single, Ninthwave Records, August 2010
POP INC f. TRANS-X- Video Killed The Radio Star
Maxi Single, Ninthwave Records (in Production)
POP INC- L.P. (in Production)
POP INC- LOOKING 4 THE KLF (video- August 2009)
Rockamerica
/Promo Only
POP INC- Looking 4 The KLF (download card/maxi single- July 2009)
Modo Disco (UK)
POP INC- Looking 4 The KLF (video- original edit- June 2009)
Modo Disco (UK)
Rockamerica
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (promo only static package maxi-single) - March, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (digital maxi single- April, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (original video- February, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP (self-titled solo debut- Feb, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
THE CUBAN BOYS- Satellite Junkyard (song: "Claudine In Blue", 2006)
THE CUBAN BOYS- BBC Radio [live] (song: "Walking In The Air", 2006)
SUNNY SMACK - Mezzanine Girls (song: "Mezzanine", 2005)
BROWN RAINBOWS - Underground Soundtracks (various tracks)
TELEPHONE!- Love... EP (leads and songwriting)
(Sursumcorda Records)
THOUSAND VOID CRUSH f. STATION9- Radio Free (song: "Radio Free")
(Sursumcorda Records)
Ricardo Autobahn
John Matthews better known by his stage name Ricardo Autobahn is an English producer, songwriter and musician.Matthews is a member of the bands Spray and the Cuban Boys, who are most famous for their "pass off" UK Christmas hit "Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia"...
) and Minneapolis songwriter/producers Monte Moir
Monte Moir
Monte Moir is the original and current keyboardist for The Time, as well as songwriter and producer for Janet Jackson, Alexander O'Neal, Gladys Knight, the Deja duo and Lolly Pop. He is also credited for working with Prince, Vanity 6, Deniece Williams, Thelma Houston and various other artists...
(The Time
The Time (band)
The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
) and Doctor Fink
Doctor Fink
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
(Prince & The Revolution).
Biography
The grand-daughter of Storz Broadcasting program director and Top 40 personality Jim "Grahame Crackers" Richards, Aldridge was born to Dr. Kimberly Richards in SpringfieldSpringfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
, Massachusetts on May 20, 1975. She was raised between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and was a Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
addict who scoured TM Supermarket
TM Supermarket
TM supermarket is a chain of supermarkets in Zimbabwe. They have branches in all cities and in most Zimbabwean towns. They are a part of the Meikles group of companies....
s as well as Meikles
Meikles
Meikles is the popular name given to Meikles Hotel in central Harare, Zimbabwe, Meikles' department stores in Zimbabwe and Meikles Limited, the company which owns both the hotel, the department stores and Meikles' TM Supermarket chain and other retail outlets....
department stores for hits. Her first 7" purchase was Big In Japan by Alphaville
Alphaville (band)
Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold , Bernhard Lloyd , and Frank Mertens Alphaville is a German synthpop group which gained popularity in the 1980s. The founding members were Marian Gold (real name Hartwig Schierbaum,...
.
In 1994, Aldridge left Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
for Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, where she received breaks as a backing vocalist for local acts CXR, Chuck Zwicky, Jazz-Noise-Improv group Brown Rainbow and fronted the band Burning Shakespeare. She designed web banners for Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
bassist Chris De Niro, had a stint as a dancer with the Lords of Acid
Lords of Acid
Lords of Acid is a Belgian-American post-industrial/techno band, led by musician Praga Khan. They debuted with the controversial new beat single "I Sit on Acid" in 1988...
, recorded with members of The Suburbs
The Suburbs
The Suburbs were an alternative punk rock/funk/new wave band from Minneapolis, Minnesota popular in the late 1970s through the 1980s. The band frequently headlined at Minneapolis's most influential music clubs including Jay's Longhorn Bar and First Avenue....
and appeared in the Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
& NPG
New Power Generation
The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, is the current backing group of musician Prince.-History:The phrase "Welcome to the New Power Generation" was mentioned on the opening track of 1988's Lovesexy...
"Get Wild
Get Wild
"Get Wild" is a song by The New Power Generation, and the first single from their 1995 album, Exodus. The song was a hit in the UK, reaching number 19 in the UK Singles Chart....
" video. Following a studio internship with NPG
New Power Generation
The New Power Generation, also known as The NPG, is the current backing group of musician Prince.-History:The phrase "Welcome to the New Power Generation" was mentioned on the opening track of 1988's Lovesexy...
keyboardist Morris Hayes and IPR founder Jack Robinson , she studied music business as a Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records
Twin/Tone Records was a record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that operated from 1977 until 1994 and helped several local groups receive national attention. The label was born from the Minneapolis punk rock music scene, which included venues like Jay's Longhorn Bar. The label was begun by...
office intern. Post Twin/Tone, Pop formed TELEPHONE!- an Electro-Clash trio that caught the attention of Monte Moir
Monte Moir
Monte Moir is the original and current keyboardist for The Time, as well as songwriter and producer for Janet Jackson, Alexander O'Neal, Gladys Knight, the Deja duo and Lolly Pop. He is also credited for working with Prince, Vanity 6, Deniece Williams, Thelma Houston and various other artists...
and Doctor Fink
Doctor Fink
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
. She spent 2004 working as a demo singer for Fink
Doctor Fink
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
as well as touring the East Coast to promote the TC Electropunk compilation series TELEPHONE! appeared on .
During 2005, Lolly Pop & The Couture Club emerged. In 2006, with the help of John Matthews
Ricardo Autobahn
John Matthews better known by his stage name Ricardo Autobahn is an English producer, songwriter and musician.Matthews is a member of the bands Spray and the Cuban Boys, who are most famous for their "pass off" UK Christmas hit "Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia"...
, Moir
Monte Moir
Monte Moir is the original and current keyboardist for The Time, as well as songwriter and producer for Janet Jackson, Alexander O'Neal, Gladys Knight, the Deja duo and Lolly Pop. He is also credited for working with Prince, Vanity 6, Deniece Williams, Thelma Houston and various other artists...
, Fink
Doctor Fink
Matthew Robert "Matt" Fink, better known by the stage name Doctor Fink, is an American keyboardist, record producer, and songwriter. He is most known as a member of The Revolution, the backing band for pop musician Prince. Fink won a Grammy Award...
as well as author Matthew Chojnacki, the band pressed their first release. The Glamorous '06 tour- which featured Moir as band leader in an "Electro Pop Operetta"- opened with a warm-up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on November 14. A retro-now nod to Adam Ant
Adam Ant
Adam Ant is an English musician who gained popularity as the lead singer of New Wave/post-punk group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring ten UK top ten hits between 1980 and 1983, including three No.1s...
and Sheila E.
Sheila E.
Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
, the tour was built around Pop's eponymous album, which consisted of a Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
-like story line with a cast of charectures . The tour moved to Cleveland, Ohio, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, New York, Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana, and closed in Minneapolis. In February 2007, the record was released by U.K. label Modo Disco; in the U.S., it remained on I-tunes and various digital outlets. The Elevator Operator maxi single followed with a video remix by DJ Danny Morris, which was distributed by Rockamerica
Rockamerica
RockAmerica is a music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys based in New York City, New York. Founded in 1980 by Ed Steinberg, it was the first company to offer music videos on a subscription basis, and provided a vital channel before the establishment of MTV and other...
. The song infiltrated DJ decks at WMC
Winter Music Conference
The Winter Music Conference is a weeklong electronic music conference, held every March since the mid-1980s in Miami, Florida, United States. Venues are hosted primarily in Downtown Miami and Miami's South Beach...
, where Pop appeared in-person to promote. Elevator Operator also surfaced on the soundtrack of the 2007 film Loveless In Los Angeles
Loveless in Los Angeles
Loveless in Los Angeles, an indie romantic comedy film completed in 2006 and written and directed by Archie Gips, stars Dash Mihok, Brittany Daniel, Navi Rawat, Geoffrey Arend, James Lesure, Chris Coppola and Stephen Tobolowsky.-Plot:...
.
In 2009, Pop/Aldridge penned Looking 4 The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
, then assembled quad-continental act POP INC with Matthews
Ricardo Autobahn
John Matthews better known by his stage name Ricardo Autobahn is an English producer, songwriter and musician.Matthews is a member of the bands Spray and the Cuban Boys, who are most famous for their "pass off" UK Christmas hit "Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia"...
, Crush Songs Germany and assorted guests. With a cameo from BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
actor Simon Jones
Simon Jones (actor)
Simon Jones is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent from 1978 to 2005...
and support from KLF Communications
KLF Communications
This discography lists the key British and notable international releases of The KLF and the other pseudonyms of Bill Drummond and Jimmy Cauty. It also details the other releases on their independent record label, KLF Communications, by KLF-spinoff Disco 2000 and Space...
, POP INC released Looking 4 The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
independently June 23, 2009. Thanks to Billboard reporting DJ Ron Slomowicz, the Ricardo Autobahn
Ricardo Autobahn
John Matthews better known by his stage name Ricardo Autobahn is an English producer, songwriter and musician.Matthews is a member of the bands Spray and the Cuban Boys, who are most famous for their "pass off" UK Christmas hit "Cognoscenti Vs. Intelligentsia"...
remix earned 'Song Of The Day' on DanceMusicAbout.com . An early version of the video- edited by Danny Morris- was picked up by Promo Only
Promo Only
Promo Only is a music and music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys. It was the first monthly music service available to music professionals on CD....
, Rockamerica
Rockamerica
RockAmerica is a music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys based in New York City, New York. Founded in 1980 by Ed Steinberg, it was the first company to offer music videos on a subscription basis, and provided a vital channel before the establishment of MTV and other...
, as well England's NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. Shortly after, Looking 4 The KLF
The KLF
The KLF were one of the seminal bands of the British acid house movement during the late 1980s and early 1990s....
hit #5 on the UK's WMR
WMR
WMR may refer to:In Rail transport:*Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company , a private rail transport company in New Zealand that operated from 1881 to 1908*WMR No...
chart and was re-released on the Ninthwave Records
Ninthwave Records
Ninthwave Records is a U.S. synthpop record label founded in 2001.-History:Ninthwave Records is an independent record company specializing in electronic pop. It was founded in 2001 as part of Lexicon Magazine but was made a separate company upon the magazine's demise...
compilation Synthetic Dance Music Volume Two. POP INC have a new video/single (Boulevard of Broken Dreams) arriving 10/28/11 and have teamed up with Trans-X
Trans-X
Trans-X is a Canadian 1980s synth band formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are known for their hit song "Living on Video" which charted world wide.-History:...
to finish their freshman LP, due Spring 2012.
Lolly Pop last surfaced on KSTP
KSTP-TV
KSTP-TV, channel 5, is the ABC affiliate for the Twin Cities. Its transmitter is located at the Shoreview Telefarm. It is the flagship station of Hubbard Broadcasting, which also owns several other broadcasting properties across the United States....
/ABC TV
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Charitable efforts
Pop worked extensively with the Minnesota 501-C3 Rock The Cause from 2008–2009; organized RELIEF 2: Electro Boogaloo to benefit survivors of Hurricane Katrina in 2005; founded the "Music For Charity" program, donating 30% of her 2004/05 touring profits to The Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
, Second Harvest Heartland
America's Second Harvest
Feeding America is a United States-based non-profit organization. It consists of a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue organizations that serve virtually every county in the United States as well as Puerto Rico. It is the nation's leading hunger-relief charity,...
, Bridge For Runaway Youth, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, United Way and Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
. With the help of First Avenue night club, Pop coordinated as well as performed in "Girlfest 2004" to support the Harriet Tubman Organization.
2011
LINGERIEMaxi Single(in Production)
POP INC- LP (in Production)
POP INC- Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Video/DVD 10/28/11
2010
POP INC vs. SYMPHONO- Looking 4 The KLFSingle, Ninthwave Records, August 2010
POP INC f. TRANS-X- Video Killed The Radio Star
Maxi Single, Ninthwave Records (in Production)
POP INC- L.P. (in Production)
2009
TC ELECTROPUNK VOLUME 5 (song: "Disenchanted"- November 2009)POP INC- LOOKING 4 THE KLF (video- August 2009)
Rockamerica
Rockamerica
RockAmerica is a music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys based in New York City, New York. Founded in 1980 by Ed Steinberg, it was the first company to offer music videos on a subscription basis, and provided a vital channel before the establishment of MTV and other...
/Promo Only
Promo Only
Promo Only is a music and music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys. It was the first monthly music service available to music professionals on CD....
POP INC- Looking 4 The KLF (download card/maxi single- July 2009)
Modo Disco (UK)
POP INC- Looking 4 The KLF (video- original edit- June 2009)
Modo Disco (UK)
2007
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (Danny Morris remix video- June, 2007)Rockamerica
Rockamerica
RockAmerica is a music video subscription service for professional disc jockeys based in New York City, New York. Founded in 1980 by Ed Steinberg, it was the first company to offer music videos on a subscription basis, and provided a vital channel before the establishment of MTV and other...
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (promo only static package maxi-single) - March, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (digital maxi single- April, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP- Elevator Operator (original video- February, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
LOLLY POP (self-titled solo debut- Feb, 2007)
Modo Disco (UK)
2006
LOLLY POPTHE CUBAN BOYS- Satellite Junkyard (song: "Claudine In Blue", 2006)
THE CUBAN BOYS- BBC Radio [live] (song: "Walking In The Air", 2006)
2005
TC ELECTROPUNK VOLUME 2 (song: "Elevator Operator", 2005)SUNNY SMACK - Mezzanine Girls (song: "Mezzanine", 2005)
2002
BURNING SHAKESPEARE- No Juliet EP (leads and songwriting)BROWN RAINBOWS - Underground Soundtracks (various tracks)
TELEPHONE!- Love... EP (leads and songwriting)
2001
STATION9 - Chrome EP (leads and songwriting)(Sursumcorda Records)
THOUSAND VOID CRUSH f. STATION9- Radio Free (song: "Radio Free")
(Sursumcorda Records)