Y-O-U
Encyclopedia
Y-O-U, also known as the Pleaserock collective, is a rock
band from Atlanta, Georgia
, probably most widely known for their collaborations with The Brothers Chaps
on projects such as Strong Bad Sings
and the karaoke
music from strongbad email.exe. In addition, the Chapmans animated a music video
for Y-O-U's song "LA Lindsay."
Originally from Indiana, the band relocated to Georgia in 2002. Their self-titled debut album
was released in 2003
. Their next LP, Flashlights
, was released on compact disc
in January 2007; however, as a promotional tactic, the entire album is also available as a free download via the band's MySpace
profile. After a final record was released in the summer of 2009, the band announced its retirement from recording and performing their original music as Y-O-U.
Y-O-U is also known short mockumentaries available on their website, their MySpace page, and YouTube
.
In December 2006, Y-O-U was named one of the Top 25 Best Bands on MySpace by Rolling Stone Magazine.
, based on their many alter-ego groups which appear throughout Atlanta on a regular basis:
Despite the retirement of the original "Y-O-U" identity, the other active Pleaserock aliases continue to perform.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band from Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, probably most widely known for their collaborations with The Brothers Chaps
The Brothers Chaps
The Brothers Chaps are Michael "Mike" Chapman and Matthew "Matt" Chapman, creators of the Homestar Runner series of animated cartoons. The brothers are originally from Indiana, but now live in Atlanta, Georgia.-Matthew Chapman:...
on projects such as Strong Bad Sings
Strong Bad Sings
Strong Bad Sings is a compilation album featuring songs by Strong Bad and other characters from the Homestar Runner web cartoon series. Strong Bad Sings is the first CD spinoff from the online cartoon world of homestarrunner.com...
and the karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
music from strongbad email.exe. In addition, the Chapmans animated a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for Y-O-U's song "LA Lindsay."
Originally from Indiana, the band relocated to Georgia in 2002. Their self-titled debut album
Y-O-U (album)
Y-O-U is the first album by Atlanta rock band Y-O-U. Released in 2003, it is their only album with members Eric Harlan Park and Matt Sonnicksen, who left the band approximately a year later....
was released in 2003
2003 in music
-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
. Their next LP, Flashlights
Flashlights
Flashlights is the third record by the Atlanta-based independent rock band Y-O-U. The album was first made available via free download on the band's MySpace profile on New Year's Day, 2007, and on compact disc on January 23 of the same year....
, was released on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in January 2007; however, as a promotional tactic, the entire album is also available as a free download via the band's MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
profile. After a final record was released in the summer of 2009, the band announced its retirement from recording and performing their original music as Y-O-U.
Y-O-U is also known short mockumentaries available on their website, their MySpace page, and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.
In December 2006, Y-O-U was named one of the Top 25 Best Bands on MySpace by Rolling Stone Magazine.
As Y-O-U
- Y-O-UY-O-U (album)Y-O-U is the first album by Atlanta rock band Y-O-U. Released in 2003, it is their only album with members Eric Harlan Park and Matt Sonnicksen, who left the band approximately a year later....
(2003) - Strong Bad SingsStrong Bad SingsStrong Bad Sings is a compilation album featuring songs by Strong Bad and other characters from the Homestar Runner web cartoon series. Strong Bad Sings is the first CD spinoff from the online cartoon world of homestarrunner.com...
(2003, with The Brothers Chaps for Homestar RunnerHomestar RunnerHomestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
) - Everything is ShiftingEverything Is ShiftingEverything is Shifting is a 2005 EP by Atlanta-based rock band Y-O-U. The record represented a striking change in the band's sound, both lyrically and musically, the latter change being inspired in part by the departure of two members, Eric Park and Matt Sonnicksen, in 2004...
(2005) - FlashlightsFlashlightsFlashlights is the third record by the Atlanta-based independent rock band Y-O-U. The album was first made available via free download on the band's MySpace profile on New Year's Day, 2007, and on compact disc on January 23 of the same year....
(2007) - The Long-Playing EPThe Long-Playing EPThe Long-Playing EP is the fourth and final record from Atlanta rock group Y-O-U, released in July of 2009. It consists of five new tracks and eight tracks taken from previous Y-O-U releases; the new songs originally having been intended for a 2008 album which fell through...
(2009)
Members
- Nick Niespodziani - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica
- Peter Olson - bass, keyboards, vocals
- Mark Cobb - drums, keyboards, vocals
- Mark Bencuya - keyboards (2008–present)
Former members
- Eric Harlan Park - keyboards (2002–2004)
- Matt Sonnicksen - guitar, keyboards (2000–2004)
- Clay CookClay CookDouglas "Clay" Cook is a songwriter, producer and musician who co-wrote several songs with Grammy-winner John Mayer including "No Such Thing", "Comfortable", and "Neon"...
- keyboards, guitar, banjo (2005–2006)
Alias Rock
Y-O-U were officially dubbed "alias rockers" in early 2008 in a cover story by Southeast Performer MagazinePerformer Magazine
Performer Magazine is an American music magazine aimed at independent musicians. It has been in publication since 1991 and is distributed nationally throughout the United States. The magazine focuses primarily on musicians who are unsigned and on small labels, and their success in a DIY environment...
, based on their many alter-ego groups which appear throughout Atlanta on a regular basis:
- Three Dawgh Stephens (also spelled as Three Dog Stevens) is a "sandal-rock" comedy trio and the subject of one of Y-O-U's mockumentary series. The band actually performs live in character (and in costume) outside of the filmed episodes. They have one song released online called "Furry Little Muskrat Woman."
- Constantly Awesome (formerly known as The Tupperware Party) is a cover bandCover bandA cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
which plays mostly weddings and other private engagements. - The Yacht Rock Revue is a large ensemble which performs exclusively soft rockSoft rockSoft rock is a style of music which uses the techniques of rock music to compose a softer, more toned-down sound. Soft rock songs generally tend to focus on themes like love, everyday life and relationships. The genre tends to make heavy use of acoustic guitars, pianos, synthesizers and sometimes...
covers, mostly from the 1970s, inspired in part by the web series Yacht RockYacht rockYacht Rock was an online video series following the fictionalized lives and careers of American soft rock stars of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The series debuted on Channel 101 at the June 26, 2005 screening. It placed in the top five at subsequent screenings until the June 25, 2006 screening,...
. They play public and private concerts and charity events. Both the Yacht Rock Revue and Y-O-U (as themselves) once played at the same festival on the same day. - Please PleaseRock Me is a cover band focusing on the Beatles music, both group and solo.
- Nigels With Attitude is an XTCXTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
cover band. - Nespo Johnny is the name Nick Niespodziani uses for solo appearances, in which he performs Y-O-U songs and new original work.
- Limozeen is a mock-hair metal band from the Homestar RunnerHomestar RunnerHomestar Runner is a Flash animated Internet cartoon. It mixes surreal humor with references to retro pop culture, notably video games, classic television, and popular music.The cartoons are nominally centered on the title character, Homestar Runner...
universe; Y-O-U has performed as the band, with Matt Chapman singing lead, at two concerts so far. - Rock Fight is an audience-decidedOchlocracyOchlocracy or mob rule is government by mob or a mass of people, or the intimidation of legitimate authorities.As a pejorative for majoritarianism, it is akin to the Latin phrase mobile vulgus meaning "the fickle crowd", from which the English term "mob" was originally derived in the...
musical battle between tribute sets to two other artists (the competitors in the "fight"). - John Macentoeshka and the Mosseknuckles (defunct) was a Europop quintet which used to perform at random "pseudononymous" public appearances.
- The Flying Wallabies (defunct), the subject of another mockumentary series, was not a band at all, but a "competitive" jump-roping team.
Despite the retirement of the original "Y-O-U" identity, the other active Pleaserock aliases continue to perform.
External links
- Official site
- Official MySpace Music page
- Y-O-U at Homestar Runner Wiki
- Rolling Stone's "Best Bands on MySpace"
- Musiqtone exclusive interview with Niespodziani & Olson
- "YOU: The Many Faces of You" from Southeast Performer Magazine February 2008