Letters to Cleo reunite!
Photo of Kay Hanley by Justine Ungaro, embellished by GAT
Before The OC and Gossip Girl, there was 90210 (yes, the original) and Melrose Place. And like other teen and 20-something dramas, many a band found exposure to a wider audience through TV sets around the country. One band was especially lucky in that realm - Boston's Letters To Cleo, fronted by the lovely Kay Hanley, who added girly vocals to the otherwise crunchy 90s pop. LTC was founded in 1990 and lasted the entire decade, enough to spawn several hit singles and placements in top teen films "10 Things I Hate About You" and "The Craft", as well as Melrose Place. But before their commercial success, LTC was just another alternative band trying to break out of their East Coast city and make a go of it. The original line up was Kay (vocals), Michael Eisenstein (guitar/keys), Stacy Jones (drums), Greg McKenna (guitar), and Scott Riebling (bass). Stacy Jones left the band in '97 to play with Veruca Salt, and so Tom Polce took over on drums. The band had immediate success after their single "Here and Now" was released, and then signed with major label Giant Records after working with Boston indie label CherryDisc. After ten years, the band called it quits and the members went on to work on various other projects, with Kay providing the vocals for the 2001 soundtrack of Josie and the Pussycats. The band got back together to play a few shows, and one at TT The Bears was the catalyst for a more official re-launch. Their first official reunion show in eight years with the original lineup (minus Riebling on bass) will be in LA in November, and then a month later the band will play two nights in their hometown of Boston and then one in New York City, just in time for the holiday season.
Upcoming show dates
Nov 08 The Roxy // Los Angeles
Dec 08 Paradise // Boston
Dec 09 Paradise // Boston
Dec 11 Bowery Ballroom // NYC
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