Aqua (band)

Claus Norréen would be the quietest of the former members, remixing material for other artists, including Lazyboy's second single "Facts Of Life" under the Danny Red alias. An updated 2003 version includes a different cover, information about Disc One and Everything to Everyone, and fixes several typos found in the original version. Søren Rasted was a judge on the Danish version of Pop Idol, and would later begin work on the Lazyboy project, releasing "Underpants Go On The Inside" in January 2005 and making #5 in Australia. It is published in Canada by Madrigal Press. His performance was not as strong, though, and he has since been out of the spotlight. Barenaked Ladies have authorized a biography, Public Stunts Private Stories, written by friend of the band and fellow "Scarberian" Paul Myers, brother of actor Mike Myers. René Dif would also pursue a solo career, releasing "Let It All Out (Push It)" earlier than Lene, in 2002. Thin Buckle features players from several other Canadian alternative bands, such as Rheostatics.

Lene fell pregnant in 2004 with Søren's baby, and put her solo career on hold. Kevin is the frontman of Kevin Hearn and Thin Buckle, who play a mix of alternative rock and jazz with many other eclectic influences. The second single "Pretty Young Thing" was never released. Jim is part of the alternative/jazz trio The Brothers Creeggan, with brother and former BNL member Andy Creeggan and friend Ian McLauchlan. The first single would do well, though, "It's Your Duty" making number three in Denmark. Both Jim Creeggan and Kevin Hearn have side projects that are worked on during hiatus from BNL touring and studio time. Lene Grawford Nystrøm would marry Søren Rasted and then release a solo album, "Play With Me", which flopped in Scandinavia (making number 74 in her native Norway). They are now working on music for a production of "As You Like It" with the Stratford Festival in Stratford, Ontario and working on an album at Steven Page's farm.

All four members continued working in the music industry. BNL just recently completed a pilot for a variety show, tenatively titled Barenaked Ladies Variety Show, and have submitted it to the FOX network. In 2001 lead vocalist Lene would collapse on stage and with the peak of Aqua's popularity passed and relationships within the band weakening, Aqua split up in mid-2001. It is their first independent record since the Yellow Tape and was distributed by Warner Music. A third release from the album, "Freaky Friday" was planned but was pulled at the last minute. The band's most recent album is "Barenaked for the Holidays," which was released on October 5, 2004. Aqua would then perform at the Eurovision Song Contest of 2001, collaborating with the Safri Duo. More recently, the latest studio album as well as a single from it have been added.

This was followed-up by "Around The World", which despite being surprisingly anthemic would flop and make only number 26. In early 2004, the band began offering full live shows for purchase as either download or CD off of an eponymous website (http://www.barenakedladies.com). The first single release from the album was "Cartoon Heroes", which made number 7 in the UK. With the release of Everything to Everyone, BNL has fulfilled their contract with Reprise Records, which has allowed the band to try internet distribution and an independent album release.
After a year of so out of the spotlight Aqua returned in 2000 with a new album, "Aquarius", and a more matured sound with a larger range of styles. "Maybe Katie" and an edited version of "For You" from a concert in Glasgow, Scotland were also released as singles to radio. The fifth single "Good Morning Sunshine", released in late 1998, performed poorly and made only number 18. "Testing 1,2,3" was the second single off of the album and received a video, but no CD single, while "Celebrity" was released later with a CD single, but no video.

The fourth release would be "My Oh My", which didn't hit number one in the UK but was still a hit. The first single off that album was "Another Postcard," which received modest radio play. The follow-up single "Doctor Jones" would also be a UK number one, as would the third release from Aquarium, "Turn Back Time". "Turn Back Time" was taken from the Sliding Doors soundtrack and featured a less 'helium-induced' sound, gaining a lot of radio airplay. Everything to Everyone was released October 21, 2003. The single would hit number one across Europe and would also be successful Stateside, going platinum in the US and becoming a rare million seller in the UK. The latter was thought by some fans to be a break-up song, because of its title, the fact that it was the last song on the CD, and because its video featured clips from previous videos, but used the Syncro-Vox technique so that the people would lip-sync to the new song. The first single released from it was "Barbie Girl", a pop song seemingly about the children's toy but with 'double-meanings' which resulted in Barbie makers Mattel filing a lawsuit against the group (the lawsuit was dismissed in 2003). It contains 17 tracks from previous albums, (all of them have been a single, have had their own video, or both) and two new tracks, "It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland)" and "Thanks, That Was Fun".

In 1997 the group became known as Aqua and recorded the "Aquarium" album. In 2001, they released a compilation album, entitled Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001. The single performed poorly and the group decided to re-think their plans for success. Maroon, released in 2000, also did fairly well in stores, led by the single "Pinch Me". Originally known as Joyspeed, the group formed in 1995 and released a debut single called "Itzy Bitsy Spider" in Sweden and Denmark. The singles "It's All Been Done" which was also used as the opening theme song on the short lived animated TV series Baby Blues and the song "Call and Answer" also came from this highly successful album. The band has also collaberated with singer Tom Jones for a track on his 1999 album Reload. Aqua was a Scandinavian pop-dance band which consisted of Lene Grawford Nystrøm (born 2 October 1973, Tønsberg, Norway), René Dif (born 17 October 1967, Copenhagen, Denmark) and Claus Norréen (born 5 June 1970, Charlottenlund, Denmark) and Søren Rasted (born 13 June 1969, Blovstrød, Denmark). The band toured, but with friends Chris Brown and Greg Kurstin on keyboards until Kevin recovered enough to rejoin them on the road.

Get All "Aqua" Lyrics here (http://www.geocities.com/lleonardpler/play_aq.htm). Immediately after Stunt was released, however, Kevin Hearn was diagnosed with leukemia and had to spend several months in the hospital recovering. "Aqua" committed fansite still updated today (http://www.aquarama.tk). The band's greatest success to date and greatest recognition within the United States has come from their fourth album, Stunt, released in 1998, buoyed by the #1 single "One Week". Around The World (2000). From two dates on the Born on a Pirate Ship tour during 1996, BNL recorded and released a live album called Rock Spectacle, which had a modest radio hit with "Brian Wilson.". Cartoon Heroes (2000). Kevin Hearn was hired as the keyboardist for the subsequent tour and then was asked to join the band.

Good Morning Sunshine (1998). The album received two large boosts from the Jason Priestley-directed video for "The Old Apartment" and the inclusion of the song "Shoebox" on the Friends soundtrack. Turn Back Time (1998). The band released Born on a Pirate Ship in 1996 as a quartet. Doctor Jones (1998). After the release, Andy Creeggan left the band to begin college and to separate himself from the infighting that had taken place after the album's failure. Barbie Girl (1997). BNL's second album, Maybe You Should Drive, released in 1994, fared considerably less well with the Canadian public.

Itzy Bitsy Spider (1995). The band's first album, Gordon, released in 1992, was a smash hit in Canada and included some of the band's most well-known songs, including "Be My Yoko Ono" (the single which helped fund the album), "If I Had $1000000" (which spawned a macaroni-throwing tradition at live shows that the band has recently been trying to discourage), and "Brian Wilson" (named after the Beach Boy who later covered the song on a live album). Aquarius (2000). Sales of the tape were jumpstarted when BNL were taken off the bill of a concert at Toronto's City Hall because a staffer for then-mayor June Rowlands saw the band's name and felt it objectified women, which catapulted BNL into a media frenzy. Aquarium (1997). The full band's first release of note was the 1991 independent Yellow Tape, the first indie release to achieve platinum status in Canada. While Andy was on a trip to Ecuador and the band was lacking a percussionist, Tyler Stewart took over the position, and retained it after Andy's return.

As there were very few copies made of both, these tapes are now extremely rare. Barenaked Lunch (also known as the Pink Tape) was released in 1990, and featured two new band members, Andy and Jim Creeggan. Unfortunately, the tape was mastered incorrectly and plays too fast. The band's first tape, Buck Naked, released in 1989, was recorded in basements and bedrooms, and featured only Steve and Ed. BNL has a reputation as an excellent live band, and are particularly well-known for improvising amusing songs during their shows.

They formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. Barenaked Ladies (BNL for short) is a Canadian alternative rock band composed of Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, Steven Page, Tyler Stewart, and Jim Creeggan. Barenaked for the Holidays (2004). Everything to Everyone (2003).

Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits 1991-2001 (2001). Maroon (2000). Stunt (1998). Rock Spectacle (1996).

Born On A Pirate Ship (1996). Maybe You Should Drive (1994). Gordon (1992).