Tinted Windows probably isn’t the most unusual supergroup in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, but it ranks up there with Bun E. Carlos from Cheap Trick on drums, James Iha from Smashing Pumpkins on guitar, Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne on bass and Taylor Hanson from pre-Jonas teen-pop idols Hanson on vocals. The group’s self-titled album,… Read More »
When you throw the term super group around, the tendency is to dwell on the star studded lineup that earned the group its “super” status, and Tinted Windows is no exception. The power pop quartet has been riding high upon the heels of their self-titled freshman debut, but on the surface, the group’s lineup makes for a much… Read More »
Missing the good old “MMMbop” days? Well, good news. Taylor Hanson (the one who looked like a really cute girl) is back with his very own supergroup — Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha, Fountains of Wayne-er Adam Schlesinger, and Cheap Trick drummer Bun E. Carlos. The project is so unapologetically sweet, you’ll get diabetes just thinking about it. Schlesinger… Read More »
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Tinted Windows, a supergroup starring Taylor Hanson, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, James Iha of the Smashing Pumpkins, and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick. Since their album came out late last month, they’ve been playing some gigs, but fielding more questions. How did this come about,… Read More »
James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins/A Perfect Circle, Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick and Taylor Hanson of Hanson (WTF?) together again for the first time! What are the results from this Super Group with over 75 years of combined experience? Pure power pop greatness! Believe it or not, the Tinted Windows has… Read More »
It’s been a long time since I’ve been excited about a supergroup. On paper, the idea of cherry-picking random players from different bands to create something new and fresh has always been intriguing-not unlike picking one from list A and 2 from list B at your favorite Chinese eatery. In practice, however, to say that results may vary… Read More »
It’s no secret that I have “mmmbop” on google alert. As I had mentioned previously, I don’t want to post every tinted window article, as this blog is mainly about Hanson. But I got a bajillion and one notifications this morning, so here are some links: Pumpkins’ James Iha in new supergroup Shades of the Past Tinted Windows:… Read More »
1. Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger meet in Chicago in the early nineties. A few years later, when FOW’s self-titled debut is released, the now arena- huge Pumpkins (above) take the fledgling band on the road with them. Iha and Schlesinger eventually co-found Scratchie Records. 2. In 1997, Schlesinger meets and befriends… Read More »
Supergroups are predictable. It’s almost always some bunch of folkies (Crosby, Stills & Nash) or blues cats (Cream) or ’70s burnouts (the Firm, Asia, Bad English) doing exactly what’s expected. The results can be awesome (see “Deja Vu”). Or lame (BadEnglish’s “When I See You Smile,” anyone?). But rarely are they shocking. Shocking would be a blend of… Read More »
Earlier this month, when it was announced that Tinted Windows—an ostensibly-super-group featuring Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger, The Smashing Pumpkins’ James Iha, Cheap Trick’s Bun E. Carlos and Taylor Hanson (for whom my inner twelve-year old still carries a brooding, awkward torch)—didn’t just exist but indeed had songs and a MySpace and SXSW dates (you know, all the… Read More »