Verbena (band)
Verbena is a rock band that hails from Birmingham.
History
Verbena bears more than a slight resemblance to Nirvana with their gritty, aggressive rock and singer/guitarist Scott Bondy's soul-bearing vocals. Bondy began playing with Les Nuby (drums) and Daniel Johnston (bassist) when the three were in high school in the early '90s. Ann Marie Griffin (singer/guitarist) joined the trio, called Shallow, and shared songwriting duties with Bondy. Nuby left the group and was replaced by original Remy Zero drummer Louis Schefano. The band renamed itself Verbena and in 1996 released the EP, Pilot Park, on Merge. Nuby rejoined the band a year later. Verbena's 1997 debut full-length, Souls for Sale, attracted attention from Capitol Records, and former Nirvana drummer and head Foo Fighter Dave Grohl, who agreed to produce the band's major-label debut, Into the Pink, which was released in 1999. The single "Baby Got Shot"" recieved moderate airplay. The album's first single "Baby Got Shot" received moderate modern rock radio airplay. Shortly afterwards, Griffin left the band and Johnston was replaced on bass with Nick Daviston. Verbena was once again a trio and released La Musica Negra in 2003, and received radio airplay for the single "Way Out West." They toured in support of La Musica Negra and often times under the false name of "The Alabama Boys Choir." Verbena disbanded in 2003 after their extensive touring.
Discography
- Pilot Park (EP) Merge (1996)
- Souls For Sale Merge (1997)
- Into The Pink Capitol (1999)
- La Musica Negra Capitol (2003)