The view from the bottom is getting better for Lit. Probably because they’ve begun their ascent back to the top. With a new record out for the first time in eight years, the band is experiencing their own Rock Revival. In 2004, Lit released their self-titled fourth album. In the years that followed, the band toured to support the album. In May 2008, drummer Allen Shellenberger was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He sadly passed away a little over a year later in August 2009.
Lit shot to stardom in 1999 with the release of A Place In The Sun. The album went platinum, and produced the smash single, “My Own Worst Enemy”, which won the band the Billboard Music Award for “Best Modern Rock Song”. The album’s second hit single, “Miserable”, was one of the top ten most-played songs of 2000. The band toured with the likes of The Offspring, No Doubt, and Garbage, as well as sets on the Vans Warped Tour and Woodstock ’99. Lit followed up with the release of Atomic in 2001 which scored the band another Top Ten single, “Lipstick and Bruises”.
I got a chance to catch up with frontman A. Jay Popoff and bassist Kevin Baldes on the band’s tour bus at XFinity Live! in
Philadelphia, PA. In regard to the last eight years, Kevin stated, “We had some ‘life hiccups’.” I think that’s an understatement, but regardless, the band is back in action and on tour with Buckcherry. “It feels good. We’ve been gone a long time, and been through a lot of things but this is what we’ve always wanted to do,” A. Jay said.
Now, Lit is back and, according to the band, better than ever. In the summer of 2012, they embarked on the Summerland Tour with Everclear, Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, and Marcy Playground. “It was a great tour, man. It was a lot of fun. We knew it would be,” A. Jay said. Their new album, The View From The Bottom, is out now via Megaforce Records. “To have new songs to play, it’s a new fire.” A. Jay said. “It feels like we’ve got an energy that we never had.” The albums two singles, “You Tonight” and “The Broken” are currently circulating the rock radio airwaves. After their fall tour run concludes, the band will be playing the ShipRocked Cruise, which sets sail on November 27. If a place in the sun is what you seek this winter, be sure to get your ShipRocked tickets and get ready to CRANK IT UP! – by Matt Bishop (Photos Courtesy of Lit/Megaforce Records)