BookRags.com Literature Guides Literature
Guides		 Criticism & Essays Criticism &
Essays		 Questions & Answers Questions &
Answers		 Lesson Plans Lesson
Plans		 My Bibliography Periodic Table U.S. Presidents Shakespeare Sonnet Shake-Up
Research Anything:        
History | Encyclopedias | Films | News | Create a Bibliography | More... Login | Register | Help
Not What You Meant?  There are 26 definitions for Maroon.  Also try: MV or Kara.

Maroon 5

 Print-Friendly
About 11 pages (3,370 words)

Bookmark and Share Questions on this topic? Just ask!
In concert, August 25 2004
In concert, August 25 2004
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s) Rock
Pop rock
Soul rock
Years active 1995 – 2001 as Kara's Flowers
2001 – present as Maroon 5
Label(s) A&M/Octone
Universal Music Group
J Records
Columbia Records
Website maroon5.com
Members
Adam Levine
James Valentine
Jesse Carmichael
Mickey Madden
Matt Flynn
Former members
Ryan Dusick

Maroon 5 is an American rock band originating from Los Angeles, California. Comprising five members: Adam Levine (vocals, guitar), James Valentine (guitar, vocals), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards, vocals), Mickey Madden (bass guitar) and Matt Flynn (drums, percussion), the band is best known for hit songs including "Harder to Breathe", "This Love" and "She Will Be Loved". Maroon 5 has won several awards for its debut album Songs About Jane. Released in June 2002, the album enjoyed major chart success, going gold, platinum, and triple platinum in many countries around the world.[1] In support of Songs About Jane, Maroon 5 toured extensively throughout 2003 – 2005, in which a live album was released, entitled Live - Friday the 13th. Original member Ryan Dusick left the band in September 2006, due to injuries sustained by the constant touring, and was replaced by Matt Flynn. After a hiatus from the music scene, Maroon 5 released their second studio album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long in May 2007, five years after Songs About Jane. The second set debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of nearly half a million. The band performed in various performances throughout the summer and fall of 2007, including a North American tour with The Hives. They are currently touring with Dashboard Confessional in their world tour and, beginning March 28 2008, they will tour with OneRepublic, Brandi Carlile, and Ry Cuming. Controversy has surrounded both of Maroon 5's albums. Misogynistic lyrics, explicitly sexual videos, and explicit lyrics without a Parental Advisory label have all been issues.

Contents

History

Kara's Flowers

Main article: Kara's Flowers

Three members of Maroon 5 have known each other since attending junior high school together in Los Angeles. While attending Brentwood School, Adam Levine and Jesse Carmichael joined up with Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick to form Kara's Flowers,[2] a garage/grunge band that played its first gig at the Whisky a Go Go on September 16, 1995. At that time, Levine sang with a deeper "grunge" voice as opposed to the high-pitched vocals he is known for now.[3][4] The band signed with Reprise Records while still in high school and released its only album The Fourth World in the middle of 1997,[2] just as three of the four members were about to graduate (Ryan Dusick was completing his sophomore year at UCLA). A video was made for the opening track "Soap Disco", but it did not find success. Despite support slots on tours with Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger, the album failed to take off commercially and, in 1999, the band parted company with Reprise Records. The four attended different colleges across the United States, experiences that would greatly influence the style and sound of Maroon 5.[5] The four original members of Kara's Flowers remained in touch and started playing together again in 2001. Jesse Carmichael switched from guitar to keyboards, so a need arose for an additional guitarist. James Valentine, formerly with the band Square, joined them to fill that void.

Formation

When Valentine joined Kara's Flowers in 2001, the band adopted the name Maroon 5. The band played showcase gigs in New York City and Los Angeles. Levine credited the interim period with influencing the band's new style stating:

“ During the time between our record deals, I spent a lot of time in New York where I was exposed to an urban and hip-hop culture in a way that had never happened to me in L.A. It turned me on to an entirely new genre of music which has had a profound impact on my songwriting.[5] ”

The band signed with Octone Records, an independent record label in New York. They also signed a global music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing.

Songs About Jane

The band recorded Songs About Jane at Rumbo Recorders in Los Angeles with record producer Matt Wallace, who had also produced for Train, Blues Traveler, Kyle Riabko, and Third Eye Blind. Most of the material on Maroon 5's debut album was directly inspired by Levine's tumultuous relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Jane; "We were breaking up as the band entered the studio," he explains. "After compiling a song list, we decided to name the album Songs About Jane because it felt like the most honest statement we could make with the title."[6] The first single "Harder to Breathe" slowly started to pick up airplay which helped spur sales of the album. By March 2004, the album had reached the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 and "Harder to Breathe" had made the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts. The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 in August 2004,[7] 26 months after its release; this was the longest period between an album's release and its initial Top 10 appearance since SoundScan results were included in the Billboard 200 in 1991.[8] Songs About Jane eventually reached #2 on the Australian albums charts[9] while "Harder to Breathe" made the Top 20 singles charts in the U.S.[10] and UK,[9] and Top 40 in Australia and New Zealand.[9] The album also eventually climbed to #1 in the UK and #2 in Australia.[9] The second single, "This Love", reached #5 in the U.S.[10], #3 in the UK, and #8 in Australian[9] The third single, "She Will Be Loved", reached the Top 5 in both the U.S.[10] and the UK, and went to #1 in Australia.[9] The fourth single, "Sunday Morning", reached the Top 40 in the U.S.,[10] UK, and Australia.[9]

Constant touring and Dusick leaving

Maroon 5 was constantly on tour after releasing their album in mid-2002. During this time, the band toured with Michelle Branch, Nikka Costa, Vanessa Carlton, Graham Colton, John Mayer, and The Rolling Stones.[11] Others they have toured alongside include Gavin DeGraw, Matchbox Twenty, Sugar Ray, Phantom Planet,The Hives,Dashboard Confessional, Big City Rock, The Like, Simon Dawes, Jason Mraz, The Thrills, Thirsty Merc, Marc Broussard, The Donnas, The RedWest and Guster. Maroon 5 also played Live 8 in Philadelphia in 2005. Their set included a cover of Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World" and frontman Levine performed with one of his heroes, and the closing act, Stevie Wonder.[12] On May 13, 2005, in Santa Barbara, California, the band wrapped up the Honda Civic Tour, which they headlined.[13] Over the years of touring with the band, percussionist and back-up vocalist Ryan Dusick had been suffering from the touring life. His arms were injured and, for a part of some tours, he was not able to drum. In his section of Midnight Miles, Dusick detailed his pain and its progression through their tours. It was during the band's early tour that he took his first break with Ryland Steen taking his place for a few shows. He returned for the next tour but was forced to take another break because, as he writes, "I deteriorated to such a degree that both of my arms were pretty much useless."[14] Josh Day was to be his replacement for a few shows while Dusick underwent tests to determine the cause of his pain. Nine months passed and Matt Flynn, Gavin DeGraw's former drummer, assumed the position of what was initially a temporary replacement, but Dusick officially left Maroon 5 in September 2006 with Flynn replacing him permanently.[15]

It Won't Be Soon Before Long

Adam Levine, Maroon 5
Adam Levine, Maroon 5

On May 22, 2007, Maroon 5's second album, It Won't Be Soon Before Long, was released worldwide by A&M/Octone Records.[16] According to Levine, the follow-up to Songs About Jane is "sexier and stronger",[17] gaining inspiration from iconic 80s artists such as Prince, Shabba Ranks, Michael Jackson and Talking Heads.[18] Before its release, "Makes Me Wonder" was the #1 selling single and video on iTunes.[17] It was also the #1 selling album, with more than 50,000 digital pre-sales.[17] After its release, the album broke iTunes sales records its week of release, selling over 101,000 albums.[19] The first single, "Makes Me Wonder", was released to radio March 27, 2007. The making of the music video was previewed on MTV's Total Request Live, and premiered on the show March 29. The song debuted at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100, the lowest debuting single of the group's five chart entries. In the first week of May, the single skyrocketed from a lowly position of 64 to #1, the biggest jump in Billboard history.[20] "Makes Me Wonder" has also achieved #1 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs, Pop 100, and Hot Dance Club Play charts.[21] To support the album, the band performed on a "six-date club tour" in which they visited small venues in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami, and New York City in early June 2007.[22] They followed with a concert that streamed live via MSN Music in mid-June.[23] On July 10, they opened for The Police, in Miami,[24] and followed with an acoustic performance at the Miami club, Studio A, the next day.[25] Their 2007 It Won't Be Soon Before Long world tour began September 29 in Detroit and concluded November 10 in Las Vegas.[26] The Hives, as the tour's special guest, performed on all of the dates while Sara Bareilles, Kevin Michael, and Phantom Planet each performed in a portion of the tour.[27] They are currently touring with Dashboard Confessional in their world tour and, beginning March 28 2008, they will tour with OneRepublic, Brandi Carlile, and Ry Cuming.

Controversy

In the song "Harder to Breathe", parts of the lyrics could be interpreted by some as misogynistic. After accusing his lover of being "condescending and unnecessarily critical", Levine sings, "I have a tendency of getting very physical/So watch your step, 'cause if I do you'll need a miracle." Although the lyrics seem to imply that he will physically strike the woman to whom he is speaking, Levine has said that the song was written in response to the record company pressuring the band into writing more material, because none of the tracks were a single.[28]

Explicit content

Uncensored (top) and censored (bottom) music video for "This Love"
Uncensored (top) and censored (bottom) music video for "This Love"

The music video for "This Love" featured lead singer Adam Levine and his then-girlfriend, model Kelly McKee, in extended sex scenes. The video used creative camera angles to show as much as possible without actually revealing any of the couple's genitalia, thereby avoiding possible FCC action.[29] A version of the video where a stream of computer-generated flowers cover up more was created for more conservative markets.[30] When asked about his feelings on this, Levine commented, "That was ridiculous."[31] Bassist Madden called it "an absurd over-reaction."[32] More steamy scenes appeared in the video for "She Will Be Loved", which featured a love triangle and sexual imagery involving Levine and actress Kelly Preston, the wife of actor John Travolta.[33] The video for "Wake Up Call" also contains such material and also presented as a trailer for a fictional NC-17 rated movie. Neither Songs About Jane nor It Won't Be Soon Before Long bears a Parental Advisory label,[34][35] in spite of the strong language and explicit nature of lines in the singles "Harder to Breathe" and "Makes Me Wonder" respectively.

Discography

Main article: Maroon 5 discography

Albums

Singles

Year Single Album
2003 "Harder to Breathe" Songs About Jane
2004 "This Love"
"She Will Be Loved"
"Sunday Morning"
2005 "Must Get Out"
2007 "Makes Me Wonder" It Won't Be Soon Before Long
"Wake Up Call"
"Won't Go Home Without You"
2008 "If I Never See Your Face Again"

Awards

2004

2005

2006

References

  1. ^ Lamy, Jonathan (December 21, 2004). Goodbye, 2004. Hello, 2005!. RIAA. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  2. ^ a b McIntosh, Gregory. kara's flowers. All Music Guide. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  3. ^ Stas, Heather and Bottomley, C. (June 9, 2003). Maroon 5: Breathe Easy. VH1.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  4. ^ KCFan586 (May 30, 2007). Adam Levine: An Interview with Maroon 5's Frontman. Associated Content. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  5. ^ a b Maroon 5 Bio. Artistdirect. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  6. ^ MacSween, Ron. Maroon 5. International Talent Booking. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  7. ^ Maroon 5 Discography - Songs About Jane. Billboard. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  8. ^ Michaels, Mitch (May 22, 2007). Maroon 5 It Won't Be Soon Before Long Review. 411mania. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Maroon 5 Album Performance. aCHarts.us. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d Chart History - Maroon 5. Billboard (2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  11. ^ The Rolling Stones — A Bigger Bang World Tour Warmup Acts. IORR.org (2005). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  12. ^ Maroon 5 with Stevie Wonder at Live 8. Rolling Stone (July 2, 2005). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  13. ^ Maroon 5 Headlines 2005 Honda Civic Tour. Motor Trend (February 4, 2005). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  14. ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (June 20, 2006). Maroon 5 Book Goes Backstage At Jane Tours, Addresses Drummer's Health Struggles. MTV. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  15. ^ Moss, Corey (March 6, 2007). Maroon 5 Back With 'Harder' Album After Adam Levine Gets Sick Of Partying. MTV. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  16. ^ Peters, Mitchell (March 12, 2007). Maroon 5 Finds Its Groove On Sophomore Album. Billboard. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  17. ^ a b c Baber, Darren (April 26, 2007). Maroon 5 Dominates iTunes Sales Chart With Three Simultaneous Number Ones. PR Newswire. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  18. ^ Pollock, Duncan (2007). Review: It Won't Be Soon Before Long — Maroon 5. Jacarandafm.com (94.2 FM). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  19. ^ Maroon 5 album breaks iTunes sales record. MacNN.com (May 30, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  20. ^ Bronson, Fred (May 2, 2007). Chart Beat. Billboard.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  21. ^ Artist Chart History: Maroon 5. Billboard.com (2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  22. ^ MTV News staff (May 4, 2007). Jessica Biel Wants Respect, Plus Nelly Furtado, Hilary Duff, Sum 41, Borat, Eve, Diddy, Ozzy & More In For The Record. MTV News. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  23. ^ Maroon 5 Live from Le Cabaret. MSN Music (June 14, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  24. ^ No Need to 'Wonder' - Maroon 5 Debuts at #1. PR Newswire. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  25. ^ Reminder - Miami Studio a Make Up Show Information: Tues 7/11 @ 3:00pm. Maroon5.com (July 10, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  26. ^ Maroon 5 Announces Plans for 2007 'It Won't Be Soon Before Long' World Tour. KEYT3 Santa Barbara (July 9, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  27. ^ Tour Announcement!. Maroon5.com (July 9, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  28. ^ Rolling Stone’s Top 25 Songs With a Secret. Rolling Stone #17 (April 16, 2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  29. ^ Uncensored music video for "This Love" at YouTube
  30. ^ Censored music video for "This Love" at YouTube
  31. ^ Voss, Brandon (May 22, 2007). Big Gay Following - Adam Levine. The Advocate. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  32. ^ Bergmann, Caitlin. An iVillage Exclusive Q&A with Maroon 5. iVillage.com. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  33. ^ Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved" (Music video) (2005). Octone Records/J/RCA Music Group. Retrieved on July 26 2007.
  34. ^ Songs About Jane review. CommonSenseMedia.org. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  35. ^ It Won't Be Soon Before Long review. CommonSenseMedia.org. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  36. ^ 2004 Billboard Music Awards Winners. iVillage Entertainment (December 2004). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  37. ^ Full Biography — Maroon 5. MTV (2007). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  38. ^ World Music Awards storm Vegas. USA Today (September 16, 2004). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  39. ^ Roth, Kaj (February 19, 2005). Maroon 5 wins GRAMMY!. Melodic.net. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  40. ^ Pop Awards. GrooveVolt.com (2005). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  41. ^ Maroon 5 Triumph at NRJ Music Awards. ContactMusic.com (January 23, 2005). Retrieved on July 25, 2007.
  42. ^ Moss, Corey (February 24, 2006). They Just Won A Grammy, So Why Do Maroon 5 Feel Like Losers?. MTV. Retrieved on July 25, 2007.

External links

View More Summaries on Maroon 5
 
View all | View only answered questions | View only unanswered questions
Ask any question on Maroon 5 and get it answered FAST!
Answer questions in BookRags Q&A and earn points toward
discounted or even FREE Study Guides and other BookRags products!
Learn more about BookRags Q&A
Copyrights
Maroon 5 from Wíkipedia. ©2006 by Wíkipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. View a list of authors or edit this article.

Article Navigation
Join BookRagslearn moreJoin BookRags
About BookRags | Customer Service | Report an Error | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy |