Led by former
Faith No More keyboardist
Roddy Bottum, the alternative pop band
Imperial Teen emerged from San Francisco in 1994. Co-founded with drummer
Lynn Perko, a veteran of Bay Area groups like
the Dicks and
Sister Double Happiness, the lineup was completed by former
Wrecks bassist
Jone Stebbings and vocalist
Will Schwartz. Debuting in 1996 with the critical favorite
Seasick,
Imperial Teen resurfaced in early 1999 with
What Is Not to Love, a minor hit due to the success of the sultry "Yoo Hoo." A tour with
Hole followed, but the majority of their live shows were done on a headlining club tour.
On was the next release, their first for Merge Records and another fine example of their coy boy/girl pop. A live album was also released that fall, backed by a tour. Former
Hole drummer
Patty Schemel took over touring duties while
Lynn Perko rested. After the
On tour,
Imperial Teen's members took a hiatus from the band.
Schwartz worked with his other project,
Hey Willpower;
Bottum wrote music for television shows including Help Me Help You;
Stebbings pursued a career as a hairstylist, and
Perko had a baby. When
Imperial Teen finally reconvened, their reasons for what took them so long to reunite provided the title for their 2007 album
The Hair the TV the Baby & the Band. Another five years were to pass before the band resurfaced with their fifth album, Feel the Sound, in early 2012.
–
Jason Ankeny and Bradley Torreano, Rovi