NORWICH – Depending on how you define success, the members of Lithium Zero say they’ve had a pretty good run – considering friendship and music have always been reason and reward enough for them to keep up a rock band.
No matter how you define success, the currently dissolved (well, sort of) alternative rock/pop foursome from Norwich recently reached a lofty height in the afterglow of its playing days: capturing the ears of MTV, which purchased rights to the band’s music off its only studio album, New Treason.
“It’s more than we ever really expected,” said guitarist and vocalist Rob Leahy.
“To have MTV want your music – it validates what we were doing,” said bassist Dan Sepello. “It’s not like we were beating their door down – they found us. It’s a feather in your cap.”
The recent success is the result of the band’s popularity on Ichannel, an Internet radio station Leahy submitted Lithium’s music to several months ago.
“They ran with it,” Leahy said. “I’ve heard requests from all over the country for it.”
Executives from the MTV dating-show Next contacted guitarist Mike Sepello, Dan’s younger brother, through the group’s MySpace.com account after hearing their songs on the web.
“A producer from Next contacted me and asked if they could license the music,” Mike said, admitting initially he was skeptical, after friends had previously played a practical joke on the band involving a fake record deal. “I thought someone was pulling our chain.”
MTV will most likely use the music primarily on Next, but has the option of using it on programs on any of its sister stations that are also under the Viacom umbrella, such MTV2, VHI, and Country Music Television.
“We better not make it on CMT,” Mike said to resounding laugher.
Dan acknowledged that the band’s progression has been somewhat odd – considering the recent Internet exposure and now commercial success occurred mostly after the band went on hiatus.
“You basically stop trying – and whamo! Something happens,” he said, drawing more laughter from other three. “It’s the weirdest thing.”
Since 2001, the band had received airtime on radio stations in the Southern Tier and Central New York, which included a live performance for the now defunct radio station, Rock 105 The Dog, out of Syracuse.
Mike and Leahy, along with the Sepellos’ other brother, Robert, still play in their modern rock cover band Uncle Rico. However, all four said they still have thoughts of coming back as Lithium Zero – which have been on their minds more often with the recent recognition.
“This whole thing has got us talking about writing a couple new songs and doing a reunion show sometime,” Mike said.
“The band isn’t gone,” drummer Mark Loewenstein said. “We’re just doing different things right now.”
Lithium Zero was formed in 2001, but different combinations of the band’s line-up have played in other projects for over 10 years, Leahy said. The band decided to take an unspecified break when Loewenstein became a first-time father, and Dan’s sporting goods store in Hamilton took-off.
Mike and Leahy still have a studio in downtown Norwich above Two Sisters Cafe, where Mike also records demos and albums for other musicians.