Everclear formed in Portland, Oregon in 1992. The line up
consisted of Art Alexakis (vocals, guitar), Montoya (bass, vocals),
and Scott Cuthbert (drums, vocals). They recorded their "World of Noise"
demo for $400, which became their 1993 debut album. Greg Eklund replaced
Cuthbert on drums in mid-1994. Their second album, released in 1995 was
"Sparkle and Fade." "Santa Monica" became one of the biggest modern rock
songs of 1996, while other songs like "Heroin Girl" and "Heartspark
Dollarsign" helped gain the band national fame. Their newest album, "So
Much For the Afterglow" debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at 33 and it's
first single, "Everything To Everyone" reached no. 1 on the Modern
Rock Charts.
Art grew up in a housing project in Santa Monica, California.
While in Santa Monica he got involved with drugs and crime. After
his mother had a nervous breakdown, his girlfriend and brother overdosed
on drugs, and he nearly overdosed on cocaine. He moved to San Fransisco
and started a record label for his band Colorfinger. Colorfinger
released one album when the record label went bankrupt, and the band broke
up. He relocated to Portland, started Everclear, and got married. Most
of his songs are written about events in his life. "Sparkle and Fade" deals
mostly with his life in Santa Monica and San Fransisco before starting
Everclear.
Craig grew up in Spokane, Washington. He, too, became involved
with drugs and quit after the cops raided his house. When he first phoned
Art about starting Everclear, Art talked so loud and fast that he had to
hold the phone away from his ear.
Greg grew up in Eugene, Oregon, played with a band called Jollymon.
He left Jollymon to move to Portland after the release of the album "Sailing"
on Elemental Records in 1993. He joined Everclear in 1994 and married his
girlfriend in 1997.