Biography All Music Guide Wikipedia
Group Members: Gregory Scott Slay
All Music Guide:
Birmingham, AL-based Remy Zero dared to be moody and poetic when most American alternative rock had become overly aggressive and juvenile. Consisting of childhood friends Cinjun Tate (vocals, guitar), Cedric Lemoyne (bass), Jeffrey Cain (guitar), Shelby Tate (guitar, keyboards), and Gregory Slay (drums), Remy Zero was merely a group of schoolboys recording homemade tapes. In the mid-'90s, the band sent a demo to community radio station KCRW in Santa Monica, CA. It attracted the attention of Geffen Records, and the label eventually signed the group. In 1996, Remy Zero released its self-titled debut. The album was virtually unnoticed, but the band's 1998 follow-up, Villa Elaine, arrived with the Next Big Thing label as the group was thought of, mainly by its publicists, as a young U2 or Radiohead. The soaring "Prophecy" was a dead ringer for Radiohead, especially with its emotionally unrestrained vocals; however, many critics felt that the bandmembers were not able to reach the creative peaks of their idols on Villa Elaine. "Prophecy" landed on modern-rock radio just when the format was banishing melodic, '80s-influenced alternative pop from its airwaves in favor of rap-metal and mall-ready punk. Remy Zero simply didn't fit in. The group vanished from the scene until 2001, when it recorded The Golden Hum. First single "Save Me" -- recalling the toe-tapping anthems of the Alarm with a Radiohead makeover -- became the theme song of the TV drama Smallville later that year.
Wikipedia:
Remy Zero were a Birmingham, Alabama-based alternative rock band made up of Cinjun Tate (vocals, guitar), Shelby Tate (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Cedric LeMoyne (bass guitar), Jeffrey Cain (guitar, vocals) and Gregory Slay (drums, percussion) before his death in January 2010.
History
Before Remy Zero had released any full length albums, Radiohead found their demo tape and invited them to be part of the US tour for The Bends. After that, the band moved from Alabama to Los Angeles to record their first album.
Remy Zero's first album, self-titled, drew from these experiences and received little recognition or sales. The subsequent album Villa Elaine caused them to be praised as "the next big thing". Villa Elaine was recorded when the band was living in an apartment of the same name in Hollywood. Remy Zero's third album The Golden Hum was also received well. A 50 second version of the song "Save Me" from The Golden Hum was used as the theme song for WB/CW's Smallville during its ten season run. Remy Zero's music has also been on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic radio show. Remy Zero's song "Shattered" was used in the films Crazy/Beautiful and Suicide Kings. "Fair" from Villa Elaine was used in the films Garden State and Fanboys, "Prophecy" was used in She's All That, The Last Kiss, "Gramarye" was used in the film Stigmata, and "Perfect Memory" was used in the film The Invisible and the last episode of Smallville's first season (where the band guest starred on screen and played. They played 'Save Me' as well). Remy Zero recorded a version of Art Garfunkel's song "Bright Eyes" for the 2002 album "For the Kids."
Remy Zero broke up after making The Golden Hum and many of its members went on to join new bands. Shelby and Cinjun Tate created Spartan Fidelity, Jeffrey Cain joined Isidore and later created Dead Snares; Cedric LeMoyne toured with Alanis Morissette's band before joining O+S. Gregory Slay created Sleepwell.
Drummer Gregory Slay died on January 1, 2010, aged 40, of complications from cystic fibrosis.
On May 22, 2010, Remy Zero played their first show together in eight years as a tribute to Gregory in New Orleans, the town where he was born. The show was a great experience for the band as well as for a large turnout of fans. The band then planned for more shows that would be played in October.
The band also released a new single called "Til' The End" on the label popantipop, which was released on iTunes on September 7, 2010. The single was released to modern rock radio between the days of September 13 to 19, according to FMQB.com.
From October 7 to 12 2010, Remy Zero performed in memory of their drummer. The venues were at Dante’s in Portland, Oregon, The Crocodile Cafe in Seattle, Washington, Cafe Du Nord in San Francisco, and in Spaceland in Los Angeles, California. It was confirmed via the band's Twitter that these shows would be the final word from the band.
