Fun Lovin' Criminals

New York City rap-rock outfit Fun Lovin' Criminals pair their gritty, often satirical lyrics with a cosmopolitan blend of alternative rock, blues, jazz, Latin soul, and hip-hop. The band is best known for their 1996 hit single "Scooby Snacks," which appeared on their platinum-selling debut album Come Find Yourself. The group has maintained a large international following over the decades, with subsequent efforts like Loco (2001), Livin' in the City (2005), and Classic Fantastic (2010) charting in the U.K. and Germany. Lineup changes, a concert album, and a series of compilations preceded the releases of the EPs The Roosevelt Sessions (2022) and The Capistrano Sessions (2023). Fun Lovin' Criminals were formed in 1993 by bassist Brian "Fast" Leiser and drummer Steve Borgovini, who had met at school in Syracuse; the pair formed a techno group but later moved back to New York City, where they hooked up with vocalist/guitarist Huey Morgan. Sharp-tongued and smartly dressed, the trio built a strong local following with their tall tales and N.Y.C. attitude. They inked a deal with EMI in 1996 and released their debut album, Come Find Yourself. "Scooby Snacks," which sampled multiple Quentin Tarantino films, became a huge alternative radio hit, reaching the Top 40 in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. In 1997, the band played stateside dates as U2's opening act on their Popmart tour. FLC returned 18 months later with 100% Colombian. "Love Unlimited" and "Korean Bodega" were red-hot hits across Europe but didn't perform as well on college radio in the States. 1999's poorly received Mimosa, a compilation of rarities, B-sides, remixes, and covers, didn't help matters and led to the departure of drummer and co-founder Borgovini. Mackie Jayson joined the fold ahead of the release of 2001's Loco, which reached number five in the U.K. EMI issued the compilation Bag of Hits against the band's wishes in 2002, prompting a move to Sanctuary. Frank Benbini replaced Jayson in 2003, and made his studio debut on 2005's Welcome to Poppy's, which achieved moderate success in the U.K. 2005 saw the release of Livin' in the City, a love letter to the Big Apple, and in 2010, the band issued Classic Fantastic on their own Kilohertz label. With Huey Morgan becoming a successful radio DJ for BBC's 6music in the U.K., the group would play select dates at festivals and clubs throughout their hiatus, but it wouldn't be until 2018 that the three-piece returned to the studio. After successful sessions, the group put together the follow-up to 1999's Mimosa album. Featuring reworkings of old songs, covers from the likes of Neil Diamond and Notorious B.I.G., as well as a newly recorded piece for the album, Another Mimosa was issued at the beginning of 2019. Morgan officially left the group in 2021, and Leiser took over vocal duties. Guitarist Naim Cortazzi joined the group ahead of the release of 2022's The Roosevelt Sessions EP, which the band promoted with a U.K. and European tour. A second EP, The Capistrano Sessions, appeared in 2023.
© John Bush & James Christopher Monger /TiVo

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