Kings of Pop is the third and final album by the rock band Home Grown, released in 2002 by Drive-Thru Records. It was the band's first release with drummer Darren Reynolds and also their only release as a trio, having lost their second guitarist in 2000.
Background and production
On June 13, 2001, the band signed to Drive-Thru Records.[2] Following this, the band supported Reel Big Fish and Goldfinger on their co-headlining US tour in July and August 2001.[3] Kings of Pop was recorded at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas, California, and Sonik Wire Studios in Irvine, California with producer and engineer Steve Evetts. He mixed the recordings at Jake's Place in Studio City, California. Steven Marcussen mastered the album at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California.[4]
Release
Shortly after its release, however, Dan Hammond joined the band as their new second guitarist. He appears with the rest of the band in the music videos for the singles "You're Not Alone" and "Kiss Me, Diss Me". Between late June and mid-August, the group went on the 2002 edition of Warped Tour.[5] Between late August and October 2003, the group performed on the Drive-Thru Records 2003 Invasion Tour.[6] The band supported the album with several other tours. However, it would prove to be their final album as the band went on "indefinite hiatus" in 2005 after releasing the EP When it All Comes Down.
The album contains 3 hidden tracks which appear after "Disaster," at 7:30 into track 12. They are a 9-second "techno song," a short rap about "Asian flavor," and a short acoustic "song for Steve." There was also a single released for "You're Not Alone" which contained tracks "Break Me Down" and "Hope Sinks", which were B-sides from the album. "Kings of Pop" was released on clear vinyl by Drive-Thru Records, and was reissued in 2015 by Mutant League Records after being out of print for over a decade.
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
It was the band's most successful release, reaching #189 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Track listing
Track listing per booklet.[4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Tomorrow" | Adam Lohrbach | 3:24 |
| 2. | "I Love You, Not" | John Tran | 2:47 |
| 3. | "Give It Up" | Lohrbach | 2:57 |
| 4. | "Kiss Me, Diss Me" | Tran | 3:13 |
| 5. | "You're Not Alone" | Lohrbach | 3:45 |
| 6. | "I'll Never Fall in Love" | Lohrbach | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Second Best" | Tran | 3:34 |
| 8. | "Why Won't You Leave Me?" | Tran | 3:56 |
| 9. | "Cannot Stop the World" | Lohrbach | 3:38 |
| 10. | "My Time Alone" | Tran | 2:55 |
| 11. | "Waiting on Me" | Tran | 3:32 |
| 12. | "Disaster" (includes untitled hidden tracks) | Lohrbach | 8:45 |
| Total length: | 45:49 | ||
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.[4]
Chart positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard 200 | 189 |
References
- ^ a b http://www.allmusic.com/album/kings-of-pop-mw0000660592
- ^ White, Adam (June 13, 2001). "Home Grown Signed To Drive Thru Records!". Punknews.org. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ White, Adam (May 15, 2001). "Crouching Fish, Hidden Finger Tour". Punknews.org. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ a b c Kings of Pop (booklet). Home Grown. Drive-Thru Records. 2002. DTR30CD.
- ^ D'Angelo, Joe (January 30, 2002). "Warped Tour '02 To Feature Bad Religion, NOFX, New Found Glory, More". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
- ^ MTV News Staff (August 12, 2003). "For The Record: Quick News On Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton, Kelly Osbourne, Glassjaw, Elvis Costello, The Cure & More". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved July 15, 2018.