The Huntingtons
The Huntingtons debut album "Sweet Sixteen" was released in 1996 by Flying Tart Records. A few months later, their first attempt at recording Ramones covers, entitled "Rocket to Ramonia" saw limited release via the Burnt Toast Vinyl label. At this point the band added a second guitarist, Tom Rehbein (later in Small Towns Burn a Little Slower). After working with producer Mass Giorgini for the band's next album, "Fun and Games", Tom was replaced by Brad Ber. After the album's release in mid-1997, the band started touring and gained a cult following. Their big break came in 1998, when they signed to Tooth & Nail Records and released "High School Rock".
James Taylor
During the recording sessions, Taylor fell back into his drug habit by using heroin and methedrine. He underwent physeptone treatment in a British program, returned to New York and was hospitalized there, and then finally committed himself to the Austen Riggs Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, which emphasized cultural and historical factors in trying to treat difficult psychiatric disorders. Meanwhile, Apple released his debut album, "James Taylor", in December 1968 in the UK and February 1969 in the US. Critical reception was generally positive, including a complimentary Jon Landau review in "Rolling Stone" who said that "this album is the coolest breath of fresh air I've inhaled in a good long while. It knocks me out." The record's commercial potential suffered from Taylor's inability to promote it because of his hospitalization, and it sold poorly; "Carolina in My Mind" was released as a single but failed to chart in the UK and only reached #118 on the U.S. charts.