Makes Me Wonder

Background:

Los Angeles, California-based band Maroon 5, which comprises of Adam Levine (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Valentine (lead guitar, backup vocals), Jesse Carmichael (keyboards, rhythm guitar, vocals), Mickey Madden (bass guitar) and Matt Flynn (drums, percussion), was launched to international prominence thanks largely to “Song About Jane” (2002), their debut album with Octane Records that went multi-platinum in several countries. Spawning hit singles like “This Love,” “Harder to Breathe,” “Sunday Morning” and “She Will Be Love,” the album won Maroon 5 several awards, including two Grammy Awards, two Teen Choice Awards, a Billboard Music Award and three MTV Video Music Awards.

The band resurfaced in 2007 with the well-received sophomore album “It Won't Be Soon Before Long,” which became their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard 200. It has gone platinum in the United States and sold more than three and a half million copies worldwide. The first single, “Makes Me Wonder,” netted a 2008 Grammy Award. “It Won't Be Soon Before Long” was re-released on July 8, 2008, with the addition of the band's new single featuring Rihanna, “If I Never See Your Face Again.”

In addition to becoming headliners, Maroon 5 has also toured with many other musicians. The band is expected to start their North American tour with Counting Crows on July 25, 2008.

Kara's Flowers

Childhood and Family:

Vocalist/rhythm guitarist Adam Noah Levine (born on March 18, 1979), keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Jesse Royal Carmichael (born on April 2, 1979) and bassist Michael “Mickey” Madden (born on May 13, 1979), began playing music together in junior high school. The Los Angeles boys use to practice in Jesse's garage in Malibu or in the basement of David Richman in Brentwood. In 1994, drummer Ryan Dusick (born on September 19, 1977) joined the threesome and they began performing together as Kara's Flowers. The group changed their name to Maroon 5 in 2001 after lead guitarist James Valentine (born on October 5, 1978) was added to the original lineup.

In September 2006, Ryan Dusick left Maroon 5 because of health problems sustained from excessive touring. He was replaced by the group's substitute drummer Matt Flynn (born on May 23, 1970).

This Love

Career:

Founded in Los Angeles, the garage grunge group Kara's Flowers made their debut performance on September 16, 1995, at Los Angeles' Whisky a Go Go. Thanks to their appealing stage performance, they soon won the hearts of audiences and by summer of 1997, the quartet of Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick had scored a recording deal with Reprise Records. Before long, their debut album, “The Fourth World” (1997), hit the music stores and received critical praise. A series of touring gigs soon followed, including performances with such bands as Goldfinger and Reel Big Fish.

After two years, Kara's Flowers ended their partnership with Reprise Records to pursue a new musical direction. It took years of exploration and experimentation before the group eventually discovered their own music, which is a blending of R&B, rock and soul. With the addition of guitarist James Valentine, who joined the group in 2001, Kara's Flowers officially adopted the new name Maroon 5 and began introducing their new sound to audiences. Adam Levine stated, “During the time between our record deals, I spent a lot of time in New York where I was exposed to an urban and hip-hop culture in a way that had never happened to me in L.A. It turned me on to an entirely new genre of music which has had a profound impact on my songwriting.”

Maroon 5 soon attracted attention of labels, but they decided to sign with Octone Records, a new independent record label based in New York (associated with BMG Music Publishing). With the renowned Matt Wallace producing, the group entered the studio in 2001 to work on their debut album, which was recorded at Rumbo Recorders in Los Angeles, the same studio in which artists like Guns N' Roses, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Smashing Pumpkins, Stone Temple Pilots and John Mellencamp have recorded. “Song About Jane” was released in June 2002 and rose to #6 on Billboard's 200 in August 2004, marking the longest period between an album's release and its initial Top 10 appearance since 1991. The first single, “Harder to Breathe,” released in 2003, peaked at No. 18 on the U.S. Billboard 100 and No. 13 on the U.K. Single chart. It was followed by other popular singles like “This Love,” which rose to #5 on Billboard's 100, #1 on the United World Chart and #3 in the U.K. “She Will Be Love,” became the group's second Top 10 single on the Billboard 100.

A breakthrough commercial hit for Maroon 5, “Song About Jane” went 4x platinum in America and 6x platinum in the U.K. It also enjoyed strong sales in several other countries, including New Zealand (5x platinum), Canada (3x platinum), Australia (5x platinum), Mexico, Japan and France (all 2x platinum). The album also brought Maroon 5 a number of awards. They won two Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song “This Love,” a Billboard Music for Digital Artist of the Year, a World Music for World's Best New Group, and two Teen Choices awards for Choice Breakout Artist and Choice Rock Track (“This Love”). The group also picked up two MTV Video Music Latin America awards for Best International Rock Artist and Best International New Artist, an MTV Video Music for Best New Artist and a MTV Europe Music for Best New Act. The success made Maroon 5 a well-known group throughout the world.

After the release of their debut album, Maroon 5 toured with various artists like The Rolling Stones, Michelle Branch, Graham Colton, Evan & Jaron, Nikka Costa, Vanessa Carlton, Gavin DeGraw, Sugar Ray, Big City Rock, Jason Mraz, Matchbox Twenty and John Mayer. They also headlined the Honda Civic Tour, which ended in Santa Barbara, California, on May 13, 2005. Later that same year, the group performed at the American Film Institute's tribute to filmmaker George Lucas. It was Lucas himself who selected Maroon 5 for the event because his children idolized the group.

However, Maroon 5's hectic touring schedule was not without a price. Drummer and backup vocalist Ryan Dusick had to deal with several injuries that required him to take some time off. He was replaced by Ryland Steen for a few shows in the band's early tour and during his next hiatus, Josh Day filled in Dusick's position on the drums. When Dusick finally left Maroon 5 in September 2006, ex-Gavin DeGraw drummer Matt Flynn was recruited as the group's permanent replacement.

Maroon 5 returned to the studio in 2006 and released their highly-anticipated second album, “It Won't Be Soon Before Long,” on May 22, 2007. Described by vocalist Adam Levine as “sexier and stronger” than its predecessor, the album debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200 and sold almost 500,000 copies during its first week of release. The well-received record also rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Comprehensive Albums, the U.S. Top Digital Albums, the United World Chart, and in the U.K. and South Korea, where it received platinum and triple-platinum certification, respectively. Released in March 2007, the lead single “Makes Me Wonder” debuted at No. 48 on Billboard's 100 and by the first week of May, it had rocketed to No. 1. The song also became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play, the Billboard Pop 100, the United World Chart, the Canadian Hot 100, the Estonia Singles Chart, the Italy Airplay Chart, and others, and brought the band a 2008 Grammy in the category of Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. “Makes Me Wonder” also earned a MTV Video Music nomination for Best Video.

To promote the album, Maroon 5 performed on several TV shows like “American Idol,” “Saturday Night Live,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “Late Night with David Letterman” (all May 2007), played a small six-date club tour in June 2007, during which time they hit small venues in Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Miami and New York, and began their 2007 “It Won't Be Soon Before Long” world tour. After the tour ended in November, the band continued to tour with Dashboard Confessional, and starting in March 2008, they will tour with Brandi Carlile, OneRepublic and Ry Cuming.

The remix version of the song “If I Never See Your Face Again” was recorded with extra verses sung by pop singer Rihanna. It will be included in the re-release of “It Won't Be Soon Before Long” and is featured on the re-release of Rihanna's third studio album, “Good Girl Gone Bad” (2007).

Awards:

• Grammy: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, “Makes Me Wonder,” 2008

• Billboard Music: Top Digital Album, “It Won't Be Soon Before Long," 2007

• Grammy: Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal, “This Love,” 2006

• Grammy: Best New Artist, 2005

• Groovevolt Music and Fashion: Best Collaboration, Duo or Group, “She Will Be Loved,” 2005

• NRJ Radio: International Breakout Act & Best International Song, “This Love,” 2005

• Billboard Music: Digital Artist of the Year, 2004

• MTV Europe Music: Best New Act, 2004

• MTV Video Music: Best New Artist, “This Love,” 2004

• MTV Video Music (Latin America): Best Rock Artist, International, 2004

• MTV Video Music (Latin America): Best New Artist, International, 2004

• New Music Weekly: AC40 Group/Duo of the Year, 2004

• Teen Choice: Choice Rock Track, “This Love,” 2004

• Teen Choice: Choice Breakout Artist, 2004

• World Music: World's Best New Group, 2004