Charming

In autumn 1994, University of Virginia engineering students Ravi Krishnaswami on guitar and songs and Dave Sherwin on drums launched the indie pop band Charming. Once singer Shana Lie-Nelson, guitarist Jamie Perez, and bassist Chris Garvey joined, the group quickly built a fervent local following and laid down the Ritual EP on Krishnaswami’s four-track machine. A lengthy hiatus followed, during which Lie-Nelson and Perez both left; with new vocalist Nicole Stoops aboard, Charming cut their excellent 1997 debut LP Giant for the Twee Kitten label and soon swapped John Ciccone in for Garvey on bass.