Tsar

Formed in Los Angeles in 1998, the pop-punk outfit Tsar rapidly earned positive critical notices for their high-energy live shows and memorable songcraft. Jeff Whalen took lead vocals and guitar, Daniel Kern handled vocals and guitar, Jeff Soloman played bass, and Steve Coulter sat behind the drums. The group secured a contract with Hollywood Records and issued its self-titled debut album in mid-2000. That lively, melody-packed modern power-pop effort found no audience, even after—or perhaps because of—the band’s support slot on a Duran Duran tour. A promo-only EP called King of the School surfaced in 2001, after which label politics brought activity to a standstill. The members kept writing and recording until they obtained their release from Hollywood Records in 2004. Lineup adjustments followed, with Chuck Byer replacing Steve Coulter on drums in mid-2004 and Derrick Forget taking over bass from Jeff Soloman in early 2005. Tsar then delivered Bands-Girls-Money on the TVT label in June 2005.