Verona Grove

Verona Grove, a rock ensemble distinguished by its emphasis on hooks, first assembled in 2001 within Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Personnel adjustments continued while the members refined their blend of pop and rock. Half Tanked marked their initial full-length release in 2003, and From the Tablet to the Towers appeared two years afterward. Midwest performances helped foster a loyal regional audience. Early in 2006, Pat's Record Company—an imprint of Universal—took notice of the band’s material. After signing with the label, bassist Charlie Wilhelm and vocalist/guitarist Tony Anders left the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh to devote themselves entirely to music. That summer the imprint relocated the high-school friends from Wisconsin, known as America’s Dairyland, to Los Angeles so they could compose their PRC debut. Settled into an apartment, the musicians found fresh creative impetus in surroundings none of them had previously encountered. Work in the studio began with producer Jamie Arentzen, guitarist for American Hi-Fi. Once those sessions ended, Josh Helm came aboard as the group’s permanent drummer. A four-song self-titled EP appeared ahead of the full-length album The Story Thought Over, which reached stores in August 2007.