nadasurf2Nada Surf

Nada Surf is best known for its alt-rock hit "Popular." Featuring spoken lyrics culled from an earnest 1964 dating manual, the anthem had just the right mix of irony, angst and catchiness to become an MTV staple during 1996. But it initially painted the Brooklyn-based trio (guitarist/vocalist Matthew Caws, bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira Elliot) as something of a one-hit wonder -- and, in many people's minds, a one-trick pony. Fortunately, Nada Surf would follow it up with the albums "The Proximity Effect," "Let Go" and "The Weight is a Gift," which gained the act significant praise from both the mainstream and underground press.


"I've only played one show high. It was at Lehigh University. The first three songs were absolutely the worst thing I've ever done. Then the end of the show was one of the best shows ever -- but at what price? Like we're playing 'Bacardi' as the third song. The middle bit has this relatively complicated classical-sounding arpeggio. I got to that part and I didn't even try and play it. I just stopped playing, 'Well that's much too complicated. I can't do that right now. Maybe later, but not right now.'"

— Matthew Caws, Nada Surf