Formed in Michigan by brothers Brian and Brad Vander Ark, the Verve Pipe briefly garnered national attention in the mid-1990s as part of the popular adult-alternative branch of the alt-rock boom, along with Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra, and other like-minded acts. Though its nostalgic single “The Freshmen” (from ‘96’s VILLAINS) proved to be highly successful, it also trapped the band in the “one-hit wonder” category. While the group still performs from time to time, frontman Brian Vander Ark has primarily focused on a solo career in the new millennium.