While Toulouse, France, may be renowned for other characteristics, this five-piece power pop outfit is trying to change that. In 1995, Sweet Apple Pie formed and performed around their hometown, gaining a small but loyal following. The group, who wanted to recapture the energy of the Beatles and the Beach Boys while at the same time the Buzzcocks of the late '70s, released its debut album, First Slice, in 1998. Touring expanded its fan base to include Paris, Nice, and Lyons, among other places. Following that release, Sweet Apple Pie performed with a variety of American groups as opening acts and at festivals, including the Posies, Cotton Mather, and the Steamkings. The band returned to the studio in 2001 to begin work on its second album. In 2002, the band released Everybody Wants to Be a Supertiger on Spirit of Jungle Records. The album was also released in North America and Japan. Sweet Apple Pie also released a five-song EP showcasing some of the second album, as well as a split release with Cotton Mather. The band was set to tour Europe in 2002. ~ Jason MacNeil