Tinted Windows

Tinted Windows are: Taylor Hanson (lead vocals), James Iha (guitar), Adam Schlesinger (bass) and Bun E. Carlos (drums). Taylor Hanson is best known as the lead singer of Hanson, the multi-million-selling trio of brothers who have been recording and touring since 1992. James Iha was one of the original members of the multi-platinum Smashing Pumpkins, Adam Schlesinger is best known for founding the gold-selling band Fountans of Wayne and Ivy. Bun E. Carlos is the original drummer of the legendary and multi-platinum Cheap Trick. Taylor and Adam first crossed paths in the mid-Nineties. "Ever since we met, Taylor and I had talked about trying to do something together," says Schlesinger, "maybe write some songs, or play some shows- something." Meanwhile, James and Adam had been collaborating on various projects for years. When discussing possible drummers to round out the group, they thought, "Who do we know that can play drums like Bun E. Carlos?" before realizing the obvious. After listening to a few demos Bun E. was on board. Explains Bun E., "The songs are great and I'm honored to be a part of Tinted Windows." Fusing the sounds of power-pop, rock and New Wave of the late 70's and early 80's, with the more modern rock and pop sounds of their own groups, the result is a fun, stripped-down, high-energy record that doesn't really sound like anything else any of the four has done elsewhere. Meet Tinted Windows.

Comprised of several generations of pop-minded hitmakers, Tinted Windows combine a supergroup pedigree with an appreciation for sugary, unapologetic power pop. Singer Taylor Hanson and bassist Adam Schlesinger initially crossed paths in the mid-'90s, during Hanson's heyday as a teen heartthrob and Schlesinger's early development with Fountains of Wayne. Although the two expressed interest in a collaborative project, each had more pressing responsibilities to attend to, including Schlesinger's management of his own label (Scratchie Records, co-owned with longtime friend James Iha). As the years progressed, Iha left the Smashing Pumpkins' lineup but continued to work alongside Schlesinger, even lending his guitar skills to Fountains of Wayne's 2003 effort, Welcome Interstate Managers. Several years later, Schlesinger and Hanson decided to finally launch their long-gestating collaboration, and Iha happily climbed abroad as the band's guitarist. The trio then sought out a drummer, hoping to find someone who played in the vein of Cheap Trick's Bun E. Carlos. They eventually extended the invitation to Carlos himself, who enjoyed the band's demo material and decamped to New York to work alongside the band. Tinted Windows signed with S Curve Records, Fountains of Wayne's former label, and readied their debut album for release in spring 2009. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide