The Verve Pipe

 Like another ’90s alternative band with the word “Verve” in their name, The Verve Pipe peaked quickly with a major hit, but were never able to replicate the success. For The Verve Pipe, the hit in question was “The Freshman,” one of two unlikely sad songs about abortion to climb the charts around the time (Ben Folds Five’s “Brick” was the other). As grunge and alternative fell out of vogue in favor of a crasser, dumber brand of heavy rock, The Verve Pipe’s label all but stopped promoting the band, and their sales suffered accordingly. These days, they’re without a label, and although they still tour, they seem to have no interest in recording new material.