A rarely discussed emo album from the ’90s that features Warrant‘s Jani Lane is finally receiving some much-needed attention nearly 30 years after its release. Yes, the same Warrant that gave us the glam metal anthem “Cherry Pie.”
How Jani Lane Ended Up on an Emo Album
It is safe to say the Venn diagram for glam metal and emo would typically remain two side-by-side circles that never connect. There is simply not much they have in common, regardless of the wave of emo music in question. But somehow, Lane found himself contributing to an emo project in 1998.
By this time, Warrant’s mainstream popularity had largely waned. While “Cherry Pie” was a massive hit, the band struggled to replicate that success with subsequent singles. Warrant spent the late ’90s navigating various lineup changes, including a period where Lane departed to pursue a solo career. Even after returning to the band, he remained active in various outside projects, one of which involved recording background vocals for the San Francisco-based emo/alternative rock band Crumb.
Who Are Crumb?
Crumb was only active for a few years in the late ’90s, but they made a significant impact during their tenure. The band toured heavily with Jimmy Eat World in 1996 and 1998 and even secured a spot on the Indie Stage at Lollapalooza in 1996.
During this period, Crumb released their standout album, Seconds>Minutes>Hours. The LP perfectly balanced late-’90s emo with the alternative rock sensibilities that defined the era. The album featured a diverse cast of contributors, including Lane, whose backing vocals appear on three of the album’s 11 tracks.
Notable Collaborations
Lane was far from the only recognizable name to appear in the liner notes of Seconds>Minutes>Hours. Current Nine Inch Nails drummer Josh Freese is credited with playing drums on nine of the album’s songs, while Jimmy Eat World guitarist and vocalist Jim Adkins contributed guitar work to six tracks. Additionally, Rachel and Petra Haden of the Los Angeles indie rock band that dog. provided backing vocals alongside Lane.
The former Warrant singer, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 47, left behind a legacy that continues to surprise fans through these unexpected deep cuts.
Social Media Sparks Renewed Interest
Crumb has maintained a modest listen count on streaming platforms over the years, but recent social media activity has brought renewed interest to their catalog. Brett Detar and Joshua Fiedler of the emo-pop act The Juliana Theory recently shared an Instagram video praising the band.
“They made an amazingly catchy record in the late ’90s that you’ve probably never heard before,” Detar told his followers. Fiedler echoed this sentiment, calling Seconds>Minutes>Hours “the most underrated record of our scene.”
