Little T and One Track Mike
Jersey natives get to record own album
Friday, April 13, 2001
By Kristi Singer, Morning Star Correspondent
Wilmington Morning Star
Copyright 2001 Wilmington Star-News
How does a band earn the opportunity to open for Outkast? Try asking Santa Claus. At least that's what vocalist Little T (a.k.a. Timothy Sullivan) of Little T and One Track Mike said worked for him.
"I asked Santa Claus. That's really how it came about. You ask Santa Claus enough times and he delivers. We asked the Easter Bunny too, but he wasn't coming up that good," Mr. Sullivan said.
Okay, maybe having the same management team as Outkast had something to do with it. But Mr. Sullivan would rather think of it as a gift from above. "It's a little more sentimental," he said.
However you see it, one thing that is certain -- he and his band mates are lucky. In addition to signing a record deal with Lava/Atlantic Records, the band will be producing its own album -- something virtually unheard of in the music industry.
"It's really rare for them to say 'okay boys, have some equipment, have some money, and just come back with a beautiful record,'" Mr. Sullivan said.
"I thought that as soon as you get signed, you'd become a product that they designed to put out on the market. But that's not true at all. We're actually creating our own image and creating our own music and actually designing our own CD cover. Every step of the way they're letting us in on the process," said bassist/guitarist/ vocalist Michael Flannery (a.k.a One Track Mike).
So when did the big break occur? Mr. Flannery said it happened as soon as the two decided to make music together.
"As soon as we sat down and made the first song we knew. . . hey, we're famous," he said.
Others would say that the big break came when members of MTV's Lyricist Lounge Show saw the group perform at the Mercury Lounge in New York City.
"They heard our music and decided to help shop us," Mr. Flannery said. "The first meeting we had was with Lava, and it was all magical. Everybody had stars in their eyes."
Mr. Flannery will be producing the group's major label debut, Fome is Dape, which will release July 17. Mr. Sullivan believes the album is unique because an outside producer didn't influence it, rather it's more of a "raw object."
In the future, Mr. Flannery would like to produce for other artists, including Prince and Cyndi Lauper.
"Right now my whole focus is on the Little T and One Track Mike career," he added.
Mr. Sullivan and Mr. Flannery met while attending Rutgers University in New Jersey.
The Outkast tour began April 12 in Gainesville, Fla., at the University of Florida in support of Outkast's fourth album, Stankonia.
The Grammy nominated duo, Andre "Dre" Benjamin and Antwan "Big Boi" are known for their original, hip hop style with songs such as Rosa Parks, Ms. Jackson and the latest radio hit So Fresh, So Clean.
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