AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lit

Artist:Lit

Song:My Own Worst Enemy

Album:Gold & Silver Collection

The 1999 single My Own Worst Enemy was the only chart hit for the alt rock band Lit. Their big problem is they sounded too much like other bands of the era like Offspring and No Doubt. They even toured with a lot of those bands. They didn't distinguish themselves enough to be successful long term. They are still around. Lit is from Orange County, CA. Drummer A. Jay Popoff and bassist Kevin Baldes formed the band Razzle in 1988 while they were in high school. After playing a couple of gigs, A. Jay switched to lead vocals and brought his guitarist brother Jeremy Popoff and drummer Allen Shellenberger. The band name was changed to Stain because they wanted a more hard rock sound. But when they found that name was already in use, the name was changed to Lit. They signed with Malicious Vinyl (a division of the hip hop label Delicious Vinyl) and released the 1997 album Tripping the Light Fantastic. After Malicious lost their national distribution deal, Lit got out out of their contract and after a bidding war, they signed with RCA Records. My Own Worst Enemy was the first single from the 1999 album A Place in the Sun. It topped the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart for eleven weeks and it reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Popoff brothers wrote all of Lit's songs. A. Jay says My Own Worst Enemy is based on some of his own bad behavior including getting arrested for public nudity. Jeremy Popoff's guitar riff that kicked off the song probably helped. The video was shot at a bowing alley because Lit were big fans of the film Kingpin. The song received the Modern Rock Track of the Year at the 1999 Billboard Music Awards. The album was certified Platinum. The main criticism of Lit was they were similar to bands like Offspting. I could see how listeners would have heard My Own Worst Enemy but didn't know who recorded it. Not being distinctive enough is a major failing. After three albums, Lit left RCA and they have recorded for their own label since then. This comp covers the RCA years. Sadly Allen Shellenberger died of brain cancer July 26, 2008. Lit continues to record and tour. They even tried to record a country album a few years ago. Here's the video for My Own Worst Enemy by Lit.