Villains (The Verve Pipe album)

Villains is the third studio album and first major label release by American rock band the Verve Pipe. It was released in March 1996. The band received its first hit in "Photograph", which peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. A year after the release of the album, a reformatted version of "The Freshmen" peaked at number 1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The single was also the band's sole appearance on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number 5. The success of the song helped this album go platinum. To date, it is the Verve Pipe's best selling album. The album was originally pressed in a blue case to match the color of the artwork, which included the slower recording of "The Freshmen," before it was later re-recorded and added to subsequent pressings.

Villains
Studio album by the Verve Pipe
Released	March 26, 1996
Recorded	1995–1996
Studio	Studio D and The Plant, Sausalito, CA, Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA
Genre	Alternative rock, post-grunge
Length	53:40, 54:23 (Original)
Label	RCA
Producer	Jerry Harrison
The Verve Pipe chronology
Pop Smear (1993) Villains (1996) The Verve Pipe (1999)
Singles from Villains
"Photograph" Released: February 1996 "Cup Of Tea" Released: July 16, 1996 "The Freshmen" Released: January 21, 1997 "Villains" Released: 1997

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	(C)

Artwork

The artwork includes a toy duck in a darkened background and inverted-like coloring.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Brian Vander Ark, except where noted

Tracks

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Barely (If at All)"	3:45
2.	"Drive You Mild"	3:02
3.	"Villains"	4:42
4.	"Reverend Girl"	4:27
5.	"Cup of Tea"	4:26
6.	"Myself"	4:47
7.	"The Freshmen (Original pressings included the slower version which is 5:08)"	4:29
8.	"Photograph"	4:55
9.	"Ominous Man"	4:20
10.	"Real"	1:51
11.	"Penny Is Poison" (A.J. Dunning, Brian Vander Ark)	3:30
12.	"Cattle"	3:42
13.	"Veneer"	5:32
Total length:		53:40

Personnel

Adapted from the Villains booklet and liner notes.

The Verve Pipe

• Brian Vander Ark – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Brad Vander Ark – Bass guitar, backing vocals
• Donny Brown – Drums, backing vocals
• A.J. Dunning – Lead guitar, backing vocals
• Doug Corella – Keyboards, percussion

Artwork

• Sean Mosher-Smith – Art Direction, Design
• Aldo Mauro – Band Photography
• Slow HEARTH – Bird Photography

Management

• Doug Buttleman – Management for The Fitzgerald Hartley Company
• Fred Bohlander – Booking for Monterey Peninsula Artists
• Howard B. Abrams – Legal

Production

• Jerry Harrison – Producer
• Brian Malouf – A&R
• Jason Rio, Philip "Mac" Ward – Coordinators
• Douglas Biro & Ria Lewerke – Creative Directors
• Karl Derfler – Engineer
• Doug McKean – Additional Editing
• Larry "Hot" Brewer – Additional engineering
• Chris Buttleman – Guitar Technician
• Ted Jensen – Mastering at Sterling Sound, New York, NY
• Tom Lord-Alge – Mixing
• Alvaro Alencar & Mauricio Iragorri – Assistant mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1996–1997)	Peak position
US Billboard 200	24
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)	Position
US Billboard 200	69

Singles

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1996	Photograph	US Mainstream Rock Tracks	15
		US Modern Rock Tracks	6
	Cup Of Tea	US Mainstream Rock Tracks	35
1997	"The Freshmen"	US Mainstream Rock Tracks	9
		US Modern Rock Tracks	1
		US Billboard Hot 100	5
		US Adult Top 40	7
		US Top 40 Mainstream	7
	"Villains"	US Mainstream Rock Tracks	24
		US Modern Rock Tracks	22

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.