Barenaked Ladies To Release Greatest Hits LP, Tell-All Book

mtv.com, July 25th, 2001.

The Barenaked Ladies have stripped the hits from their five studio albums for a best of collection.

The comical Canadian quintet behind such classics as "If I Had $1,000,000," "One Week" and "Brian Wilson" will also include new material on the greatest hits record, bassist Jim Creeggan said Friday. The album has a tentative release date of November 13.

"We just recorded four new songs, and boiled it down to two for the album," Creeggan said. "It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland)" and "Thanks That Was Fun" will make the record, and "I Don't Get It Anymore" and "I Can, I Will, I Do" will be saved for future releases.

While 17 tracks have been selected, Barenaked Ladies have called on their followers to help choose the final song. Fans can vote for either "Alternative Girlfriend" or "Be My Yoko Ono" exclusively at VH1.com through September.

Tentatively titled Greatest Hits, the record includes favorites like "The Old Apartment," "It's All Been Done" and "Pinch Me," their most recent hit from 2000's Maroon.

Ladies fans who don't want to wait for the album to rediscover the history of the band can check out the new tell-all book, "Barenaked Ladies: Public Stunts, Private Stories."

Written by longtime friend of the group, Paul Myers, brother of comedian Mike Myers, the book will hit U.S. shelves later this year, but is currently available in Canada and on the Internet (www.werkshop.com).

"He was playing in a band along with us when we were starting out in Toronto," Creeggan said of Myers. "We asked him if he would like to write something for us. He came out on tour with us and hung out and came up with a good history of where we're coming from."

Road warriors since their inception a decade ago, the Barenaked Ladies, who also include singer/ guitarists Ed Robertson and Steven Page, drummer Tyler Stewart and keyboardist Kevin Hearn, have been touring behind Maroon for more than a year.

With their current single, "Falling for the First Time," picking up steam on radio, they will continue on the road for the rest of the summer.

The band will showcase some new covers during its now traditional Top 40 medley, including hits by Eminem, Uncle Kracker and Destiny's Child.

"It's likely you'll see us dancing up a storm, as well," Creeggan promised.

Tentative track list for the greatest hits album, according to Warner Bros.:

• Old Apartment
• Falling for the First Time
• Brian Wilson
• One Week
• It's Only Me (The Wizard of Magicland)
• If I Had $1,000,000
• Call and Answer
• Get in Line
• It's All Been Done
• Jane
• Lovers in a Dangerous Time
• Pinch Me
• Shoebox
• What a Good Boy
• Too Little Too Late
• Enid
• Thanks That Was Fun