Best known for their hit “Sex and Candy” (1997), alternative rock band Marcy Playground formed in New York in 1996. Founded by guitarist and vocalist John Wozniak and drummer / producer Jared Kotler, Marcy Playground was initially a duo put together to showcase Wozniak’s songwriting. After recording a series of demos, the group signed to Capitol Records and brought in bassist Dylan Keefe to be able to perform live. Due to musical differences, Kotler left the trio and was replaced by Dan Rieser just in time to record their self-titled debut album. Marcy Playground released the single “Poppies” before scoring a chart hit with “Saint Joe on the School Bus.” The album’s third single, “Sex and Candy,” was their commercial breakthrough, hitting number 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart as well as climbing high on the Canadian, Australian, and UK charts. Marcy Playground returned in 1999 with their second album, Shapeshifter, in 1999. The album’s lead single, “It’s Saturday,” climbed to number 23 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart. After the release of the album, Dan Rieser left the group and was replaced by drummer Gonzalo Martinez de la Cotera. After a five year break, they returned with their third album, MP3 (2004), which included the singles “Punk Rock Superstar,” “Deadly Handsome Man,” “No One’s Boy,” and “Blood in Alphabet Soup.” By the time Marcy Playground returned with their fourth album, 2009’s Leaving Wonderland… in a Fit of Rage, Shlomi Lavie had stepped in as drummer. Like their two previous releases, the album received positive press but was not a commercial success. Their next release, Indaba Remixes from Wonderland (2010), contained fans’ remixes of tracks from their 2009 album. Three years later, Marcy Playground released the compilation album Lunch, Recess & Detention (2012).
