Fisher

The West Virginia modern rock duo that goes by the name Fisher embraces the marketing phenomenon of selling music via the Internet, for the band finally scored a deal due to its heavy push on www.mp3.com. Fisher, which is comprised of singer/songwriter Kathy Fisher and composer/producer and keyboardist Ron Wasserman, first started making music together in the mid-'90s when both were struggling to make a living in the fast-paced life of Los Angeles. Fisher's ethereal vocalic beauty can be heard on various commercials for Napa, Nike, Hyundai, and Hallmark, but the band first struck gold with their song "Breakable," billed on the soundtrack to the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow flick Great Expectations. This album includes tracks from Duncan Sheik, Chris Cornell, Iggy Pop, Tori Amos, and Pulp, and such heavy promotion sent Fisher's name in a buzz thanks to the linking of the band's name from Tori Amos' official site. From here, the group went on tour with Oasis, Lisa Loeb, and 1998's Lilith Fair, and in the spring of 1999, Fisher independently released their debut album One. They were instantly intrigued with the mass hysteria of music downloading, making sure they were included in the loop. Fisher's music was fully embraced by various Internet sites, and nearly three million hits were tabulated in 1999 alone. And 11 Fisher songs were in the Top 40 at www.mp3.com. Such popularity led Fisher and Wasserman to finally sign to Farmclub.com/Interscope shortly thereafter to make their major-label debut with True North in fall 2000. Two years later, Fisher resurfaced with the roots rock double-disc Uppers and Downers. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, Rovi