Coldplay is currently on tour. On tour with them are two sisters. They’re beautiful. They’re talented. They’re The Pierces. And they went to Auburn.
From the Dec. 2004 issue of Portico Magazine*:
Allison: It’s all been pretty amazing. We used to play in coffee houses and at small gatherings, and now we have so many different opportunities. It all started when we were at Auburn University and a friend sent a tape to a record company in Nashville. We ended up getting a record deal, but things didn’t work out: our first album sort of got lost in the shuffle. It hurt at the time, but we’re happy about how things have turned out now.
As an Auburn narcissist (“who are these people not me?“), it always weirds me out to discover that folks who have made it in, you know, art or music or writing or whatever—folks I don’t know and probably never will (almost landed the interview, almost)—were at Auburn when I was there, i.e. that we were in school together. That we might one day share a Wikipedia entry. That we were technically classmates. That we might have studied for the same exams and seen the same flyers and pondered purchasing the same bottle of cream soda at the Coffee Banque. That we might have met at a coffee house or a small gathering, but never did. It’s weirder still to find out that they were doing the thing they made it in while they were here. I mean, c’mon—if these girls were playing house shows and the Coffee Banque or Java.com or whatever, I would have known about it, right? I would have seen them. And I mean, look at them— I think I would have remembered that. I think I’d have a file of photos on my computer labeled The Pierces shows ’97-’98 (“Last Opened: More Like Never Closed.”)
But the weirdness inevitably turns into renewed respect for the mysterious diversity of the Auburn experience. Auburn doesn’t disappear when you leave (so I’m told) nor is it confined (I guess) to your gas station, your grocery store (there are people who actually shop at that Winn-Dixie on a regular basis), your small gathering, your coffee house (though I swear those are probably the only two they could have been playing at back in the late 90s, but whatever…). I mean, look at these freaking models, the lives they’re living (Gossip Girl cameos, the Village Voice following them around), the things they’re doing—and somehow “it all started when we were at Auburn University.”
War Eagle, ladies. (You, too, Chris “Tiger Waiting to be Tamed” Martin—I’ve always thought that might have been you in Organic Gardening…)
* They grew up in Birmingham, double weird.
Related: Smithsonian Magazine photographs kid in Auburn hat at Texas prom.
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Keep Reading:
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* SHAKE IT, SHUG!
* That time they burned the Glom
* Auburn’s 1960 cheesecake schedule
* I think of Kurt Crain
* Auburn’s Legend of Zelda
* Pat Sullivan orders a “Wishbone T” on Bob Hope
* Former Nitro Girl recalls time at Auburn
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I saw them play at momma goldbergs one time probably ’96 or so. They were very good. Bought their first three albums. There’s another singer-songwriter type who was at auburn at the time named eliot morris who got a record deal too, but i don’t know what he’s up to lately.
the Organic Gardening reference…priceless.
oh, i certainly remember catherine (but not the other one). her gorgeous bootie came through silver rocket records a few times, and her paintings adorned the walls of the coffee banque. she seemed otherworldy then, and way too nice for as attractive as she was. glad to see her doing well.
LOVE The Pierces! Have all their CDs!