The group disbanded in 2000 but reunited for a small tour in 2008.[2] In 2016, the band reunited, and on October 14, 2016, released an EP, titled Back to Nebraska.[3]
Guitarist Greg McKenna and singer Kay Hanley formed the band Letters to Cleo in 1990. The band was initially called Rebecca Lula,[4][5] with Tad Bouve on guitar and Ted Garland on drums with several musicians filling in on bass. In its early phase, the band enlisted various guest players, including a brief period with Abe Laboriel, Jr. as drummer in 1993. The band released a 45single of "Here & Now" with Rimshak featuring Abe Laboriel on drums with Brian Karp on bass. The band's definitive lineup of Hanley, McKenna, Michael Eisenstein on guitar, Stacy Jones on drums, and Scott Riebling on bass, was established in 1994. The band changed its name to Letters to Cleo in 1990.[4] The name "Letters to Cleo" is a reference to Hanley's childhood pen pal.[4] They spent their summers together in Canada, and they wrote each other letters to keep in touch over a ten-year period. At some point Cleo moved without giving Hanley her new mailing address, and Hanley's letters to Cleo were returned to sender.[6] Hanley rediscovered a box of these letters during the band-naming process, and the band adopted the name. Hanley called it "the least crappy of all the names" they came up with at the time.[6]
Letters to Cleo played gigs in several Boston clubs, including T.T. the Bear's Place[5] and The Rathskellar. The band could not seem to find success and was close to breaking up when it recorded their first full-length album, Aurora Gory Alice; Hanley had already started another band on the side at the time.[6] The album was released on CherryDisc Records, a Boston-based independent record label, in 1993.[7] The album received extensive airplay around New England. In 1994, the Billboard published a review of the album and the next day the band played a much-hyped show at South by Southwest in Austin, which made several recording labels very interested in signing the band.[8] Letters to Cleo decided to sign a record deal with Giant Records, a Warner Brothers subsidiary, in 1994, and it re-released Aurora Gory Alice worldwide in 1995.[8]
Soon after signing the deal, their new record label was asked to compile a soundtrack for "Melrose Place", and the record label decided to put "Here & Now" on it.[9] "Here & Now" was an instant hit, and the song reached number 10 on the BillboardModern Rock Singles chart.[10][6]
In 1997, Stacy Jones left the band to join Veruca Salt and was replaced by Tom Polce. That same year, the band released their third album Go!. After a short tour, Polce left the band and was replaced by drummer Jason Sutter. In late 1997, Letters to Cleo parted ways with their record label Giant/Revolution.
1998 saw the release of some early demos and B-sides in the form of the Sister album released originally by Wicked Disc.
Letters to Cleo appeared in the 1999 film 10 Things I Hate about You as a favorite band of the character portrayed by Julia Stiles. They contributed four songs to the soundtrack for the film, which included a Cheap Trick cover ("I Want You to Want Me"), and a Nick Lowe & Ian Gomm cover ("Cruel to Be Kind"). Also included were two original tracks, "Come On", and the beginning of "Co-Pilot" (which can be heard at the end of the scene of their performance at a local club). Whereas the covers appeared on the film's soundtrack, "Come On" was released as an MP3 download on the band's website. "Co-Pilot" was also not on the film's soundtrack, but it appeared on Letters To Cleo's album Go!. In the closing credits, they were mistakenly credited as Letter to Cleo.
The band played its final show on May 4, 2000, a benefit for their friend and longtime local supporter, Mikey D.[13] They announced their disbandment the following month. [13] In 2008 they went on a reunion tour and again in 2016.
Reunion
In December 2007, an impromptu reunion occurred when four of the original band members appeared at a benefit for longtime supporter Jeanne Connolly, at TT the Bear's Place in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The members reunited officially for a series of shows a year later in Los Angeles, Boston and New York City. More dates followed in 2009 with shows in New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Bassist Scott Reibling did not participate in these shows but gave his blessing. Longtime friend of the band Joe Klompus replaced Reibling.
As of July 2009, the band members returned to their own projects.
In February 2016, Letters to Cleo was back together and recording new music.[18][19] The band's Facebook and Twitter feeds have been active with status updates, pictures and videos of ongoing recording.[20][21]
Letters to Cleo appeared as the musical guest at Geek Bowl XII, the twelfth annual event of its kind put on by Geeks Who Drink Pub Quizzes. The event took place in the band's hometown of Boston on Saturday, February 17, 2018.[22]
The band released their holiday EP Ok Christmas November 2019.[23]
As of 2022, LTC has been playing reunion shows periodically in the Northeast and California. The lineup includes both Stacy Jones and Tom Polce alternating playing drums show to show along with Kay Hanley, Michael Eisenstein, Greg McKenna, and Joe Klompus. [24]
In 2023, band members Kay Hanley and Tom Polce wrote ten original songs for "Subspace Rhapsody," the musical-themed ninth episode of the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.[25]
Michael Eisenstein has been doing session work[clarification needed] and touring work for many artists including Our Lady Peace and Lisa Loeb. He is a producer and engineer.
Hanley and Eisenstein married in the late '90s and have two children, Zoe Mabel and Henry Aaron (named for legendary baseball Hall Of Famer). They split up in 2010.
Scott Riebling went into the production side of music. He has produced work for The Von Bondies, Cobra Starship and Fall Out Boy. Riebling resides in Massachusetts. His brother Eric Riebling plays bass in Pittsburgh band The Affordable Floors. He co-owns a pizza chain (Stoked Pizza) located in the Boston area.
Co-founding member Greg McKenna is playing live with his new band, City Rivals. McKenna resides in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Tom Polce played with several prominent Boston-based bands and is a producer and engineer. He lives in California.
Band members
Current members
Kay Hanley – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1990–2000, 2008–2009, 2014, 2016–present)
On the television show Parks and Recreation, Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott) wears a Letters to Cleo shirt on multiple occasions while he is between jobs.[30] Letters to Cleo also makes an appearance on the show, playing during the Pawnee/Eagleton Unity Concert in the last episode of Season 6.[31] Hanley said that the show's head writer, Mike Schur, is from Boston and let the band know it would be funny for the character to wear the shirt on the show.[30]
