Adam Schlesinger, here at the Emmy Awards on September 14, 2020, died of coronavirus on April 1, 2020. – Richard Shotwell / AP / SIPA
For some, it was the college years, with Sink to the bottom heard on Fun Radio or Ouï FM in 1996-97. For others, it was the college years, with the clip of Stacy’s Mom preview on YouTube in 2003. The composer Adam Schlesinger, who had co-founded the group Fountains of Wayne, died Wednesday at 52 years of the consequences of coronavirus, the group’s lawyer announced to Variety. His family said Tuesday that Schlesinger had been placed under respirator.
– Chris Collingwood (@lookpark) March 31, 2020
Joyful Power Pop
With five albums on the counter, Fountains of Wayne has never sold millions of records. But the group managed to seduce fans and critics with heady melodies and a sound typical of the 1990s ranging from Weezer’s power-pop to alternative rock.
With Stacy’s Mom and his parody clip American pie, the group had managed to climb into 21st position in the charts in the United States, and in first position in iTunes downloads.
Long career in Hollywood
Adam Schlesinger also distinguished himself in Hollywood. In 1996, he composed several songs from the musical film by Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do, which chronicles the success and fall of an imaginary group. The eponymous title, which is eyeing the side of the Beatles, even earned him an Oscar nomination but he bowed to Madonna for the film. Evita.
A prolific composer, Schlesinger then collaborated with Stephen Colbert for his Christmas special and set off on Broadway. Musical producer of the Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series, he won three Emmy awards with Rachel Bloom, including one last year with the song Anti-Depressants Are So Not A Big Deal. Damn coronavirus.
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