In 2003, vocalist/guitarists Jason Hill and Brian Karscig and drummer Mark Maigaard hooked up with bassist Jimmy Armbrust and formed Louis XIV -- irreverent, oversexed lyrics and songwriting that channeled glam, scratchy punk, and vintage The Rolling Stones. NME declared it "Music to flunk rehab too". A self-recorded EP recorded in the heart of Paris caused quite a stir back in California, MP3s helped spread that buzz to England, and Louis XIV released more material to keep up with the growing demand. That spring and summer they played the 2004 South by Southwest festival, toured the U.S. with The Killers and The White Stripes, and signed with Atlantic Records, which issued the introductory EP Illegal Tender in January 2005 to critical acclaim and the debut full-length The Best Little Secrets Are Kept the following March. After a year and two years touring the world -- and even ridiculously being banned in Birmingham, Alabama for the nature of their lyrics -- the band returned in 2008 with their second album, the decidedly more sophisticated and world-weary Slick Dogs and Ponies. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi