Eve’s Plum formed in 1991 when Colleen Fitzpatrick and Michael Kotch met while studying in NYU. Michael’s twin brother, Ben, joined and became their drummer. Colleen says “It’s funny,
but I always found no matter what band I was in, even if it had a slightly more frayed edge to it, I was drawn to the more tongue in cheek elements, but it always had to have that edge”.She found that exact chemistry with Eve’s Plum and deicated herself to the band. A lot of bass players came and went until Theo Mack joined a while later and they knew they had found the right guy. Eve’s Plum then spent about a year playing the East Coast. Sony Records saw their potential and signed them in 1992. The band then went to work on their debut album, Envy. Envy was released on 31 August 1993. The fist single they released was Blue. Which appeared in an episode of Beavis and Butthead. And although it wasn’t exactly for good reasons it opened Eve’s Plum up to a whole new audience. They released two more singles from Envy, Die Like Someone and I Want It All in 1994. All the singles had videos to accompany them.

In 1995, the band appeared in a movie called Higher Learning performing their new single, Eye. They recorded Eye for the film’s soundtrack. In September 1995, they released their second studio album, Cherry Alive. I think the first single released from it was Cherry Alive, but I amn’t sure because there is no video for it. Later on in 1995 they released a promo to radio stations, Wishing the Day Away. It was never properly released and no video was made for it. The last single taken from Cherry Alive was Jesus Loves You (not as much as I do). They made a very strange video to go with it, and that combined with the off-putting title led to the single bombing. 550 Music, the record company owned by Sony, decided not to release any more singles or promos from the album. They then dropped Eve’s Plum, but the band kept playing gigs in Boston.

Here’s what Theo said when it was revealed that Sony had dropped them;

“Well, here's the deal: Sony dropped the band a year or so ago. They loved us but it wasn't working out financially. They felt they had invested a lot and were not seeing a return in the near future. They knew we had, and still have lots of die hard fans. This was a difficult time. Our attorney thought it wasn't worth shopping for a deal at another label. Because of our sales. Since this time I needed to make money to live on and was lucky enough to get work as a sound guy. So that's what I've been doing. The Band has played a few shows, without me, in Boston. I was working at the time. We all still talk about trying again. so who knows?”

Colleen adds: "everyone is pretty much doing their own thing right now, but we miss all of our loyal fans (you know who you are), and the way that things fell apart wasn't what we would have chosen, but... actually, as far as what Theo said, it was mostly accurate except that our attorney had no role in what went on, and that yeah, finances were an issue but we were really unhappy with what Sony did for Cherry Alive, which was basically nothing, and our manager was not helping us at all, then Benjy decided he wasn't into to touring, and these things built up and whatever”.

The band Michael was playing guitar and recording with, Ruth Ruth, changed their name to Afterlife. And then changed it again! Michael played guitar on two at least two of their albums, if not more. Theo really got into being a sound man for other people’s tours, and started doing it full time. Colleen was still working on some demos and sending them around. Ben began touring Europe with his new band. Eve’s Plum still met up for the odd gig and made a contribution to the Duran Duran tribute album. A few of their songs appeared on some compilation albums.

Colleen had attracted the attention of Elektra Records with her demos, and they signed a “demo deal” in 1998. She travelled and made music and Elektra would see if they were interested in where the project was heading. Elektra loved what Colleen was making and signed her properly in 1999. She went under the name “Vitamin C”. Critics that had savagely attacked the two Eve’s Plum albums began calling her a sell out for not sticking with Eve’s Plum. Colleen didn’t mind the bit of bad attention, she says “It's not as if I went from hardcore punk to four-on-the-floor dance music. I always considered the songs I've written to be intelligent pop songs and perhaps just the production that varies but it's still very much the same voice.” “I decided that instead of replacing members of Eve's Plum and keeping it going against some internal and external odds, I would continue doing music, but do it by myself , but it took me a little while because I wasn't sure I was really ready emotionally and mentally to jump back into the fire immediately.” People wondered about the “sudden” change in her musical style, Colleen bit back saying “I don't think the music is all that different, actually. It is produced and presented in a different way. I don't favour one type of music over another. I like music that is melodic, so I like what I am doing now. I haven't abandoned guitars, I am just a little less angry than I was then. I am still proud of Eve's Plum, and I think they could be Vitamin C songs, and some Vitamin C songs could be Eve's Plum songs. I really like this one, it is the best one of all.” While some people attacked her for the Vitamin C project, they failed to realise that the whole band were doing different things, it only happened that Colleen’s was more high profile.

People finally got over the fact that Colleen was doing something different now, and her debut solo single “Smile” reached no.16 on the billboard charts. Her debut solo album reached no.29. Colleen appeared in a lot of movies during the time between the end of Eve’s Plum and Vitamin C. She appeared in L.A Johns, High School High, Passion, Whipping Boy, Crinoline Head, Liar Liar, Naked Gun 2½ and Just Cause. She had previously starred in Hairspray and The Mambo Kings. Two more singles were released from the Vitamin C album, Me, Myself and I and Graduation (friends forever). Graduation was one of the biggest hits of 2000. And put her as the no.18 singles artist in the U.S.A. Then she got a huge role in a film called Dracula 2000. She then released her second album as Vitamin C , More. It featured the huge hit The Itch, which reached no.13 on the billboard chart. One more single was released from More, As Long As You’re Loving Me. Colleen then found herself in the same position as Eve’s Plum were in after the Cherry Alive campaign… Elektra didn’t want to release any more singles from More. It’s not known what terms they parted on, but I’d say Colleen was pretty annoyed that done basically nothing to promote her second album and the As Long As You’re Loving Me single. Colleen then appeared singing two songs in the movie Get Over It, and had a part in Rock Star and a cameo in Scary Movie 2. She has made numerous appearances in television shows. She then signed to V2 records, Richard Branson’s label. She is currently song writing with Gary Clark, who has worked with

Natalie Imbruglia. Which suggests she is going for a more rock sound, although not quite Eve’s Plum.

As far as I know, Theo is still working as a crew member on various tours and shows. Michael was still working with Ruth Ruth (they changed there name after AfterLife and I think they just went back to “Ruth Ruth”) last year in 2001, so I hope he still is. I have no idea what Ben is doing! While Colleen plan to attack the charts once more as Vitamin C , the other guys seem to want to remain more low profile. Perhaps Sony will reissue Envy and Cherry Alive if Colleen can repeat her previous success and generate enough interest. Some people still will call Colleen a “sell out” but the fact is that the band parted on good terms, and still talk. Maybe Sony can be blamed for the lack of commercial success Eve’s Plum achieved, but I think maybe it was because, musically, they were ahead of their time.

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