Better know a sellout: Natalie Merchant

Way, way back in the day, when I was a naive schoolboy, I went to my first ever concert and saw 10,000 Maniacs. I was a little surprised at how mellow they were - with a name like 10,000 Maniacs, I was expecting something more Dead Kennedyesque - but overall I was very impressed and even went out and bought their In My Tribe cassette later that week. What I most liked about the band was the way that the musician's instruments intermingled with and accented her unique voice without trampling all over it.

Eventually, of course, she grew tired of sharing the spotlight (as though any of the spotlight was on her bandmates) and split from the group...at least they think she broke up with them. It was around that time that she lost the ability to enunciate altogether, and she uttered to them, "E nucit loppit ralther toe," and she never returned to band rehearsal.

Right after they did their awesome MTV Unplugged version of "Because the Night" , when they reached the peak of their indie cred and power, is when she chose to leave the band that helped her get to the top. Now, you can hear her shooting up the charts in dental offices and soccer-mom minivans across this white, white nation of ours. Way to be, Nat!