Sponge

No, it's not some lame April Fools' joke. Sponge is back with a new lineup and hopes to reclaim some of the fame it experienced in the mid-'90s. Remember Sponge? Written off by most as a poor man's Stone Temple Pilots (who were actually a poor man's Pearl Jam), the Detroit band had minor alt-rock radio success with its 1994 hit "Plowed" (from Rotting Piñata). But like most bands from that era, their time spent in the big leagues was fleeting -- they were dropped after disappointing sales of their 1996 effort, Wax Ecstatic. It's an old story, and one that happens to much better bands. But Sponge has persevered in various incarnations and still releases material. Here's a chance to catch them before the piñata rots for good.