The Red Hot Valentines formed in early 2001 as students at Lincoln Christian College in Lincoln, IL. Guitarists/vocalists Jeff Johnson and Toby Kirk were joined by bassist David Gerkin and drummer Eric Humbert, and the four began to hone their poppy take on bouncy alternative inside the walls of a dormitory. But soon, neither the hall's walls nor the college itself could hold the Red Hot Valentines, and they dropped out, eventually landing in Champagne, IL. There they picked up keyboardist/Moog man Tyson Markley, began to gig around town, and issued a self-released LP in January 2002. Tours with like-minded groups Ultimate Fakebook and Duvall followed, and significant local media attention -- including the interest of Champagne's FM modern rock outlet -- in turn spurred the interest of the city's in-house taste-making indie, Polyvinyl, who signed RHV in summer 2002. The introductory Calling Off Today EP followed in early 2003, and the band's proper full-length, Summer Fling, arrived the following May. ~ Johnny Loftus