You might not think a combination of Sarah McLachlan, Buddy Rich, and Joan Jett would work so well. Throw them in the influential blender though, and some sweet sounds come out in the forms of guitarist/vocalist Molly Bancroft, drummer Simone Simonton, and bassist Julie Clark. They comprise the alternative pop/rock trio Lift. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the women come from varying backgrounds, geographically and musically. Bancroft studied jazz, piano, and saxophone while growing up in Michigan. In 1992, inspired by Nirvana's hard edge, she drifted toward electric guitar and formed her first band. After a few years playing around Boston, Bancroft headed south to Atlanta, hooked up with Simonton, and Lift was born. Simonton had known her destiny from an early age, back when pots and pans had to sit in for a snare and toms. At the ripe age of six, she got a real drum kit and was on her way, studying the likes of Buddy Rich and Stewart Copeland to hone her chops. Before meeting Bancroft, she was a staple in the Atlanta music scene, supplying the groove for artists such as Indigo Girls and Kristen Hall. When Lift needed to round out the circle, Simonton brought in Clark who had also played around town in different bands and toured with Shawn Mullins. The power trio was complete. Bancroft and Simonton share the songwriting duties, churning out hook after hook with melodic and sonic precision. Stellar was released in 1996 on the independent Lyric Moon Records with Lifelike hot on its heels in 1997 on Daemon Records. To support the albums and build a national following, Lift toured with Wild Colonials, Guadalcanal Diary, and Indigo Girls. Holding fast to the belief that music can change the world, the women forged ever ahead with September EP, released in late 1999. ~ Kelly McCartney