(from left to right: Devin Lima, Rich Cronin, and Brad Fischetti)
LFO (an abbreviation for Lyte Funky Ones) was an American Boy Band that initially consisted of members Rich Cronin, Brian "Brizz" Gillis, and Brad Fischetti. While the band's big break was in 1999, the group was originally formed in 1995. Gillis left the group in 1999, and Devin Lima was brought on as a replacement. Their breakout hit "Summer Girls", a Pop Rap song, would rise to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 during the Teen Pop boom during that same period. They would release one more album in 2001, to low album sales and with only one single "Every Other Time" released. The band would break up in 2002.
The group members would then focus on various solo projects and try to reunite in the late 2000s, but unfortunately tragedy would strike. Rich, who had been fighting leukemia since 2005, would die from a stroke in 2010 at the age of 36. The remaining two members never got the chance to record a third studio album with him, and in 2009, the group was disbanded. In 2017, Devin and Brad would try again to stage a comeback and continue LFO as a duo, and even released a single. Sadly, Devin would be diagnosed with cancer himself (stage four adrenal cancer to be exact), and later pass away in 2018 at the age of 41. Former member Brian passed away of unknown causes in March 2023, leaving Brad as the only surviving bandmate of LFO. Since Devin's passing, Brad has appeared with the boy band O-Town (whom Rich Cronin mentored) on tour, performing LFO songs to keep the band's legacy alive.
Not to be confused with the British Electronic Music group also named LFO
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Members:
- Brad Fischetti - born September 11, 1975 (1995–2002, 2009, 2017–2018)
- Rich Cronin - August 30, 1974 – September 8, 2010 (1995–2002, 2009)
- Devin Lima - March 18, 1977 – November 21, 2018 (1999–2002, 2009, 2017–2018)
- Brian Gillis - 1975 - March 29, 2023 (1995–1999)
Discography:
- LFO (1999)
- Life is Good (2001)
Tropes
- As Himself: They appeared as themselves The Amanda Show to perform "Girl On TV" live.
- Fun with Acronyms: LFO = Lyte Funky Ones.
- Genre Shift: Their second album Life is Good leans a bit more into alternative rock than their usual pop sound, as the teen pop trend was starting to wind down. And there's also a song featuring De La Soul.
- Head-Turning Beauty: "Girl On TV" is about a stunningly beautiful actress who takes their breath away. The video casts Jennifer Love Hewitt, at the height of her It Girl beauty.
- Hollywood California: "Girl On TV"'s video naturally features them cruising down Los Angeles and passing by the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- Market-Based Title: The group had to go by their full name Lyte Funky Ones in the UK, due to an exisiting band already using the name LFO.
- Non Sequitur: The raps are filled with this, "Summer Girls" being the most egregious. The hook talks about New Kids on the Block having hits, Chinese food making the subject sick, and then girls stopping by for the summer. Also of note, "fell deep in love, but now we ain't speakin'/Michael J. Fox was Alex P. Keaton" and "Call you up but what's the use?/I like Kevin Bacon but I hate Footloose".
- Piss-Take Rap: The rapping on their singles comes across as this as most of the lyrics are nonsensical and silly.
- Sole Survivor: Brad Fischetti is the only surviving member of the band, all the other members passed before age 50; Rich Cronin passed due to a stroke after battling leukemia in 2010, Devin Lima died of cancer in 2018, and original bandmate Brian Gillis passed away of unknown causes in 2023.
- Silly Love Songs: Like any true boy band should have, "Girl on TV" being the most famous. "Girl on TV" was actually written about Jennifer Love Hewitt, who Rich was dating at the time.
- Vacation Episode: Naturally enough, the video for "Summer Girls" depicts the boys having fun at Coney Island.
