However, our intrepid warriors decided that a group of around five singers was insufficient for the grandiose plans they had for The Liquid Hotplates. Over the next year-and-a-half, sporadic auditions were held, creating a bumper crop of new singers with which to entertain the masses. Some left along the way, but by the recording of their debut album �Told It Equals Hip� the group had annexed enough singers to raise their total to fourteen.
Music was chosen in a pseudo-democratic fashion. Certain rehearsals were set aside for members to bring CDs, cassette tapes, food, and a hefty dose of opinions. All potential music was listened to and debated, and ultimately the group settled on a repertoire of sixteen songs. To classify the theme of the music selected would be quite difficult, but as an aggregate might be considered pop-metal-rap-ballad-classic, if such a category exists. All told, there was a fun selection of music that spanned at least four presidential administrations (two of them being two terms each). All music was arranged or adapted within the group, mainly by our music director�that seems to be one of the talents that is picked up as a Ph.D. candidate in music. Countless hours were spent slaving over the learning and memorization of the arrangements, with occasional pizza parties and movie nights to satisfy (some of) the needs of the singers.
And what did The Liquid Hotplates do with all of this newfound knowledge? Shared it with the adoring public, of course! Their debut public concert was held in the spring of 2001 at a Caf� Roma, a coffee shop across the street from campus, with an audience full of friends, family, and unsuspecting caffeine searchers. The concert was a hit and word spread like wildfire throughout the Davis community that the Hotplates were truly an act for the ages. Since that first concert, the group has performed again at Caf� Roma, at the Palms Playhouse in Davis, and as guests of the Napa Valley Barbershop Chorus. They have performed at numerous campus events, including Picnic Day, the Whole Earth Festival, Under the Rainbow, and various departmental functions (with audiences including Vegetable Crops; the Graduate School of Management; and Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior). Some members even participated in solo acts and small ensembles to supplement the group�s repertoire and to help raise money for the UCD University Chorus.
The June 2002 release of �Told It Equals Hip� represents a culmination of effort for all group members, some of whom have managed to stay relatively sane in the insane world of college a cappella for two years. It also represents many long, arduous hours spent in the UCD Music Building recording studio and a healthy level of debate over an album title, whose pictures should be placed where on the accompanying literature, and whether the Kings are a better basketball team than the Lakers. The group hopes that you appreciate the final product and that you will support them by coming to upcoming shows in which even more exciting music will be served fresh on tap�this is where the next chapters of the proverbial Liquid Hotplates book will be written.
