ðə vˈɜːv pˈaɪpz mˈeɪdʒɚ lˈeɪbəl deɪbjˈuː, vˈɪlənz, fˈiːtʃɚd ðə vˈændɚɹ ˈɑːɹkpˈɛnd sˈɪŋɡəl "ðə fɹˈɛʃmɛn", ðə ɡɹˈuːps hˈaɪɪsttʃˈɑːɹɾɪŋ sˈɪŋɡəl ænd wˈʌn ʌvðə mˈoʊst səksˈɛsfəl mˈʌltaɪfˈɔːɹmæt tɹˈæks ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən.
The Verve Pipe's major label debut, Villains, featured the Vander Ark-penned single "The Freshmen", the group's highest-charting single and one of the most successful multi-format tracks of 1997.