Winter Hours were one of New Jersey's leading alternative rock bands. They were formed as an evolution of another, short-lived band named Ward 8 in 1983. They released two albums and four EPs and toured incessantly before disbanding in 1991. In 1989, their song "Smoke Rings" peaked at number 12 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart. Lead singer Joseph Marques (16 September 1962 - 28 June 2003) died at the age of 40. Lead guitarist Michael Carlucci died of a heart attack in 2015.