Monday, April 30, 2007

mystery post of the week IV

Gravity's Pull - Haven't Done A Thing - 1994
from Screaming Goddess Records cd "Motorama"

Monday, April 23, 2007

mystery post of the week III

Vertigo Joyride - You and Me Girl - 1994

mystery post of the week II

Reverb-a-Ray - Don't Ask - 1994

mystery post of week I

June - Bees in a Jar - 1994

June were a Chapel Hill band from ~1992 until 1996. Released 3 singles, the first two on Friction Media, a label founded by longtime WXYC staffer Bob Boster. The third single was on Squealer, the then-Virginia label run by Butch Lazorchak.

They were the subject of a minor major-label bidding war during 1994 & 1995, and wound up signing to Beggar's Banquet after a semi-successful trip to SXSW in 1995. They recorded their debut, "I Am Beautiful," over a period of several weeks in Nashville, released it in spring 1996, and broke up around a month later.

Original drummer Mathew Gross left the band before they signed to Beggar's Banquet. After grad school & travel, he reappeared on the national stage as the man who persuaded the Howard Dean campaign to start a blog. He's currently working as internet guru for the John Edwards campaign.

Replacement drummer John Howie Jr. currently leads his long-running country band the $2 Pistols in Chapel Hill.

Guitarist John Price is married & lives in Durham, I think. Guitarist Tricia Tuttle moved to London, where she is a journalist, film critic & festival programmer.

Bassist Andy Magowan is chef & co-owner of Piedmont restaurant (http://www.piedmontrestaurant.com ) in Durham. He can occasionally still be seen playing in local bands Malt Swagger & Erie Choir, though the restaurant is open 6 days a week & he seems to always be there.

Singer Kat Cook moved to LA, and last I heard she was in a pop band called Cucalorus.

This song, "Bees in a Jar," was from one of the 7" recording sessions, IIRC. I'm not at home & thus don't have access to my record collection, but I don't think it was on any of the singles. Was it on a compilation, like maybe one of those Record Exchange comps? Perhaps Michael will tell us where he got it.

Band Members:
Kat Cook - Vocals
John Price - Guitar
Tricia Tuttle - Guitar
Andy Magowan - Bass Guitar
Mathew Gross - Drummer