Formed in Eau Claire, WI in 1991.

 

The first versions of this band was formed with Michael Bushman (guitar/vocals), Matt Standing (guitar), and Brian Klouthis (bass). Initial practices were just the three, setting up where ever they could make some noise, including 'practice rooms' on the UW Eau Claire campus, which they were promptly asked to not use again.

 

The starting point was the thrash metal that Standing and Bushman both grew up with, but it melded with Bushman's ear for indie and punk rock. Rudimentary riffage became a thrashy/punk hybrid of angsty youth poetry with surprisingly complex structures and speeds for what was essentially everyone's first real band.

 

They kept borrowing a guy named Jeremy who played drums from another band in Eau Claire called 7th From. Severely random events led to drummer Craig Christopherson joining to solidify the band proper.

 

Soon after, bassplayer Joel 'Dez' Crandall joined as a full-time bassplayer and the band began playing shows with other notable Eau Claire acts of the early to mid nineties such as Venison, Inamorata, Voodoo Love Mint, 3 Liter Hit, Touch is Automatic, and 7th From.

 

The Eau Claire scene at the time was a fertile ground of basement shows and college crowds.

 

Minneapolis based record label R*81 took interest in the unpolished, yet passionate unit. Producer/engineer Bob Demaa brought the band up to Minneapolis and put them in a studio. 8 live-take songs were captured over an 11 hour period. No overdubs. No multi-tracking. Just set up, mic up, hit record and play.

 

After the release of "Prim'a'tiv", Marc McCaffery (previously in fellow EC band Inamorata) replaced Matt Standing on lead guitar and a newer, more focused sound emerged on the second release, the three song demo, "SEED".

 

A steady stream of local, campus, and basement shows encouraged a growing fanbase with highlight shows opening for Arcwelder and appearances on a Metal Massacre at 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis put the band on a new level.

 

A three song demo called, "Tasteless" was recorded featuring less metal, more melody, but still very aggressive indie rock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then they did what bands did before the internet... they picked a coast and moved.

 

And since Seattle was already being picked over by industry vultures in 1995, they chose someplace warmer. At the time, music critics were dubbing it the 'next Seattle'. San Diego it was.

 

After a short run, bassplayer Dez returned to WI for family commitments and the band changed its name to 'Spicoli' with the addition of new members.