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SPIKE |
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Rod - Guitars, vox
Coming Soon
Coming Soon
Butterfingerer |
 After Swallow split, our bassist Andy, original drummer Scott, and myself toyed with the idea of starting a new band, but it never got off the ground. I had been writing a ton of songs and was itching to get out and play them, so I turned to my old friend, The Rocket music paper. There I found Brandon Wilsey, who was a mailman, a big Trent Reznor fan, and unlucky companion of a seriously crazy, messed up girlfriend. He was a hard hitter, very open to all the different styles I was exploring at the time, and a really nice guy. Around the same time, I ran into Shaun Koth (aka Sean Onnery), who I knew back in the days of Why and the Dripdrys. He used to be in a very popular Seattle new wave band back then called the Eagertones. With the possible exception of the Fuzz, Spike was probably the most satisfying band I've been involved with. It rocked the hardest, the songs were among the best I had ever written, and the musicians were a true team. Our first demo tape (besides the "Job" demo, which never was sent around) was "Acupuncture," which suffered from a thin sound and tentative performances. The second demo, "Mother," was much better, and most of these songs were included in our one and only CD, "Whelmed," which was released on my newly-formed label, Y Records. Prior to the CD, we had also put out a rippin' little seven-inch. In retrospect, I now feel that "Whelmed" is a mixed bag/ Including everything from power ballads to punk screamers to dirgy noise anthems to country hoedowns, it was just too diverse. Plus it had two producers/engineers - Jack Endino and Zachary Lansdowne - each having their own distinct sound. But it received some good reviews! Brandon and I had visions of record deals and touring (after all, this was at the peak of Nirvana fever, where every band and their dog were getting "deals"), but Shaun would not consider touring - he was older and wiser. So we replaced him. Eric Carnell (ex-Treepeople) stepped in on bass and then we added a second guitarist, Adam Bratman (ex- Sick & Wrong). Before Adam came onboard, Brandon, Eric and I recorded four songs, which included some of our best efforts, and then with Adam,we recorded two more, which were among our worst (not dissing Adam here...the songs were weak and the production not to my liking). We also played a showcase for Geffen Records, which amounted to nothing. Adam left the band after one too many sparsely attended weeknight shows at the Off Ramp. Then Brandon, who had already moonlighted in the band Flake, joined another band, Rorschach Test. They played industrial music, which was more in tune with his personal tastes, and at some point it seemed that they were his priority . So I put Spike to bed. I think Spike is the only band that I cared about that hasn't had a proper reunion show. Eric and I played Spike songs with another drummer for Geezerfest at the Crocodile and we also played a couple of house parties with Brandon on drums. We are thinking 2011 will be the year to bring back Spike for another short run. Brandon is currently living up in Skagit Valley and is still a postman. Eric is in the band Android Hero and works at Vera Project. Adam is playing with rockabilly dude Knut Bell. Shaun is a physical therapist in Arizona. |
The Job Demo - Cassette - 1992 Amnesia / Last Stop To Heaven / Walking Dynamite / Chicken / Blood / Pawn / Spoiled / Ask Me / Pancake Haus / Bong / Screw Off / Teenage Mom Mother - Cassette - 1993
Stranded / BMW / Meet Sheet / So Low / Channeled / Indecision BMW / Indecision 7" (Dubious Records, 1993)
Whelmed CD Amnesia / Shut You Out / Woodpacker / Pancake Haus / Epilogue / Chapel of the Bells / Dummy / Periscope / Channeled / Meet Sheet / Stranded / Indecision Here's to the Losers: A Storeroom CompilationTeenage Mom Four Song Unreleased Demo |
