Durango 95

In the early to mid-1990s, I was the lead singer in the band, Durango 95 based out of Arcata, California (you’d be surprised at how many bands are called Durango 95 – we bumped into several while on tour). It was a fun time to be an alt-rock band in the Pacific Northwest since nearly everyone you met was also in a band. There was no internet. No mobile phones. No video evidence. This was a time when you just had show up in a town the night before a gig, find an all night copy shop, and staple fliers up all over the place and hope they didn’t all get ripped down before anyone saw them. It was also cool to drive into a college town and hear your song playing on the radio. The band – made up of Jason Gusmann (drums, vocals), Ian Lamont-Havers (bass), and me (vocals and sometimes trumpet) – put out an EP called “Legendary Grace In Collapse” that featured a single called “Markie Mark” that has the enduring couplet: “Hell yes, we’re frightened and who could blame us? / This world is just too full of stupid people who got famous”. We recorded a bunch of other songs that I’ve included in a compilation called “Non-Essential Durango 95” and a low-key not-quite-unplugged session of songs called “Durango 95: Soft & Pretty”. Enjoy!

GUPPY BOY GRUNT

Back in Bard College, I was in a stripped down little band called “Guppy Boy Grunt”. It was made up of Chris “Rupe” O’Neil (guitar), Jason Gusmann (drums & vocals), Ian Lamont-Havers (bass) and me (vocals). While it seemed like the band was a bit of a lark – we never had aspirations of staying together after college – it turns out we made some pretty great little songs. Chris recently spent a little time “re-mastering” our old 4-track tapes into a new compilation that he put on Bandcamp. If you’re into that low-fi early 1990’s sound and like earnest songs about busted relationships, peak experiences, and societal finger pointing, you should probably take a listen!