New Additions: Sob Story by Gaunt

At the start of this project, Gaunt was not an unfamiliar band for me. Way back in season one of the podcast I co-host, Dig Me Out, we checked out the last Gaunt record from 1998, Bricks And Blackouts. Maybe starting with the last record didn't leave a good enough impression, because at the time I didn't follow-up that revisitation with an additional listening. Now that I've started picking up Gaunt releases here and there, it's given me a chance to digest the whole discography, which was pretty prolific for such a short period of time. In seven years, they managed to release six albums and nine singles worth of material, and earlier works like Sob Story from 1994 provide a much different picture of the band than B&B, which a less polished and more visceral/direct sound that makes it clear why they're one of the most celebrated punk bands in Columbus history.

Know Yer Band: Gaunt

Band: Gaunt

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Jerry Wick
Guitar - Jovan Karcic
Bass - Eric Barth/Brett "Falcon" Lewis
Drums - Jeff Regensberger/Sam Brown

Releases
1991 - Split Ep w/New Bomb Turks (Datapanik Records)
1992 - Fielder's Choice 7" single (Datapanik Records)
1992 - Jim Motherfucker 7" single (Anyway/Datapanik Records)
1992 - Cowtown Vol. 1 7" compilation (Anyway/Datapanik Records)
1992 - Whitey The Man album (Thrill Jockey)
1993 - Good Bad Happy Sad 7" single (Bag Of Hammers)
1993 - Solution 7" single (Snap! Crackle! Punk!)
1993 - Split 7" single w/The Beavers (Demolition Derby)
1993 - Pop Song ? 7" single (Thrill Jockey)
1994 - 1¢ USA 7" single (Potential Ashtray)
1994 - Sob Story album (Thrill Jockey)
1994 - I Can See Your Mom From Here (Thrill Jockey)
1995 - Yeah, Me Too (Amphetamine Reptile Records)
1996 - Kryptonite (Thrill Jockey)
1996 - 2¢ USA 7" single (Super 8 Records)
1997 - Bricks And Blackouts (Warner Bros. Records)

Dream Cymbals Interview with George Hondroulis

The always busy George Hondroulis, brother of Constantinos Hondroulis, was interviewed by Dream Cymbals a few years back, here is some of that:

In 1976, he moved to New Orleans where he first truly fell in love with music—a love he held on to when his family permanently relocated to Columbus, Ohio in 1987, just in time to begin both high school and playing music with punk rock band Our Flesh Party. This in mind, he started taking fill-in gigs with local bands here and there, picking up more music knowledge as he went. In 1999 George joined the retro group Jack Neat, leading him to branch out with more blues and just begin to flirt with jazz. 

In 2002 he and the other members of Our Flesh Party formed The Evil Queens, a heavy rock outfit bent on shaking the booty—and shake they did, charged with the reckless joy that comes from almost 15 years of camaraderie and a collective appreciation for loud rock. When he had time, George would fill in (and often wind up touring with) groups such as The Killionaires, The Shame-a-Lots, The Randy’s, The Good Kissers, Sweet Melons, The Razors, and Two Cow Garage, to name a few.

Video: Messing With Me by Salt Horse

The Lantern: Salt Horse on mission to save rock

Thank goodness The Lantern keeps all their old articles online and available. If a band put out a record over the last few decades, there is a good chance they've covered it, like the 2001 release of Salt Horse's The Best Of Times? Here is a snippet of that:

The best of times are definitely ahead for local Columbus band Salt Horse. The band combines hard-driving rock with an intense amount of energy in their sophomore CD, “The Best of Times?,” which they will release tomorrow evening at Little Brother’s, 1100 N. High St. 

Also appearing will be Grafton, Pretty Mighty Mighty and The Marcy Mays Experience who will join them in their mission of breaking new ground to help save rock. 

“We are the forging sounds of the future – more flavorful than just rock that’s unique in itself,” said Costa Hondroulis, singer and bass guitarist in Salt Horse. 

With a fed-up punk mentality and a raucously hard sound, “The Best of Times?” combines experience, enthusiasm and true rock ‘n’ roll flavor. In “Campus Riot Fight Song,” the band wanted to create a harsh sound like Hondroulis’ former band, Our Flesh Party. 

“We wanted to create a shocking sound like Our Flesh Party because they rocked harder than anybody,” said Milan Karcic, lead vocals and guitar.

New Additions: The Best Of Times? by Salt Horse

This one is kind of a lie. You see, I actually bought The Best Of Times? by Salt Horse back when it came out in 2001 on Derailleur. I was a big fan of the label, and picked up almost everything the put out. However, like so many in the mid-2000s when MP3s came along, I dumped a lot of my CD collection at record stores and tried to go fully digital. It didn't last, and I've rebuilt some of my collection. It also coincided with me being occasionally not well off financially at times, and needing to pay bills. I was able to grab this at one of the Columbus record stores recently, so now I've bought it twice, which is okay with me, because it rocks. Excuse me, RAWKS. The production is still exceptional, and I'm just a sucker for wise-crackin' hard rock that has an Rated-R/Songs For The Deaf era Queens Of The Stone Age vibe.

Know Yer Band: Salt Horse

Band: Salt Horse

Members
Vocals, Guitar – Milan Aleksandar Karcic
Guitar, Vocals – Dan Focht
Bass, Vocals – Constantinos Hondroulis
Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Christopher Dodds Cox

Releases
2001 - The Best Of Times? album (Derailleur Records)
2003 - Year Of The Horse album (Backstage Records)

Wex Q&A - Matt Reber of New Bomb Turks interviews Amy Fusselman of The Bread Group

New Bomb Turks bassist and Wexner Center Store Manager Matt Reber interviewed writer/author/publisher Amy Fusselman last year for the Wex website, and dug deep into one of the lesser known Columbus bands of the 1980s, The Bread Group. Here is some of the interview:

Amy FusseIman was the guitarist in The Bread Group. I have been familiar with her writing since the Pharmacist’s Mate was published by McSweeney’s in 2001. Eventually, a thread on the Facebook page “Columbus Music Scene 1975-1985” led to our connecting, and to the reading and book signing coming up.  

What year did The Bread Group form and how long did you play together? 
I graduated from OSU in 1986 so it must have been a couple years before that. Our band was me, vocalist Frank Snider, lead guitarist Richie Athy, bassist Patrick Roetzel, and drummer Andy Izold. I played rhythm guitar. Patrick, Frank and I were all undergrads in the English department and the band stayed together until we graduated. We played mostly at a place called the IP Lounge, which was a bar on High Street run by a Greek gentleman named Louie. He also sold one-dollar gyro sandwiches which were the source of much morning remorse for me.  

What were your perceptions of the OSU/Columbus, Ohio scene at the time?
I was obsessed with music at OSU. That was my real focus of study. I was a DJ at the OSU radio station along with Frank, who was then my boyfriend and is now my husband. We saw bands constantly, mostly at Stache’s. Some of the most important audience-member experiences of my life were at Stache’s: The Butthole Surfers, Big Black, Pussy Galore, Agent Orange … I also vividly remember seeing The Cramps and X at The Newport and The Gun Club at a little bar called Crazy Mama’s. I was so lucky to see those shows!! 

I didn’t really appreciate how rich the scene was at the time. It was just people I knew doing interesting things. I saw Scrawl come into their power and that was really important for me to witness. I saw The Great Plains and The Gibson Brothers develop. Frank and I still quote Gibson Brothers lyrics: Big Pine Boogie!

The Lantern: Finding community in local Columbus music scene

There has probably been a version of this article written every few years, but it's never a bad thing to remind people of the community of artists and musicians in Columbus, as The Lantern did earlier this year:

Looking into the Donatos Pizza on campus at 10 p.m. on a Friday night, one might think the place is nearly dead. 

There are two 30-somethings at the bar and a bearded man asleep in a booth. But if you were to enter the campus pizza joint you would immediately hear — even feel — something very alive. There is a muffled hum of guitars, a faint voice shout-singing unintelligible lyrics and a distinct, rhythmic rumbling coming from the floorboards. 

Head downstairs and you will quickly discover the source of this electric buzz. Amid a dense, denim-clad crowd, local band Fullsend blares out its trademark psychedelic sound. Singer Austin Harsh, outfitted in a pastel pink romper, belts out the words to their final song, Monkey Funks. Before the final chords have rung out, the audience is already in an uproar. Soon after, the bandmates scramble to clear their equipment from the stage before the next act. 

Performances like this are part of a long-standing tradition of do-it-yourself artists in the Columbus area. DIY musicians, as the name suggests, are responsible for every aspect of their band’s success. This could mean social media promotion, recording songs or even providing their own sound equipment for concerts. Their highest priority, however, is always to provide an entertaining live performance. 

There are many ways to spend your weekends in Columbus, but the music scene near campus — in all its forms — presents an unbeatable diverse, yet tight-knit option. Between the DIY community and student organizations, there is a place for everyone in this bustling culture.

Video: Ronald Koal & The Trillionaires, THE CITY IS SLEEPING, live at the Agora

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to locate any video of The Burners. Instead, I went with another band that featured Pete Linzell, Ronald Koal And The Trillionaires.

Short North Gazette: Michael "Micky" Bletz

Back in 20008 the Short North Gazette covered the death of "hard rockin’ rock and roller Michael “Micky” Bletz" of The Burners. Here is part of that:

He was one of those guys who was the most memorable characters in your life,” Barnes said. “He was one of the most generous people you’re ever going to meet, one of the most loyal people you’re ever going to meet. I feel like in my life I’ve had a few relationships like that, and Michael was one of them.” 

Between his Jackie Cupid and Baffoos days, Bletz played for other bands, including The Gangsters and The Burners, local stars in the mid-1980s. 

“He was a great rock and roll performer,” remembers Dan Dougan, former owner of Stache’s (later Little Brother’s), where The Burners played. “He was a real slick dresser, too. Really natty. He really knew how to style.” 

The Burners gave a Fourth of July performance in 1986 in the Park of Roses that turned a community get-together into an event to remember. 

“Way back in the day, that band rocked,” said Bryan Wolfe, an acquaintance of Bletz’s. “When they backed Bo Diddley at what I thought would be a neighborhood picnic, there was a show going on there that was way out of proportion from what you’d expect at a holiday picnic. The music was coming hard and fast. It was a great show.”
Passion was Bletz’s musical trademark. 

“He was able to feel a song, not just play the song, but feel the meaning of the song and understand what the song was trying to say and stir in a person,” Scranton said. “And he could put his signature on that. He could make a song that you’ve heard all your life and make it sound familiar, but make it sound different.”

New Additions: Mesmerization by The Burners

This isn't, strictly speaking, a "new addition" in that I acquired it a few months back at Elizabeth Records here in Columbus. While it was sitting in the local section for a few prior visits, I did a little research as I was completely unfamiliar with the band, and dug up enough info to figure it was worth grabbing, and I'm glad I did. Turns out Happy Chichester, in a later discussion, cites The Burners as an important early influence, and specifically bassist Michael Gene.

Know Your Band: The Burners

Band: The Burners

Members
Guitar - Sonny Pill/Micky Burner [Bletz]/Sammy Davis Blue/Mick Williams
Vocals - Jamie Lyons
Bass - Michael Gene
Drums - Jerry Hale/Scott McMillen
Piano - Mike Reed
Saxophone - Pete Linzell

Releases
1987 - Mesmerization album (Pony Records)

Video: Agora Newport 25th Anniversary (2017 update info)

Video: Secrets by Trachete

Unfortunately, I couldn't locate any video of Miss May '66 on any of the usual platforms, so I kept digging and decided to post this video of Tera Stockdale's current band, Trachete.

 

Columbus Guardian: Route 66 (1994)

Not much out there on the interwebs about Miss May '66, but I did find this over at Anne Spurgeon's page from the 1994 Columbus Guardian:

A mesmerizing quartet, Miss May 66, is turning brains on the campus circuit. Four women-drummer Tera Stockdale, bassist Kari Murphy, singer Yalan Weasner and Anne Spurgeon (sister of the Greenhorn Spurgeons) have filled their calendars with a pocket of good gigs. Wednesday, June 22 , Miss May opens for the Laughing Hyenas at Stache's. They play Bernie's (with Econothugs and the Lovin' Mouthful) on the 24th and, also that weekend, Comfest. Miss May-an outfit with rhythm, distortion and aggression-has been together only a few months. Stockdale and Murphy just started fooling around on the Econothugs gear. Neither knew what they were doing. 'When we go back and listen to our first tapes,' says Stockdale, 'that's when we realize we actually have come a really long way...We had no idea how to write a song or how to play.' Catch them soon. Murphy leaves for San Francisco later this summer; Stockdale promises the band will forge on after they locate a replacement.

New Additions: Miss May '66 / O-Matic 1995 split single

One of the fun parts of this project has not only been discovering bands, but randomly discovering releases not cataloged online at places like Discogs. This 1995 split single with Miss May '66 and O-Matic is perfect example. I was searching various band names on eBay and this popped up. I checked around to find out what it was, and there was no info. Of course I bid (and luckily, won), to later discover that Michelle Bodine (of Brainiac and Shesus) played in O-Matic. It's a nice addition to my collection as well as a hard hitting slab of post-punk indie rock.

Know Yer Band: Miss May '66

Band: Miss May '66

Members
Vocals – Yalan Weasner
Guitar – Anne Spurgeon/Geoff Ortlip
Bass – Kari Murphy/Adam Coate/Amy Alwood
Drums – Tera Stockdale

Releases
1994 - Chinese Japanese Dirty Knees 7" single (Dragonlady Records)
1995 - Split w/Bugatti Type 35 7" single (Dragonlady Records)
1995 - Split w/O-Matic 7" single (Dragonlady Records)
1995 - Like An Ornament 7" single (Dragonlady Records)
1995 - Self-Titled album (Dragonlady Records)

Video: Living In Fear/Better Luck Next Time by the SlapHappys

From the video notes: A 1986 Columbus State media class project from Rich Reese that features a local Columbus, Ohio band called the SlapHappys!? performing a couple of their original songs (Living In Fear and eventually, Better Luck Next Time) featuring Mike Toth on vocals/guitar, Doug Kasyon on guitar/vocals, Herb Schrader on bass and Eddie Gyevat on drums.  Mike, Doug, Herb and Rich previously played in a local band called the Jetboys and later, Mike, Herb and Eddie would  play in a band called Da King Mixers. Currently, Mike still lives in Columbus writing his own music (the eMpTys), Doug lives in Colorado and Herb and Eddie are having beers and are in the house band in the Big Bar in the sky. 

The Big Takeover (via Allmusic.com) - The Rock Garden by Eurogression review

What's interesting (?), fun (?) and fascinating about this project is realizing how much information is lost from before the world wide web became all encompassing. Take for instance Eurogression, who I was sure only released one album, but in researching and Googling for info. Turns out they did release at least one more album, The Rock Garden on Street Records in 1997. Could it be there was another band called Eurogression? Sure, but then I found this review by Jack Rabid of The Big Takeover, preserved over at Allmusic.com, that confirms it's the same Eurogression:

You may be surprised enough to discover this L.A.-by-way-of-Columbus, OH trio was still going -- you might remember their college radio hit "Danger in Those Eyes" from a decade prior, the golden age of that medium -- let alone that, as the liner notes claim, they've recorded over 21 records since 1983. Holy cannoli. However, if you've not heard of them, it's not your fault. For various reasons, only nine of those 21 have ever been released by their own label, Bravo. But The Rock Garden, once again recorded by Steve Albini in his busy Chicago basement, is easily available. This is just the sort of loud, raw, thick, spontaneous sound that's Albini's gift to indie music, from the most fledgling, broke band to Nirvana's wild In Utero. More importantly, as befits their experience, Eurogression is one of the tightest and most exciting bands to survive his "record everything live in as few takes as possible" policy. Guitarist/writer/singer Tasos has one of those urgent qualities in his full-throated voice that marks the best of this style, from Squirrel Bait to Moving Targets to dozens of Dischord bands, and the group burns with conviction to match the fire in their playing.

Even after reading, I still wasn't convinced that it was the same Eurogression considering the description, but I've got nothing else to go on.

Columbus Alive: Interview with Flogging Molly drummer George Schwindt

Finding info on Eurogression is damn near impossible, but I did manage to track down this interview with former drummer George Schwindt with the Columbus Alive back in 2012 when he was touring with Flogging Molly. Here's a the Eurogression bit:

Alive: Tell me about the band you were playing with when you first moved to L.A. That band was originally based in Columbus? 

Schwindt: The band was called Eurogression. Yeah, we were based in Columbus. We had played around a bit in Columbus, and we’d gone to New York and played CBGB’s when that was still there, and that was great. It was different then because in order to get to where people could help with your career, you had to go to one of the music markets. That was before Seattle. And then when all that stuff started happening in Seattle, I mean, you couldn’t be in Seattle and not run into a label guy from somewhere. Whether it was L.A. or New York or London - everybody. I mean, they were all there. It was just saturated. That kind of changed, along with technology, I think changed the way the labels look at the world and who’s doing what. But back then, you said, “OK, well, we’re going to have to go to New York or L.A.” And I voted for New York, and everybody else voted for L.A. (laughs) So in that band democracy, we got in the moving van and went west. We played in L.A. for about a year, and then the band broke up, and I stayed out. I kept working with people, auditioning for different things.

New Additions: Euogression self-titled 1987 album

There are a few bands whose names danced around the periphery of conversations I've had with people in researching this book, and Eurogression is one one of them. From "yeah, I sorta remember" them to "that name sounds familiar," the band was only around a few years but managed a seven inch single and album, the latter of which was recorded at 3001 Studios by Jeff Gastineau, who I interviewed in 2018 for the book. He gave me some interesting insights, but what I was not expecting was the wildly fluctuating market for the Eurogression album. I scored it via Discogs for a few bucks, albeit in slightly worn shape, while I have seen other copies going for upwards of fifty bucks. In reality, at five songs it is more of an EP than an album, but you get the vibe immediately, and I'm not shocked that some people didn't connect, or maybe lost it down the memory whole. It's competent goth synth stuff with occasionally interesting ideas that maybe needed a little more time to gestate into something truly special.

Know Yer Band: Eurogression

Band: Eurogression

Members
Bass - Chris Woltman
Guitar, Keyboards - Erwin "Ko Chan" Tan
Percussion, Vocals - Carlton Wilder
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar - Tasos Elescos Taigamides
Vocals, Keyboards - Katerina Sophia Taigamides
Drums - George Schwindt

Releases
1987 - Eurogression album (Bravo Records)
1988 - Lady Of The Night 7" single (Bravo Records)
1997 - The Rock Garden (Street Records)
1997 - Split w/Winter Death Club 7" single (Street Records)