Reverbose Records Workbook Studio 25 Hour Grand Prix

I've been trying to stay away from stuff that I've been directly involved in, but I would be remiss not to mention as part of the compilation album coverage the 2004 release Workbook Studio 25 Hour Grand Prix released on Reverbose Records.

From what I recall, this was the brainchild of Neal Schmitt and Jon Chinn at Workbook, and we at Reverbose were looking for release opportunities other than just our own bands. The experience itself was quite exciting - being a part of a process where each band received one hour to record and mix their songs. For the bands, they could move in and out, but for the Workbook crew, that was a long twenty-five hours.

We ended up with a pretty eclectic and interesting batch of tunes from plenty of new and lesser-known bands, as well as more established local artists like Pretty Mighty Mighty, House Of Heroes, Greenlawn Abbey, A Planet For Texas and El Jesus de Magico.

Columbusmusic.com Compilations

Launched in 1999, Columbusmusic.com was an alternative to the established Cringe.com in covering the local Columbus music scene. While Cringe tended to have a more narrowed focus on bands, Columbusmusic.com covered everything and had the added feature of a message board. They also put on a number of showcases and released a few compilations, featuring bands such as Go Robot Go!, Templeton, Nude, Silo The Huskie, Pretty Mighty Mighty, Kopaz, Maery Lanahan and more.

Video: If You Want My Love - Cheap Painters

Here's a fun nugget from Columbus music history past. At Workbook Studio, there was an ongoing in-house recording project called the "Cheap Painters," which was doing Cheap Trick songs in the style of the Red House Painters. In this case, it's Dan Gerken and Billy Peake of Miranda Sound, along with Neal Schmitt of Workbook and Pretty Mighty Mighty, and Jay Macke.

 

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.

Know Yer Band: Pet UFO

Band: Pet UFO

Members
Vocals - Souci Broskowitz
Guitar - Kevin Happell
Bass - Byron Weaver
Drums - Tony Painter

Releases
1993 - Flush 7" (Burnt Sienna Records)
1993 - 7" Split w/Bugman, Clay and Pretty Mighty Mighty (Burnt Sienna Records)
1993 - Washington Avenue 7" (Burnt Sienna Records)
1994 - Pigeon Heaven 7" (Burnt Sienna Records/Double Deuce Records)
1994 - Pigasus album (Burnt Sienna Records)
1995 - My Name Is Esther Cohen album (Double Deuce Records)

Video: Pretty Mighty Mighty Recording Casting Call for 25 Hour Grand Prix Compilation

DOA review of Famous Past Lives by Pretty Mighty Mighty

Back in 2000, if you were in Columbus there is a good chance you heard the song "Ski Instructor" blasting from then CD101 at the time off the second album Famous Past Lives by Pretty Mighty Mighty. Here's a bit from an album review back in 2000 by Jeff Marsh at Delusions of Adequacy:

Pretty Mighty Mighty are one of those bands that you feel like you should have heard of long ago. Their style of music is exactly what I was searching for a short time ago when the emo-rock/pop sound was new and fresh to me. (Now I search for all music.) Combining the melodic nature of emo from bands like Mineral and Cross My Heart with a more straight-ahead, blaring wall of guitar sound and some empathic, moving vocals, Pretty Mighty Mighty have crafted a fine rock album. The production is perfect, the songs are different and powerful, and the vocal style fits exactly.

New Additions: Nevertheless / Flower Song 7" by Pretty Mighty Mighty

I've been a fan of Pretty Mighty Mighty since around 1998 or 99 when I saw them at Bernie's, and picked up their releases whenever they came out. However, I didn't know much about the band's history prior to my move to Columbus in 1998, so their earlier material eluded me for years. I picked up the album Ugly fairly early on, but the two seven inch singles released in 1993 had never crossed my path until recently, specifically picking up the Burnt Sienna Records seven inch Nevertheless / Flower Song. You can definitely hear the chaotic but melodic beginnings of the band that would sharpen on Ugly, but it's still odd to hear them with Jon Chinn not as the main lead singer.

Know Yer Band: Pretty Mighty Mighty

Band Name: Pretty Mighty Mighty

Members
Vocals - Cori Churdar/Jon Chinn
Guitar - Jon Chinn/Billy Peake
Bass - Terry Manion/John Fitzgerald
Drums - Neal Schmitt
Violin - Noel Sayre

Releases
1993 - 7" split w/Walaroo (Simple Solution Records)
1993 - 7" single (Burnt Sienna Records)
1993 - 7" split w/Bugman, Pet UFO and Clay (Burnt Sienna Records)
1994 - Ugly album (Burnt Sienna Records)
1999 - Famous Past Lives album (Derailleur Records)
2002 - Normal ep (Derailleur Records)