New Additions: Estee Louder 7" single

On occasion, I get to talk about bands I actually saw play live, and Estee Louder is one of them. They were something of a supergroup, bringing in members of The Velveteens, Monster Zero, Templeton, Mudflap Girls From Venus and other 90s Columbus bands to back lead singer Ray Ray with a loud, bruising rawk assault. Their debut EP released on Burnt Herd in 2001 encapsulates the sound, though their 2004 album Ohio's Best is worth picking up as well.

Know Yer Band: Estee Louder

Band: Estee Louder

Members
Ray Ray: vocals
Annie Light-Brown-Wolf: drums/vocals
Anne Spurgeon/Resa Johnson/Mickey Marie: guitar/vocals
Emily Ann Allen: bass/vocals

Releases
2001 - Estee Louder 7" single (Burnt Herd)
2004 - Ohio's Best album (Diaphragm Records)

Datapanik Records Compilations

Datapanik Records was primarily active in the 1990s, although they've had a few releases out in the 2010s, and their roster of bands and artists on compilations reflect their prime years.

Girly Machine, New Bomb Turks, Pica Huss, Greenhorn, Gaunt, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments are just a few that appear on the 1992 compilation Bumped By Karaoke.

1997's Ubu Dance Party features bands from all over the state, including Columbus bands like Skullbank, RC Mob, Haynes Boys, Scrawl, Pet UFO and others.

Video: Ricky Barnes & the Hootowls - Who Throw Dat Rock

Columbus Alive: Barnes back at carving, music (2016)

Columbus Alive, September 28th, 2016:

While taking a break from carving out a niche for himself in the local music scene, Ricky Barnes started carving out a niche for himself in the art scene. By carving. 

“I was trying to get the music thing going,” said Barnes of his ’80s/’90s-era alt-country outfit High Sheriff Ricky Barnes & the Hoot Owls, which released a few albums on Columbus label OKra Records. But after a day spent on the water, a friend suggested another pursuit. 

“I was the worst, laziest fisherman,” Barnes said with a laugh. “I would always pick up a stick and just spend the whole time whittling.” 

Barnes’ earliest carving efforts were busts made from blocks of walnut or basswood. He had no tools, he said, and walnut is among the hardest of woods. 

“I just started doing it more and more and then sharing it with people. The rest is history,” he joked.

New Additions: Bone Country album by High Sheriff Ricky And The Hoot Owls

One of the unexpected discoveries of researching this book has been the influence of traditional country on a variety of artists and bands. Coming across High Sheriff Ricky Barnes And The Hoot Owls falls into that category, along with others like Hank McCoy And The Dead Ringers.

Know Yer Band: High Sheriff Ricky Barnes & The Hoot Owls

Band: High Sheriff Ricky Barnes & The Hoot Owls

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Ricky Barnes
Guitar/Backing Vocals - Tony Fischer
Bass - Matt Newman/Jeff Passifume
Drums - John Sowder/Louis Tsamous
Steel Guitar/Banjo/Backing Vocals - Billy Hill

Releases
1988 - Lost Track Of Time album (Okra Records)
1990 - Bone Country album (Okra Records)
1991 - Ya Finally Said Something Good album (Okra Records)
1994 - Welcome To Hilltop USA (Okra Records)

Good Time To Support A Local Record Store

With so many local artists unable to play shows, it's a good time to call your record store and place an order to pick up a release or two from one of the many Columbus bands and musicians hurting during this, as well as supporting a local business. Here's some places to a check out:

Lost Weekend Records

Elizabeth's Records

Used Kids Records

Magnolia Thunderpussy Records

Records Per Minute

Video: GRAFTON Live! Columbus rock

Columbus Alive: Local Music - Grafton (2011)

Columbus Alive, May 30th, 2011:

A decade ago, Grafton’s early career as barebones garage punk hellraisers culminated in the self-titled debut Lou Poster had always imagined. 

“This first record, that’s the one I started envisioning from the time I was 19,” said Poster, Grafton’s guitarist, singer and mastermind. 

Two lineup changes and three records later, Poster and drummer Jason McKiernan will reunite with original bassist Donovan Roth on Friday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the debut, 15 years as a band and Poster’s 35th birthday. 

They’ll play the entire LP on Friday, hearkening to when they were young guns of Columbus rock. 

“It’s more a celebration that we’re still alive,” McKiernan said. 

Poster relocated to Columbus in 1995 and moved in with McKiernan the following year. Soon they were bashing out bluesy punk rock inspired by Columbus duo The Hairy Patt Band. Gaunt’s searing pop-punk, Gibson Bros.′ howlin’ stomp and Monster Truck Five’s churlish noise-mongering were in the mix too. 

“All those bands that we were into were the guys that we were afraid of at the bar,” Poster said.

New Additions: Blind Horse Campaign album by Grafton

Seeing Grafton live back in 2001 or 2002 was a special experience - the band was loud, bluesy, boozy and able to pull off a garage rock sound that dripped Midwestern authenticity. I was 100% on board with their debut at the time but did not give the follow up Blind Horse Campaign, released on Dead Canary Records in 2003, the same consideration. For whatever reason, it didn't snap into my brain the same way the debut did, but having picked it up on vinyl, I can say it definitely hits all the right notes.

Know Yer Band: Grafton

Band: Grafton

Members
Guitars/Vocals - Lou Poster
Bass/Backing Vocals - Donovan Roth/Will Pugh
Drums/Backing Vocals - Jason McKiernan

Releases
2001 - Self-Titled album (Derailleur)
2002 - Sumbitch/Fine, Good, Go! 7" single (Diaphragm Records)
2003 - Blind Horse Campaign album (Dead Canary Records)
2004 - Majesty Shakes 12" single (Dead Canary Records)
2006 - Jumpstart Wire album (Dead Canary Records)

Video: NEW BOMB TURKS 12/31/02 New Year's Eve FULL SHOW

Video: New Bomb Turks - Up For A Downslide - (Live at Cas Rock, Edinburgh, UK)

CityBeat: Ohio Garage Punk Greats New Bomb Turks are Back on the Road and Coming to Newport

February 4th, 2020 in Cincinnati's CityBeat:

New Bomb Turks first roared out of Ohio’s own college-centric capital city in 1990, making its mark with an amped-up sonic storm — a tornado of loud, no-frills Rock & Roll served up with an undeniable penchant for twisting bare-bones guitar riffs into a frantic and careless racket. It got burped out as brash Garage Punk and — not that they took time to notice — the Turks unwittingly drafted a fresh page of Punk Rock history in the process. 

They’d go on to release eight albums, a compilation LP, three EPs and more than 20 singles over the course of a decade. In doing so, the Turks paved the way for a litany of late-’90s Garage Punk outfits to find Rock radio success in their wake. 

But while mainstream fame on that level eluded the Turks themselves, they were (and still are) regarded as preeminent members of an underground garage-band society devoted to preserving Punk’s original primal flame, staunch supporters of Rock’s early raw roots — the stuff that made the music seem so dangerous and carefree in the first place.