In The Record Store: Watershed Reflections

Hannah Herner at In The Record Store talked with Colin Gawel of Watershed about the band and their busy summer back in 2017, here's an excerpt:

“The first time that we played on the main stage Comfest is a big memory and playing it again this year will be a good memory,” Gawel says. 

Watershed was founded in 1987 and has not broken up since then, with varying periods of activity.  In its tenure, the band toured with Insane Clown Posse, The Smithereens, and Gawel’s favorite, Cheap Trick. 

“It’s rare but if you get to open up for bands that you’re just really a fan of is the best because you get to play and watch one of your favorite bands play every night,” he says. “It’s like a dream.” 

Gawel says the band toured consistently for 15 years, only taking the last 10 or so to focus on other projects. He opened Colin’s Coffee and bassist and vocalist Joe Oestreich decided to dedicate time to writing a memoir on the band, which would become the nationally-acclaimed “Hitless Wonder: A Life in Minor League Rock and Roll.”

New Additions: The More It Hurts, The More It Works by Watershed

I moved to Columbus in fall of 1998, and my knowledge of Watershed was slim. I had heard them thanks to working in college radio, but it wasn't until the release of their 2002 The More It Hurts, The More It Works did I get more of the backstory. Still, at the time being focused on my own band at the time, recording, booking and playing shows, I still had some serious gaps in my musical knowledge. It wasn't until recently that I rectified that by hosting Joe Oestreich on the Dig Me Out Podcast to talk about his 2012 book Hitless Wonder (Part One / Part Two). Since then, I've slowly filled in all the gaps and just about completely my Watershed discography, save for a few truly rare items. Recently I grabbed this album, and glad I did. It's a power pop ripper, full of tightly written tunes with heaps of melody.

Know Yer Band: Watershed

Band: Watershed

Members
Vocals/Guitar - Colin Gawel
Vocals/Bass - Joe Oestreich
Drums - Herb Schupp / Dave Masica
Additional Guitar/Vocals - Dave Borror/Joe Peppercorn/Rick Kisinger

Releases
1990 - Rise 7" single (Bravo Records)
1991 - How Do You Feel? 7" single (B Minus Records)
1992 - The Carpet Cliff album (Palas Records)
1993 - Twister 7" single (Not On Label)
1994 - Three Chords And A Cloud Of Dust - Live album (Epic)
1995 - Twister album (Epic)
1997 - Star Vehicle album (Thunder Creek Records)
1997 - Split Single w/Hoarse (Idol records)
1998 - Still Love Christmas EP (B Minus Records)
2002 - The More It Hurts, The More It Works album (Carney Records)
2005 - The Fifth Of July album (Idol Records)
2007 - Three Chords And A Cloud Of Dust II album (Idol Records)
2012 - Brick & Mortar album (B Minus/Curry House Records)