NC Music History Dot Com

Jet Crown Dixie - We Want Ancona
from the Huel Records release EXIT - 1995

I loved this track from the first time I heard it. Not sure what it was. I know at the time I was really into that whole confused angst that bands like Archers of Loaf keyed into. I think there was this weird Chameleons UK thing going on with this track too which I totally love. I saw them once at the Wake Radio house and Charlie the singer paced wildly back and forth like a man possessed. Once the stick count was heard he snapped to attention and focused his attention which was both impressive and downright scary. Loved this band. Period. Last I heard Charlie is an EMT, Sean is a teacher and Kevin works for his family business and plays drums in My Cousin Walt. Contact Kevin if you want to buy a Jet Crown Dixie cd.

Band Members:
Charles Sheer: Guitar and Vocals
Kevin Beroth: Drums
Sean Cooney: Bass, Vocals

Posted by Michael Slawter at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments   

The Othermothers - 88 Seconds (I Wanna Go To The Rodeo)
from the ep "No Place Like Home" A great band from Greensboro NC. This song is about the famous run-in between right-wing extremists and left-wing extremists in a gun battle in Greensboro, North Carolina. Oddly enough the english synthpop band OMD wrote a song about the very same thing. I much prefer The Othermothers take.

For more about The Othermothers click here.

For more about the actual 88 Seconds click here.

Posted by Michael Slawter at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments   

Wreckhouse - Pagnerville
from the cassette Wreckhouse - 1990

Wreckhouse was a shortlived band from Chapel Hill, NC made up of Winston-Salem natives. What they left behind was this little 8 song cassette full of piss and vinegar. Not really pop or punk, its more of a happy snarl. Got to see them live once and they covered Gang Of Four's "Damaged Goods". Bonus points for that.

Chris Murtland co-owns www.pixicom.com.
Patrick Balestrieri is an attorney with Kuniholm Law Firm

Band Members:
Christopher Shores - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Chris Murtland - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Patrick Balestieri - Guitar, Bass, Vocals
David Shaw - Percussions, Vocals

Posted by Michael Slawter at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments   

The Allisons - You Don't Notice Me
from a cassette

Winston-Salem combo that falls in the "shoulda been famous" catagory. I believe this was recorded at Mitch Easter's Drive-In Studio. I can't remember an actual release from these guys. I know one song ended up on a promotional radio lp called "Let Us Be Heard". Great song from a great band.

Band Members:
Chuck Dale Smith - Guitar, Vocals
Gino Grandinetti - Guitar
Ed Bumgarner - Bass
Eric Marshall - Drums
Jon Healey - Keyboards and Sax

Posted by Michael Slawter at 5:00 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Easily Suede - Not Worth It
from the PHP cassette BIGWIG - 1989

All students at Wake Forest University this Winston-Salem band melded southern tinged guitars with male/female vocals reminiscent of the Reivers and X.

Doug Davis now runs Fly Trap Studios.

Band Members:
Jonathan Milner - Vocals
Joanne McKell - Vocals
Maury Botton - Guitars
Doug Davis - Bass, Guitar, Vox Organ
Mark Lamson - Drums, Percussion
Andy Lindenmyer - Touring Bassist

Posted by Michael Slawter at 5:03 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Bus Stop - The Grinch
from the cassette "Bus Stop Christmas"

One of the most high energy bands around. Bus Stop embraced the DIY ethic and released 5 albums in 5 years. Expectations of a major label deal were dashed as the band never seemed to be able to put together the right combination. In honor of their annual Christmas Reunion Show at The Blind Tiger in G'boro I am including their cover of the Dr Suess classic The Grinch.

Band Members:
Evan Olson - Vocals and Guitar
Britt "Snuzz" Uzzell - Guitar
Chuck Folds - Bass
Eddie Walker - Drums

Posted by Michael Slawter at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Jonathan E - Eden's Garden
from the Turtle Soup Compilation - 1987

My high school band from 1986 to 1988. During that time we recorded 21 songs and this has always been my favorite. There are other songs that I like but to me this was just a great pop song. The engineer Jay Johnson played drums on this. Doug (the singer) claimed the lyrics were a dream he had. The strings are real cello played by our bass player Jonathan (no relation to the name of the band). The guitar delay on this song was a real echoplex. A primitive echo machine that looked like a tiny reel to reel tape machine and are now worth thousands of dollars.

Posted by Michael Slawter at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments