The Richard Stuverud Years, Pt. 1
Duff's last show with the Fastbacks took place on July 24, 1981 at the Gorilla Room. Kurt and Co. wasted little time in finding a replacement for McKagan. Richard Stuverud would assume the drummer's chair a little more than a month later (his first show was August 26). The try-out's, however, were anything but quick and easy.
After placing an ad in the Rocket (a local Seattle music paper), the Fastbacks tried out what felt like a million different drummers. None of them seemed to pan out, either in playing style or musical philosophy. Kurt recalls one drummer wanting to play flute as part of his contribution to the band. After just talking to most drummers, Bloch would invariably tell them, "I don't think you are gonna like our band." Based on the way they set up their kit, Kurt could sense if he was going to like the way they played, even before a single beat was tendered. After getting totally sick of trying out drummers who didn't fit the bill, the Fastbacks got a call from Stuverud. Richard was a young and ambitious high school kid who had been trained and groomed on the skins. Regardless, Kurt almost didn't want to give him the time of day. Instead of setting up a rehearsal, he told Stuverud (over the phone) to go buy the first Fastbacks single and then to call him back if two conditions were met: 1) he liked it & 2) he could play the songs. Much to Bloch's surprise, Richard called him back a couple of days later, set up an audition, and proceeded to fill the coveted drummer vacancy of the Fastbacks. He ended up being a better drummer than any they had played with previously, but this should come as no surprise given that his predecessors (Kurt and Duff) were 'string' players first, and drummers second.
Line-Up circa August 1981:
Kim Warnick - Bass and Vocals
Lulu Gargiulo - Guitar and Vocals
Kurt Bloch - Guitar
Richard Stuverud - Drums
Little did Stuverud realize that he was joining a band that would persist all the way through the 80's, 90's, and beyond (and since they 'formed' in late '79, the Fastbacks should easily span at least 4 decades before all is said and done). Richard would ultimately write his ticket in the Fastbacks as the first of what I refer to as 'the Significant Four' drummers. Of the more than one dozen drummers who have played with the Fastbacks over the past 19+ years, only four really have distinguished themselves as to warrant extended discussion for their contributions (Nate Johnson, Rusty Willoughby, and current Fastback Mike Musburger are the other three).
THE SIGNIFICANT FOUR vs. THE REST
Drummer...............................Studio Recordings.....................% of Songs
Mike Musburger................................44.....................................27.5%
Nate Johnson....................................38......................................23.8%
Rusty Willoughby..............................27......................................16.9%
Richard Stuverud...............................25......................................15.6%
TOTALS..........................................134......................................83.8%
Other 6 'studio' drummers..................26......................................16.3%
The genesis of Richard Stuverud as the third Fastbacks drummer was merely a foreshadowing of how things would always seem to work for the band. While Kurt's first impression of Stuverud was met with an initial trepidation and skepticism, Richard would end up playing with the band for many years to come. Bloch's 'forefront pessimism' and low level of expectation would pervade the band throughout their existence, and ultimately may explain why the Fastbacks have been able to sustain for as long as they have. Throughout their history they have encountered endless set-backs and 'disappointments', but all the while I think they were grounded in the knowledge that these sorts of things would happen, and specifically that they would happen to them. The Fastbacks are a living example of the saying: expect the worst, hope for the best.
On September 26, 1981, the Fastbacks played an in-store appearance at a record store on Aurora called Everybody's Records (Tom Dyer, who would later start Green Monkey Records, was an employee there). Kurt remembers this show as being unique in the respect that the Fastbacks played many cover songs not traditionally part of their standard repertoire (he has no documented recordings of this show, so if anyone does, please e-mail me). Back in the early 80's, it was not uncommon for the Fastbacks to play such odd covers as the Young Rascals 'Good Lovin', Grand Funk's 'We're An American Band', or even the Beatles 'Eight Days a Week'. One has to wonder what songs were played at this in-store, and how they might later make sense in the grand scheme of Fastbacks lore.
FIVE FAVORITES
After only 8 shows with Richard on the drums, the Fastbacks recorded the Five Favorites EP on December 6 (according to my calendar) - the liner notes for the And His Orchestra CD put the recording on December 9 - at Wave Studio in Vancouver, WA. Overdubs, additional mixing and production were completed in March of '82 at Thunder Oak and Crow Studios in Seattle. Peter
| Barnes, who also happened to be the drummer of the Enemy, produced these sessions. Barnes would later hire the Fastbacks 16 years later to record music for a Spokane healthcare radio commercial! Fastbacks friend, Brian Fox, would get credit as 'Executive Producer' of Five Favorites for putting up financial support to pay for the recording [not exactly a Peter Grant]. This EP (released in July of '82 on No Threes) features 5 songs, most notably the opening track, In America. 'In America' shows Kurt's song writing in peak form. The song exudes a sarcastic attitude of accepting situations which could ideally be better, but which are good enough under the circumstances. The epic instrumental bridge and final closing lines illustrate a song |  |
"Who says the government's on your side? Think for yourself - who cares what they decide?"
Everything about 'In America' is trademark Fastbacks, and it's a positively blissful 4 minute and 39 second journey for any astute listener.
The Fastbacks played their first show of 1982 on January 9th at a place called the Athens in Seattle's Belltown district. The Athens is mostly notable due to the fact that it would later turn into the Crocodile Café (started and owned by Stephanie Dorgan, who would later go on to marry REM's Peter Buck). The Fastbacks would play 6 more shows that year before Five Favorites would be released in July. Prior to the record release party on July 30, both Lulu and Richard quit the Fastbacks. Richard left to pursue more 'serious' musical challenges. Lulu's departure, however, was prompted by the constant bickering sessions between her and Kurt. Back in the Fastbacks early period, most shows and rehearsals were set-up by Lulu. What she lacked in contributing to the band as a songwriter, she made up for by 'managing' the band. Often this would result in her having arguments with Kurt on a variety of band related issues (Kim remained non-confrontational, only speaking her mind when she saw absolutely fit). Lulu's own self-determination and drive for the Fastbacks as a band was a stark contrast to Kurt's role as songwriter. While Bloch used the Fastbacks as an outlet for his songs, Lulu perceived it as a vehicle for her ambitions. What had started as just something fun to do had turned into a potential career for Lulu, not that it wasn't for Bloch, but Kurt was much more creatively focused than big picture driven. When Lulu saw that her expectations were not being met, she bolted. For the first time, the Fastbacks appeared like a band that had broken up.
Given the circumstances surrounding the bands tenuous position, the release party for the Fastbacks Play Five of Their Favorites EP didn't even include them on the bill. The Silly Killers and the Living were the only scheduled performers. But when the former were deemed 'inappropriate' by the venue, Lulu and Richard decided at the last minute that they would play the show. It would prove to be one of the last for the Fastbacks in '82 (they played one more show in October with this line-up, and then one show in Vancouver with Ian Tiles [the Pointed Sticks] on drums). When the year concluded, Lulu had rejoined the Fastbacks, but Richard did not.
Danny Zakos
1983 marked the entrance of the 4th Fastbacks drummer, Mr. Danny Zakos. By all accounts Zakos was an odd person, but also a great drummer who had a funny sense of humor and many unique theories about life. After answering an ad in the Rocket in late '82/early '83, Danny's first FBX indoctrination occurred on February 12th at the Showbox (the show is also notable for the fact that TSOL were part of the bill). In a weird small world footnote, Danny was friends and ex-roommates with the guitarist for The Bombardiers, a band that featured both Al Bloch and Richard Stuverud.
The Fastbacks were scheduled to play the Showbox with DOA on Feb 25, but the promoter canceled it at the last minute. As a gesture to make up for this cancelled show, the Fastbacks were given an opening slot for the Ramones. On May 5, 1983, the Fastbacks played Eagles auditorium with their idols and punk pioneers the Ramones. To this day, that show will go down as one of the landmark events in the Fastbacks career. Not because it was a particularly great performance, but more because it was a show with the fucking Ramones!
The only documented recordings of the Fastbacks with Danny Zakos on drums did not see the light of day until 1992 when the Ded Beat labeled released the Now Is the Time/Sometimes/Was Late 7". The first two songs were recorded on June 6th of '83 in the former Fastbacks rehearsal space in Seattle's Pioneer Square district. Both songs are straight ahead punk rockers, with 'Now Is the Time' blistering the turntable at the outset with a killer Bloch solo passage that explodes into a driving chorus that features Kim and Lulu singing in unison. Once again, the lyrics reflect a mindset of someone trying to make the most of a difficult situation, but at the same time unwilling to take responsibility for changing the way things are. Take a hint of optimism and shroud it with overt skepticism, what you come up with is unmistakable.
"Now things aren't so wonderful, things aren't so good, but not unsolvable, it's just that no one wants to say that they're responsible"
In September of '83, the Fastbacks had a scheduled gig at the Metropolis. Problems occurred when Kim came down with mono. Rather than canceling the show, this marked the one and only appearance of Al Bloch taking over the bass and vocal duties (splitting them with Lulu) for Kim. In essence, this leads me to the conclusion that Kurt Bloch is the only member of the Fastbacks who has ever played every single show.
The First Tour
The first Fastbacks tour took place in January of '84. Lulu made all the arrangements, from getting a van, to working out their itinerary. The tour consisted of four shows in California from Jan 19 to Jan 22 (Berkeley, LA, Sacramento, and Berkeley). They ended up playing with such punk luminaries as Toxic Reasons, D.I., and TSOL (note: the first show was supposed to be with Samhain, but they cancelled). Duff came along with the Fastbacks as their first 'roadie'.
By the end of this tour, the Fastbacks didn't play another show for about two months. During this time Zakos was getting more and more disillusioned with playing in the Fastbacks. His interest in the band was so waning, that they used Stuverud for the recording of the Everyday Is Saturday EP while Danny was still a member of the band (it didn't help that Zakos was also missing practices). Danny would play 7 more shows with the Fastbacks before quitting on May 5th of '84, a little over 16 months since his first show.
Everyday Is Saturday & the Return of the "Stuvagroove"
The 'Everyday Is Saturday' EP was recorded in two chunks, the first of which took place on March 21, 1984 at Crow Studio in Seattle. It was recorded on 16 tracks and later completed on May 30 at ESP studio in Bellevue. Steve Marcus graciously provided funding for this record. It was released in October on No Threes. The EP features 4 songs (3 originals, 1 cover) and also marks the debut of Kurt as a producer. The highlight of the EP is the closing track, "What Will They All Say?" It is a song that still manages to occasionally find itself in their live shows.
"I know that things will be different someday. I might live my life a completely different way. I also know that if I do I'll always remember the way it was and wish I could have stayed."
Richard's second official stint with the Fastbacks began at a show for Bumbershoot in late August of '84. But for a few more months he would continue to hem and haw about his role as their drummer.
Tad Hutchison
The rest of 1984 was fairly unremarkable for the Fastbacks. A few things of note occurred: a demo cover of 'Oh Come All Yee Faithful' was recorded on November 25th (never released, never substantiated), and Young Fresh Fellows drummer Tad Hutchison filled in for Richard for one show at the end of the year. It was a show in Vancouver at the New York Theater, and to date it is remembered by Kim as the 'fastest Fastbacks show' ever played. Richard came back 3 days later to restore order to the FBX court at a show that ironically featured none other than Tad Hutchison and the Young Fresh Fellows.
Tom Hendrikson begats Stuverud pt. 2
Given his obligations to the Bombardiers, Stuverud was still reluctant to play with the Fastbacks full time. The first half of '85 saw the Fastbacks only playing two shows through the end of March. They also tried out a drummer who didn't quite pan out. Tom Hendrikson played one show with them on April 6 with Seattle's legendary Fall-Outs. The next night Richard was back drumming for the Fastbacks at a show also featuring the Young Fresh Fellows and the Sharing Patrol (featuring Johnny Sangster, the brother of YFF bassist Jim). This show really marked the beginning of the second Stuvagroove era, as he retained the traps chair until the end of 1986.
Chronological Fastbacks Drummers 1979-1986
1 - Kurt Bloch
2 - Duff McKagan
3 - Richard Stuverud
4 - Ian Tiles (1 show)
5 - Danny Zakos
3b - Richard Stuverud
6 - Tad Hutchison (1 show)
3c - Richard Stuverud
7 - Tom Hendrikson (1 show)
3d - Richard Stuverud
The 2nd Fastbacks tour occurred between May 17 and May 22 of '85 and was a West Coast swing with DOA (they also played shows with the Dicks and the Circle Jerks). It is mostly notable for a show played in Reno, NV at the Skate Plus where they covered Van Halen's "Everybody Wants Some". The first show after the tour took place on June 8 at the Gorilla Gardens. This is significant in that it was an opening slot for the soon to be famous Guns and Roses. It is all the more remarkable because it was the first ever 'out of town' show for G'N'R. To add insult to injury, the G'N'R van broke down only 100 miles out of Los Angeles (about 1100 miles from Seattle). Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and Steven had to hitchhike the rest of the way!
1985 was not the most prolific year for Fastbacks recordings. On July 9 and 10 they recorded the 'If You Want to Slow Down, Step On the Gas' demo cassette. September 22 marked the recording of the song 'Time Passes', which was later to appear on the Green Monkey compilation LP, Monkey Business.
"Time goes by so fast, when you live each day, as if it were your last, as if it were your last. Our history is past, I wish I could re-live. Time has already past, time has already past!"
AND HIS ORCHESTRA & 1986
The first Fastbacks full length LP was recorded over three different periods. Originally conceived for a potential 45 rpm 7" release, the first recording took place at the old Egg Studio location (8 track) on January 22. This session resulted in 5 songs, including such Fastbacks classics as 'Wrong, Wrong,
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Wrong', and 'In the Winter' (both of which would appear as singles in the UK a few years later, but not in the States). Two more tracks ('Call It What You Want' and the Sweet cover 'Set Me Free') were recorded on July 9-10 at the Pioneer Square rehearsal space on Scott McCaughey's 4 track. The final 4 songs (along with a version of the Dictator's 'Exposed' [not released until 1998, and only in Spain]) were recorded on August 17 in Kurt's basement with the aid of Curt Anderson's 4 track reel-to-reel recorder. These sessions were never really intended to be the makings of an |
At this point in their 'career', the Fastbacks had been together for over 6 years. They finally had a full-length record to show for it, but they also were left without a drummer. Inter-band relationships were also getting increasingly strained. As Lulu started devoting less time to the band and more time to her burgeoning career as a filmmaker, her interest in the Fastbacks waned. Her constant bickering was also taking its toll on Kurt. To perfect the trifecta of unhappiness, Kim was also experiencing extreme personal problems in her life.
Back in 1982, Kurt had started working full time at the department store of Sand Point Naval Base. Five years later he found himself still working there, and only making $5 an hour. In 1987 he finally decided that he'd rather have no money than to continue working there. This period was the beginning of a very difficult period for the Fastbacks, and also marked a particular low point in Kurt and Kim's lives. Kurt sarcastically recalls that "all the most cheerful songs from Powerful Motor were written during that time."
In June of 1987, with the help of Conrad Uno, Popllama Records released the 11 track Fastbacks LP, 'And His Orchestra'. The record is jam packed with great songs from start to finish. There are many spectacular moments on this record, but in particular it marked the first appearance of what is considered by many fans as the best Fastbacks song, "K Street" (few realize that Kurt makes a 'mistake' during the guitar solo). The official release party was held on June 7, and it also featured a quick appearance by Richard, but the show was primarily acoustic. After almost 8 years of being a band, the Fastbacks released their first full length LP.
[Fastbacks "And His Orchestra" LP would later be released in the UK on the Blaster label in 1989. A few months prior to the LP release, Blaster would also released two singles (In the Winter and Wrong, Wrong, Wrong) under what Bloch calls "tumultuous conditions."]
Nate Johnson
Two more months would pass after the AHO release party before the first official appearance of Nathan 'Fisky Boy' Johnson. My words cannot adequately describe Nate, so I will include his own drunken description of himself:
"I was born in Montana two days before JFK was shot. My father is a Lutheran minister and my family background is Norwegian and I've always been pining for the fjords, even though I was never taught the language. I thrive in cold weather and find nothing depressing about being depressed.
I grew up with church music, Harry Belafonte, and the Kingston Trio. I played piano for eight years and was really good, but I didn't practice much. I don't remember exactly how I started playing drums, but I remember the records. Elton John's greatest hits and Neil Diamond's Hot August Night at the Greek Theatre. My best mate had this kit in the den of his house and we used to go and listen to this stuff. I tried to play it and was really jealous of my friend's older brother who could play the gob out of the song. I also think that Chicago VIII had something to do with things. It was a small town. Forgive me. [note from author: I actually love the first seven Chicago albums, especially II!] It's the one with the cardinal on the cover. Terry Kath was still alive. In fifth grade I moved to a town north of Seattle.
I hated it from the get-go. I convinced my dad to buy me a cheap kit. A Ludwig. Ancient hardware. I plied my trade listening to Earth, Wind & Fire and early Genesis records. Then some Rush. Progressive rock. I eschewed society, never did anything wrong and payed a lot of attention to baseball. Played drums when no one was around and became brilliant. Held a crush on the same girl for seven years and never talked to her. That's the true secret. I have only played drums to impress women. When I'm in love, I don't give a shit about anything else. When not...I try and find where I can buy some sticks."
[Johnson is currently in Budapest, playing drums for a band called Fabulon]. Nate was working at a record store in St. Paul, Minneapolis when he first heard about the Fastbacks through a friend who had sent him a tape of And His Orchestra. Sight unseen, and drummer unheard, he called up Kurt and set up in audition in Seattle. It worked out and Johnson ended up moving to Seattle to play in the Fastbacks.
"I came to join the Fastbacks because I once had a dream to be a pop-star. I wanted to be famous during my late teens and early twenties. I was working at a used-record store in Minneapolis when a friend of mine from my hometown called me up and said that I would have been perfect for a certain band. The next day I found their first EP in the F-file. I took it home and listened to it while trying very hard to write like and be Charles Bukowski. I ended up moving to Seattle and liked Lulu the first time I met her and played with them off and on for a few years. I think that I learned everything I have learned of importance of some way or another from Kurt. I miss him a lot. We don't keep contact. I'm the sort of person who has met so many people throughout my life and left to go somewhere else. The Fastbacks filled a long time in my life where I am concerned. It was a very valuable part. It was the perfect band for me for a time. And it will always be a perfect band for me at a certain time later. Fisky Boy? Kurt called me that. It's his invention I think it might have something to do with fish and Norwegian I pretend to be."
Nate's first show as Fastbacks drummer #8 took place on August 3, 1987. This was 11 months and 2 days after the last real Fastbacks live show. In another small world footnote, this show was at the Mural Amphitheater and featured support act, Pure Joy. Pure Joy featured the talents of Rusty Willoughby (guitars & vocals) and later Andy Davenhall (drums), both of whom would assume the drum duties in the Fastbacks years later (Andy quit the Fastbacks before he ever played a show). Moreover, little did anyone realize that Nate would later on quit the Fastbacks in order to devote more time to Flop, a post-Pure Joy band fronted by none other than Rusty Willoughby (In fact, Rusty had never met Nate prior to this show).
At this point, tension between Bloch and Gargiulo had reached critical mass. Whether it was Lulu's anger at not really being taken seriously, or her lack of focus regarding the band because of her ever increasingly busy film jobs, she was not a happy camper, and she took out her frustrations on the band. Her position in the Fastbacks finally redefined itself on the night of November 27, 1987 at the Central Tavern. This was only Nate's seventh show with the band, but it would prove to be Lulu's last for exactly two years and seven months to the day.
The story goes: after sound check, Kurt and Nate hung around the bar and had a few too many. When Lulu saw them right before show time she chastised them for being drunk. During the first few songs, Nate was so drunk that he couldn't keep a steady beat, and Lulu finally blew her top. In the middle of the show she screamed at Kurt and walked off stage, much to the bewilderment of the spectators and the chagrin of the other band members. Kurt, Kim, and Nate finished out the set (which ended in Kurt throwing his guitar against a wall and Nate throwing his drums off the stage). The next day Kurt suggested to Kim and Nate that they try a go at being a three piece. They all agreed to tell Lulu the 'bad' news as a group. Ultimately, however, the burden of truth fell on Bloch's shoulders, as he had to tell Lulu that she was no longer in the Fastbacks (Lulu remembers quitting the band, and no doubt she probably would have had not Kurt forced her hand).
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Line-Up circa January 1988: Kim Warnick - Bass and Vocals Kurt Bloch - Guitar Nate Johnson - Drums The Fastbacks played their first show as a three piece on January 15, 1988 at the Central Tavern, the same place where they had played their 'last' show as a four piece. They would go on to play one more show as a three piece before entering |
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Only 15 Fastbacks shows would take place in 1988. The year culminated in a show with Mudhoney on September 23 at none other than the storied Central Tavern. Other shows of note that year were two shows that were captured and released as Bike, Toy, Clock, Gift. Initially a cassette only release on No Threes (and also the No Threes swan song), the performances were taken from a Mural Amphitheater show on August 15 (10 songs), and a show with Pure Joy at the Vogue on September 21 (5.05 songs). The strangest incestuous fact of these shows is the union of the Fastbacks and the Posies at the Mural show. Who would've thought that Mike Musburger of the Posies would some day end up the most prolific and long lasting of all Fastbacks drummers, let alone that Kim would ultimately end up marrying (and divorcing) Posies co-frontman, Ken Stringfellow within the span of the next decade.
Released in 1989, Bike, Toy, Clock, Gift features a little over 15 songs (the 16th song is an 8 second version of 'Trouble Sleeping'). Amongst the special treats are covers of the Ramones "Swallow My Pride" [the Fastbacks would later end up covering 'Swallow My Pride' by Green River, a totally different song in every respect (and a stroke of brilliance!)], the Buzzcocks' "Love You More," Mott the Hoople's "Roll Away the Stone" and Queen's "Brighton Rock". The Queen cover displays Kurt's lead guitar heroics as he mimics Brian May's epic Echoplex solo note for note, except sans the Echoplex. These covers truly reflect the varied influences of the Fastbacks sound. From the simplicity and irreverence of the Ramones and Buzzcocks, to the histrionics and drama of Queen and Mott the Hoople, the Fastbacks have always incorporated the styles they've appreciated the most. It's part of the brilliance which is the Fastbacks, and which allows them to get away with covering Van Halen's 'Atomic Punk', the MC5's 'Ramblin' Rose', and Elton John's 'Rocket Man'. How many bands can get away with that and still retain their sincerity? The highlight of BTCG, however, is a song entitled 'Yesterday the Sun Came Out at Midnight'. This song would never have a studio recording, but this mid tempo ballad goes down in my book as one of the most unique songs in Bloch's cannon.
"I can't blame you for thinking there must be some explanation, why I thought sunshine lit up the night. Come with me this time tomorrow. Sit with me under the stars. I'll wait forever to prove I was right"
1989
By all accounts, 1989 was the toughest year for the Fastbacks. I have had a difficult time tracking their shows, if even there were any Fastbacks shows played that year. It was in 1989 that Kurt joined the Young Fresh Fellows as their lead guitar player. And it was probably the one year in the 80's which will go down as the low point for the band. Kurt's morale and faith in the Fastbacks had all but vanished. Kim was going through some of her toughest ordeals as a person, and Nate had disappeared to work on fishing boats in Alaska. In retrospect, the worst part of their quandary was the fact that over the course of '88 they had recorded and mostly completed what many Fastbacks fans consider their best album, Very, Very Powerful Motor. This record would not be released until 1990, when Popllama released it in the US and Blaster Records released it in the UK.
Very, Very Powerful Motor
Powerful Motor was started in January '88 as an exercise in recording demos as a three piece. From the start, it was never intended as a record. The tapes were later deemed good enough on their own to make up the next Fastbacks record. Most of the music for the record was recorded live, with minimal guitar overdubs (the notable exception being the opening track, "In the Summer"). A friend, Dale Weiss, was so impressed by what he heard that he gave Kurt some money to help finish mixing and recording the record. 1988 was also the same time that the Seattle scene exploded onto the national musical radar. With the emergence of Sub Pop as the independent label du jour, the Fastbacks were approached by Jonathan Poneman and asked to contribute a song for the Sub Pop 200 compilation. Armed with producer and skilled engineer Jack Endino, the Fastbacks recorded three songs with money funded by Sub Pop; the aforementioned Green River cover "Swallow My Pride" (which ended up on Sub Pop 200), and two other songs, "Says Who?" and "Everything I Don't Need". "Says Who?" would end up on Powerful Motor, while "Everything I Don't Need" would be released on a '45 and then re-issued on the Sub Pop oddities collection, The Question Is No [a different recording of "Everything I Don't Need" can be found on the CD version of Powerful Motor].
11 tracks strong (12 on the CD), Very, Very Powerful Motor is a monument of simplicity/complexity, power, and depth. Each song is special in its own right, with a near perfect sequence from start to finish. From the classical references in 'Better Than Before' to the soaring harmonies of 'Last Night I Had a Dream That I Could Fly', there are too many superlatives to describe this record. The best way to find out is to listen to the record, and not sit here wasting time reading about it. Released 10 years after their formation, Very, Very Powerful Motor is a phenomenal achievement, and to this day stands up as some of the finest Fastbacks recordings in existence. Their best moments as a band, however, were still on the horizon.
Hit List Article
Part One (1959 - 1981)
Part Three (1989 - 1993)
Part Four (1994 - 1999)
Fastbacks Timeline
