The Art of Falling Apart
June 27, 1990 marked the first Fastbacks show with Lulu in almost two and a half years. Many individual instances and experiences led up to this 'reunion' of sorts. While the Fastbacks were in somewhat of a shambles between 1989 and June of 1990, each member had their own business to attend to.
Nate had moved to Alaska to earn some money on fishing boats. According to Kurt, Nate had even left before the last 'scheduled' Fastbacks show of 1988. A week before the gig (probably October-ish), Bloch was putting up flyers when he ran into a friend of Nates. The friend asked, "Does Nate know about this show?" Kurt replied, "Yeah yeah, I left him a message the other day." Much to his surprise and dismay, the friend informed Kurt that Nate was already in Alaska. The show had to be cancelled.
1989 was also the year that Andy Davenhall practiced with the Fastbacks a few times. Not content with the bands politics during practices, Andy quit before he even played a show. The Fastbacks were again without a drummer.
Fastbacks line-up circa 1989:
Kurt - Guitar
Kim - Vocals
Kurt had seen his stint with the Young Fresh Fellows as an opportunity to keep playing music while the Fastbacks sat in the cellar to age. The first YFF LP with Kurt in the fold, This One's For the Ladies, is in my estimation their finest album. Amongst the 15 or so tracks, it features three Kurt originals: Still There's Hope, The Family Gun, and the stunning Lost Track of Time. Each Bloch original would've sounded great as Fastbacks songs, as they contain all of the trademark devices embedded in the Bloch writing style (the last verse of Lost Track of Time contains one of the finest guitar solos Kurt has ever committed to tape - Still There's Hope was also recorded by the Fastbacks earlier, but never released). While playing a CMJ showcase with the YFF in 1989, Kurt broke his arm in an unfortunate stage pile-up. This put an end to any thoughts of really doing much touring or playing with any band (although he continued to play with the Fellows).
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Kim was encountering her own problems at the time. She had a rough go of things during the late 80's and was trying to get her shit together. The fact that the band was in disarray didn't really hold much significance compared to the other demons she was fighting. Towards the end of the decade
she finally started realizing what was important to her and began putting her life back together. Lulu had seen her career as a director of photo- graphy start to blossom in the late 80's. As she |
Motorhoney
Motorhoney consisted of Kurt on guitar, Maryellen Cooley on bass, Ayne St. Martin on vocals, and Lulu on drums (Kurt had actually played drums in another band with Maryellen called Wild Betty. Maryellen is also pictured on the 7" of "They Don't Care".). They played mostly cover songs (Rezillos, Girl School) with an occasional original thrown in here and there. Kurt only played 2 shows with Motorhoney, and in 1990 it was decided that Kim would take over on guitar; Motorhoney emerged with their all female line-up. They would end up releasing a single on the Lance Rock label, as well as a few miscellaneous tracks here and there that ended up on compilation records. The significance of Motorhoney is not so much what they recorded, but rather that it gave both Kim and Lulu an opportunity to rediscover music and realize that it was something they had fun doing. Sometime during the late 80's with the Fastbacks, both had become a tad bit disillusioned with music in general. Motorhoney was a revitalization of sorts, and ultimately it helped inspire the Fastbacks 'reunion' in June of 1990.
As Lulu remembers it, someone approached somebody with the idea to have the Fastbacks play a show. An agreement was made, a date was set, and since Nate was back in town, the band got back together. Lulu recalls the first practice as being almost as if the band had never stopped playing at all. The songs were still great songs, the energy was still high, and the chords were all falling into place. The Fastbacks had a new lease on life.
The show on the 27th was by no means the best show the Fastbacks ever played (and it wasn't the worst), but it was good enough to spark the interest of Sub Pop co-founder Jonathan Poneman. Kim remembers that Jonathan approached the band after this show with an offer to record a double 7" for Sub Pop. He had always been a big fan of the Fastbacks, and Kurt even remembers playing him mixes of Powerful Motor during a car ride a few months earlier.
The Fastbacks went into the studio later in 1990 and recorded 6+ songs. Four of them would appear on Sub Pop (sp104) in 1991 (My Letters, Impatience, Above the Sunrise, and Whatever Happened To? [Buzzcocks cover]). Two other songs would eventually end up on the first Fastbacks Sub Pop CD, The Question Is No in 1992 (Run No More, Really) as well as on a 7" via the Who Cares? label.
The rest of 1990 was typical Fastbacks. I say that only because they didn't really accomplish much beyond playing a few shows and recording those six songs. For a band that had been together for over 10 years and entering their third decade, they sure didn't have much experience as a 'band'. They had released 2 albums that were never originally intended as albums, 2 EP's that were self-released, 1 live cassette, and had gone on a grand total of 2 West Coast tours. When 1990 was coming to a close, I don't think any of them anticipated the growth the band would encounter over the next 8 years and counting. The recording output alone is enviable by any musicians standards (6 full-length releases, 2 EP's, 1 more live album, and a ton of singles).
In January of 1991, Nate found himself playing in both the Fastbacks and Flop. Flop had gone into the studio to record a few songs, but then shortly thereafter, Nate's fishing muse whisked him off to Alaska again, this time leaving two bands drummerless.
The Fastbacks had no choice but to honor Rusty, the singer/guitarist of Flop, by recruiting him as their next drummer!
Fastbacks circa 1991:
Kurt - guitar
Lulu - guitar, vocals
Kim - Vocals, bass
Rusty Willoughby - Drums & busting shit up
RUSTY WILLOUGHBY
Rusty was born June 30, 1966. He spent most of his childhood in Washington State, attending various schools in Spanaway, Belfair, and Sumner. His early memories of music are simple, poignant and hilarious:
"I used to listen to my brother listening to his records through the heating vents of our house. He was seven years older than myself and had all of the cool records. He would play air guitar in his room while he was stoned listening to Led Zeppelin or The Who and he wouldn't let me in the room. I never knew what band was what, so I'd go down the street and sing the songs I liked to my brother's friend Andy Clark, and Andy would tell me what band did what song. Elton John was the first artist who I became a bonafide fan of. I used to send him fan letters in which I drew pictures of him dressed like the pinball wizard.
Punk rock changed my world. I got into punk rock right at the time that my family fell apart so I had plenty of anger and hostility bottled up. Punk rock taught me to think for myself and gave me permission to bust up everything in sight. Two things I treasure 'til this day."
Rusty had played drums with Kurt before in a Cheap Trick cover band called Sick Man of Europe (with Jonathan Poneman on bass and Scott Sutherland (Model Rockets, Chemistry Set) on vocals). They would play the first album in it's entirety from start to finish (even 'Mandocello'). Prior to Sick Man, Kurt thought Rusty was joking when he said that he could play drums. His Bun E. Carlos imitation, however, was the impetus behind the Fastbacks asking Willoughby to join. As Rusty recalls:
"Nate, like always, was a restless soul in need of change and a few bucks and decided he had had enough of playing music. That left FBX and Flop with no drummer. There was actually a Flop show in that period where I sang and played drums (ala Phil Collins) and Kurt played my guitar parts. Anyway, since I had been playing with Kurt in Sick Man of Europe, it seemed natural to try and help out FBX and have a little fun to boot."
So in 1991 the Fastbacks forged ahead with Rusty Willoughby in the drummer chair. They would continue to play shows in local venues around Seattle, and eventually record what would later be released in 1993 as Zucker (these 2 sessions also spawned a few unreleased tracks; including a half finished version of Flop's 'Entropy', a cover of 'Ramblin Rose', and a stunning rendition of Tommy James' 'Ball of Fire'). July 31, 1991 marked the release of "And His Orchestra" on compact disc (the Fastbacks digital debut). This CD also included the first two EP's as well as full liner notes, a hilarious old picture, and complete lyrics.
At the end of '91, Nate had returned from Alaska and was ready to play drums again. His days in the Fastbacks, however, were numbered. Flop was beginning to generate a big buzz thanks in part to the fact that they were a great band. Oh yeah, and the Seattle scene was also booming with the emergence of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Flop were playing sold out shows and getting a lot of attention from the press. Their debut album, Flop and the Fall of the Mopsqueezer, was primarily recorded in January of 1992. This record is significant in Fastbacks lore because it is the first non-Fastbacks record that Kurt produced. Little did Bloch suspect that he would go on to produce over 30 more non-Fastbacks full length releases in the next 8 years.
The success of Flop, however, left both Rusty and Nate too busy to really devote time to the Fastbacks. Mike Musburger would step in on drums and play his first show as Fastbacks drummer in the summer of 1992 at Volunteer Park for the Popllama Picnic (a picture of this show can be seen on the back of the Gone to the Moon single). Mike's presence and foothold as the Fastbacks drummer, however, would not really cement itself until a few years down the road.
THE QUESTION IS NO
| Sub Pop approached the Fastbacks with the idea to release a bunch of their odds and ends as a CD and cassette only release. With another new record in the can, Kurt wanted Zucker to be released first, but Sub Pop wanted to release the rarities collection first. The Question Is No was released in June of 1992 (just weeks after Popllama released Powerful Motor [5/26] on compact disc). This collection features 15 songs covering release dates from 1980 to 1992. It is an interesting snapshot of the bands history and also an illustration of how much the music had not changed over the 13 years it covered. From the peddled notes of the guitar intro of 'Impatience' ('91) to the bombast and loquaciousness of 'Someone Else's Room' ('81), |  |
ZUCKER
Just six and a half months later, on January 26, 1993, Sub Pop released the first collection of 'new' originals from the Fastbacks. At 32 minutes and 49 seconds, these 14 songs are collectively known as Zucker ('sugar' in German). In terms of the sound of this record, it is unlike any other Fastbacks record. By no means is this record polished and glossy, but the sound is loud and crisp (think iceberg lettuce). It's an inferno of sound that never lets up from start to finish. Before the listener has a chance to take their first breath, the first 5 songs are over. The only reaction is to wonder what brick just hit you. The next two songs blanket the listener in a delicate fog that is thick and beautiful. The record rounds itself out with a barrage of obscure images (coffee in your alarm clock?) and funny song titles ("Kind of Game"), simply culminating in a depressing number entitled "That Was" ("That was really, really, just leave me alone"). Overall, Zucker is punkier than any other Fastbacks record, it reflects haunting overtones in both style and content while simultaneously maintaining a musical optimism. From the lavish harmonies of "All About Nothing", to the minor key drone of "Parts", Zucker is a remarkable accomplishment in spite of it's brevity, oddity and darkness. Critically, Zucker was hailed by more critics than any other Fastbacks release, with reviews appearing in national magazines like Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly.
MIKE MUSBURGER
Mike was born and raised in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, WA. Born January 28, 1968, Mike attended Interlake High School and played in local bands and school ensembles. He attended high school with future Posies bandmate and roommate Rick Roberts (bass). After high school, Mike attended Washington State University for one year before deciding that he didn't want to spend the next 3 years of his life in school. While in Pullman, he played in a jazz band based out of Moscow, ID. It was not only an outlet for his drumming muse, but the legal drinking age in Moscow was 19. Musburger moved back to Seattle in the Fall of 1987 and moved into a house with Rick Roberts that was
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previously inhabited by members of the Chemistry Set and Pure Joy. In May of 1988, the Posies recruited Mike and Rick as their new rhythm section. Around the same time, Mike was working at a local record store called Peaches (former Peaches employees also include Mark Lanegan and Eddie Supersucker, just to name a few). He remembers seeing Kurt and Maryellen come into the store quite often. In 1989 the Posies were gaining enough momentum such that Mike was able to quit his day job and devote all of his time to being a musician. His tenure in the Posies would last until 1994, culminating in Mike quitting the band after getting into an argument with Kim's ex-husband (but husband at the time), Ken Posy (Stringfellow). He took some time off to travel and then promptly found himself playing with the Fastbacks. The next 5 years would establish Mike as the most prolific and long lasting of all drummers. The irony of his membership, however, |
Mike's earliest memory of the Fastbacks was seeing them at the Mural Amphitheater when he was in the 8th grade. At the time he used to go to as many local shows as he could with his friend Matt. He recalls a few things, mainly that Lulu had big scary hair and that he loved the music. It was this love of the band that would persist for years to come, when it finally reached a point where they agreed to let him play in the band.
For someone who was use to touring with a major label budget, having a full crew and a nice bus to travel in, joining the Fastbacks must've been a culture shock to Mike. He wasn't accustomed to long trips in shitty vans and staying in Motel 6's and eating Taco Bell every night. But he was also not used to actually making some money while he was on tour. And with the Fastbacks he found the freedom to not only make money, but also he could concentrate on just playing music rather than dealing with the business side of being in a band. As Musburger so succinctly states, "there were no expectations other than to have fun, play music, and keep it simple."
Shows Circa 1993
January of '93 saw not only the release of Zucker, but the Fastbacks went on tour to California with Mike on drums. They would end up playing 47 shows that year, the most they'd ever played in a single year to that point. The tour schedule marked a series of firsts for the band. The first East Coast tour took place in April of that year as they spent 3 weeks on the road with the fabulous Meices. August of that year marked the first midwestern tour they would take, this time John Moen was filling the drum position (The Posies' Frosting on the Beater had just been released and Mike was on the road). The highlight of the year, however, was their trip to Japan for 3 dates in December. Never before had they seen the frenzy of Japanese punk rock fans, and it's something they still remember fondly to this day. John Moen was the lucky drummer.
Hit List Article
Part One (1959 - 1981)
Part Two (1981 - 1989)
Part Four (1994 - 1999)
Fastbacks Timeline
