Pearl Divers - Unreleased Demos 1993?

 

Gayle Truax - Vocals

George Khier - Vocals & Guitar
John - Bass
Tim Erickson - Drums
Peter Weinberger - Guitar

The personnel here is a bit of a guess. Anyone from the Pearl Divers care to comment? These demos are unreleased and sat around on a cassette in Gayle's garage until she unearthed them and sent them to me to transfer to the digital realm. You can find their two released records here  I think these demos were recorded in 1993 but again, a total guess. 

Pearl Divers - Unreleased Demos (1993?)

1. Falling

2. Not Real

3. Whatcha Gonna Do?

4. Pyramid

5. When I Find Out

6. Nothing Doing

7. Happenings Ten Years Time Ago

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Big I Am - Unreleased Demo (?) (1990 or 1991)

Jim Kelso - Vocals

Sam Oberholtzer - Bass

Scott van Dusen - Guitar

Scott Shively - Drums

I don't remember if this demo was actually released or not. I didn't know these guys although I did seem them play at Max's a couple of times. I thought their track on the Pollen Count tape was one of the standouts. I have a vague recollection of seeing a Big I Am tape at House of Records but it's been 25 years so hazy at best. Fortunately, former vocalist Jim Kelso found out about the blog and was kind enough to send this in. I will email him for track names and a band history because I don't have any of that information.  Here are 12 demo tracks plus the Colt 45 track from Pollen Count:

DOWNLOAD DEMO

Agrosoul / Mona Lisa Overdrive (1989-1990)

Agrosoul

Dave Camp (RIP) - Guitar/Vocals

Jason Sypher - Bass

Harlin Watkins - Keyboards

Bill Black - Drums

Mona Lisa Overdrive

Dave Camp (RIP) - Guitar/Vocals

Jason Sypher - Bass

Rich Cuellar - Drums

I just found out today that Dave Camp passed away in Portland last year after a battle with cancer; he was only 47 years old. I knew Dave a bit back in the late 80's into 1990 when Agrosoul was just splitting up and Mona Lisa Overdrive was forming. Dave's optimism and enthusiasm were rare qualities, genuine. I wish I had more to share from the Eugene days but the four tracks below are all that I have. The two tracks from Agrosoul are sourced from a soundboard tape of the band live at the EMU ballroom. The two Mona Lisa Overdrive tracks were recorded by me and Patrick Yonally on a Fostex 4-track back in 1990 at the band's practice space, as far as I know the only two tracks the band recorded in their brief history. I still remember Dave singing into my oven because we didn't have enough money for anything to throw reverb on the vocals. He was the one who thought of it! Dave was involved with numerous musical projects in Portland over the years and touched the lives of countless people. RIP Dave.

Agrosoul

1. 7/26/89

2. Butt Funkin'

Mona Lisa Overdrive

3. Alien

4. Mona Lisa Overdrive

DOWNLOAD HERE

Elgin (1993)

Charlie McClain - Bass/Vocals
??? - Guitar
??? - Drums

Elgin was Charlie's post-Now William band. I never saw them, I think I moved out of Eugene not long after they formed.  Someone want to help me out with personnel and history? Grinning Idiot released their lone 7" in 1993 and here it is:

George and Pearl b/w Eastern Grouse download

Kpants (1992-1995)

Cory Hamilton - Vocals
Mike Healy - Bass
Jeremy Hainline - Guitar
Austin Swartout - Drums

I think Kpants started as a result of the Pollen Count comp. cassette that Mike Healy put out back in 1992. Pinebox, Cory & Jer's band prior to Kpants appeared on the tape. Pinebox broke up not too long after that and Mike became the bassist and I don't know how they met Austin.  Anyway, the stuff posted below is the complete Kpants discography, everything they ever recorded, at least in a studio, never occurred to me to ask Mike if they ever 4-tracked anything. Still some research to do here.

SINGLES, COMP TRACKS, UNRELEASED & LIVE

1. Not Kind (from 1st 7" of the same name)

2. At the Urinal (from 1st 7" Not Kind)

3. Crash (Long Version, Previously Unreleased)

4. Erie (Previously Unreleased)

5. Crash (originally appeared on I-5 Killers Vol. 3)

6. Love (from 2nd and last single of the same name)

7. Hospital (from 2nd and last single Love)

8. Bookworm (Live, originally appeared on one of the "Night at the X-Ray" cassette comps)

9. My Strong Back Legs (originally appeared on the Jealous Butcher comp. Nailed to the Stars)

10. Vampire Girl (originally appeared on the Jealous Butcher comp. Nailed to the Stars)

Adam Glogauer plays drums on #9 & #10

DOWNLOAD HERE

Cory Hamilton - Vocals

Mike Healy - Bass

Jeremy Hainline - Guitar

Austin - Drums

The first cd came to us courtesy of Grinning Idiot Records back in 1994. This release followed the first single "Not Kind" from 1993.  

CHARMLESS

1. Light Sprinkle

2. Bookworm

3. Forehead

4. She's Got You

5. Sonic Ripoff

6. Lunchpale

7. Pie Song

8. Stare Off

9. Ants

10. Should We Cut It?

11. Best Kissers

12. Love Theme From Kpants

DOWNLOAD HERE

Cory Hamilton - Vocals

Mike Healy - Bass

Jeremy Hainline - Guitar

Jivan Valpey - Drums

Austin had left the band by this point and Kpants were never really able to permanently settle on another drummer. Jivan was in the band at this point, not sure how long he was around for. Adam Glogauer played a few shows with them and I know there was one other drummer who quit the band citing Cory's lack of professionalism for eating a plate of spaghetti on stage during the set. If the guy had a problem with behavior like that he was clearly in the wrong band. I recall Cory being late to the band's last show because he was cleaning his bathroom. 

SMILE AND NOD ACCORDINGLY (UNRELEASED ALBUM)

1.  Ask Any Moron

2. Friendly Approach

3. The Lights Turned Down Low

4. Succor's Gesture

5. The Charmer

6. Just Play Along

7. Don't Do the Spider (originally released on the Crave Dog Records "Can't Stand the Smell cd comp.)

8. I'm In Your Shirt

9. Against Me

10. Wrist Rocket

11. Hooray For Everything

BUY DIRECT FROM JEALOUS BUTCHER RECORDS

I'll add additional photos and possibly some video and live material too depending on what I can get the band to cough up.

Chemakill - Chemical Playground (1990, Cassette Only)

Rob - Guitar
Mike - Bass/Vocals
Randy (R.I.P.) - Drums

Chemankill were around for a few years late 80's - early 90's. I know they released at least one other tape and if I recall if was lo-fi and came out before this one. Don't know much history, anyone want to help out?

Chemakill - Chemical Playground (1990)

1. Accused
2. Walls of Pain
3. It's Your Fault

DOWNLOAD HERE

Naked Lunchbox - S/T? (Unreleased? 199?)

Marty Schwarzbauer - Rhythm Guitar

Pete Weinberger - Lead Guitar, Farfisa

Tim Kerans - Alto/Soprano Sax

Khiota Therrien - Tenor Sax

Jim Barber - Bass

Jon ?? - Drums

Okay, I freely admit to knowing nothing at all about Naked Lunchbox other than the personnel listed above and the fact that this recording exists. Tim Kerans was kind enough to send this my way recently, not sure if this was ever actually released or not. About all Tim wrote was that he was in this band in "the early 90's" and said Marty might have the cover art. Anyone care to fill in the blanks?

Naked Lunchbox

1. The Fall

2. Call Me Mr. Jones

3. A Matter of Pride

4. For Pete's Sake

5. It's So Dark

6. 45 Died

7. Secrets

8. Three Fires Burning

9. Penetration

10. Who Said

11. From a Buick 6

12. Tiptoe

13. Barbary Coast

DOWNLOAD HERE

Divine Plague - Eat My Shorts (Cassette Only, 1990)

Gordon Grant - Guitar
Mike Gravelle - Drums
Ryan Hunter - Bass
Clay Hoffman - Vocals


Info surfaces from former member Ryan Hunter:

Divine Plague existed from roughly 1987 to 1993. we had the dumb idea to trade instruments at least once every show, but the line up for the most part was: vocals-clay "red bird" hoffman, drums-mike "mosh" gravelle, six-string- gordon "gordy" grant, and four-string- ryan "scumbag" hunter (all did vocals to some degree)
 I might have seen them play a house party once but it's hard to remember, one of those beer soaked evenings. Uber Hall maybe? I don't know, punk rock!

 
Divine Plague - Eat My Shorts! (Cassette only, 1990)

1. 655321
2. Expendable Youth
3. '88
4. Double Load
5. Ode to the Sugardaddy
6. Python Sketch
7. Search and Destroy
8. Outro

DOWNLOAD HERE

Runtmeyer - Unreleased Demo (1992)

Brooks Masten - Bass
Raenie Kane - Drums
Paul Anson - Guitar
Denise Christie (Hall) (RIP) - Vocals

Runtmeyer were around for a brief period in '92-'93. I don't know anything about the band's history other than Denise left at some point and Debbie Nesbitt became the new singer for awhile. I saw them only once at Max's. I stood too close to the stage and it was so loud my knees actually buckled, one of the very few times that ever happened to me. I remember Raenie telling me that Ed Hutton was the engineer on this tape and that he chose to record "the drums first." I think she meant that that was not a good way to do things but this demo sounds pretty good to me. The only tracks that were ever actually released are #14. Apple Juice on the Pollen Count cassette compilation and #01 on the Slaughter on 13th cassette compilation. Very willing to add more info to this post if anyone wants to share band history, photos etc. Anyone have anything to add?

Runtmeyer - Unreleased Demo

1. Grip
2. Lick the Wound
3. Apple Juice
4. Brown Paper Bag
5. Losing Battle
6. Another Day
7. Eat Apples
8. I Love You
9. You Don't Understand
10. Angela
11. Living in the City
12. Invisible
13. There's No Difference
14. Apple Juice (Pollen Count version)

DOWNLOAD HERE

Jasper - S/T (CD, 1994 Ruckus Records)

David Krueger - Vocals/Violin
Adam Glogauer - Drums/Guitar
Nate Schreiner - Bass
Jason Guyer - Guitar

When Now William called it quits (1993?) the band split into Elgin (Max and Charlie) and Jasper (Adam and David).  I used to go see Jasper quite a lot at John Henry's where they always seemed uniquely out of place. Too moody for a bar band maybe? I think this cd holds up really well, the band was under-appreciated. In addition to Now William and Jasper, David frequently collaborated with Mike Johnson. Adam was in a ton of bands including Frank Booth and the Neighbors, Uncle Charlie, Now William, Jasper, bunny summer, The Cherry Poppin' Daddies and probably a bunch more that I'm forgetting.  Never knew Nate or Jason that well, anyone know where they came from/went to?

Jasper - S/T (1994)

1. The Shell
2. Glass
3. Chance to Wait
4. Awakenings
5. Ten Times
6. Vandalia
7. Crosses
8. The Ascent
9. Resist
10. Reunion
11. Slow Tide

DOWNLOAD HERE

Three Pigs - S/T (Cassette Only, 1991)

Eugene Saunders - Guitar
Ben Beebee (RIP) - Bass/Vocals
Rachel Blumberg - Drums/Vocals

Three Pigs were one of about a zillion projects the three band members were involved with during their time at the University of Oregon. Some jazz influence, some Firehose, some Vomit Launch (hearing sweet voiced Rachel sing Vomit Launch's "Swelling Admiration" is a personal favorite, so wrong but so right!). Don't know much about the history of the band, think Eugene was also in the Black Dahlias when this was recorded, Ben & Rachel were also in Otto. This tape has the distinction of being (by-far) the most difficult to transfer to the digital realm due to there being no time at all between tracks so sorry in advance if the track increments are a little sloppier than you're used to. The tape was engineered by Patrick Yonally who you may remember from The Batcows, The Davenports, if, The Black Dahlias, The Undertakers, Otto, Flypaper or Sugarking. There are probably a couple I'm forgetting too, Patrick was a very busy guy!

Three Pigs - S/T (1991)

1. None of the Above
2. Roadside Geography
3. Reflections
4. Not You
5. Fur Lined Roof
6. Wet Morning
7. Que La Gente Quiere
8. Consumer Tune
9. #1 Hit Song
10. Swelling Admiration
11. Mystery Train
12. Equinox
13. Sesame St. Jazz

DOWNLOAD HERE

Insidious Menace - Get Paid Somewhere Else (Unreleased? 1991?)

Frank Smith - bass
Dave Caram - guitar
Jeff Banker - vocals
Steve Zorn - drums

Here is everything I know about these guys courtesy of Robert Shepard:

"I don't have any cover art for this. It's just a demo. I don't know if they ever got around to making a cover or releasing anything.

These guys were probably better known for the graffiti of their logo than their music. One could see it all over town at the time. It was etched into the concrete of the bike path alongside Amazon Parkway, for example. It consisted of a circular saw blade shape with jagged edges, with a face inside grinning a mean grin.

Insidious Menace
Get Paid Somewhere Else
(circa 1990-93, I'm guessing 1991)"

Insidious Menace - Get Paid Somewhere Else

1. Pollution in Disguise
2. Hate, Bigotry and Greed
3. Choice
4. Common Enemy

DOWNLOAD HERE

Billy Jack - Double Date (Cassette Only, '92?)

Joe Brooks (RIP) - Drums
Wayne Shellabarger - Bass, Vocals
Dave Nagle - Guitar, Vocals

Apologies to all for the unbelievable oversight, I've never posted this one before! The second and last Billy Jack cassette only release! Recorded in '92? I'm going to rely on Wayne & Dave to email me hilarious stories about this recording which I'll then paste into the post. Hopefully we can at least get the word on whether the band hates Steve Nordby to this day or if it was just limited to both their cassette releases.

Billy Jack - Double Date (Cassette Only, '92?)

1. The River
2. No One Gets in the Way
3. Sit on a Lipstick
4. Origami Cowboy Hat
5. Take a Number
6. Ten to Ten
7. Wiggly World 
8. Come On in My Kitchen

DOWNLOAD HERE