The Walrus - Music With Big Fuckin' Teeth!

11/07/2007

A Fuzzy Theme: Lo-Fi Ohio Bands

Ohio is arguably the best state in the union for underground, lo-fi, DIY, poppy, rock bands. Allow me to illustrate with three appropriate examples.

Guided By Voices

Uncle Bob and the GBV family

Guided By Voices was a Dayton band that formed in 1983. Through the years, the band's line-up changed dozens of times, apart from main song writer Bob Pollard. He was the scientist...

Times New Viking

Keeping the torch of fuzz-pop aglow

My second Buckeye band is a contemporary act out of Columbus. Times New Viking is the latest group to come out of Ohio in true DIY form. This Siltbreeze/ Matador Records three piece has no need for a bass. All they need are drums, keyboards, and guitar. There must be something in that Ohioan water, as these guys master that delicate mix of sing-song pop and blistering racket, synonymous with classic Ohio rock and roll.

Pere Ubu

Father Ubu circa 1978

Pere Ubu is my final example. Named after the Alfred Jarry character Ubu Roi, this Cleveland band, like GBV, also had a rotating cast of musical characters aside from the songwriting anchor, David Thomas. Self-defined as "avant garage," Pere Ubu is one of the most original, raw bands I have ever heard. "Final Solution," and "Non-Alignment Pact" are both singles from their 1978 debut album The Modern Dance.

Other bands, considered for this theme were Devo, the Electric Eels, the Dead Boys, the Yips, Mike Rep and the Quotas, and the Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments. All are recommended.

Siltbreeze Records has Times New Viking's records for sale, as well as a super cool GBV bootleg Get Out of My Stations where this "Motor Away" mp3 came from. Pere Ubu has their music for sale at the Ubutique.