1. Pitchfork-this was the band John & Rick(jehu/hotsnakes) were in BEFORE Drive Like Jehu or RFTC ever existed. I heard there was a PITCHFORK REUNION recently at LIVEWIRE(a bar in SD)...that really pisses me off.
The album is Eucalyptus and if you want a more melodic Jehu, Pitchfork is right there, I think I will always feel impartial to Pitchfork only because they were one of the first SD bands I got into when I grew up.
2. Drive Like Jehu also did the "BULLET TRAIN TO VEGAS" seven-inch, which is fantastic.
3. The S/T blows away Yank Crime by a mile. Anyone who got into Jehu with the 1st LP before Yank Crime will always side with the S/T...it was a much better album. Yank Crime seemed a bit unresolved, actually Yank Crime was considered a "let down" by most locals in SD, but that's just how it was back then. Yank Crime did have Rob Crow(Pinback/Heavy Vegetable/millions of other bands) sing on "Luau". To me, "Do you compute" just didn't really belong on the album, New Math & Rome Plows are the 2 best tracks...I would say there were probably 2 songs on there that I just did not like at all, but on the S/T one, I can't think of a dull song on there.
4. Hot Snakes > Jehu live...without question. Gar on bass made things much more fun and interesting than Mike K did. Hot Snakes looked like they were having fun, I never saw Rick have so much fun live, not even when he was in Jehu.
5. Gar Wood was in a band called FISHWIFE, who were truly amazing. If you get a chance, check out "RETALIN"...that album was incredible it was their last real official album before Ryan Foxe(singer) moved to NY and started a band called THE LET DOWNS. Fishwife did release a compilation of singles after "retalin" but it wasn't as good. Fishwife's 1st album "SNAIL KILLER" is brilliant as well.
6. TANNER-this was the band Gar, Matt, and Chris started after Fishwife, basically the same band except Gar took vocals and stayed on guitar. Personally, I always thought their 7-inchers were better(especially the GUARD DOG one). Very cool band if you're into those SD guitar hyper bands.
7. Gar > John (as a guitarist), but that's just my opinion.
8. The Sultans are fucking great! I like some of the Sultans stuff more than some of the Hot Snakes material.
9. Back Off Cupids-it was an early John sideproject, not a very good one though.
10. RFTC-Paint as a fragrance and Circa Now! are always going to be my 2 favorite. Paint as a fragrance was very different though.
OK, now I'm waiting for KKKCHRIST to make his, "oh, I live in SD" comment!
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