Oblivion (band)
Encyclopedia
Oblivion was a punk rock
group from the Chicago area. The band was composed of Pete Kourim on bass guitar and lead vocals, Scott Ozark on guitar and back-up vocals, and Brian Czarnik on drums.
, metal
, and classic rock
. They released a number of 7"s and full length albums primarily on Johann's Face Records, although they also released music on Dr. Strange, Underdog, and others. Songs often commented on social interactions, stories about troubled girls, and relationship issues seen from a cryptic moody perspective. The group sometimes made social commentary but mostly in an indirect and self-debasing way. After more than a decade of playing together, the group disbanded. They played a farewell show in March 2000.
. This was the first show the band played in over five years.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
group from the Chicago area. The band was composed of Pete Kourim on bass guitar and lead vocals, Scott Ozark on guitar and back-up vocals, and Brian Czarnik on drums.
History
The group started as a heavy metal cover band in 1988, but their style solidified to have more of a punk focus by the early 1990s. During the late 90s, Oblivion had a strong following in the Chicago/Midwest punk scene. Their musical stylings borrowed equal parts from punkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
, and classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
. They released a number of 7"s and full length albums primarily on Johann's Face Records, although they also released music on Dr. Strange, Underdog, and others. Songs often commented on social interactions, stories about troubled girls, and relationship issues seen from a cryptic moody perspective. The group sometimes made social commentary but mostly in an indirect and self-debasing way. After more than a decade of playing together, the group disbanded. They played a farewell show in March 2000.
Post-breakup
- After the group disbanded, Brian moved to Florida and worked on a big cat (tigers/lions) sanctuary. Scott played with the Nobs, while Pete continued to play in Mexican Cheerleader, a band that started while Oblivion still existed.
Reunion show
Oblivion played a reunion show on December 29, 2006 at the Abbey Pub in Chicago. They performed with Apocalypse HobokenApocalypse Hoboken
Apocalypse Hoboken was an American punk rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois which toured the US and Europe and released seven albums on various labels, including Rocco Records and Dyslexic Records...
. This was the first show the band played in over five years.
Discography
- S/T (cassette, 1st Demo) self-release 1989
- Neighborhood (cassette, 2nd Demo) self-release 1990
- Think Tightope Boobjob (cassette, 3rd Demo) self-release 1992 (self distributed at Lollapalooza)
- Product (EP, 7") Johanns Face RecordsJohanns Face RecordsJohann's Face Records is a Chicago-based record label which was started by Marc Ruvolo and Gar Brandt in 1989. Ruvolo had been working at Roadkill Records and was looking to start a label with his friend Brandt....
1993 - Full Blown Grover (ep, 7") Johanns Face RecordsJohanns Face RecordsJohann's Face Records is a Chicago-based record label which was started by Marc Ruvolo and Gar Brandt in 1989. Ruvolo had been working at Roadkill Records and was looking to start a label with his friend Brandt....
1994 - Stop Thief (LP, 12"/CD) Johanns Face RecordsJohanns Face RecordsJohann's Face Records is a Chicago-based record label which was started by Marc Ruvolo and Gar Brandt in 1989. Ruvolo had been working at Roadkill Records and was looking to start a label with his friend Brandt....
1994 - Shoot Me a Waco (LP, 12"/CD) Johanns Face RecordsJohanns Face RecordsJohann's Face Records is a Chicago-based record label which was started by Marc Ruvolo and Gar Brandt in 1989. Ruvolo had been working at Roadkill Records and was looking to start a label with his friend Brandt....
1995 - Suckers From The Start (CD) Sinister Label 1998
- Sweatpants U.S.A. (CD) Suburban Home 1999
Splits
- split with No Empathy (split, 7") Underdog Records 1995
- split with Humble BeginningsHumble BeginningsHumble Beginnings was an American pop punk band from New Jersey. While never gaining large-scale success, many of the band's members went on to mainstream success with other outfits....
(split, 7") Medio-Core 1997 - split with Apocalypse HobokenApocalypse HobokenApocalypse Hoboken was an American punk rock band hailing from Chicago, Illinois which toured the US and Europe and released seven albums on various labels, including Rocco Records and Dyslexic Records...
(split, 7") Harmless Records 1997 - split with Gods Reflex (split, 7") Johann's Face Records 1997
- split with Man Dingo (split CD) Dr Strange Records 1999
Compilation appearances
- A Very Punk Christmas (2x7") Rocco Records/Further Beyond 1993
- Dumpsterland #7 (zine + 7") Dumpsterland Zine 1994
- A Taste Of Chicago (CD) Strikeout Wreck-Chords 1995
- Achtung Chicago! Drei (LP 12"/CD) Underdog Records1995
- Punk: It's All About The Orchis Factor (CD) Suburban Home RecordsSuburban Home RecordsSuburban Home Records and Distribution is a record label based in Denver, Colorado, United States. The label was founded in 1995 by Virgil Dickerson, and is known for focusing on vinyl releases and bands in the pop-punk and alt-country genres. Its roster has included Two Cow Garage, Drag the River,...
1996 - ABC's Of Punk (LP 12"/CD) Whirled Records 1997
- Marc's A Dick And Gar's A Drunk (LP 12"/CD) Johann's Face Records 1997
- The Check's In The Mail: The Rise And Fall Of The Rocco Empire (CD) Rocco Records 1998
- Girls Kick Ass! (CD) Punk Rock Onion 1999
- Capitol Radio (CD) TorqueTorqueTorque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
1999 - Playing 4 Square, Vol. 1 (CD) Suburban Home RecordsSuburban Home RecordsSuburban Home Records and Distribution is a record label based in Denver, Colorado, United States. The label was founded in 1995 by Virgil Dickerson, and is known for focusing on vinyl releases and bands in the pop-punk and alt-country genres. Its roster has included Two Cow Garage, Drag the River,...
2000
Related bands
- Amish Vomit - Pete Kourim, with two others who would join The VindictivesThe VindictivesThe Vindictives were a Chicago-based punk rock underground group during the 1990s. They were peers with Screeching Weasel and other bands from the era, they were also heavily-influenced by the Ramones. Joey Vindicitive's characteristic nasal melodies often told the story of alienation, psychosis,...
, where the origins of the song "Stolen" came from. - The BollweevilsThe Bollweevils (band)The Bollweevils are a punk band from Chicago which was active during the 1990s.The members consisted of Daryl Wilson on vocals, Bob Skwerski on bass, Ken Fitzner on guitar, and Brian Czarnik on drums later replaced by Brett Friesen...
- Brian Czarnik - Mexican Cheerleader - Pete Kourim
- The Nobs - Scott Ozark
Sources
- Johanns Face Records
- Centerstage Chicago
- Knotmag.com Interview circa 2000
- Mexican Cheerleader on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....