Oh-OK
Encyclopedia
Oh-OK was an American musical group from Athens, Georgia formed in 1981 with singer/lyricist Linda Hopper
, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sweet
. The trio began practicing together at parties in the college community in the Spring of 1981. Their first club performance break came when Stipe's brother, Michael Stipe
of R.E.M.
, needed a backing band for a show at the 40 Watt Club
.
While playing and touring with Oh-OK, Sweet and former drummer Pierce formed the short-lived pop-duo The Buzz of Delight
producing a 45 rpm single "Christmas" and an EP "Sound Castles" on DB Recs. Sweet was rapidly signed to Capitol Records and embarked on a successful solo career. Pierce began a successful career as Funk Music DJ and Disco Revival nightclub promoter Romeo Cologne. Hopper made a name for herself fronting Magnapop
, with McNair joining her on drums. Stipe became the lead singer of Hetch Hetchy under the name Lynda L. Limner; she went on to play in Flash to Bang Time. In 2002, a compilation of their recordings—The Complete Recordings
—was released by Collector's Choice Music, with liner notes by Robert Christgau
. The band reunited without Pierce for a concert at the 40 Watt Club as part of the 2006 Athens Popfest.
Linda Hopper
Linda Elizabeth Hopper is the vocalist for the Atlanta, Georgia-based rock group Magnapop. Her pop punk/power pop vocal style helped to define the band's sound and she has co-written their minor hit singles "Slowly, Slowly" and "Open the Door"...
, bassist/vocalist/lyricist Lynda Stipe, and drummer David Pierce. Other members later included drummer David McNair and guitarist Matthew Sweet
Matthew Sweet
Sidney Matthew Sweet is an American alternative rock/power pop musician. He was part of the burgeoning Athens, Georgia music scene in the early and mid-1980s before gaining commercial success during the early 1990s...
. The trio began practicing together at parties in the college community in the Spring of 1981. Their first club performance break came when Stipe's brother, Michael Stipe
Michael Stipe
John Michael Stipe is an American singer and lyricist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M.Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the "mumbling" style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.'s visual image; often...
of R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, needed a backing band for a show at the 40 Watt Club
40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB's, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and "New Wave music."...
.
History
Oh-OK was an Athens, Georgia band that formed in 1981. The original Oh-Ok lineup: Linda Hopper (vocals), Lynda Stipe (bass) and David Pierce (drums) were notable for their lack of guitar or keyboards. The unusual sound combined with the non-linear lyrics by Hopper and Stipe, percolating bass melody lines by Stipe and the dance-oriented drumming by Pierce, created a unique stripped-down pop sound that was critically praised by Robert Christgau of the Village Voice. With only 5 songs and barely a month old, the trio toured New York and New Jersey in the summer of 1981 with local band Pylon. On that tour, the band played at the venerable New York club Danceteria to a sold-out show. By the Fall of 1981 Oh-Ok was invited to record with Atlanta record label DB Recs. The band's "Wow Mini-LP", a 3-song 45 rpm record, which included "Lilting", a 59 second pop-dance song, gave them national and international radio play on many alternative and college stations. After touring to support the record, Pierce left the band and David McNair joined the lineup as drummer. After several temporary lineup changes, the band incorporated a guitar sound with the addition of Matthew Sweet. His songwriting, performing and recording skills pushed the band into traditional rock music territory with the band's album "Furthermore What".While playing and touring with Oh-OK, Sweet and former drummer Pierce formed the short-lived pop-duo The Buzz of Delight
The Buzz of Delight
The Buzz of Delight was a band consisting of Matthew Sweet and David Pierce, which was active from 1983–1985.-Background:Matthew Sweet grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was musical from an early age, and as a teenager made 4-track cassettes of songs he wrote. Sweet was an early fan of R.E.M., as...
producing a 45 rpm single "Christmas" and an EP "Sound Castles" on DB Recs. Sweet was rapidly signed to Capitol Records and embarked on a successful solo career. Pierce began a successful career as Funk Music DJ and Disco Revival nightclub promoter Romeo Cologne. Hopper made a name for herself fronting Magnapop
Magnapop
Magnapop is an alternative rock band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1989, the band has consistently included songwriting duo Linda Hopper as vocalist and Ruthie Morris on guitar. Magnapop first achieved recognition in the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg through...
, with McNair joining her on drums. Stipe became the lead singer of Hetch Hetchy under the name Lynda L. Limner; she went on to play in Flash to Bang Time. In 2002, a compilation of their recordings—The Complete Recordings
The Complete Recordings (Oh-OK album)
The Complete Recordings is a compilation album for Oh-OK released by Collector's Choice Music on June 24, 2002. The compilation includes all of the band's previous releases as well as a live set from 1984—shortly before the group broke up....
—was released by Collector's Choice Music, with liner notes by Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
. The band reunited without Pierce for a concert at the 40 Watt Club as part of the 2006 Athens Popfest.
Discography
- Wow Mini Album 7", 1982 (DB RecordsDB RecordsDB Records is a record label owned by Danny Beard. The label's headquarters reside in the Wax N Facts record store in the Atlanta, Georgia neighborhood of Little Five Points.-History:In 1978, Danny Beard helped some friends in an Athens, Georgia rock band...
DB63) - Furthermore What 12", 1983 (DB Records DB69)
- "Random", appearing on the various artists LP compilation Squares Blot Out the Sun, 1990 (DB Records DB69)
- The Complete RecordingsThe Complete Recordings (Oh-OK album)The Complete Recordings is a compilation album for Oh-OK released by Collector's Choice Music on June 24, 2002. The compilation includes all of the band's previous releases as well as a live set from 1984—shortly before the group broke up....
Compact DiscCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, 2002 (Collector's Choice Music 293)
External links
- Oneline Athens profile
- Interview with Linda Hopper and Lynda Stipe, Perfect Sound ForeverPerfect Sound Forever (magazine)Perfect Sound Forever is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever (est. 1995) is one of the longest-running online-only music magazines . Along with Michael Goldberg's Addicted to Noise Perfect Sound Forever...
- Profile from a Magnapop page