Squirrel Bait
Encyclopedia
Squirrel Bait was an American
punk band
from Louisville, Kentucky
. They were in existence from 1983 to 1988. Squirrel Bait's dense, moody, melodic hardcore
sound, featuring pronounced tempo shifts, foreshadowed the grunge
sound of the late 1980s as well as math rock
. Squirrel Bait, along with Hüsker Dü
, are often noted as precursors to the emocore ("emotional hardcore") sound that arose from the D.C. hardcore punk scene with bands like Rites of Spring
and Beefeater.
(guitar), Peter Searcy
(vocals), Brian McMahan
(guitar), Clark Johnson (bass), and Britt Walford
(drums). Walford left and was replaced by Ben Daughtrey.
Grubbs was subsequently a member of Bitch Magnet
, Bastro
, Gastr del Sol
and The Red Krayola and has released a number of solo projects. Daughtrey played with The Lemonheads
and then with Love Jones
. McMahan, and Walford later formed Slint
, after which they played with King Kong
, and McMahan with The For Carnation
and Palace Music. Walford would later play in Evergreen and The Breeders
(as Shannon Doughton). Johnson played in Bastro with Grubbs but then chose not to make a career in music, and now works as an attorney
in Louisville. Searcy played with Big Wheel and Starbilly before embarking on a solo career.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
punk band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. They were in existence from 1983 to 1988. Squirrel Bait's dense, moody, melodic hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
sound, featuring pronounced tempo shifts, foreshadowed the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
sound of the late 1980s as well as math rock
Math rock
Math rock is a rhythmically complex guitar-based style of experimental rock that emerged in the 1980s and that was very influenced by progressive rock like King Crimson, Frank Zappa, Henry Cow - and 20th century composers such as Steve Reich and John Cage...
. Squirrel Bait, along with Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
, are often noted as precursors to the emocore ("emotional hardcore") sound that arose from the D.C. hardcore punk scene with bands like Rites of Spring
Rites of Spring
Rites of Spring was an American post-hardcore band from Washington, D.C. in the mid-1980s, known for their energetic live performances. A part of the D.C. hardcore punk scene, Rites of Spring increased the frenetic violence and visceral passion of hardcore while simultaneously experimenting with...
and Beefeater.
"Squirrel Bait signaled the second coming of American punk - bands of little brothers and sisters who got to grow up on Black FlagBlack Flag (band)Black Flag was an American punk rock band formed in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California. The band was established by Greg Ginn, the guitarist, primary songwriter and sole continuous member through multiple personnel changes in the band...
and Hüsker Dü without a preparatory course in SupertrampSupertrampSupertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
. ... Like a hundred other little Düs across the country, Squirrel Bait managed to make a couple of records before spintering off to form five more bands. Unlike most of that punk rock loam, the members of Squirrel Bait chewed up their legacy and shat out something curious and consequential."
Personnel
The original line-up included David GrubbsDavid Grubbs
David Grubbs , guitarist, pianist, and vocalist, was a founding member of Squirrel Bait, Bastro, and Gastr del Sol. He has also played in Codeine, The Red Krayola, Bitch Magnet and The Wingdale Community Singers....
(guitar), Peter Searcy
Peter Searcy
Peter Searcy is a musician from Louisville, Kentucky.Searcy was the frontman of the Louisville punk group Squirrel Bait in the 1980s. After Squirrel Bait disbanded, Searcy formed a funk-rock group called Fanci Pantz. Fanci Pantz garnered a lot of praise and major label attention, but they broke...
(vocals), Brian McMahan
Brian McMahan
Brian McMahan is a guitarist from Louisville, Kentucky. He was member of the band Squirrel Bait and went on to create the seminal band Slint. He was both vocalist and guitarist for this band. After their breakup, circa 1991, he went on to play with Will Oldham on his project Palace Brothers...
(guitar), Clark Johnson (bass), and Britt Walford
Britt Walford
Britt Walford is a drummer from Louisville, Kentucky. He was a founding member of the punk band Squirrel Bait, but was replaced by Ben Daughtrey when he decided to play in the band Maurice. After the breakups of Squirrel Bait and Maurice, some of the members joined to form the post-rock band Slint...
(drums). Walford left and was replaced by Ben Daughtrey.
Grubbs was subsequently a member of Bitch Magnet
Bitch Magnet
Bitch Magnet was a post-hardcore band during the late 1980s and early 1990s who formed at Oberlin College in Ohio and later moved to North Carolina. They released their first record in 1988. All of the band's full-length albums were released on Communion Records in the US; they were also signed to...
, Bastro
Bastro
Bastro was an American post-hardcore band in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band's main line-up consisted of David Grubbs on guitar, Clark Johnson on bass guitar, and John McEntire on drums.-History:...
, Gastr del Sol
Gastr del Sol
Gastr del Sol was a Chicago band consisting, for most of their career, of David Grubbs and Jim O'Rourke. Between 1993 and 1998 they put out seven albums ranging in genre from post-rock to musique concrète....
and The Red Krayola and has released a number of solo projects. Daughtrey played with The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
and then with Love Jones
Love Jones (band)
Love Jones is an American band, formed in Louisville, Kentucky in spring 1990 by Ben Daughtrey and Barry Thomas , with Chris Hawpe , Stuart Johnson and Jonathan Palmer . According to Entertainment Weekly, Love Jones was the leader of the "cocktail nation" groups of the early 1990s...
. McMahan, and Walford later formed Slint
Slint
Slint was an American rock band consisting of Brian McMahan , David Pajo , Britt Walford , Todd Brashear and Ethan Buckler...
, after which they played with King Kong
King Kong (band)
King Kong, a rock band from Louisville, Kentucky, formed in early 1989 by Ethan Buckler, the original bassist in the band Slint. The core trio for many years was made up of Buckler, Willie McClean , and Ray Rizzo...
, and McMahan with The For Carnation
The For Carnation
The For Carnation are a post-rock band from Louisville, Kentucky who formed in 1994. The band was formed by Brian McMahan, who is the only constant group member. McMahan's previous band Slint hinted at the distinctive sound and sombre aesthetic he would create in The For Carnation...
and Palace Music. Walford would later play in Evergreen and The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
(as Shannon Doughton). Johnson played in Bastro with Grubbs but then chose not to make a career in music, and now works as an attorney
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
in Louisville. Searcy played with Big Wheel and Starbilly before embarking on a solo career.
Discography
- Squirrel BaitSquirrel Bait (EP)-Personnel:Squirrel Bait*David Grubbs – guitar*Clark Johnson – bass guitar*Brian McMahan – guitar*Peter Searcy – vocals*Britt Walford – drumsAdditional musicians and production*Steve Albini – front design...
(1985) - Homestead Records - Skag HeavenSkag Heaven-Personnel:Squirrel Bait*David Grubbs – guitar*Clark Johnson – bass guitar*Brian McMahan – guitar*Peter Searcy – vocals*Ben Daughtrey – drums, front designAdditional musicians and production*Guy Dove – photography...
(1987) - Homestead Records - Kid Dynamite 7" (1986) - Homestead
- Motorola Cloudburst 7" (1989) - The Pope Fanzine
External links
- Squirrel Bait on Myspace
- [ Allmusic.com review of "Sun God" track from the first EP]