Members McCaughan and Ballance founded the successful independent record label Merge Records in 1989 as a way to release music from Superchunk and music created by friends, which has expanded to include artists from around the world and records reaching the top of the Billboard music charts. Superchunk released a string of full-length albums and compilations throughout the 1990s. After releasing their eighth studio album in 2001, the band went into a period of reduced activity. In 2010, the band released a new studio album, Majesty Shredding, and followed it up in 2013 with their tenth studio album, I Hate Music. Their eleventh studio album, What a Time to Be Alive, was released on February 16, 2018.[4] Their twelfth album, Wild Loneliness, was released in February 2022.[5]
History
Superchunk was formed in 1989 in the town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by Mac McCaughan (guitar and vocals), Laura Ballance (bass and backing vocals),[6] Chuck Garrison (drums), and Jack McCook (guitar). Initially, the band went by the name Chunk (original drummer Chuck Garrison's name was misspelled as "Chunk" Garrison in the phone book, and the moniker stuck), and they released their first single as Chunk.[7] After adding the "Super" prefix to their name to avoid confusion with a similarly named jazz band from New York,[8] the first official Superchunk single, "Slack Motherfucker", followed in 1989 on Merge Records, founded by McCaughan and Ballance. Both releases were well received,[clarification needed] and Superchunk released its debut eponymous album in 1990 on Matador Records to more critical acclaim.[citation needed]
McCook decided to leave the group after the release of the first album, Superchunk, and Connecticut-born James Wilbur was recruited to take over guitar duties. In spite of the ensuing bidding war that emerged between major record labels in the aftermath of the album's release, Superchunk decided to stay independent, sticking with Matador Records for their second, just as critically lauded[citation needed] LP, No Pocky for Kitty, which was recorded in Chicago by Steve Albini in 1991. Garrison left the band a few weeks before the record's release, and Jon Wurster was brought on board on drums.
The band put out one more record for Matador, On the Mouth in 1993. After Matador entered into a distribution agreement with major label Atlantic Records, Superchunk decided to leave the label, even though the Atlantic logo did not have to be displayed on their releases. Instead, the band opted to release their following records through Merge. The next album, Foolish, brought further critical acclaim for the band in 1994.[citation needed] A second singles compilation (the first was 1992's Tossing Seeds) came out in the summer of 1995. It was titled Incidental Music 1991–95 and contained most of their hard-to-find tracks (imports, B-sides, comp. tracks) released between 1991 and 1995.
Boston was the setting for Superchunk's next album session. 1995's Here's Where the Strings Come In was recorded at the city's Fort Apache Studios and slated for a fall release. The band toured hard for Strings all over the world as well as appearing on the Lollapalooza tour, scoring a minor hit with the "Hyper Enough" single and video.
After a brief hiatus and another Australian tour, the band released a limited-edition EP called The Laughter Guns. They then started writing for what would become Indoor Living. Recording started in Bloomington, Indiana's Echo Park Studios with Chapel Hillian John Plymale co-producing with the band. Superchunk stretched out a bit on Indoor Living, expanding their sound by adding some new instruments to the mix: piano, organ, vibes and more. The album was by far their most adventurous and at the same time their most accessible to date.[9]
Superchunk delivered Come Pick Me Up, their seventh full-length studio release, in 1999, recording in Chicago at Electrical Audio with producer Jim O'Rourke. Superchunk continued the expansion and growth of their sound that started with Foolish, pushing themselves to new heights of creativity.[citation needed]
Superchunk touring in Tokyo, Japan, October 2, 2001; Photo: Masao Nakagami
In 2001, the band released Here's to Shutting Up. In 2002, Superchunk began a series of limited-edition live albums known as The Clambakes series. Clambakes Volume 1 (limited to 1500 copies) is an acoustic live set recorded in various record stores across the US in support of Here's to Shutting Up and Clambakes Volume 2 (limited to 2500 copies) is a film score Superchunk was commissioned to write. It was recorded live at the Castro Theater in San Francisco on April 23, 2002, during the San Francisco International Film Festival at a showing of the 1926 Teinosuke Kinugasa film A Page of Madness.
Cup of Sand, released in 2003, is the third singles album compiling all singles and rare 1995–2002 tracks.
Clambakes Series Volume 3 was released in 2004, documenting the live set Superchunk played at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina, on July 23, 1999, for the Merge Records tenth anniversary celebration.
In 2006, Superchunk headlined a concert held in celebration of the tenth anniversary of The Daily Show, a Comedy Central program, at Irving Plaza in New York. The show also featured a performance from Clem Snide as well as short stand-up comedy sets from various Daily Show correspondents.
In 2007, Superchunk contributed a hidden track to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force soundtrack, "Misfits and Mistakes", with singing from Aqua Teen Hunger Force character Meatwad. On June 5, 2007, Superchunk released the Misfits and Mistakes 7-inch, which has the Superchunk solo version on the A-side, and the Meatwad version on the B-side.
On April 7, 2009, Superchunk released the Leaves in the Gutter EP, their first CD release in seven years. It consisted of three unreleased tracks, in addition to "Misfits and Mistakes" and an acoustic version of the new song "Learned to Surf".
On May 28, 2009, the band announced a new 7-inch, "Crossed Wires" b/w "Blinders (Fast Vers.)", which released on July 7, 2009. It was initially limited to a pressing of 1000 on clear vinyl.
The band's tenth studio album, I Hate Music, was released on August 20, 2013. Before the release, Ballance announced on the band's website that she would not be taking part in the upcoming tour to promote the album, citing a worsening hearing condition known as hyperacusis. Her live replacement is Jason Narducy, formerly of Verbow and currently bass player with Bob Mould's band. The band performed in North America, Australia and the UK as part of the tour.[needs update]
On February 27, 2016, Superchunk re-united with original drummer Chuck Garrison for a performance of "Slack Motherfucker" at the end of a Scharpling & Wurster live show in Durham, North Carolina. Jon Wurster performed some of the vocals in character as Philly Boy Roy.[14]
In November 2017, the band announced that their 11th studio album What a Time to Be Alive will be released in February 2018.[4]
On May 31, 2019, as part of Merge Records' "special 30th anniversary releases", Superchunk released an acoustic version of their 1994 album Foolish, titled Acoustic Foolish.[15]
Mac McCaughan has recorded several albums as Portastatic. Initially a solo project, Portastatic has evolved into a full band, which currently includes Superchunk's Jim Wilbur as a member.
Jim Wilbur, a graduate of Fairfield University, in Fairfield, Connecticut, has recorded a number of singles and an album as Humidifier. The album Nothing Changes was released on Link Records in 1996. Humidifier also includes John King from another Merge Records band, Spent.
In addition to his work on The Best Show with Tom Scharpling, Jon Wurster joined the group the Mountain Goats in 2007, playing drums on the last leg of the Get Lonely tour. Wurster also began performing and recording on drums with Bob Mould in 2008.[23] He remained a member of Superchunk until 2023.
Related Research Articles
Thomas John Giuliano II, known professionally as Tom Scharpling, is an American comedian, television writer, producer, music video director, voice actor, and radio host. He is best known for hosting the weekly Internet radio call-in comedy program The Best Show with Tom Scharpling, the voice of Greg Universe in the animated series Steven Universe and its sequel series Steven Universe Future, and for acting as a writer/executive producer for the TV show Monk.
No Pocky for Kitty is the second studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk, released in 1991. Pocky is a popular Japanese snack food.
On the Mouth is the third studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk. The album was recorded September 14–20, 1992, at West Beach Studios, engineered by Donnell Cameron, and produced by John Reis and Superchunk. It was released by Matador Records in 1993.
Foolish is the fourth studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk. It was recorded from November 30 through December 2, 1993, at Pachyderm Studios, by Brian Paulson and mixed by the band and Paulson at Steve Albini's home studio. The album was released by Merge Records in 1994.
Cup of Sand is a two-CD collection of singles, B-sides and various rarities released by Superchunk in 2003. The accompanying booklet is particularly meaty, as band members Mac McCaughan, Jim Wilbur, Laura Ballance and Jon Wurster weigh in with what they remember about the songs.
Incidental Music 1991–95 is a collection of various b-sides and previously unreleased tracks by Superchunk. It was released by Merge Records in 1995. Despite the name of the collection, the songs included actually date from between 1990 and 1994.
Indoor Living is the sixth studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk, released by Merge Records in 1997. It was recorded at Echo Park Studios in Bloomington, Indiana, and mixed at Overdub Lane, Durham, North Carolina. It was engineered by John Plymale and produced by Plymale and Superchunk.
Laura Jane Ballance is the bassist in the rock band Superchunk and co-founder of Merge Records along with Mac McCaughan. In 2013 she announced that she would no longer be touring with the band due to her worsening hyperacusis.
Ralph Lee "Mac" McCaughan is an American musician and record label owner, based in North Carolina. His main musical projects have been Superchunk since 1989 and Portastatic since the early 1990s. In 1989 he founded the independent record label Merge Records with Superchunk bandmate Laura Ballance.
Come Pick Me Up is the seventh studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk, released in 1999. It is marked by the presence of co-producer Jim O'Rourke, a well-known figure in underground circles. Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster said that O'Rourke was selected because the band wanted someone "coming from a different head-space." O'Rourke helped the band decorate the album with string and horn touches that were not typical of their guitar-based sound. One of the horn players who appeared on the album is another well-known figure in underground circles, Shellac's Bob Weston.
Jonathan Patrick Wurster is an American drummer and comedy writer. As a musician, he is best known for his work with Superchunk, the Mountain Goats, and Bob Mould. He is also known for appearing on The Best Show with Tom Scharpling.
Portastatic is an American indie rock band founded in the early 1990s as a solo project of Mac McCaughan, singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Superchunk. The project has since expanded into a full band, sometimes including Superchunk guitarist Jim Wilbur and McCaughan's brother Matthew.
The Best Show with Tom Scharpling is a combination music, call-in, and comedy Internet radio show and podcast hosted independently by Tom Scharpling since 2014, which previously aired on New Jersey–based radio station WFMU from 2000 to 2013. The show's slogan is "three hours of mirth, music, and mayhem."
Majesty Shredding is the ninth studio album by American indie rock band Superchunk. It was released on September 14, 2010 on Merge Records. It is the group's first studio album since 2001's Here's to Shutting Up.
Summer of the Shark is Portastatic's fourth studio album. It was released on Merge Records on April 8, 2003.
"Slack Motherfucker" is a song by American rock band Superchunk. It was the first single released from the band's debut, self-titled album (1990). The song was penned by vocalist and guitarist Mac McCaughan in reference to an indolent co-worker he had at the time. Credited to all four band members, it was the band's second single and first to be released under the name Superchunk.
Bricks were an indie rock band founded in New York City in the late 1980s. The group was formed by Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan while he was studying at Columbia University, along with Nashville-born singer-songwriter Laura Cantrell, plus classmates Andrew Webster and Josh Phillips. The foursome recorded at least 18 lo-fi songs between 1988 and 1990, which they released on a cassette and two 7-inch singles before disbanding. Their first single, "Girl With The Carrot Skin", enjoyed college radio airplay and was also made into a music video. Shot on super-8 film, the video featured the band eating and playing with copious amounts of carrots.
Split Single is the American indie rock solo project of Evanston, Illinois-based musician Jason Narducy.
What a Time to Be Alive is the eleventh studio album by the American indie rock band Superchunk. It was released in February 2018 by Merge Records.
Wild Loneliness is the twelfth studio album by the American indie rock band Superchunk. It was released on February 25, 2022, by Merge Records. Ahead of the album release, the band put out three singles: "Endless Summer", "This Night", and "On the Floor".
↑ "Jon Wurster on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved February 10, 2023. Didn't realize the #rocknrollweirdness of this announcement landing on the 30th anniversary of the release of Superchunk's "On The Mouth" until a few moments ago, but here goes: Friends, After much soul-searching I have decided to fade back from my role as Director of Percussive Research at Superchunk Industries. It's been a very productive thirty-one years but my heart just isn't in it anymore. I will most likely don The Shirt™ on special occasions, but unless otherwise noted, my office will be occupied by a more than capable, to-be-named DoPR. The immensely talented @lkbroiler will be behind the kit one week from tonight at the Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest in Raleigh, NC. I wish nothing but the best for Mac, Jim and Jason as they continue producing the high quality, live rock music you have come to know and love. It has been an honor serving you and I'll rock your faces somewhere down the line. Jon Wurster 2/10/23
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