Spatula


Despina By Land CD (Squealer 025) 1998
Songs: 1. Voyage of the Slan
2. Lasko
3. Snake of One Hundred Paces
4. Peony
5. The Field Broadens
6. Strewn and Shoeless
7. Lamp In Tavern Window
8. Continuous Cities
9. Pittman's Violets
10. Sometimes You Die
11. Lasko (Friend Side Monkey remix)

Under the Veil of Health (CD and LP are both out of print) (Squealer 019) 1996
Songs: 1. Morretti
2. Empire of the Sun
3. Quibell
4. Trailblazer
5. VFW
6. King George Island
7. Trick Knee
8. Service Entrance Fiasco (Wollensack Mix)

Spatula

Matt Gocke-drums, etc.
Chuck Johnson-guitar, etc.
Chris Eubank-cello, etc.

Influenced by modern classical composition, but with their feet still planted on indie rock terra firma, Spatula developed a modern sound that shared some similarities with Cul De Sac, June of '44, Tortoise or Rachel's.

This intrepid trio from Chapel Hill, NC started out back in 1993 with a split 7" which came with a copy of Stay Free! magazine, and added another in 1994 with a 7" for the (then) Durham-based label the Now Sound. They've continued to expand their sound from those modest beginnings to the present point, where they're now getting lumped in with the cream of the US experimental rock crop. Prior to Under the Veil of Health they released two excellent records on the Jesus Christ label. The songs on Veil came out of the sessions that produced their last full length for JC, Medium Planers and Matchers, and has been augmented by some four track recordings.

Despina By Land was recorded in July of 1997 at Overdub Lane Studios in Durham, NC, and 'balance engineered' by Bob Weston, producer to the stars. The band works through an incredible variety of material, including klezmer-esque pieces, a Captain Beefheart tribute and epic guitar-stroked compositions. There are even a couple of vocal tracks on the record. Guests include Dave Brylawski of Polvo.

"Spatula are a band on the seashore staring in towards the traumatized, brooding, rain-sodden postwar landscape, a group struck mute by the awfulness of it all who can only interpret what they see through colourful, cavernous rhythmic structures, every chord a fractal raindrop, every melody a fluttering retreat".-Phil McMullen, Ptolemaic Terrascope.

Matt once played bass for another Chapel Hill band, 81 Mulberry.

Chuck operates his own tape label, Cirrus Oxide, and also performs under the name Ivanovich. He has several solo recordings planned for release in the future. Cirrus Oxide has a cool new site at http://bullfightparty.org/cirox.

Chris is also a member of Shark Quest, as well as having played with Polycarp, Bicentennial Quarters and every other band in North Carolina at one point or another. Check out our extensive interview with him in the Spring 1999 edition of Fantastic Life!

Despina By Land CD $5 postpaid. *NEW LOW PRICE*


To order the Despina By Land CD click here.

 

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