Wreck was an indie rock band formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1988, and later based in Chicago. After releasing three albums the band split up in the mid-1990s, with singer/guitarist Dean Schlabowske going on to found The Waco Brothers.

Wreck
OriginMilwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
GenresIndie rock, industrial rock
Years active1988–1994
LabelsPlay It Again Sam, Wax Trax!, C/Z
Past membersDean Schlabowske
Bart Flores
Keith Brammer
Kurt Moore

History edit

The band was formed in Milwaukee in 1988,[1] and comprised Dean Schlabowske (later of The Waco Brothers) on electric guitar and vocals, Bart Flores on drums, and Keith Brammer (from Die Kreuzen and Boy Dirt Car) on bass guitar.

The band's first release was a self-titled EP on the Play It Again Sam label in 1989, in association with Wax Trax!, with Steve Albini producing.[1][2] The Milwaukee Journal's Thor Christensen described the EP: "Guitars sound like drums, drums sound like machine guns, and vocalist Schlabowske sounds like he's just swallowed napalm".[2] Debut album Soul Train followed in 1990, also produced by Albini, and described by Allmusic as "abstract, difficult songs...the work of a band that had no desire to compromise its creative vision".[3] The band released another six songs on the House of Boris 12” EP in 1991, by which time Kurt Moore (The Won't, Primasonic) had joined on bass guitar.[4]

The band recorded a second album for Wax Trax! (Your Monkey's on Fire), but it remained unreleased apart from advance cassette copies.[1] The band re-recorded it as El Mundo De Los Niños, with production from Jon Langford of The Mekons, whom Schlabowske then joined in The Waco Brothers.[5]

Schlabowske later formed Dollar Store.[6]

Discography edit

Albums edit

  • Soul Train LP (1990), PIAS
  • El Mundo De Los Niños CD (1994), C/Z

EPs edit

  • Wreck 4-song 12" EP (1989), PIASTRA
  • House of Boris (1991), Wax Trax!

Singles edit

  • "Mikey" 7" single b/w "Funk 49" (1992)

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Proefrock, Stacia "Wreck Biography", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-07-17
  2. ^ a b Christensen, Thor (1990) "Soundings", The Milwaukee Journal, January 23, 1990, p. 2D, retrieved 2011-07-17
  3. ^ Henderson, Alex "Soul Train Review", Allmusic, retrieved 2011-07-17
  4. ^ Locey, Bill (1991) "MUSIC WRECK Screeching Decibels The three-piece guitar band out of Chicago has hit the road for a tour of the West Coast. It will be pulling in to Isla Vista]", Los Angeles Times, October 17, 1991, p. 12
  5. ^ Robbins, Ira "Waco Brothers/Wreck", Trouser Press, retrieved 2011-07-17
  6. ^ Guarino, Mark (2007) "On the money Dollar Store open for business", Daily Herald (Arlington Heights), August 10, 2007