Superchunk

Infobox musical artist
Name = Superchunk

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Img_capt = Superchunk performing at Cat's Cradle, September 1, 2006.
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Chapel Hill, North Carolina, US
Genre = Indie rock
Years_active = 1989 – present
Label = Matador, Merge
URL = [http://www.superchunk.com Superchunk.com]
Current_members = Mac McCaughan
Laura Ballance
Jon Wurster
Jim Wilbur
Past_members = Chuck Garrison
Jack McCook

Superchunk is an indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, consisting of singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster.

History

Superchunk was formed in 1989 in the town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by Mac McCaughan (guitar and vocals), Laura Ballance (bass), Chuck Garrison (drums), and Jack McCook (guitar). Initially, the band went by the name Chunk (original drummer Chuck Garrison received some junk mail with his name misspelled as "Chunk" Garrison, and the name stuck), and their first single was released under the Chunk moniker. [http://www.westword.com/Issues/1995-04-19/music/backbeat4.html] After adding the "Super" prefix to their name, the first official Superchunk single, "Slack Motherfucker," followed in 1989 on Merge Records, founded by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance. Both releases were well-received, and Superchunk would release its debut self-titled album in 1990 on Matador Records to more critical acclaim.

Jack 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 LP, "No Pocky for Kitty". "No Pocky for Kitty" was recorded in Chicago by Steve Albini in 1991. Chuck Garrison left the band a few weeks before the record’s release, and Jon Wurster was brought on board for drums.

The band put out one more record for Matador, "On the Mouth" in 1993, and then opted to release its own records, through Merge Records. The next album, "Foolish", brought further critical acclaim for the band in 1994. A second singles compilation (the first was 1992’s "Tossing Seeds") came out in the summer of 1995. It was titled "Incidental Music" and contained most of their hard-to-find tracks (imports, B-sides, comp. tracks) released between 1991 - 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". The band then started the writing process for what would become "Indoor Living". Recording commenced 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. [http://www.mergerecords.com/band.php?bio=true&band_id=1]

Superchunk delivered "Come Pick Me Up", their 7th 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.

In 2001, the band released "Here's to Shutting Up," their most recent full-length studio album.

In 2002, Superchunk released two of the three limited-edition Live albums known as The Clambakes series. Clambakes Volume 1 (limited to 1,500 copies) is an acoustic live set recorded in various record stores across the United States in support of "Here's to Shutting Up" and Clambakes Volume 2 (limited to 2,500 copies) is a film score that Superchunk was commissioned to write. It was recorded live at the Castro Theater in San Francisco, April 23, 2002, during the San Francisco International Film Festival at a showing of Kinugasa's 1926 film "A Page of Madness".

"Cup of Sand", released in 2003, is the third singles album compiling all singles and rare tracks from 1995 - 2002.

The third and final 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 10-year anniversary celebration.

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", which has the Superchunk solo version on the A-side, and the Meatwad version on the B-side.

The band has recently played two shows, the Eff Cancer Benefit in Chicago on June 20, 2007, and headlined the inaugural free Pool Parties show at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn, New York. They're also known to still play occasional one-off shows in their home state of North Carolina, usually at the Cat's Cradle venue in Carrboro.

Superchunk also recorded a cover version of "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child for Engine Room Recordings' compilation album "Guilt by Association", set to be released September of 2007.

Discography

ide Projects

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 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.

External links

* [http://www.superchunk.com/ Superchunk.com] - Official site
*myspace|superchunkmusic|name=Superchunk
* [http://www.mergerecords.com/catalog.php?method=band&query_band_id=1& Merge Records site]
* [http://www.scharplingandwurster.com/ Scharpling and Wurster]
* [http://ifpthendirt.com/musicianinterviews.html Handwritten interview with Mac at ifpthendirt]