Seaweed (band)

Seaweed is an American band from Tacoma, Washington who were active throughout the 1990s. Their style of music is a combination of various rock subgenres, including grunge and post-hardcore.[2]

Seaweed
OriginTacoma, Washington, United States
Genresgrunge, punk rock, alternative rock, post-hardcore[1]
Years active1989–1999
2007–2014
LabelsSub Pop
Hollywood Records
Merge Records
Tupelo
Associated actsQuicksand
Jawbreaker
Superchunk
Bad Religion
Green Day
MembersAaron Stauffer
Clint Werner
Wade Neal
John Atkins
Jesse Fox
Bob Bulgrien
Alan Cage

History

Seaweed and Despised (1989–1991)

The band started out in 1989, consisting of vocalist Aaron Stauffer, guitarist Clint Werner, guitarist Wade Neal, bassist John Atkins, and drummer Bob Bulgrien. All 5 members were still attending high school at the time, and most of them were already active in other local bands. Their first major tour was alongside the band Superchunk.[3] Throughout the next few years, the band would release various one-off singles. In 1990, a smaller label known as Tupelo (known for releases by the bands Jawbreaker, Nirvana, and The Melvins) approached the band to release their first album. Instead, the band compiled their previous singles, and recorded 1 new song, to release Seaweed. As stated in later interviews [4] and the name of the band's 1993 album, this is considered to be the band's first major release.

In 1990, Seaweed signed to the thriving Seattle label Sub Pop. The label wanted a single but the band wanted a full-length.[5] They met halfway, and released the EP Despised. 6 songs would be brand new tracks, recorded with producer Jack Endino. The remaining 4 tracks were slightly remixed from their previous release, Seaweed; thus, angering their former label Tupelo.

Weak and Four (1992–1994)

The band continued their relationship with Sub Pop, releasing their third major release (and first actual full-length) in 1992, titled Weak. Again produced by Endino, the band supported the album with a summer U.S. tour, followed by a condensed European tour with the band Pavement, stretching 69 shows over 71 days. After the exhausting touring schedule, the band went home to record their follow-up album. After impressing Sub Pop with their self-production work on a 2-song single titled "Measure",[6] the label allowed the band to self-produce their 1993 effort Four (being the band's 4th major release). Sub Pop promoted the album more heavily than their past albums, releasing more versions of this album and having their songs featured on more compilations.[7] Around this time, Seaweed toured with the bands Bad Religion and Green Day, a tour that Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt joked as "The BadGreenWeed Tour".[8] Four contained the single "Kid Candy", which was most prominently featured in a season 4 episode of the TV show Beavis and Butt-head. "Losing Skin" was also released as a single from this album, and would be more prominently featured on the soundtrack for the video game NHL 2K7 13 years later.[9] Seaweed would get another shot at exposure, as their cover of Fleetwood Mac's hit song "Go Your Own Way" was featured in the 1994 film Clerks and its soundtrack, despite being recorded a year earlier. Also in 1994, the band made an appearance on the radio program hosted by John Peel.[10]

Spanaway and Actions and Indications (1995–1999)

After fulfilling their contract to Sub Pop, Seaweed found a new home on major record label Hollywood Records. Their 1995 album Spanaway became the band's major label debut, and their most successful to date.[11] The single "Start With" would be Seaweed's only appearance on a Billboard chart, peaking at #38 on the Alternative Songs chart in 1995.[12] In the summer of that year, Seaweed was notable as being a part of the lineup for the first ever Vans Warped Tour; however, unlike many of the other bands, they would not make anymore appearances after that year. Despite the label's initial large financial advance and marketing promises, the album did not sell well as expected. It took the band over a year to be released from their contract.

Afterwards, the band would experience their first lineup change, as drummer Bulgrien left the band. He was replaced by Quicksand drummer Alan Cage. They would decide on the label Merge Records as their next home. The label was putting out albums by Seaweed's friends such as Superchunk and Neutral Milk Hotel, and so the transition was seamless. The band's next album, Actions and Indications, came out in early 1999; however, the exposure from their previous 2 albums had diminished, and the band was exhausted from touring. After playing an anniversary show for Merge Records in the summer of 1999, Seaweed disbanded.

Reunion (2007–2014)

In 2007, Seaweed reunited to play sporadic shows, including Sub Pop's 20th anniversary show in 2008. The reunited lineup included new member Jesse Fox on drums. The band had mentioned a new album was being recorded, titled Small Engine Repair. The album never came to fruition, as the band did not have a creative drive, and also did not want to extensively tour. A few songs from these sessions were later released in 2011, as the "Service Deck"/"The Weight" single. Since the band's albums spanned different labels, the only release to see a reissue is 1999's Actions and Indications, which included 3 unreleased bonus tracks as a download.[13] Since their reunion in 2007, the band has played various shows and festivals, but no full tour. Their last show was in May 2014. Frontman Stauffer works as a nurse in Northern California and has said "It’s hard to play a show because it hurts me physically. I only have one show in me. I can’t do two."[14]

Band members

Final
  • Aaron Stauffer – vocals (1989–1999, 2007–2014)
  • Clint Werner – guitar (1989–1999, 2007–2014)
  • Wade Neal – guitar (1989–1999, 2007–2014)
  • John Atkins – bass (1989–1999, 2007–2014)
  • Jesse Fox – drums (2007–2014)

Former
  • Bob Bulgrien – drums (1989–1996)
  • Alan Cage – drums (1996–1999)

Discography

Albums
  • Seaweed (EP) (1990, Leopard Gecko/Tupelo)
  • Despised (EP) (1991, Sub Pop)
  • Weak (1992, Sub Pop)
  • Four (1993, Sub Pop)
  • Spanaway (1995, Hollywood Records)
  • Actions and Indications (1999, Merge Records)

Singles
  • Seaweed 7" (1989, Leopard Gecko)
    1. "Inside"
    2. "Stargirl"
    3. "Re-think"
    4. "Love Gut"
  • Just A Smirk 7" (1990, Leopard Gecko)
    1. "Just A Smirk"
    2. "Installing"
  • Seaweed/ Superchunk/ Geek" (1990, Leopard Gecko)
    1. "Patchwork"
  • Deertrap 7" (1991, K Records)
    1. "Deertrap"
    2. "Carousel"
  • Bill 7" (1992, Subpop)
    1. "Bill"
    2. "Pumpkin (Wwax)"
  • Bill 12"/CD (1992, Subpop)
    1. "Bill"
    2. "Pumpkin (Wwax)"
    3. "Squint: The Killerest Expression"
  • Measure 7" (1992, Subpop)
    1. "Measure"
    2. "Turnout"
  • Measure 12"/CD (1992, Subpop)
    1. "Measure"
    2. "Turnout"
    3. "Taxing" (demo version)
  • Go Your Own Way CD (1993, Subpop)
    1. "Go Your Own Way"
    2. "Losing Skin" (remix)
    3. "Card Tricks"
    4. "She Cracked" (Nathan Rox)
  • Go Your Own Way 7"/CD (1993, Subpop)
    1. "Go Your Own Way"
    2. "Losing Skin" (remix)
    3. "She Cracked"
  • Kid Candy PROMO CD (1993, Subpop)
    1. "Kid Candy" (radio edit)
    2. "Sing Through Me"
    3. "Shephard's Pie"
  • Free Drug Zone CD (1995, Hollywood)
    1. "Baggage" (demo version) CD only
  • Free Drug Zone/Losing Skin Green Vinyl 7" (1996, Hollywood)
    1. "Baggage" (demo version) CD only
  • Service Deck/The Weight 7" (2011, No Idea Records)

Music Videos
  • One Out of Four (1991)
  • Bill (1992)
  • Squint (1992)
  • Measure (1993)
  • Losing Skin (1993)
  • Kid Candy (1993)
  • Start With (1995)

Compilation appearances
  • The Estrus Lunch Bucket (Estrus, 1990)
    • "Bewitched"
  • Three's A Company (Simple Machines/Merge Records/Leopard Gecko, 1990)
    • "Patchwork"
  • The Estrus Half-Rack (Estrus, 1991)
  • International Pop Underground Convention (K Records, 1991)
    • "Bill"
  • Fortune Cookie Prize (Simple Machines, 1992)
    • "Foggy Eyes" (Beat Happening)
  • Revolution Come 'n' Gone (Subpop, 1992)
    • "Baggage"
  • International Hip Swing (K Records, 1993)
    • "Deer Trap"
  • Alternative Route '94 (?)
    • "Losing Skin"
  • Jabberjaw No. 4 (Mammoth Records, 1994)
    • "My Letters"
  • Jabberjaw No. 5 Good To The Last Drop (Mammoth Records, 1994)
    • "My Letters"
  • John Peel Sub Pop Sessions (Sub Pop, 1994)[15]
    • "Sit in Glass"
    • "She Cracked"
  • Music From The Motion Picture Clerks (Sony, 1994)
    • "Go Your Own Way"
  • West X North-South (Vagrant Records, 1995)
    • "Sing Through Me"
  • Oh, Merge (Merge Records, 1999)
    • "Brand New Order"
  • Live At Emo's (Rise Records, year ?)
    • "Baggage"
  • Patchwork Compilation (Mere Exposure Records, 2002)
    • "Days Missed Dearly"
  • Nowcore! The Punk Rock Evolution (K-tel, 1999)
    • "Start With"

References
  1. "ConcertArchives". Concert Archives. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. "ConcertArchives". Concert Archives Entry. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. "nwpas". Northwest Passage's Story on Seaweed. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  4. "vice". Interview With Aaron Stauffer. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. "vice". Interview With Aaron Stauffer. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. "vice". Interview With Aaron Stauffer. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  7. "discogs". Seaweed's Discogs Entry. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  8. "YT". 1993 Green Day Interview. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  9. Leach, Gracie (2010-10-03). "NHL 2K7 - Overview". Allgame.com. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  10. John Peel Sub Pop Sessions 1989-1993 AllMusic
  11. "nwpas". Northwest Passage's Story on Seaweed. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  12. "Billboard Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-12-24.
  13. "discogs". Seaweed's Discogs Entry. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  14. Lindsay, Cam (July 9, 2015). "Rank Your Records: Seaweed's Aaron Stauffer Rates the (Mostly Dormant) Band's Six Albums". Vice.com.
  15. John Peel Sub Pop Sessions 1989-1993 AllMusic
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