Buttercup

For me, the coolest part of UBF's first life was in catching up with or meeting for the first time persons who were directly involved with the records posted -- and learning plenty are still active in one way or another.

Among them was/is Greg Knowles, operator of Pennsylvania label and zine Chumpire, established 1990. I posted a couple records he put out in the early to mid '90s--the Ding LP, a couple OX 7"s, some great compilations--and he helped fill the info-gaps. He also, thank you, Greg, filled out my Chumpire collection with releases I didn't previously own. One of my faves was a 1997 7" by Buttercup, whose AF4-like sound spewed super catchy short shots for which I'm nuts.

The northwest Pennsylvania band got its "garage start" in August '96, according to Greg, who played guitar and yelled in the band. "Drummer Scott MacDonald (later of California's The Achievement) left a month later to begin his journalism career in Florida. He secured a pal to take over. So began the practices." Shows were monthly and always in-state, never farther east than Emporium, never farther west than Pittsburgh. After home-dubbing a seven-song, ten-minute demo, the band etched vinyl.

"April, '97, we went to record the 7" in Brooklyn -- pre-hip Brooklyn," Greg said. "Clearfield, Pa., recording wiz Fred Weaver relocated there and set up his 16-track studio in the loft he shared. We tracked the seven songs for the EP plus 'Take On Me' to add to the Totally Fucking the '80s comp LP/CD done by Florida's Boxcar Records."

The In Hand and Underfoot 7" EP came out in June '97, 500 copies pressed. "Bags were decorated with a rudimentary drawing of a buttercup. (Drummer) Simon quit the band before the EP came out. It was a time suck for him."

With hardly any time lost, Chris Strunk of excellent Chumpire band Ding filled the hole and remained aboard Buttercup until the band's June '98 breakup. Said Greg, "Chris went on to South Korea for a stint as an English teacher. He returned to Pittsburgh, got a graduate degree in Library Science, toured and recorded with Crucial Unit, and relocated to Boston by the turn of the century. He now does the Ride the Snake label and continues to beat the skins Moon-style for various bands and projects when he's not working the children's section of a branch of the Boston Public Library.

"It was early fall, '98, when (Buttercup bassist) Mike played his last show," Greg continued. "We played a Pittsburgh basement on a Friday. Later that night was when he called and left a message saying he was done. Chris and I played a show the next night as a two-piece. We did another one like that before Justin Campbell took up the bass.

"The Chris/Greg/Justin version lasted 'til June, '98. We recorded at +/- in Pittsburgh that month. Andy Wright was at the controls. The songs went on a three-way split LP called Basic Training. Bobbykork and Pseudo Heroes (the NWPA band that was the good PH) shared the vinyl. Ghetto Cat from Philly split the release with Chumpire.

"The last show was in a Pittsburgh basement. The set was hampered by requests to turn down (to appease a neighbor) and was a bit of a bummer. The show relocated to another basement and Dillinger Four got to be as loud as they wanted.

"I missed D4. I headed east on the turnpike because I was heading off for a month in Spain."

NOTE: Buttercup's songs, every last one, are to be released as part of the Screaming, With Noise! comp, Greg revealed. "Buttercup will share bit-space with Ding, Chase Squad, the Sonic Compromise and E.B."

Until then, here's a rip of the vinyl version of the great In Hand and Underfoot EP.

And if you have any questions about other Chumpire releases--plenty remain available with original packaging and all--e-mail Greg at chumpire@gmail.com.

TITLE: In Hand and Underfoot EP
LABEL: Chumpire
YEAR: 1997
TRACKS:
Mom's Angry / Departure / Tutti Frutti / Pennies / Some Rest / North of Harrisburg / Stay Put