BA**h*l*s

Don Howland and Rich Lillash formed Bassholes in Columbus, Ohio, in 1992, after the breakup of their former band, the Gibson Bros. Lillash left after their first record, Blue Roots, and was replaced by the then 19-year-old Lamont "Bim" Thomas. From there, Howland and Thomas formed a telepathic relationship through a string of records that has kept the band active well into the '00s. Delving deeper into the country, folk and Delta blues elements of the Gibson Bros. sound, and with Howland's particularly skewed lyrical sense, Bassholes have put together a body of work that is far closer to a form of modern American folk music than the garage rock or rockabilly tags they are often saddled with. Further setting the band apart is a dedication to lo-fi recording practices and Howland's unruly, often noisy guitar playing, matched by Thomas' open-ended drumming that incorporates blues, rock 'n' roll, and jazz. While the band is a must-see in a live setting, tours are infrequent, and the albums Bassholes produce -- also sporadic -- are generally considered an event when they appear.