Oblivians

• Genre: Garage Rock Revival
• Hometown: Memphis

About

Active from 1993 to 1997, the Oblivians were a major part of the mid-'90s garage rock boom that saw countless releases from indie labels Crypt and In the Red, and with the New Bomb Turks, Cheater Slicks, the Mummies, etc. all ripping off the same Sonics riffs. With two guitars, drums and no bass, Eric (Oblivian), Jack (Oblivian) and Greg (Oblivian) switched off on instruments, spewing a possessed cross between Pussy Galore, the Gories and the Stooges with lots of Jon Spencer-style hoots punctuating the vocals. At their best (on 7-inch or live), the Oblivians made a dirty-minded garage rock racket with avalanches of distortion and unhinged scream-vocals -- 90-second outbursts that could be funny as hell or strangely heartfelt from one to the next. Amid all the 7-inches (at least six), the Oblivians released three proper full-length albums and a collection of recordings made for Sympathy For the Record Industry. Since the band's dissolution in 1997, four compilations of live tracks and studio material have come out. In the wake of that breakup, Greg started the Reigning Sound, Jack began performing as Jack Oblivian and the Tearjerkers and Eric launched Goner Records.

- Mike McGuirk