Waxwing - Demo Cassette (Self, 1996)

This is fucking great. I haven't listened to much of Waxwing's other releases but this tape is gold. Don't know the exact year this was recorded but they formed in 1996 so I'm guessing around then. Originally posted on Pukekos, but I want more people to have a listen.

The band was formed in 1996 after the dissolution of Lying on Loot, of which Rocky Votolato (vocals/guitar) and Rudy Gajadhar (drums) were members. The two began playing music with bassist Andrew Hartley and later recruited Rocky's younger brother Cody as a second guitarist.

The band released a self-titled 7" single for Henry's Finest Recordings before signing with Second Nature Recordings. The band released their debut full-length, For Madmen Only, in 1999 and released a follow-up in 2000, titled One for the Ride. In this time, the band's profile in the Seattle music scene had grown substantially. Rocky had released several solo albums containing material he'd written that didn't fit Waxwing's style while Cody's other band, The Blood Brothers, had gained significant popularity.

The band's 2001 release, Intervention: Collection+Remix, collected the band's numerous vinyl and compilation appearances and a handful of live and rare tracks. In 2002, the band released Nobody Can Take What Everybody Owns and toured briefly in support of the album. In early 2003, the band announced they were taking an indefinite hiatus to focus on their other projects, which now included Gajadhar's role as drummer for Gatsbys American Dream. The band officially broke up in late 2005, stating simply "we are finally calling it quits." The band played 2 farewell shows in the Seattle area in December 2005.

download / last.fm