Ashtray Boy

Ashtray Boy functioned simultaneously as a pair of indie pop outfits, one situated in Chicago and the other in Sydney, Australia. Both were fronted by vocalist Randall Lee, an alumnus of the Cannanes and Nice. After Nice dissolved in 1993, Lee began alternating between his native Australia and the United States, which resulted in the formation of the American Ashtray Boy lineup featuring future Pulsars member Dave Trumfio and drummer Justin Niimi. The group’s first album issued under the name, 1993’s The Honeymoon Suite, contained backing vocals from Liz Phair. The 1994 release Macho Champions combined tracks from the Chicago musicians with material from the Sydney unit, whose members included bassist Thomas Tallis and drummer Neil Johnston. Candypants Beach, released the next year, and 1996’s The Everyman's 4th Dimension likewise drew on both rosters. In 2002 Lee departed Australia for Vancouver, British Columbia, where he assembled a Canadian configuration of the band.