Crain

The Louisville math rock environment that gave rise to Slint and Rodan also produced Crain, whose deliberate post-hardcore approach shared traits with Helmet and the Jesus Lizard yet derived its complex structures and shifting meters directly from the local scene, which in turn shaped subsequent prominent acts from the area. The group formed in 1989 after Cerebellum disbanded, with Drew Daniel handling vocals, Tim Furnish on guitar, Jon Cook on bass, and Will Chatham on drums. Following a track that appeared on a split 7" with Deathwatch, Daniel departed for college and later formed one half of the experimental techno duo Matmos. Cook assumed lead vocals briefly before Kristen Shelor joined, only for ex-Cerebellum guitarist and singer Joey Mudd to become frontman in early 1990. Mudd performed on the second track of the Crain/Deathwatch split issued that year by Slamdek and also sang on the four-song EP Rocket, released in 1991 on the band's own Automatic Wreckords imprint. This same lineup cut Crain's debut LP, Speed, which Automatic Wreckords put out in 1992 under the production of Steve Albini. After Mudd exited, Cook moved to lead vocals and guitar while bassist Jason Hayden and drummer John Causey joined the fold. Causey remained long enough to record "Coalmine #666" for the Simple Machines compilation Working Holiday! before leaving. When the band reconvened with Albini for its follow-up, Cook covered both guitar and drums and also served briefly as Rodan's first drummer. The resulting album Heater received national distribution via Restless Records in 1994. Full-time drummer Tony Bailey came aboard shortly afterward, and when Hayden later exited he was replaced by Todd Cook. In 1995 the group placed the Heater cut "Hey Cops!" on the soundtrack to the cult indie film Half Cocked. Work on a third album began but remained unfinished when Crain disbanded at the close of 1996. Furnish subsequently formed Parlour alongside Bailey, while Todd Cook played with the For Carnation, Retsin, Four Fifty Six, and the Shipping News.