Biography
Deathstar emerged from the northern stretches of California's parched Sacramento Valley with an indie rock approach shaped by Archers of Loaf and Polvo. Guitarist and vocalist Kelly Bauman, bassist Ken Lovgren, and drummer Jim Rizzuto formed the core trio, issuing two EPs during the mid-'90s before launching and then abandoning work on a third release in late 1997. Although original pressings of their modest catalog prove elusive, their standing as underground noise pop figures has extended well past the band's abbreviated studio activity.
Bauman and Lovgren shared high school years in Redding, CA, where Bauman's Case for Radio frequently shared bills with Lovgren's For Pete's Sake at the local Plumbers Union Hall in the late '80s. The two later met again in Chico and brought in ex-Trench drummer Scott Nichol, who soon departed for other locales and left the drum position open until Bauman and Lovgren encountered Jim Rizzuto—previously of Blackout and Pitchfork Tuning—in summer 1994.
The group's initial release arrived as a self-titled 10" EP on San Diego's Silver Girl Records, its six tracks captured on four-track by John McCall inside an abandoned warehouse outside Chico. A spot on the Superwinners Summer Rock Academy compilation, shared with Track Star, Knapsack, the San Francisco Seals, and McCall's band the Imps, appeared in late summer 1996. Regional shows alongside Blonde Redhead, Knapsack, Thinking Fellers Union Local #282, and Deathstar's own touchstones Polvo reinforced the trio's place in the area's indie circuit.
Throughout Deathstar's most active stretch, Bauman also handled drums for Harvester, performing on the rootsy alt-country outfit's 1996 Geffen album Me Climb Mountain and joining a show inside a mine near Nevada City, CA. Meanwhile the band tracked a more polished follow-up at Sacramento's Enharmonik studio, sessions that produced the potent Strikes the Earth EP. Packaging complications held its release on St. Francis Records until summer 1997, the same period when Bauman prepared to relocate to Portland, OR. The members regrouped in Portland that autumn with producer Adam Selzer, later of Norfolk and Western, to attempt material for a third release, but the results proved less fruitful than hoped. Bauman eventually returned to Northern California to form North Magnetic and Arnica Sync, Lovgren joined Ant Farm, and Rizzuto began teaching overseas.
Bauman and Lovgren shared high school years in Redding, CA, where Bauman's Case for Radio frequently shared bills with Lovgren's For Pete's Sake at the local Plumbers Union Hall in the late '80s. The two later met again in Chico and brought in ex-Trench drummer Scott Nichol, who soon departed for other locales and left the drum position open until Bauman and Lovgren encountered Jim Rizzuto—previously of Blackout and Pitchfork Tuning—in summer 1994.
The group's initial release arrived as a self-titled 10" EP on San Diego's Silver Girl Records, its six tracks captured on four-track by John McCall inside an abandoned warehouse outside Chico. A spot on the Superwinners Summer Rock Academy compilation, shared with Track Star, Knapsack, the San Francisco Seals, and McCall's band the Imps, appeared in late summer 1996. Regional shows alongside Blonde Redhead, Knapsack, Thinking Fellers Union Local #282, and Deathstar's own touchstones Polvo reinforced the trio's place in the area's indie circuit.
Throughout Deathstar's most active stretch, Bauman also handled drums for Harvester, performing on the rootsy alt-country outfit's 1996 Geffen album Me Climb Mountain and joining a show inside a mine near Nevada City, CA. Meanwhile the band tracked a more polished follow-up at Sacramento's Enharmonik studio, sessions that produced the potent Strikes the Earth EP. Packaging complications held its release on St. Francis Records until summer 1997, the same period when Bauman prepared to relocate to Portland, OR. The members regrouped in Portland that autumn with producer Adam Selzer, later of Norfolk and Western, to attempt material for a third release, but the results proved less fruitful than hoped. Bauman eventually returned to Northern California to form North Magnetic and Arnica Sync, Lovgren joined Ant Farm, and Rizzuto began teaching overseas.
Albums
Singles
