Biography
Forstella Ford built its sound on strict yet energetic rock principles, channeling songs through fiery guitar passages and forceful drumming patterns that placed the group squarely within the most intense corners of alternative pop/rock. Caustic words and understated infusions of hardcore further shaped their material, producing a distinctive hybrid edge. Originally known as Only Airplanes Count, the Milwaukee, WI quartet came together in 1996, led by Mark Sheppard on guitar and vocals alongside Nick Sheppard on bass and vocals, Whitney Teska on drums, and Ryan Poulsen on guitar. A year after their initial rehearsals the band contributed to the twelve-act collection What’s Mine Is Yours, issued by Deep Elm Records. Their first Midwest trek, shared with Sunday Flood in 1997, earned them strong regional notice, while a split release with Stillwell that same year expanded their reach. The nine-song Relics of an Unseen Life appeared in 1998 and signaled rising visibility; shortly afterward Poulsen departed and Jim Sardino stepped in. The revised lineup maintained a heavy touring schedule across the Midwest and Southwest, attracting wider attention. Their second full-length, Insincerity Down to an Artform, surfaced in 2000 on The Mountain Cooperative. The following year they issued the EP Dismal State of the Art, then laid down the album Quietus, after which they began organizing an extensive debut tour spanning the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Albums
