Frances Gumm

Frances Gumm, an enduring indie rock outfit, adopted the birth name of actress and singer Judy Garland prior to her rise to fame. For over a decade the group has steadily produced high-caliber noise pop. Guitarist and vocalist Paul D. Dickinson has led the project since its founding as a trio in 1990 within the Amherst/Northampton, MA scene that simultaneously gave rise to Sebadoh and New Radiant Storm King. The original members were powerhouse bassist Eric Forst and cerebrally inventive drummer Stephen Healey, previously of legendary Virginia indie-poppers Empty Box. After issuing the extremely limited Pawnbroker Roared cassette, the band delivered the four-song Mercy EP in 1991, whose clang and roar concealed pop hooks matching the caliber of those offered by Pavement, a band Gumm shared bills with repeatedly in 1991 and 1992. The “Vertical Bob”/“Damages Attributed” single appeared in 1992, followed in 1993 by the debut CD Cruella, which propelled Dickinson’s clamorous guitar patterns and penetrating vocals to greater prominence. Frances Gumm next released the excellent “Subtraction” 7" and relocated its operations to St. Paul, MN, the city where Dickinson had established the seminal all-ages club Speedboat Gallery in 1989. The founding lineup then dissolved, with Healey joining Skinner Pilot and Forst forming Menthol Hill. After working with various players, Dickinson stabilized the lineup around drummer Leo Kuelbs and bassist David Theil; the revised group issued the “1989” 7", the Beautiful Friend/Fiend cassette, and the My Sweet Demise CD. Theil departed in 2000 and was succeeded by Jeff Budin (ex-Supermodel), allowing the still-active Gumm to continue with 2002’s Victory Now CD.