Biography
Emerging from the remnants of Ann Arbor's grunge unit whirlingRoad, Getaway Cruiser captures in its own fashion the shifting currents within alternative rock. Chris and Drew Peters, brothers with a longstanding interest in music, committed themselves to a professional career in the field once they reached the University of Michigan in the first half of the 1990s. While serving as record critics for the institution's conservative journal, The Michigan Review, they simultaneously built whirlingRoad. Intent on retaining full oversight of their output, they launched the independent Skillet Records with guidance from Doug Banker, Ted Nugent's manager, and marketed the venture by blanketing campus surfaces with logo stickers. The group performed at any available venue, from fraternity parties to Ann Arbor's principal club, the Blind Pig.
whirlingRoad's debut full-length arrived in early 1995 just as guitar-centric alt-rock held sway on radio, even though perceptive listeners already sensed indie rock retreating from the recycled '70s metal that defined post-grunge. The album itself remained squarely in post-grunge territory and, despite limited local notice in southeast Michigan, failed to attract a wider audience. Recognizing changing tastes, the Peters brothers and bassist Mark Dundon dissolved whirlingRoad to create Getaway Cruiser. Drawing from dream pop exemplified by the Cranes, electro-pop models such as Curve and Garbage, and Detroit's thriving space-rock community, Chris and Drew began producing experimental recordings that combined drum machines, synthesizers, and distorted guitars. They added University of Michigan student Dina Harrison on vocals and Dan Carroll on drums; the new configuration stabilized in spring 1996 and secured management from the team that had guided fellow Michigan band the Verve Pipe into the Top Ten.
Getaway Cruiser's first album, Phones Calling, appeared on Skillet Records in January 1997 and contained tracks shaped by space-rock figures including Mercury Rev bassist Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Luna) and former Ultra Vivid Scene leader Kurt Ralske. The Instrumentals EP followed the next month, intended to spotlight the group's exploratory direction. By summer 1997 the band and management had used their network to land a deal with Sony's alternative imprint 550 Music. Working with the Butcher Brothers, the production pair behind Cypress Hill and Urge Overkill, Getaway Cruiser tracked its major-label debut in fall 1997. The producers arranged guest spots from Kool Keith and Pras of the Fugees, completing the act's shift from grunge roots to an electronica-aware, hip-hop-engaged, post-Beck hybrid.
Promotion began with a run of Michigan dates in spring 1998, setting the stage for the self-titled album's release on June 2, 1998.
whirlingRoad's debut full-length arrived in early 1995 just as guitar-centric alt-rock held sway on radio, even though perceptive listeners already sensed indie rock retreating from the recycled '70s metal that defined post-grunge. The album itself remained squarely in post-grunge territory and, despite limited local notice in southeast Michigan, failed to attract a wider audience. Recognizing changing tastes, the Peters brothers and bassist Mark Dundon dissolved whirlingRoad to create Getaway Cruiser. Drawing from dream pop exemplified by the Cranes, electro-pop models such as Curve and Garbage, and Detroit's thriving space-rock community, Chris and Drew began producing experimental recordings that combined drum machines, synthesizers, and distorted guitars. They added University of Michigan student Dina Harrison on vocals and Dan Carroll on drums; the new configuration stabilized in spring 1996 and secured management from the team that had guided fellow Michigan band the Verve Pipe into the Top Ten.
Getaway Cruiser's first album, Phones Calling, appeared on Skillet Records in January 1997 and contained tracks shaped by space-rock figures including Mercury Rev bassist Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Luna) and former Ultra Vivid Scene leader Kurt Ralske. The Instrumentals EP followed the next month, intended to spotlight the group's exploratory direction. By summer 1997 the band and management had used their network to land a deal with Sony's alternative imprint 550 Music. Working with the Butcher Brothers, the production pair behind Cypress Hill and Urge Overkill, Getaway Cruiser tracked its major-label debut in fall 1997. The producers arranged guest spots from Kool Keith and Pras of the Fugees, completing the act's shift from grunge roots to an electronica-aware, hip-hop-engaged, post-Beck hybrid.
Promotion began with a run of Michigan dates in spring 1998, setting the stage for the self-titled album's release on June 2, 1998.
Albums
