Kurt Bloch

Kurt Bloch, founder and leader of the Fastbacks, has cemented his standing within the garage rock elite, yet his work as a producer has carried him further into underground circles without quite crossing into wider visibility. His earliest group, the Cheaters, cut a lone 45 in the late 1970s, after which Bloch grew steadily drawn to the technical side of recording. Extended sessions with Conrad Uno at Seattle’s Egg studios gave him the assurance to oversee projects beyond his own band, leading him to helm recordings for the post-punk outfits Gas Huffer, Mudhoney, Tad, and French punk rockers Les Thugs. His productions are defined by a “live in the studio” feel, and the artists he has worked with have remained largely rooted in the Pacific Northwest.