MOTH

Emerging from Cincinnati's garage scene during the late 1980s, Moth fused indie rock aesthetics with sharp pop melodies as a modern rock quartet. Childhood friends Brad Stenz and Bob Gayol first explored punk textures in their Ohio hometown, later pursuing a sleeker and more contemporary direction upon reaching young adulthood. Guitarists Stenz and Gayol relocated to New York, where they joined forces with the Replacements' Tommy Stinson alongside drummer Josh Freese. Although that casual atmosphere encouraged studio experimentation among the four musicians, Stenz pushed for a steadier lineup. Rocket From the Crypt's Atom Willard assumed drumming duties while Hedwig and the Angry Inch's Ted Liscinski handled bass, securing a Virgin contract during spring 2001. Provisions, Fiction & Gear appeared the next year.