Biography
Guitarist Seth Cohen departed Eliot in 1993 and soon sat for an interview with the Chicago weekly New City. Asked about future plans, he spoke of catching a concert that included Unrest, Gastr del Sol and Stereolab. Guitarist Pat O'Connell and drummer Michael Lenzi both contacted Cohen after encountering the piece, prompting the three musicians to launch Number One Cup. The group issued its debut single, "Connecticut," and began performing locally. Former Eliot colleague John Przyborowski handled bass duties until Jenni Synder joined. A second single, "Indie Softcore Denial," appeared before Synder departed. The remaining trio then signed with Flydaddy Records and delivered the full-length Possum Trot Plan in 1995. Pat "Tiger" Reis briefly occupied the bass chair, yet the arrangement proved temporary, so Przyborowski returned on a provisional basis and later became a permanent member. Following completion of the 1998 album People, People, Why Are We Fighting?, Cohen suffered a broken neck during a hockey game, forcing postponement of touring until his recovery. At the record-release event, twelve Chicago bands performed covers drawn from the new material. Przyborowski exited shortly afterward, with Kurt Volk stepping in as replacement. Number One Cup's twisted, guitar-based pop showcases three distinctive vocalists while blending distortion and unusual instrumentation alongside rock-focused, melodic songwriting, prompting frequent favorable comparisons to Pavement, Superchunk and the Flaming Lips.