Poundsign

#poundsign# emerged as an indie pop outfit whose languid and reflective songs echo the atmospheres of Galaxie 500, the Smiths, and the Field Mice. Stephen Vesnecky, Alicia Vanden Heuvel—who later became a central figure in the Aislers Set—and Becky Barron established the band in 1993 after first crossing paths the previous year at UC-Santa Cruz. Vanden Heuvel recalled their early days in a conversation with the ’zine Movers and Shakers: “We were all friends and would drive around late at night and hang out at Ferrell’s Donuts. And then we just sort of did what came naturally and started practicing music together.” Their debut 7-inch, “The Almondy Many,” appeared on the Ann Arbor, MI-based imprint Fantastic Records in 1996, followed the next year by the single “Michigan” on Belmondo Discs. Fantastic issued the trio’s first album, Wavelength, during spring 1998. Jaime Knight of the Guild League augmented the lineup for the subsequent long-player, Underneath the Marquee, which Fantastic released three years afterward. Shortly after that record’s arrival the group entered a period of inactivity, allowing its founding members to pursue separate endeavors: Vesnecky assembled the likeminded pop project Strega, Barron—who had already parted ways with Scrabbel on friendly terms—joined forces with Dressy Bessy, and Vanden Heuvel remained active with the Aislers Set.