Biography
Rusty Willoughby stands among Seattle's overlooked figures in alternative music. As a vocalist and guitarist, he gained early acclaim within the Emerald City's underground during the mid-1980s by fronting the neo-psychedelic outfit Pure Joy.
Pure Joy featured bassist Lisa King alongside drummer Jim Hunnicutt. The band avoided the punk-heavy metal fusion prevalent among many Pacific Northwest acts yet built their own dedicated following through tours alongside the Chameleons U.K. and exposure on local alternative radio stations. Still, they remained in the shadow of more intense contemporaries. Named after a track by the Teardrop Explodes, the group issued two albums prior to disbanding toward the end of the 1980s.
Willoughby subsequently formed Flop, enlisting guitarist Bill Campbell, bassist Paul Schurr, and drummer Nate Johnson. This project explored straightforward power pop, echoing the energetic punk of the Jam and the Buzzcocks. Timing issues persisted for Willoughby. Pure Joy missed the early-1980s psychedelic resurgence, while Flop's vibrant, energetic sound clashed with the somber, angst-filled style of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Their 1992 debut, Flop and the Fall of the Mopsqueezer!, appeared via Frontier Records.
Positive reviews and local presence in Seattle led to a deal with Epic Records. Nevertheless, the dominance of grunge obscured the band within modern rock circles. Epic issued the follow-up Whenever You're Ready without adequate support, causing the group's moniker to foreshadow its fate. A swift dismissal from the label followed.
Flop completed one more album, World of Today, before calling it quits. During the 1990s, Willoughby also handled drumming duties for Seattle new wave staples the Fastbacks. He rejoined King and Hunnicutt in Pure Joy during 1995, resulting in the 1998 release Getz, the Worm.
Pure Joy featured bassist Lisa King alongside drummer Jim Hunnicutt. The band avoided the punk-heavy metal fusion prevalent among many Pacific Northwest acts yet built their own dedicated following through tours alongside the Chameleons U.K. and exposure on local alternative radio stations. Still, they remained in the shadow of more intense contemporaries. Named after a track by the Teardrop Explodes, the group issued two albums prior to disbanding toward the end of the 1980s.
Willoughby subsequently formed Flop, enlisting guitarist Bill Campbell, bassist Paul Schurr, and drummer Nate Johnson. This project explored straightforward power pop, echoing the energetic punk of the Jam and the Buzzcocks. Timing issues persisted for Willoughby. Pure Joy missed the early-1980s psychedelic resurgence, while Flop's vibrant, energetic sound clashed with the somber, angst-filled style of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. Their 1992 debut, Flop and the Fall of the Mopsqueezer!, appeared via Frontier Records.
Positive reviews and local presence in Seattle led to a deal with Epic Records. Nevertheless, the dominance of grunge obscured the band within modern rock circles. Epic issued the follow-up Whenever You're Ready without adequate support, causing the group's moniker to foreshadow its fate. A swift dismissal from the label followed.
Flop completed one more album, World of Today, before calling it quits. During the 1990s, Willoughby also handled drumming duties for Seattle new wave staples the Fastbacks. He rejoined King and Hunnicutt in Pure Joy during 1995, resulting in the 1998 release Getz, the Worm.
Albums
