Shirk Circus

An accidental encounter amid the "Ween" section of a Hoboken, New Jersey record store sparked the formation of Shirk Circus. Josh Silverman on guitar and vocals, Bob Britton on bass, and Chris Maggio on drums assembled the original lineup in 1991, intent on delivering obnoxious, angst-filled pop-punk in the style of early Descendants. Months of activity that included several gigs, a six-song demo, and multiple drummer changes culminated in Frank Lieberum taking over behind the kit, after which the band entered a year-long hiatus. The group reconvened in 1993, issued the four-song EP "Because of You, I Missed the Guess Who Concert," and added Dan Shafer on bass, leading to the release of their debut full-length "Words to Say" the following year on Bar/None Records. A pair of United States tours preceded the arrival of the follow-up album "March" in 1995.