Tree Fort Angst

Originating in Washington, D.C., the indie pop group Tree Fort Angst started out when singer/songwriter Terry Banks, who had previously played in St. Christopher on Sarah Records and in glo-worm led by Pam Berry, pursued a solo acoustic path. The primary influences came from the Postcard label's early 1980s aesthetic, particularly the styles of Orange Juice and Aztec Camera. In 1991, TFA put out its first cassette release, Fifteen Songs of Vim and Vigor, on its own. The next year saw the appearance of the track "You Should've Seen the One That Got Away" on the SpinArt compilation One Last Kiss, along with the Six Songs EP on A Turntable Friend from Germany. Banks brought in bassist John Gotschalk and drummer Hunter Duke during 1992, and their initial output together was the Velodrome EP titled Buzzing with Beauty and Wonder. "Trampoline" found its way onto at least three different compilations in 1993, as Tree Fort Angst put forth the flexidisc "Parting Kiss" in France and took part in the split EP Calling at Duke Street. TFA followed up in 1994 with the EPs Tilting at Windmills and Hope. Summer 1994 marked the end of the band, after which Banks joined the Saturday People and Gotschalk became part of the Red Hot Lava Men. Bus Stop put together the 1996 collection Knee Deep in the Rococo Excess of Tree Fort Angst, which Foxyboy later brought back out in 2002 as Last Page in the Book of Love with an additional ten tracks included.