Beloved Seattle pop/punk group Fastbacks have surprisingly returned with For WHAT Reason! marking their newest studio record in 25 years. In typical Fastbacks style, the irreverent title seems apt for a group that simply sought to craft memorable punk-infused pop melodies while eluding mainstream success. Ascending within Seattle’s storied DIY rock community in 1979, Fastbacks stood in contrast from their peers, choosing to embrace more melody over aggression but as they witnessed their friends and peers earn commercial success, longtime fans were left to wonder just why Fastbacks never earned further acclaim, despite residing on the storied Sub Pop record label. Primary songwriter and guitar slinger Kurt Bloch reflected on the group’s 2001 disbandment and their unique tour opportunity with Pearl Jam.
“We thought Sub Pop stopped caring, who knows? It’s hard to say. We were thrilled to do that tour with Pearl Jam, it really offered a unique opportunity for us to share our music. We had an off day and an awesome chance to work with John Peel! We were broke as fuck in 1996 but worked out most of the details to do it and Sub Pop just did not seem interested. I guess we felt we were not a priority,” reflected Bloch.
Singer and guitarist Lulu Gargiulo simply stated the group’s decision to disband was not out of frustration but due to the evolving roles of each bandmate.
“It had more to do with some personal things going on in our lives. I had just had a kid in 2000 and Kim Warnick (lead vocals & bass) had joined Visqueen. As far as the commercial recognition, that didn’t play a factor in our decision to disband.”
Fastbacks first captured the hearts of the Seattle DIY community by crafting introspective lyrics contrasted with hyperactive, guitar-driven melodies at Punk tempos. Bloch remains heralded as some form of a ‘guitar hero’, but he immediately dismisses the compliment, choosing to celebrate his band mates instead, happily stating the group did not end on a sour note.
“We never ended on a bad note, no arguing. We did reunite in 2009 for a Seattle festival and always kept our friendships. The idea for the new record was actually not mine! I was the lone dissenter. Kim and Lulu were suggesting how fun it could be to write a record again and before I knew it, our drummer Mike Musburger was on the phone with our friend who had his own studio. I was totally against it at first because I would be the one to write it. Teach the parts to everyone, and eventually get it mastered and assemble all the records in my living room to sell. It’s a lot of work,” laughed Bloch.
For WHAT Reason! features every Fastbacks hallmark. Warnick and Gargiulo’s melodic vocal interplay singing sharply contrasting lyrics penned by Bloch, often featuring themes of isolation, restlessness, and sometimes, the reckless abandon of misplaced hyperactivity. Bloch’s adept guitar work sounds fresh and energized and the record fits perfectly within the group’s expansive catalog.
Gargiulo reflected on the initial inspiration that drove them to return to the studio after over two decades.
“The reason and catalyst for making a new record germinated during the pandemic. Kurt was re-releasing records and I was making some little videos for old songs. We would usually meet for lunch to celebrate a birthday and get new copies of the record. Mike was always saying we should record a new record and we did a couple of songs recently but not much. At lunch, it just clicked. Kurt was not as enthusiastic because he carries most of the heavy lifting; songwriting, recording, and distribution. What we didn’t know was how great that recording was going to be.”
For Bloch, his extensive experience and rich history within Seattle and Fastbacks had made him more introspective, with For What Reason! being the newest driver for him to once again surprise himself as a songwriter.
“I love guitar! I always seem to surprise myself with new reasons as to why I enjoy playing. I never wanted to be in a band for so long that you become numb to music and act robotic. However, when everyone wanted to do a new a record I was like ‘Really? Now?’ because I knew it would be a whole lot of work for me but I love these people. Having laughs and creating together. So I am proud of how it went. There was no arguing and everyone just played their butts off. It’s exactly what I hoped,” shared Bloch.
Gargiulo shared the same enthusiasm, going so far as to celebrate Bloch for his ‘killer songwriting’ and adept record production.
“Before this record, Zucker was my favorite and For WHAT Reason! has a similar quality to it. There’s a combination of fantastic songwriting, great vocals, killer drumming and yet the music has a youthful and exciting quality of production, Thank you Kurt.”
During his tenure in Fastbacks, Bloch refined his engineering and recording skills, often presiding over their studio outputs. Bloch has worked with several friends throughout the years, but his best -recognized achievement came with the raucous rockers, Nashville Pussy, whom were nominated for a Grammy in 1999 for Best Metal Performance. Bloch simply laughs at being able to participate in such an event, simply recalling his experiences as ‘fun’ and ‘unexpected’. Today, Bloch continues his tenure with Gibson Guitars, serving as guitar tech and office assistant.
“I’ve been there 20 years as a consultant. Looking back, we always played those guitars because they had ‘that sound.’ There’s so much new gear today and options, which is great but I still feel a rockin’ Marshall amp should have no more than six knobs! I think for newer bands using all this modeling and digital gear should crank up a 50 watt Marshall and just feel alive! Get a sense for the older bands you listened to and feel what they felt when they began writing and playing on that gear,” shared Bloch.
After the Fastbacks called it a day, Gargiulo pursued a career as a cinematographer, dedicating her energy to learning the careful nuances that shared similarities to her early passion for photography.
“I started photography in high school and there was a brief time where I wanted to be a jockey! It was very short-lived, less than a year, when I got kicked by a horse and broke my collarbone. That was when I pivoted to shooting racehorses for a few years and eventually found myself working in the film industry. There was a lull in shooting when my kid was younger but my career has evolved quite a lot since it started in film, but now I’m shooting only digital. I’ve shot everything from corporate to music videos, to documentaries and scripted narratives,” she shared.
For Fastbacks, the songwriting narrative remains unchanged. Bloch continues crafting guitar-driven melodies as strongly as ever and vocally, the group retains its gleeful pop sensibilities amid its punk foundation.
“I’m happy we never made records under any duress and nobody ever tried to push us in a different direction. I’m totally proud of every record we made and not too many bands that have been around as long as us can say that. Excitement should always be a part of music, especially rock & roll. I’m rather exhausted after finishing this record but I’m glad because I think it turned out great,” concluded Bloch.
Photo: Courtesy of Kurt Bloch
https://fastbacks.bandcamp.com/
