Josh Hamrick

This is part 2 of a multi-part series I am doing on the music that completely redirected my life.

It was sometime in the fall of 1993. My first (and only) semester at UNC-Wilmington. There was a legendary club in Wilmington called the Mad Monk, where I would end up spending many an evening, but the first time I went was on a Tuesday 3-band, 3-buck night. Not expecting much for $3, I wasn’t let down when the first two bands were only worth about a dollar each. I figured to this point I was breaking even. Getting a little tired, and not sure I wanted to stick around, I’m not sure why I stayed when this group of nerds took the stage:

Seriously, they were wearing  jester hats, and stuff. They reminded me more of a high-school drama troupe than an-up and coming indie rock band.

Luckily, they started playing before I had the chance to leave. Their music was a nice, fun, party rock / funk mix. I had a great time and new I’d hear them again. Shortly thereafter, I found Solid in a local CD shop and picked it up.

The first four songs were pretty good, and produced well, but the rest sounded like they were recorded live on a boom box. I mean, I was indie and all…but this was a bit much. Still, I listened, and some of the tracks grew on me, even through the poor production, though mostly I just liked being reminded of the fun party band I had seen several nights before.

I continued to go watch the band every time they were within a couple of hours. Over the months they got better each time I saw them, and the clubs were more packed out each time I saw them. Somewhere along the way, they ditched the jester hats. Good call.

In 1994 Labrador came out. This was a game changer as far as I was concerned. This took Everything from being a frat party band, to a band who could make serious music about serious topics. They had written some great songs, and the production was more than adequate.  In 96 they put out a live CD, which was pretty good, and in retrospect, was really good.

But then came 1998, and it all changed..DUH, DUN…DUNNNN (that’s ominous music, folks!)

Supernatural ended up being one of the best albums of the 90′s. It still holds up today. The songs are amazing, the playing is unreal, and the production is top-notch. “Hooch” was the breakout hit from the disc, and kind of a summer party song, but it was really the Trojan Horse that got you into the rest of the album.

Unfortunately, Everything may have set the bar too high with Supernatural. They released a couple more discs after this, but none could measure up. After 15 years of constant touring and recording, Everything now goes down as a one-hit wonder.

Hey, at least they had a hit.