Superchunk

By creating a singular sound and sticking to their guns no matter what, Superchunk became one of the most important U.S. indie bands of the '90s. Formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina by singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, bassist Laura Balance, guitarist Jack McCook (later replaced by Jim Wilbur), and drummer Chuck Garrison (succeeded by Jon Wurster), Superchunk crafted a sound that combined the attack of punk, the intellect and intensity of post-punk, and pop-informed song structure. Their self-titled 1990 debut album came out on Matador Records, as did their next two, but when Matador made a major-label distribution deal, the band-which had already turned down offers from the majors-jumped ship, releasing 1994's Foolish on their own label, Merge Records, which had previously focused on singles. By this time the band's sound had begun to expand, incorporating different textures and a more eclectic songwriting stance. The album was reportedly influenced by the breakup of Balance and McCaughan's romantic relationship, adding further to the maturity of its approach. By the time Superchunk released its eighth album, 2001's appropriately titled Here's To Shutting Up, Merge had become a phenomenon unto itself, with a huge catalog of other artists and a hugely respected DIY reputation. The album would be the band's last for nearly a decade, though they never broke up and remained sporadically active over the next several years, while McCaughan continued working with his longtime side project, Portastatic. Superchunk finally released its ninth album, Majesty Shredding, in 2010, to a rapturous reception from their hardy but hungry audience. They followed it up three years later with I Hate Music, though Ballance was kept from joining her bandmates on tour in support of the album due to a hearing problem called hyperacusis. In 2017 Superchunk released the limited-edition 45 "I Got Cut" in order to benefit Planned Parenthood.