In an interview by longtime Free Times contributor Kevin Oliver, Columbia music matriarch Danielle Howle once spoke of the post-Hootie perception that there existed a definitive “Columbia sound”; the only thing Columbia bands had in common, Howle opined, is that they all sounded different.
It’s a strange piece of logic, to be sure, but the divine Ms. Howle has a point. And that’s what The Great Columbia Mixtape is all about: Showcasing the breadth of artistry here in the Capital City, all while revisiting some iconic songs from years past and unearthing some of the gems from the current crop of bands.
Sure, The Great Columbia Mixtape features some obvious choices — hey, you wouldn’t make a Zeppelin mixtape and leave off “Rock ‘n’ Roll,” would you? But like any good compilation, The Great Columbia Mixtape is an effort to celebrate the music of the city and, in doing so, perhaps even educate a few folks on some songs they might not know about, whether they’ve been lost in the annals of history or whether the ink’s still drying on the sheet music.
Columbia has produced some amazing music over the years, but this is by no means a list of the best songs written by Columbia musicians (though they’re all really damn good). Rather, the songs on The Great Columbia Mixtape are merely what we at Free Times think make a good representation of what music in Columbia is all about. We’ve culled this list from over 30 years of Columbia music, packing it with blasts from the past, noise from current noisemakers and maybe even a few sentimental favorites and some famous songs from some Columbia expatriates. Best of all, you can listen to the list online at
free-times.com. (We also solicited some lists from some local cognoscenti; you can also check those out at free-times.com.)
We know there’s no pleasing everybody, and much in the same way that you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, you can’t compile a mixtape without hurting a few feelings. So we ask you: What did we leave off? What would you put on your Columbia mixtape? Drop us a line at music@free-times.com, or drop by The Playlist blog at free-times.com.
Here, in chronological order, we present The Great Columbia Mixtape.
The Sequence
“I Don’t Need Your Love”
The Sequence (1982)
Believe it or not, there was pop music being made in town well before Darius Rucker and crew came along. Nearly a decade-and-a-half prior to Cracked Rear View, there was this trio of rap divas, which included a young Angie Stone (then Angie Brown Stone) among its members and went on to inspire a generation of confident, self-assured and liberated lady rappers. (See: Salt N Pepa.) “I Don’t Need Your Love” wasn’t the group’s biggest hit — that’d be “Funk You Up” — but it’s one of its finest performances.
Bedlam Hour
“Grey Sweater”
Rock the Cradle (1987)
Punk rock band Bedlam Hour was infamous for its “Frankenberry Mosh,” but these self-proclaimed “gods of rock ‘n’ roll power” sure did clean up nice, especially on this endearing number about falling for a straight-edge girl. “Grey Sweater” is perhaps the world’s most perfect punk-rock love song, melding Minor Threat’s positive-hardcore attitude and Cheap Trick’s power-pop hooks.
Bachelors of Art
“Cut the Ropes”
Descend Again (1988)
In addition to being one of the biggest draws of its day, Bachelors of Art have the distinct standing of being one of the first bands recorded by longtime Columbia recording guru Jay Matheson, the group’s bass player.
Antischism
“Greedy Bastards”
Live in the Studio (1990)
One of Columbia’s seminal hardcore outfits, Antischism remains legend among the crust and Anarchist punk communities for its brutal, crushing grindcore and its message of resistance and defiance. Dig Kevin Byrd’s twisted, intricate guitar riffs.
Drink Small
“Baby, Leave Your Panties
at Home”
The Blues Doctor (1990)
Though Bishopville is hometown, Drink Small’s called the Capital City home for some time now. The Blues Doctor really can do it all — slide blues, jump blues, Delta blues, Chicago blues, barrelhouse piano — but “Baby” shows that Small’s often at his nicest when he’s being naughty.
49 Reasons
“Toll Booth”
A Crock of Who Struck Willie (1991)
49 Reasons migrated from Florence to Columbia in 1989 and quickly became one of Columbia’s seminal pop-punk acts. “Toll Booth” predates Green Day by about half a decade, but 49 Reasons perfected the perfect pop-punk format — bouncy, bucolic guitars, driving rhythms and heartfelt lyrics — well before the mainstream audience caught on.
Spigot
“Scorched Tongue”
Scorched Tongue 7” (1991)
Spigot was (and remains) one of Columbia’s most unique bands, and the A-side to the titular seven-inch contains everything that made Spigot distinctive: Odd time signatures; schizophrenic arrangements; a contorting rhythm section; and the indelible vocals of Liz Elliot (now in Grey Egg).
one3four
“Power of the Dark Side”
one3four (1992)
This foursome purveyed, as it says on its posthumous MySpace site, “Bioretributive Deconstructionism”; we’ll just go ahead and say that one3four played an especially angular and chaotic brand of hardcore punk that was heavy on dissonant flights of fancy. But “Power of the Dark Side” showed the band had a lighter side, too, as it samples TIE fighter fly-bys and rancor screams.
Blightobody
“Party Snout”
Party Snout 7” (1993)
Art Boerke once said of this ensemble: “Some bands are original, but bad; other bands are unoriginal, but still pretty good. Blightobody is easily among the few bands that manage to be both highly original, and, well, damn good.” In August 1994, Blightobody won the AT&T-sponsored Best College Band in America competition, leading to appearances on the E! network and on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, where the band performed this song.
Lay Quiet Awhile
“Time Won’t Help”
Delicate Wire (1993)
Yes, Lay Quiet Awhile was where Danielle Howle first really made a name for herself as a frontwoman, but to reduce Lay Quiet Awhile to simply a Howle-fronted act belittles the fervor and precision of the rest of its members — guitarist Phil Cook, brother bassist (and current Free Times editor) Dan Cook and drummer Troy Tague (and later Dave Wright). Delicate Wire was filled with eclectic bursts of neo-folk and art-rock, and it’s tough to choose a standout. But “Time Won’t Help” was an early-‘90s WUSC staple, and it’s been covered on multiple occasions by other local artists. Like many iconic Columbia tunes, “Time Won’t Help” was featured on the landmark 1992 compilation Please No Profanity.
Hootie and the Blowfish
“Only Wanna Be With You”
Cracked Rear View (1994)
Like Nirvana to Seattle, R.E.M. to Athens, or — perhaps more appropriately — The Dave Matthews Band to Charlottesville, Va., the musical legacy of Columbia will, to many amateur musical historians, begin and end with Hootie and the Blowfish. While such a legacy decries this town’s varied and oft-overlooked musical history, the fact of the matter is that Hootie, you know, sold a boatload of albums. (To date: 16 million and counting of Cracked Rear View alone.) “Only Wanna Be With You” wasn’t Cracked Rear View’s first (that’d be “Hold My Hand”) or highest-charting single (that’d be “Time”), but it certainly was the one that was the most fun, illustrating Hootie’s universal appeal. Its lazy, summery jangle and Darius Rucker’s gruff ‘n’ croon vocal stylings both dominated and defined Adult Alternative pop in the mid-to-late ‘90s. And while the benefits of Hootie’s success were short-lived in the Capital City, its legacy as the birthplace of the band is cemented.
Hootie and the Blowfish
“Drowning”
Cracked Rear View (1994)
While Hootie isn’t known for writing especially deep music, the group occasionally touched on social matters. “Drowning” wasn’t one of Cracked Rear View’s mammoth singles, but it is one of the group’s better songs. A rumination on race relations in the mid-‘90s South, Rucker poses a question that we still ask today: Just why is the Confederate naval jack flying on the grounds of the State House? (Note: This song dates back well before Hootie’s major-label days; a demo version of the song appeared on 1992’s landmark Please No Profanity compilation.)
Assfactor 4
“Dorothy”
Assfactor 4 (1995)
“Dorothy” is a quintessential example of mid-‘90s Columbia punk. Purveyors of exceptionally hyper punk (think: Rites of Spring, Heroin), Assfactor 4 put out a few records on Old Glory Records, which also released discs from Avail and In/Humanity. “Dorothy” whips along at breakneck pace, packing two minutes chock full of throat-shredding vocals, buzzy thrash riffs and elemental fury.
Danielle Howle
“Big Puffy Girl Handwriting”
Live at McKissick Museum (1996)
Amazon.com writer Andy Waltzer probably put it best: “Seeing Danielle Howle perform live affects the senses like cotton candy and a twirl on a Ferris wheel. Her boundless wit and enthusiasm, matched with her twisting folk-country tunes, all served up in a careening tuneful drawl, present a unique and exciting experience.” Indeed, this live, unaccompanied version of “Big Puffy Girl Handwriting” (which The Tantrums fleshed out on Skorborealis) has a similar effect, with Howle transfixing the listener with her earthy voice and snarky, cynical lyrics.
In/Humanity
“Teenage Suicide — Do It”
The Nutty Antichrist (1996)
In/Humanity was not tuneful, nor was it by any stretch of the imagination pretty or intended for mass consumption. Purveyors of “emo-violence,” what followers didn’t know was that the faux-genre was just a joke perpetuated by this Chris Bickel-fronted group. The idea, Bickel espoused, was simply to get a reaction. Bickel’s tapped “Teenage Suicide” as one of his personal favorite In/Humanity tunes, but, really, you could crank any In/Humanity track at random and get the same blast of sonic fury: Distorted vocals; raging, screaming hardcore that veers toward walls of white noise; sick, satirical humor. In certain parts of the country, there’s still a great amount of reverence for this seminal hardcore outfit.
Danielle Howle & the Tantrums
“She Has a Past”
Do a Two Sable (1997)
If it seems as if there’s an abundance of Danielle Howle songs here … well, it’s because she’s written an abundance of good songs in a variety of different styles, from rock to folk to country swing. “She Has a Past” is certainly a rocker, and its Middle Eastern tinges give it a flair that helped it stand out when it received some regional airplay back when Do a Two Sable was released.
Self
“Turncoat Stranger”
Jam Room Compilation, Vol. 1 (1997)
Sure, every local kid from age 15 to 21 picked up Codename Spivey when it came out in 1998, and “Too Punk for Prom” was the band’s biggest fan favorite, but “Turncoat Stranger” is hands-down the better song, possessing an absolutely killer opening riff, a dynamite hook and perhaps John Sease’s finest vocal take. Seriously, it’s criminal how underrated “Turncoat Stranger” is.
Sourwood Honey
“All My Relations”
Oxydendrum Arboretum (1997)
Featuring the late Chris Conner (as well as an all-star cast that included Ryan Goforth, Les Hall and Herbie Jeffcoat), Sourwood Honey was a groove-oriented Southern rock band with a penchant for high-energy songs and improvisational flights of fancy. “All My Relations” found the band at its peak.
Speed Kitty
“New Psychic Revolution”
Phantom Radio compilation (1997)
Though it wrapped itself in gauzy shoegaze sound exemplified by My Bloody Valentine, The Drop Nineteens and Slowdive, Speed Kitty (later Science Knows No Sin) still possessed the ability to pummel the listener with thick, fuzzy classic rock riffs and piercing solos. Other bands have tried to piece together those elements, but Speed Kitty’s “New Psychic Revolution” got it right the first time.
Treadmill Trackstar
“Velveteen”
Only This (1997)
One of the benefits of Hootie’s success was its launching of Breaking Records, the quartet’s effort at exposing some of South Carolina’s homegrown, grassroots talent. Breaking released records by Jump, Little Children and Cravin’ Melon, but its biggest shoulda-been was Columbia quartet Treadmill Trackstar. Were there any justice in the world, songs like “Velveteen,” with its driving rhythm, smart lyrics and warm cello melodies, would have dominated the post-grunge landscape.
Guyana Punch Line
“Something About Smashism”
Maximum Smashism (1999)
Guyana Punch Line spent its five years espousing the tenets of Smashism, which, as laid out by Chris Bickel, turned art into garbage and vice versa. Barreling listeners with spastic fits of thrashing hardcore, Guyana Punch Line laced its wailing hardcore with Dead Kennedys-esque dark humor and political commentary.
From Safety to Where
“Remainder”
Mapping 7” (2000)
Wiry post-punk trio From Safety to Where was poised for bigger things before souring internal relations killed the band, but the trio pounded out some damn good material in its existence. “Remainder” is a perfect introduction to the band; it skitters along with jittery, jangly guitars and a caffeinated beat before exploding into a destructive ball of hate.
Beat Junction Project
“The Marriage
(Melody and Verbs)”
Circa 197? … The Dirty Versions (2001)
A crew of emcees and turntablists inspired by the Native Tongues hip-hop collective, The Beat Junction Project’s mission was to “change the rules and the standards of hip-hop.” While the collective might have fallen short of its goal, it still churned out some gritty, emotionally charged hip-hop, as on “The Marriage,” the piano-driven hook to which is still one of the finest ever produced in the Capital City.
Burns Out Bright
“Halo”
Incandescent Light (2001)
Proof that sometimes you can’t overestimate a good first impression, “Halo” was the first track on Burns Out Bright’s first release, Incandescent Light. It quickly became a fan favorite, mostly due to its absolutely monster hooks.
Bolt
“Robot”
7Kr01 (2001)
One of the most adventurous instrumental ensembles to come out of the Capital City, Bolt fused math-rock time signatures, prog-rock dynamic shifts and gnashing post-rock riffs into a hypnotic brand of music that was as playful as it was muscular. “Robot,” while one of the band’s earliest songs, set the course Bolt would follow until its demise in 2006.
Isabelle’s Gift
“Beer and Loathing in
Lost Vegas”
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (2001)
As Isabelle’s Gift has been active in Columbia since the early ‘90s, it’s hard to pin down one song that defines the band. But “Beer and Loathing” is a good introduction: Like a cross between Sabbath and Skynryd, it’s a raucous, Southern rock-influenced alt-rock song with serious balls.
Captain Easy
“Sex on TV”
Picture Perfect World (2002)
This local sextet was thrown together at the last minute for a St. Patrick’s Day performance but turned into one of the Southeast’s biggest touring draws. A classic fan favorite, “Sex on TV” is classic Captain Easy: Loose, playful and impeccably precise.
Iron and Wine
“Bird Stealing Bread”
The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002)
No, Sam Beam didn’t make a name for himself in Columbia. But Mr. Beam called Columbia home through his high school years, and cut his teeth by writing hushed bedroom folk songs in the Irmo-Chapin area.
Love Apple
“Winnie”
Love Apple (2002)
Written about Kevin Arnold’s flame on The Wonder Years, “Winnie” was Love Apple’s pitch-perfect imitation of the wistful geek-rock that made Ozma and Weezer famous. And “Winnie” dominated WUSC’s airtime upon its release.
Boxing Day
“Fall Away”
Above It All (2004)
Another Columbia outfit with a cup of coffee on a major label, Boxing Day’s “Fall Away,” with its anthemic chorus and driving hooks, should have been given a fairer shake by modern rock radio. Half of the band, guitarists Todd Mathis and Noel Rodgers, now plays in the wildly popular Americana-rock act American Gun.
Crossfade
“Cold”
Crossfade (2004)
Or: “How To Make a Platinum Record in Your Garage.” Ten years post-Cracked Rear View, Crossfade came along, landed a major-label deal with Columbia Records and dominated Billboard’s Mainstream and Modern Rock charts — No. 3 and No. 2, respectively — to give Columbia its first (and, so far, only) legitimate, mainstream breakout hit. Sure, Crossfade did it by approximating the most marketable elements of Nickelback’s power chords and Staind’s melodrama, but hey, one can’t argue with platinum-selling results.
Hot Lava Monster
“Undertow”
The Way of the Dinosaur (2004)
One of Columbia’s most potent rock outfits, Hot Lava Monster is driven by Mike Schaming’s white-hot guitar riffs and Patrick Baxley’s golden rock voice. “Undertow” is perhaps Baxley’s finest performance; fitting, as the song is written about Jeff Buckley, an obvious influence.
Baumer
“Take What’s Mine”
Come On, Feel It (2005)
Another independent-breakout success story, Baumer was built to make you dance. And the quartet did so with exceptional aplomb. “Take What’s Mine,” and its ensuing video, got the band some national attention.
Stretch Arm Strong
“The Sound of Names Dropping”
Free At Last (2005)
Hootie and Crossfade weren’t the only Columbia bands to have ever signed major-label deals. In 2005, hard-working hardcore heroes Stretch Arm Strong inked a deal with Warner Bros. imprint We Put Out Records; “Sound” was essentially its single, and its video got some airplay on MTV, Fuse and other music-television networks.
Sunshone Still
“Damn You, California”
Dead Letters (2005)
Sunshone Still — the dusty Americana brainchild of local burrito man Chris Smith — got some national airplay for “Damn You, California”; the song was featured on NPR’s All Songs Considered in 2006. On “California,” Smith is trying to break your heart, recounting a transient, Lost in Translation-esque experience over a muted shuffle and reverb-drenched guitars.
Band of Horses
“First Song”
Everything All the Time (2006)
Another Columbia expatriate, Ben Bridwell might not have begun Band of Horses here, but he developed his Neil Young-esque croon and penchant for woodsy, reverb-drenched guitars — on full display on “First Song” — out in the Irmo-Chapin area.
Lil’ Ru
“Don’t I Look Good”
Don’t I Look Good single (2007)
There’s a reason Capitol signed Lil’ Ru to release “Don’t I Look Good”: The song’s an absolute club-banger, possessing all the glitz and flash of anything produced by modern rap hitmakers 50 Cent and T.I. Capitol dropped Ru, but Def Jam — home to Jay-Z and Ludacris, among others — wisely snatched him up.
Magnetic Flowers
“Mark Pyritz Goes to Mexico”
Presents, Pasts and Futures (2007)
One of today’s most impressive Columbia ensembles, Magnetic Flowers imbues its sometimes-raucous-sometimes-tender Americana with widescreen ambition and kitchen-sink instrumentation. The sheer abandon with which this band plays, especially on this road trip anthem, is inspiring.
No Way Jose!
“Peachfuzz Cobbler”
An Introduction to No Way Jose! (2007)
A wildly popular local draw, this Northeast Columbia quartet never really received as much attention as it should have, but it stilled churned out some incredibly attractive (and incredibly dance-inducing) synth-rock. “Peachfuzz” distills No Way Jose! down to its essence: Lots of keytars; lots of left turns; lots of fun.
Orgone Accumulator
“Exhaust”
Orgone Accumulator (2007)
Orgone Accumulator’s shelf life was unfortunately too short, but the quartet burned white hot during its brief existence, churning out some killer tunes in its short life. “Exhaust” best sums up what Orgone was all about: Dense layers of guitar fuzz; angular post-punk rhythms; electronic manipulations; and traces of dub and neo-psychedelia. Dig Willie May’s distant, howling vocals, too.
Preach
“South Coca”
Garveyism (2007)
Another Native Tongues-inspired rapper, Preach — who, full disclosure, is an occasional Free Times contributor — spits fluid, conscious rhymes over Blue Note-inspired beats. “South Coca” is all about taking pride in where you’re from; and Preach is from right here.
Josh Roberts & the Hinges
“Every Brick of Downtown”
My War Cry is Amor (2007)
Roberts is certainly known on the music scene, as he croons in “Every Brick of Downtown,” but he’s certainly not poison to the people, as he assesses. His production, though, is certainly clean. “Downtown” meditates on a twangy guitar line before breaking down into sweltering soul movement, then explodes with righteous alt-country fervor.
Thank God
“Goddamn Tulips”
Split 10” w/Deepslauter (2007)
Featuring the core instrumental makeup of Guyana Punch Line — guitarist Kevin Byrd, bassist Matt Thompson and drummer Troy Thames — it should come as no surprise that is capable of producing brawny, Beefheartian mayhem. “Goddamn Tulips,” taken from the band’s split with Japanese hardcore outfit Deepslauter, finds Thank God balancing its brutality with measured, tempered passages built on tension and dynamic changes.
Villanova
“Make Noise”
Make Noise (2007)
Villanova’s mission statement is to make noise, and its blend of funk and modern rock has turned the quartet into one of the region’s most popular bands.
Death Becomes Even the Maiden
“The Only Thing I Feel For You
is the Recoil”
Pink EP (2008)
Simply put: Death Becomes Even the Maiden wants to destroy you. And with “Recoil,” it does; book-ended by screeching feedback, “Recoil” is Death Becomes Even the Maiden at its tautest and most deadly.
The Heist and the Accomplice
“More Control”
Connections Work (2008)
Much like one can’t talk about Columbia’s musical past without mentioning Hootie, it’s impossible to talk about its future without mentioning the Heist. And “More Control” — essentially Connections Work’s single is pure indie rock perfection, from its insistent verse to its catchy chorus to its badass bridge.
Marry a Thief
“Epileptic”
I Am Dying to Outlive You (2008)
This is a true story: “Epileptic” garnered Marry a Thief some national exposure when it aired in an episode of The Real World in 2008. And, truthfully, Marry a Thief’s introspective rock is perfect for the MTV crowd.
Toro y Moi
“Bend Yr Body”
My Touch (2008)
Like Baumer, Toro y Moi — the side gig for The Heist’s Chaz Bundick — is built to make you dance. Bundick’s been getting buku blog love, mostly for the recently released “Left Alone at Night” 12-inch, but “Bend Yr Body” is Bundick’s most perfect melding of synthesized rhythms and yearning vocals.
Justin Smith
& the Folk-Hop Band
“War to Be Won”
World Unknown (2009)
An up-and-coming band that’s almost sure to become a beast in the Southeast, “War to Be Won” finds Justin Smith adding some sharp political commentary to his blend of folk-rock and hip-hop.
Lunch Money
“Ate Too Much of
My Favorite Food”
Dizzy (2009)
Yes, Lunch Money is a children’s music group. But, really, the trio’s an excellent indie-pop outfit that just happens to play music that’s especially attractive to little ones. Lunch Money’s kid-tested, adult-approved indie rock, like “Favorite Food,” has gotten the band all kinds of attention, from NPR to the Austin City Limits Festival to Lollapalooza.
Let us know what you think: Email music@free-times.com or editor@free-times.com.
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