TRIBUTE

Pep Squad... How did this band NOT succeed?  Too weird? Nope.  The real reason is much more sinister.  Pep Squad failed because of radio...  Here is a short tale of a Pep Squad dissapointment in my life. I used to work for a radio station.  I was the concert guy.  I was up in Utah for a sound seminar when the great Pep Squad was touring through my hometown.  I was upset to miss tourmates Fold Zandura, Viva Voce and The Cross Movement, but it was no big deal.  Apparently, Pep Squad played and no one cared.  They were nice though and gave the soundman a copy of their album, No Doy! (1998)  He was not into them so when I came back to work, he gave the cd to me.  I had never heard Pep Squad so I decided to check it out.  I was blown away!  They quickly bumped Silage from the top of my favorite Christian bands list.  I ran out and bought their new album Yreka Bakery (1999) immediately.  It was just as good as No Doy!  Since my copy was a prerelease, it had no liner notes.  So I grabbed the copy out of the control room at the radio station.  The music director (the guy who picks what plays and what does not) saw me with the cd in hand and said something to the effect of "What are you doing with that piece of crap?"  I replied solemnly "Getting the fan club address. *sniff*whimper*..." This is why Pep Squad failed.  They were not good enough for CHR radio.  They were not "commercial" enough.  Nevermind the fact that they have stronger melodies than Raze or World Wide Message Tribe, 16 year old girls don't like Pep Squad.

Pep Squad still spins in my player every few weeks.  Melodies like theirs only come around every few years, so I usually milk them for as long as possible (ie. Weezer, Pixies, or the masters of melody Engine 88... all still played monthly...).  I visited their website regularly (www.pepsquad.com  if you are interested in purchasing a domain name) and, luckily, saved several files to disk.  The site is gone.  The band has broken up... No more great songs.  No more immensely clever lyrics... No more Pep Squad.  And their former labels are no help at all in the pursuit for more info on the members current status.  For shame all of you who neglected the mighty Pep Squad because of the "rules" of radio.  Each year dozens of great bands break up (Black Eyed Sceva, Dime Store Prophets, Smashing Pumpkins, Seven Day Jesus, Engine 88, Helmet, ect.) and are replaced by stale, space-wasting, pop crap.  Soon enough all the greats will be gone (Weezer and Pearl Jam are barely hanging on...)... Be warned!  Because the next label to succumb to psuedo-pop junk may be home to your favorite band!  And let's be honest, What would the world be like without Silverchair!  (insert washed up by age 20 joke here...)