Cheer-Accident

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Cheer-Accident
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genre(s)	Progressive rock, alternative rock, punk
Years active	1981–
Label(s)	Neat Metal, Pravda, Skin Graft
Associated acts	Brise-Glace Dazzling Killmen Dot Dot Dot Gastr Del Sol Illusion of Safety Smog The Flying Luttenbachers Yona-Kit You Fantastic!
Website	Official site
Members
Thymme Jones Jeff Libersher Dylan Posa Alex Perkolup Todd Rittmann Scott Rutledge (lyrics collaborator)
Former members
Chris Block (bass, 1987–1992) Phil Bonnet (guitar, 1993–1999; deceased) Jim Drummond (vocals, 1981–1984) Dan Forden (bass, 1992–1993) Mike Greenlees (drums, 1981–1987) Jamie Fillmore (guitars, 2000-2003)

Cheer-Accident is an indie rock ensemble headed by pianist Thymme Jones. Jones took the name of the band from a Hallmark card shopping display, and first formed the group in 1981 with singer Jim Drummond and drummer Mike Greenlees. Their first album, Life Isn't Like That, was released in 1986, after which Drummond and Greenlees left the group; Jones replaced them with bassist Chris Block and guitarist Jeff Liebersher. This lineup played on the group's second release, 1988's Sever Roots, Tree Dies, which was produced and engineered by Phil Bonnet.

Their 1990 EP, Dumb Ask, was produced by Steve Albini, and following this the group signed to British label Neat Records. However, the album was pressed poorly and the group severed its ties to the label, and went back to recording for Complacency Records with Bonnet, who by that time had joined the group on guitar. Block left the band in 1992 and was replaced by Dan Forden, after which the group returned to the studio. 1994 saw the group releasing The Why Album and working on a local Chicago public access television show called Cool Clown Ground. Albini recorded the group's next release, Not a Food (which had actually been recorded in July 1994 but which did not see release until 1996). Shortly after these sessions Forden left the band; filling his shoes was Dylan Posa (formerly of The Flying Luttenbachers). By this time Cheer-Accident members were collaborating regularly with other Chicago indie artists such as U.S. Maple, Bobby Conn, Gastr del Sol, and Smog.

In January of 1999, Phil Bonnet died of a brain aneurysm while the group recorded material for its eighth album, Salad Days. The group decided to continue on; Jamie Fillmore filled Bonnet's role as guitarist, and a 1997 recording session, which yielded a 52-minute song called "Trading Balloons", was released as an EP. Salad Days was finally released on Skin Graft Records in October 2000. In 2003, the group recorded another full-length for Skin Graft, Introducing Lemon, as well as a soundtrack CD to a comic book called Gumball the Cat.

[edit] Discography

Life Isn't Like That (Cassette) (1986)
Sever Roots, Tree Dies (Complacency Records, LP, 1988)
Vasectomy (Cassette) (1989)
Dumb Ask (1990)
Babies Shouldn't Smoke (Complacency, 1991)
The Why Album (Complacency, 1994)
Not a Food (Pravda Records, 1996)
Enduring the American Dream (Pravda Records, 1997)
Trading Balloons (Cassette) (2000)
Salad Days (Skin Graft Records, 2000)
Variations On A Goddamn Old Man (2002 and 2005)
Introducing Lemon (Skin Graft, 2003)
Gumballhead the Cat (Skin Graft; CD and comic book)
Younger Than You Are Now: 1981-1984 (2004)
What Sequel? (Pravda Records, 2006)

[edit] Influence

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum covered Cheer Accident's Transposition (from The Why Album) and was featured on their Live album, as sung by Moe! Staiano (humorously titled Moe! Sings Cheer Accident (Same Mix). Both bands have toured together in the summer of 2007 and members of both bands had guested on each other's live sets.