| Sewer Trout | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Sacramento, California |
| Genres | Punk rock Pop punk |
| Years active | 1985–1990 |
| Labels | Lookout! Records, Very Small Records |
| Associated acts | Elmer Death Culture Well Hung Monks |
| Past members | |
| Jim MacLean Hal MacLean Kieth Lehtinan Erik Benson |
|
Sewer Trout was an influential punk rock band formed in Sacramento, California. Their uptempo bass lines and fast-paced songs would serve as a basis and influence for many of the later California pop punk bands of the 1990s. The band consisted of frontman Jim MacLean (vocals/bass), his brother Hal MacLean (drums), and Kieth Lehtinan (guitar), with Erik Benson joining as a second guitarist after meeting Hal at Sacramento State. Although Benson's progressive rock influences eventually led to the band's break-up and re-joining as the Well Hung Monks.
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Formed in Concord in 1985, Sewer Trout moved to Sacramento with the MacLean brothers and Kieth Lehtinen. Sewer Trout were a fixture of the early 924 Gilman Street scene and was first released on Maximum Rock & Roll's Turn it Around comp (1987). The same year saw their first record on Lookout!. A few more followed on Lookout!, Very Small, and their own label, One Shot Flop. (All of their stuff was comped on the From the Forgotten Memories.CD.)
What Sewer Trout brought to Sacramento punk was a complete dedication to the DIY ethic and an inspiration for others to form bands. Their sarcastic, humorous, jangly, poppy, almost-country punk combined with much beer fueled many a party and gave young punk rockers a model to emulate. Another important thing about Sewer Trout, is that they were friends with David Hayes, the brains behind the Lookout, Very Small, and Too Many record labels. Through his labels, Hayes was able to focus a lot of attention on the Sacramento punk scene, often filling his compilations with up to ten Sacramento bands.
On December 1, 2005 a message was posted on the bands Myspace announcing that Jim MacLean had killed himself; "MacLean took his own life Monday or Tuesday after the Thanksgiving weekend. Jim may be gone, but his music will live forever."
From the Bowels of Suburbia Emerge... tape (ST, 1985)
Turn It Around comp 2EP (12", Very Small #510. David Hayes says "it was a Gilman benefit paid for by MRR, but I disorganized it...", 1987)
Songs About Drinking EP (Lookout!, 1987)
We've Got Your Shorts comp EP (1987)
LETHAL NOISE Volume 2 comp tape (Very Small #2, 1987)
Sewer Trout for President EP (One Shot Flop, 1988)
The Thing That Ate Floyd comp LP - Vagina Envy - (Lookout!, 1988)
Flawless 10" ep (Very Small, 1989)
Alone in this World comp tape (Bat Guano, 1989)
Very Small World comp LP (Very Small, 1991)
Four Two Pudding - Holiday In Romania - CD (Very Small, 1991)
From the Forgotten memories of Punks Failed Hopes and Dreams Loom...CD (SPA, 1998)