| Zonic Shockum | |
|---|---|
Zonic Shockum onstage at CBGB in 1997 |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Genres | Alternative rock, Post-punk |
| Years active | 1988-present |
| Labels | Beef Eater, Compulsiv, Grass, Decoder Ring |
| Members | |
| Stephen P. Anderson Debbie Polak Anderson |
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| Past members | |
| Marc Sonstein Larry Feraca Bob Fowler Mitchell Landsman Ned Sonstein |
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Zonic Shockum is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Philadelphia.
Contents |
In 1988 Stephen P. Anderson, under the moniker of Zonic Shockum, recorded a 17-song cassette titled Pleasure which received distribution through Sound Choice mail-order catalog and Tower Records in Philadelphia and garnered a positive review in the German music magazine Zap. The tape featured girlfriend Debbie Polak singing on one song, and co-worker Marc Sonstein playing drums on another. Anderson's cover of "Chinese Rock" was carted at Drexel University's 91.7 for regular airplay.
In 1989 Polak and Sonstein joined Anderson as permanent members to form the nucleus of the performing and writing outfit. The trio record the track "Filth Divine" for Black Plastic Record's Powerless Compilation. That same year Larry Feraca came on briefly as bass player until being replaced in 1990 by Mitchell Landsman who contributed as a songwriter and vocalist. Bob Fowler came on in 1990 as lead guitarist. With this line-up, the band recorded its first self-released single "Whores" which received airplay at WKDU and WPRB as well as favorable reviews in Flipside and Philadelphia City Paper. The band then hit the local Philly bar, college & warehouse circuit for live gigs.
In 1992, after hearing a demo, Bryan Dilworth contacted the band to release a record on his new Compulsiv Records label. Bryan put Zonic Shockum into the studio with Adam Lasus at Studio Red to record a 5-song EP for Compusiv and later a Sinatra tune, "Dream Away" for release on a double-CD from Grass Records in 1993. Prior to recording "Dream Away" Marc's brother Ned Sonstein replaced Landsman on Bass.
After a break-in and equipment theft at their North Philadelphia rehearsal studio, Zonic Shockum relocated to a Northern Liberties practice space and recorded their next self-released single "No, You Suck" using a 4-track cassette recorder. Despite low production values, "No, You Suck" was listed as one of WKDU's top ten songs for 1993. A short time later, Bob left the line-up, Debbie and Steve married, and the Andersons and Sonsteins continued on as a four-piece.
In 1994 WKDU invited the band to contribute a track to its upcoming 7" boxed-set titled Scrapple, and so the band recorded "Labor" on an 8-track reel-to-reel recorder on loan from Adam Lasus.
!n 1995, Zonic Shockum entered Art Difuria's Frizz recording studio in Center City Philadelphia and recorded six songs. Five of these tracks would be included in the band's self-titled debut CD. The remaining track, "The Wedding Song" was featured in the Kate McCabe film Go-Go Mama Rama. Later that same year Zonic returned to Studio Red to work with J. Cox and record the remainder of the tracks for their debut album.