Rocket

About the time Sub Pop was running out of money last year, the Derelicts, in the middle of recording their first Sub Pop LP, ran out of gas. They managed to finish an EP's worth of materiral, called it I Don't Wanna Live, and then called it quits. Very shortly thereafter Derelicts guitarist Neil Rogers, who had been working with a new bassist, Mark Wooten, hooked up with vocalist Rob [sic] Clarke and Dan Cunnenn, former drummer for Portland's now-defunct Obituaries. Almost immediatley Zipgun were formed, and the ball started to roll quickly.

"I had tons of ideas for this band that I couldn't use for the Derelicts," Neil explans. Within a couple of months these ideas were turned inot twelve songs, thanks to contributions from all the band members. "Everybody in the band helps write the songs now," says Neil.

Blake Edwards of Seattle's eMpTy label saw one of Zipguns's rehearsals and immediately asked the band to do a single. The four songs they recorded ended up on three different pieces of vinyl. The first was a promotional one-sided give-away seven-inch with the song "10" on it. Then eMpTy released the "Together Dumb" single and Broken Rekids put out a Derelicts/Zipgun split single.

Zipgun loged itself firmly in the thriving Seattle punk scene with a gritty pop punk sound that is full of hooks. Rob [sic] Clarke's voice sounds like a huskier version of John Robinson of the Fluid. Neil's sandpaper guitar sound has changed little since the Derelicts, but the rhythm section fo Cunneen and Wooten lock into the songs with more precision and punch.

The rise of Zipgun ahs occured simultaneously with the blooming of Seattle's punk scene, where bands like Gas Huffer, The Gits, and Treepeople are finally getting the respect and attention they deserve. "That's one good thing about Seattle - people who are over 21 come out to see punk shows," Dan notes.

To celebrate their one year anniversary as a band, Zipgun will release 8 Track Player on eMpTy July 4th. This 14 track CD/LP will contain all the songs from their frist three singles as well as two other sessions recorded with Jack Endino and two songs recorded at the Music Source with Brian Nelson.
- Adem Tepedelen