Who is Sukpatch?

Sukpatch is Chris Heidman and Steve Cruze. Their new album ‘23’ is a glorious trip into their hazy, psychedelic world, where lazy guitar riffs ease around woozy beats and hypnotic synths. Somewhat unsurprisingly the duo formed as a stoned accident in the summer of 1990 while roommates in the dorms at Colorado State University, quickly discovered that they shared a prediliction for a little light substance abuse whilst listening to such bands as The Butthole Surfers, Velvet Underground, De La Soul, Primitives, Spacemen 3, Loop, Captain Beefheart, amongst others.

A mutual friend showed them how to make tape loops using old reel-to-reels. A few days later, they picked up a few machines from a thrift store and started experimenting. In no time at all they had five or six songs that had a very distinct sound. Sukpatch's early independent releases caught the ear of Mike D. of the Beastie Boys, who fell in love with the music and gave them a record deal on Grand Royal. He was also interested in the boys’ idea of turning the Tibetan Freedom show into a traveling riverboat extravaganza.

Soon the Sukpatch fellas found themselves cooped up for 3 months in Mick Fleetwood's former Malibu estate with a Hip-Hop hillbilly whose claim to fame was having produced "Insane In The Membrane" by Cypress Hill. Unfortunately all parties were totally unsatisfied with the final product, (which resembled a Uriah Heep record more than it did Sukpatch). The disks were ritually burned but not before (much to the shame of the boys), being later released in southeast Asia under the title "Natualisms".

Soon after the debacle in Malibu, Grand Royal filed for chapter eleven, closed it's doors and released all of their bands. Feeling defeated, the Sukpatch retreated to their country homes and tried to shake off the demons of a typical experience in the commercial record industry. They began writing the songs that you hold in your hand, their new album ‘23’.

These songs combined a "lost era" where both Steve and Chris were recording independently not thinking that another album would ever come out. Truthfully, neither really cared. This carefree effervesence sparkles through the gamut of styles on ‘23’, from the gentle stoner hum of opener ‘7-30 Tomorrow’ to the punchy winsome electro wig out of ‘Medium Self Employed’ or the squalling MBV guitars of ‘Radon’ it’s obvious that this is a band easy in their own skin and sounding all the better for it.

Let’s just be glad that they didn’t go back to the day job!

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