It’s difficult to imagine a time when you didn’t know about an album drop months in advance. But even during the Internet boom of the late ’90s, there was a sizable gap between artist and audience. It was an even bigger one if an artist wasn’t popular on radio or MTV. The purpose of The BGM Music Guide is to shed some light on artists who didn’t have the luxury of mainstream support or the grassroots social media movements of today. A time when indie meant independent and not a genre.
Let’s talk about Superdrag.
Everyone has heard of Superdrag before. Well – at least if you were anywhere near a television in 1996. If that was you, there was a good chance you saw the “Sucked Out” music video at least ten times a day. The verses sounded like Green Day’s “Basket Case,” and it an unmistakable hook sounding like Trent Reznor fronting Archers Of Loaf. It was everywhere.
But what you may not know is that Superdrag had already become legends in their respective scene before that MTV Buzz Clip. In the years following, that status only grew, making them one of the most respected bands by fans and fellow musicians alike.
Superdrag gained local popularity seemingly overnight.
Formed in Knoxville, Tennessee in the early 90s, their blistering sets of snotty skate punk meets Beatles-esque pop sensibility felt like a breath of fresh air. The band stood in stark contrast to the grunge movement replacing hair-metal on radio. Getting signed to a major label like Elektra Records was more of an inevitability than a surprise. It became even more obvious with their breakout single, the aforementioned “Sucked Out.”
With the Telecommunications Act of 1996, radio stations were now legally able to be influenced by entertainment companies. Thanks to this advancement in marketing, the major labels (including Elektra) decided it would be easier to market a smaller group of acts easier a broader audience. Niche bands like Nada Surf and Superdrag were being phased out in favor of safer groups like Third Eye Blind and Matchbox 20. By 1997, the 50 artists being played on the radio shrank down to 15 or 20. Unfortunately, like most acts of the late ’90s, the band’s rising popularity was cut short. Not by fading trends but when the industry decided to clean house.
Just like that, Superdrag found themselves at square one.
However, this also meant they now had the freedom to record what they wanted without corporate interference. What followed was years of releases on independent labels, constant touring, and a solid reputation with everyone who attended a show and every artist they toured with.
Unfortunately, the untold rigors of the DIY lifestyle led to exhaustion, burnout, and eventually, the band calling it quits in 2003. After a brief reunion in 2007 and a new album in 2009, the band once again returned to their hiatus.
With Superdrag, you’re in one of three camps:
- You’ve only heard “Sucked Out,”
- You’re a die-hard fan, or
- You weren’t around for their original run.
With only five widely available albums in their catalog, one would think it would be easy to hear what this band was about. But when you factor in the handful of EPs, compilations, and hundreds of unofficial releases and bootlegs, the group’s collected works could feel closer to Guided By Voices than Husker Du in terms of content.
So, if you’re interested in checking out Superdrag, where should you start?
The following BGM Guide is a rundown of their catalog. I will introduce you to what this band is all about. From there, you can decide which camp you wish to stay in.
The Fabulous 8-Track Sound of Superdrag – Darla Records (1995)
The EP that started it all sees a band ready to break out of Knoxville and take on the rest of the world. Despite lo-fi production and never venturing too far from punk-influenced garage rock, there’s an obvious spark of something more. 8-Track Sound isn’t as much of a humble beginning as it is an inevitable road map of rock n’ roll.
Regretfully Yours – Elektra Records (1996)
Superdrag’s buzz-worthy major label debut! Regretfully Yours is 45 minutes of wall-to-wall guitars. From the one-two punch of “Slot Machine” and “Phaser” to the My Bloody Valentine meets Teenage Fan Club of “Destination Ursa Major”, every single track oozes with the reckless abandon of a band with everything to prove. Too snotty to be power-pop but too sugary to be punk, Superdrag makes an incredible first impression.
Head Trip In Every Key – Elektra Records (1998)
Trading their Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine influences for Big Star and Badfinger, Head Trip finds the band growing beyond the stage and into an exercise of flexing their studio ambitions. With vulnerable ballads “I’m Expanding My Mind” and “Amphetamine,” arena rock anthems like “Do The Vampire,” and the almost-gothic “Art Of Dying,” this album is the closest ’90s kids ever got to their decade’s Pet Sounds or Revolver. Outside of production, this is the record that solidified frontman John Davis as one of the genre’s most interesting songwriters.
In The Valley Of Dying Stars – Arena Rock Recording Co. (2000)
While lyrically the band’s darkest album, Valley sees the band putting a stronger emphasis on life and loss. Interestingly enough, most tracks tackle the heavier side of the human condition. Even the upbeat ones are based on coming out on the other side of depression. With slick production and no-nonsense arrangements, Valley is arguably among the greatest-sounding rock records of all time. Opening the album with the lyric “I want rock n’ roll but I don’t wanna deal with the hassle,” it perfectly sums up the attitude of a band who’s been through it.
Last Call For Vitriol – Arena Rock Recording Co. (2002)
Boasting a new lineup and handling everything production-wise themselves, Last Call strips things down a little and feels more intimate than the sonic escapades before it. There’s still plenty of rock n’ roll to be had with the Nirvana-esque “Staggering Genius” and the greatest AC/DC track not written by AC/DC, “Drag Me Closer To You.” However, Last Call has an almost alt-country flair in the vein of Wilco. At this point in their careers, the guys of Superdrag have earned the stories this album shares.
Industry Giants – Thirty Tigers (2009)
With the original lineup back together, Industry Giants is an audio celebration of everything that came before it. The shoegaze of Regretfully Yours is present in “Live and Breathe” and “Try.” The sonic experimentation of Head Trip is represented in “Everything Will Be Made Right.” And of course, the sweet and sour power-pop of Valley is found in “Filthy and Afraid.” But even as a pseudo-comeback album, Giants sees the band take several steps forward to explore even more genres, including hardcore in “5 Minutes Ahead of The Chaos” and vitriolic protest anthems in “Aspartame”.
The Superdrag discography proves there was more to them than an MTV Buzzclip.
And those are just the major releases! Thanks to the cult following of the fan community, the reach of Superdrag extended across the country, and eventually the world, after the “hit” single. There are just as many pre-major-label singles and EPs to enjoy. You can also find countless B-sides, rarities, and demos from each album era that have been passed around between fans for decades! Some are readily available in particular compilations, while others are hidden gems amongst the fandom worth digging around for.
Sure, there’s nothing complicated about four guys playing power pop songs. In reality, Superdrag excelled in taking a complex approach to something very simple and elevating it beyond its perception. On paper, the legacy of Superdrag is as common as distortion on an electric guitar. But the passion and commitment from both the band and the fans proves Superdrag is for the people and by the people.
Below is a Spotify playlist acting as sort of a Superdrag sampler. If these songs interest you, please consider listening to their respective albums!
For further listening, check out episode 27 of the Crushed Monocle Podcast: John Davis – Indie Royalty.