Gas Huffer

by John BushGas Huffer was formed in 1989 by vocalist Matt Wright, guitarist Tom Price, bassist Don Blackstone and drummer Joe Newton. As befitting their Seattle origins, the band plays rootsy punk rock with equal nods to Neil Young and the Cramps. Debut single Firebug was released in 1989, followed a year later by the Ethyl EP. Empty Records signed the band and in 1991 issued Gas Huffers debut album, Janitors of Tomorrow. Two years later, the band returned with Integrity, Technology and Service, but moved to the Epitaph label for 1994s One Inch Masters. The band kicked off 1996 with a salute to their country roots by offering a song to the Willie Nelson tribute album Twisted Willie. Their fourth album, The Inhuman Ordeal of Special Agent Gas Huffer, was released less than a month later. Gas Huffer released their second album for Epitaph Records, Just Beautiful Music, in the spring of 1998; the group also has a surf rock project called the Del-Lagunas which has released several singles. By 2002, the band had switched labels (Estrus) and had another album ready to go, the Jack Endino-produced The Rest of Us. Lemonade for Vampires appeared through Estrus/Touch & Go in September 2005.