Trumans Water

Trumans Water is an indie rock band from San Diego, California formed in 1991. They have released over a dozen full length recordings over their career, wherein they collaborated with acts in genre, including Azalia Snail, Chan Marshall and Thurston Moore.

Background

The band was formed by brothers Kirk and Kevin Branstetter in San Diego in 1991, after they were given a guitar and bass by a friend's father.^[1] They advertised for a "lead singer, brain optional", and recruited Glen Galloway as a result.^[1] Other members of the band have included Ely Moyal, Andres Malinao, and Kevin Cascell.

Captain Beefheart, Wire, The Boredoms, Sun City Girls, Pavement and Sonic Youth have all been identified as influences, and during the course of the band's history Trumans Water has produced experimental indie rock, often with a substantial element of improvisation.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Disc jockey John Peel effectively shot the band to indie stardom in the UK when he played their debut LP, Of Thick Tum, uninterrupted and in its entirety during an edition of his BBC Radio One show.^[1][6] The band subsequently recorded three sessions for Peel's show.^[7]

Brothers Kirk Branstetter and Kevin Branstetter relocated to Portland, Oregon in 1994 without Galloway and are the only current original members still active in the band. Galloway took on the Glen Galaxy moniker to record as Soul-Junk, an experimental Christian rock outfit, before returning to the band in 1998. Kevin Branstetter subsequently moved to France in 1995. The two brothers being on different continents for the last several years has curbed their musical output but by no means stopped them. They have managed to put out six albums since the geographical separation.

Trumans Water has recently added bass player Mike Coumatos after over a decade touring and recording as a three piece (two guitars and drums). A new drummer, John Schier, has been added as well.^[8]

Trumans Water have been cited as an influence by several bands including The Cribs.^[9]

Discography

Albums

• Of Thick Tum, 1992 release via Homestead Records
• Spasm Smash XXXOXOX Ox & Ass, 1993 release via Homestead Records
• Godspeed the Punchline, 1994 release via Homestead Records
• Godspeed the Static, 1994 release via Drunken Fish
• Godspeed the Hemorrhage, 1994 release via Homestead Records
• Godspeed the Vortex, 1994 release via Way Out Sound
• Milktrain to Paydirt, 1995 release via Homestead Records
• The Peel Sessions, 1995 release via Strange Fruit
• Action Ornaments, 1996 release via Runt
• Apistogramma, 1997 release via Justice My Eye / Elevated Loin
• Fragments of a Lucky Break, 1998 release via Emperor Jones
• Trumans Water, 2001 release via Emperor Jones
• You are in the Line of Fire and they are Shooting at You, 2003 release via Homesleep Records
• The Singles 1992-1997, 2003 release via No Sides
• Rosolina Mar meets Trumans Water (2007) release via Robotradiorecords - split with Rosolina Mar

Singles & EPs

• Our Scars Like Badges 7" EP, 1992 release via Homestead Records
• Laugh Light's Lit 7" EP, 1992 release via Drunken Fish
• Jubileeeee 7" EP, 1992 release via Way Out Sound
• "Hey Fish" 7", 1993 release via Drunken Fish
• 10 x My Age CD EP/10", 1993 release via Elemental Records
• Have You Got It Yet? (Live in London) 7", 1993 release via Fear & Loathing zine, Dirter Promotions and Elemental Records
• "Skyjacker" 7", 1994 release via Sympathy for the Record Industry
• Spazz Rockdance Inferno 7" EP, 1994 release via Clawfist
• The First Dead Man of Diluvia 7" EP, 1995 release via Howardian/Wantage
• The Great Flood 7" EP, 1996 release via Footprint Records
• "Miss Spaceship"/"Radar 1941" 7", 2000 release via Sub Pop

Cassettes

• Santee Busbill cassette, 1993? release via Destroy All Music
• Couch of the Spastics cassette, 1994 release via Chocolate Monk
• Cough Forth Such Dilemmas cassette, 1995 release via Union Pole
• No Dead Space cassette, 1997 release via Union Pole

References

External links

• Official website
• Trumans Water at Allmusic
• Trumans Water at MySpace