Bender
'Who Wants to Rock?' cdep
   $5

Who's The Clown * full mp3 *
Bass Drum
Garbage Can
Jen's Got a Job
Granola Fast Four
Salvador Saves the World
 

PHCD002 released 1998.

Bender: Derek Bahn (vocals, guitar), Brian Christensen (drums), Jim Harper (guitar, vocals), Eric Haugen (bass, vocals).

"Bender gets fast and sloppy. A punkish romp." - Illinois Entertainer

Bender happened when Sheriff Derek recruited Jim Harper and Eric Haugen from the recently-defunct Bendigo Shafter to join Sheriff Derek & the Deputies after John Reyes left to form the Bendigos. We really should produce a soap opera about the whole thing.

The new lineup tightened up the Deputies' edgy punk-pop with bountiful harmonies and daring arrangements. It is still unclear what the intent was. Some members thought it was supposed to be a joke; others insisted the hard-rock posturing was completely sincere. Audiences were unified in their confusion.

A series of calamitous gigs led to the band falling out, leaving only this rapid-fire cdep for evidence. Produced by Ryan Bassler, it's rockin' like Dokken and yet proudly power-poppin' as well. Leaves you thinking, "Man, these guys could have been HUGE," depending on how drunk you are.