These recordings capture the rawness and spirit of a band coming into focus, and documents the players searching and taking chances. I think this is a magical time in art-making and collaboration. I am so happy to be able to share it.

In late '98, my friend Clark got a response from a flyer he had posted at Smash! Records in Georgetown looking for someone who was "into synths". Later at a Make-Up show at St. Stephens in DC, I planned to meet up with Clark and the new "synth" guy, but I don't think Clark ever showed up. However, I did meet Stephen.

Stephen Guidry eventually became roommates with Clark and Joe Easley around 2000 when the Motor Cycle Wars started taking off (He's the high singing backup on the chorus of "Who's Number One?" pennantrecords.bandcamp.com/track/whos-1). We both played in the Parlor Scouts band at one point, both have been members of The Cassettes, but at different times, been in cover bands together, and a ton of other audio and video projects (Stephen directed The Aquarium video "Performer" www.youtube.com/watch?v=-laXqK1K4Lk).

Stephen found guitarist and singer Jill Palumbo online looking for a songwriting collaborator for a new project with him singing and playing banjo. On Sun. March 29, 2009, they practiced in my mousy unfinished basement in South Arlington. I jammed along on keyboards. My band The Aquarium practiced there, and I already had a mic hanging from a center rafter going into a Tascam digital recorder. On Sat. April 4, I recorded them again joined by Joe Barbee on harmonica, Thomas Orgren on guitars, and Ian Thompson on drums.

In a group email with ideas for band names, one name from that list was "Oat Sewer", a typo I later found out for "Oat Sower" (Oat Sower does make more sense). A few weeks later the newly named "The Torches" with just Stephen on banjo and me accompanying on a ARP Omni keyboard, performed some of these songs as a duo at Iota in Arlington.

Though I bowed out, already being in two bands, the Torches continued ascending with new members and a revolving cast over the next many years. You can check out official recordings by this great eclectic band here:
thetorches.bandcamp.com
and videos here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ROWAVJElZw&list=PL9DD31F08732B3605
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcZVqQnFUhw&list=PL9C6BF955797B2D61
-Hud

Stephen: It’s good and strange to listen to these songs after almost a decade; some changed so much, some remained almost the same and others barely saw the light of day

Jill: I literally came up with that song ("Showing It") on the spot while I was recording at a radio station alive set. We had some extra time and I had a basic riff and I pulled out of it a 2 1/2 minute song. I never changed the lyrics or the arrangement it just was born that way live on the Brown student radio station in Providence Rhode Island. :)