Although they did not enjoy the commercial success of many of the grunge outfits to emerge in their wake, this US punk band was one of the unsung forces behind the city's rise to prominence as a musical Mecca for the disenfranchised. Formed in 1979 by Kurt Bloch (b. 28 August 1960, USA; guitar), Lulu Gargiulo (b. Michilu Gargiulo, 12 October 1960, USA; guitar/vocals), and Kim Warnick (b. 7 April 1959, USA; bass/vocals), the trio remained constant in the line-up during the band's 13-year career. Chief songwriter Bloch originally doubled up on drums before they recruited the 15-year old Duff McKagan (b. Michael Andrew McKagan, 5 February 1964, Seattle, Washington, USA). McKagan had departed for different pastures by 1981, eventually winding up as the bass player in Guns N'Roses. The band subsequently used a revolving cast list of drummers, including Richard Stuverud, Nate Johnson, Rusty Willoughby, John Moen, Jason Finn, Dan Peters, Tad Hutchinson, and Mike Musburger.
The Fastbacks' first two EPs, 1982's Play Five Of Their Favorites and 1984's Every Day Is Saturday, provided the musical blueprint for their career: short, snappy punk songs with plenty of melodic bite. The EPs were compiled on the full-length ... And His Orchestra, released on the Popllama label, and the UK release Never Fails, Never Works. In the late 80s Bloch joined the Young Fresh Fellows, but continued to balance his involvement with both bands. By then the Fastbacks had released their studio debut proper, 1990's abrasive Very, Very Powerful Motor. Gargiulo had only contributed guest vocals on this album, but returned to the line-up to help complete the band's debut for the Sub Pop Records label, 1993's Zücker. This album and subsequent Sub Pop releases evidenced a growing preference for punk pop, although the band had lost none of its trademark bite. Following one final album for the spinART label, the Fastbacks broke up in 2001. Warnick went on to work with Visqueen.
