Guided By Voices

Guided By Voices formed in the early 1980s, but started off as a bar band. Soon, after line-up and job changes, the band moved to the studio, and recorded four independent, self-financed releases, with only a few hundred of each being pressed. These copies only tended to be owned by family and friends of the band.

When Propeller was released in 1992, 500 copies were released, each with a unique handmade cover. It was at this point where the band started to be noticed by the outside world. The rapidly changing line-up finally solidified, with Robert Pollard on Vocals and Guitar, Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell on Guitars, Greg Demos on bass, and Kevin Fennell on drums. Vampire On Titus was released in 1993, and the band's gradually rising popularity continued.

In 1994, they released Bee Thousand, and were signed to Matador Records, and the band finally quit their day jobs to be full-time musicians. At this point in time, their live shows were extremely energetic and memorable. Their success continues in 1995 with Alien Lanes, and Under The Bushes, Under The Stars in 1996. However, heavy touring meant Sprout retired from the road, and classic lineup split up.

In 1997, Pollard created an new line-up featuring members of Cobra Verde. Mag Earwhig!, the next album, featured a new style for the band, drifting away from their trademark lo-fi sound. Doug Gillard joined in 1998, and the band released their first major label album, Do The Collapse. Touring in 1999-200 gained GBV a reputation for having great live shows, and in 2000, Suitcase was released, featuring 3 decades worth of unreleased material. In 2001, Isolation Drills was released, intending to capture the band's live sound.

In 2002, the band returned to Matador, releasing Universal Truths And Cycles, following in 2003 by Earthquake Glue, the Hardcore UFOs box set and a greatest hits compilation.

In 2004, Pollard anounced he was disbanding the band after the released of Half-Smiles Of The Decomposed, stating: "This feels like the last album for Guided By Voices. I've always said that when I make a record that I'm totally satisfied with as befitting a final album, then that will be it. And this is it." The band played their last gig on December 31st, 2004. They played 63 songs, and it lasted four hours.