The -ismist family.
Beyond
Starting as a relatively alternative music/hip-hop crew Beyond have metamorphosed into an all-seeing all-knowing rap phenomenon. Furious rhyming/scratching/b-boying, Billy Chaos leads the way through new rap dimensions.
Clayface
Clayface has lead a pretty nebulous existence over the years. Firstly, they are a post hardcore band, made up of members of Doggman, and the wildly popular Say No More. Sometimes known as Clayface Regular, as they are billed on this record, they were the best, and often times only, hardcore band in eastern Nebraska.
Comps and Various
Over the years, we here at -ismist Recordings have been compelled to release a couple compilations due to the overwhelming amount of talent that resides in the Midwest. We have released some of the finest indie compilations you could have hoped for as a result.
D Is For Dragster
Formed shortly after the demise of Frontier Trust (a little bit country) by vocalist Gary Dean Davis and drummer Joe Kobjerowski, this band (a little bit rock and roll) simply rocks the house with some great tunes. Great music for high-speed chases.
Doug Stanhope
"Let me tell you something, friends. Doug Stanhope is one funny sumbitch. He's also one of the most twisted individuals I've ever met, but that's part of his charm.
Entertainment
Chicago's finest new combo picks up where the Stranglers, Devo and Roxy Music left off.
Fifty Tons of Black Terror
Fifty Tons of Black Terror, as they are known in the US, have been around since 1995. They come to us on the heels of two albums released on Beggars Banquet. These guys play heavily noise addled blues, and are coming for your daughters.
Floating Opera
Floating Opera started in the early '90's as a recording project with participation by many of the best musicians in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Frontier Trust
Frontier Trust started in 1992 and ended in 1997, with brief reunion gigs every once in a while. Frontier Trust made honest Midwestern working class music played at breakneck speed.
Fullblown
This could be a B-movie soundtrack entitled, "Attack of the Killer Nebraskans," showing at a drive-in near you. Swank psycho-billy guitar, intoxicating organ, hypnotizing fez.
Fun Chicken
Fun Chicken were a band from North Platte, Nebraska that defied many expectations. The main one being: How the hell does a band from the middle of nowhere come up with something so damn cool?
Gladhands
Formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1992 by multi-instrumentalists/songwriters, Jeff Carlson and Doug Edmunds, Gladhands has followed a slow but steady road to success.
Graig Markel
Graig actually had the most interesting things go on in the early days of the label (back when we knew him as Greg). Releasing solo records, guitarist of Urethra Franklin, and bassist of seminal punk band Pull Out.
Honeyboy Turner
Honeyboy Turner and Cryin' Heart. They had been around Lincoln for a couple of years, and approached -ismist about doing a record in late 1994. They were a Chicago-style blues band that were a crowd favorite and strong seller for the label.
Hour Slave
Hour Slave were a band of high school seniors here in Lincoln. They were a promising young band in a scene that sorely lacked new younger groups.
House of Large Sizes
House formed in 1986 with origins in math classes at the University of Northern Iowa. They have released many albums over time, being on major as well as indie labels.
Jimmy Shubert
Working in a sort of comedic short-story form, Shubert hammers at the funny bone primarily with his observations on wildlife: frogs that secrete hallucinogens, eagles that copulate in midflight and an unlucky fish who sees a restaurant serve his friend Larry on a bed of rice with a side dish of carrots and peas.
Jimmy Skaffa
Omaha's Jimmy Skaffa was conceived in late 1992 by ex-members of local ska bands Knuckle Junction and the Porkpie Conspiracy.
Killdozer
Killdozer were an integral part of the underground "pig fucker" movement, along with contemporaries Big Black, Butthole Surfers, Scratch Acid and Pussy Galore.
Kung Pao
Kung Pao was formed in the spring of '97 when Chovie D and T.B. moved to New York City from Madison, WI. They quickly hooked up with drummer Davey D, who rocks more than anyone could have hoped for.
Lewis Black
Many of you already know Lewis. For those of you who haven't been introduced, Lewis Black is primarily known for his weekly segment on Comedy Central's Daily Show entitled simply, "Back in Black."
Lost Dogs
The Lost Dogs formed late in 1996, shortly after the demise of Lincoln's renowned Honeyboy Turner Band when Mike Brindell and Bo Rose joined forces with the producer of the first Honeyboy album, Dave Steen.
Mimi Schneider
Mimi Schneider was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa in the 1960s. She has spent time in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Great Plains, and the post-industrial Northeast. Guess which she prefers.
Molly McGuire
Named after an underground group of Irish-immigrant coal miners in 1870s Pennsylvania who, prior to the rise of union labor, insured their positions by blowing up their own work sites and committing corporate assassinations.
Monroes
The Monroes (named after the father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe) formed shortly after Davis' last project, D Is for Dragster, took its last checkered flag.
Ninja School
Ninja School formed in May 1999, in the slave-labor induced stupor of Wichita, Kansas. The have quickly progressed to release a self-recorded seven-inch single, that we quickly picked up for distribution. You folks will recognize this as being compared to Scratch Acid and Unsane. They stride the middle ground. Intense.
Penthouse
Penthouse, as they are known to the world outside the US, have been around since 1995. They come to us on the heels of two albums released on Beggars Banquet. These guys play heavily noise addled blues, and are coming for your daughters.
Pioneer Disaster
As the farm crisis of the 80s turned many Nebraska family farms over to corporate behemoths, "No Future" seemed at hand for the American farmer. Pioneer Disaster responded...
Plastik Trumpet
Born in Germany, 1990, Plastik Trumpet has transcended all cultural and musical boundaries.
Polecat
Polecat was formed out of Omaha's Gravy Train and -ismist's Hour Slave. For the first year of their existence, they practiced under their college dormitory's cafeteria (the same dorm that -ismist started in, actually), in a practice room originally designed for piano and vocals only.
Pop Sickle
Pop Sickle were a great pop-punk band from Seattle, formed by ex-Coffin Break member, Rob Skinner.
Rascal Basket
Rascal Basket were a Lincoln band, specializing in a heavier sound, reminiscent of Black Sabbath during Ozzy's reign supreme, or of a middle period Soundgarden. The playing was loud, the songs were great, and the band put on an entertaining live show.
Ravine
Ravine basically formed after the breakup of the legendary Ritual Device. Three of the four decided to stick together and continue to play music.
Red Max
Red Max formed in 1985. Lincoln's very own kings of garage/greaser rock, nobody does it better than them. Listen in as they leave a huge bag of flaming dog shit on your front porch and go tooling of into the sunset.
Return
The Return have been around for quite a few years actually, and have had several line-up changes over time, featuring all sorts of people.
Richard Schultz
Richard Schultz is a long time veteran of the music scene in Eastern Nebraska. He has been a journeyman performer best known for his fantastic songwriting and even more incredible showmanship.
Ritual Device
Ritual Device were one of our favorite bands ever. They were at the forefront of the Omaha music scene.
Row 8, Plot 30
Row 8, Plot 30 formed in August of 1996 with the fusion of members of two Omaha-area bands.
Scrid
Scrid were formed in October of 1993 in Fort Madison, Iowa. They quickly moved to Iowa City the following Spring, where they currently reside.
Sean Benjamin
Sean, well, he's a hell of a blues guitar player. Been a member of the renowned Zoo Bar's house band for 20+ years.
Season to Risk
Season to Risk started in 1989 in Kansas City, Missouri. The guys have been touring ever since, pounding the pavement hard in support of their various records.
Sissies
The Sissies are a temperamental Lincoln bunch who seem like an American Pogues, but with a better dental plan.
Slipknot
Slipknot formed in Des Moines, Iowa in September of 1995. This seven-piece outfit comes from intensity, and displays all of the elements of a growing Great Plains movement of discontent.
Sludgeplow
Formerly from the backwoods of Iowa, Sludgeplow moved to the Pacific Northwest, most likely to get away from some local beefs.
Sofa Kit XL
Formed in Columbia, MO in 1999 by Shannon Mercer and Brian Coughlin (former Ditch Witch guys). They convinced friend, Steve Ruffin to join them and thus SKXL became the normal kind of band...
Stew
Stew were a band from Kearney, Nebraska formed by Jason Anderson in 1993 and then broke up in December of 1995. Not terribly long for a band to last, but what an impression they made.
Such Sweet Thunder
Such Sweet Thunder formed in Kearney, Nebraska in 1988. They were well known in the state as one of the forefront local original bands.
Todd Grant
Todd is a singer/songwriter and co-author of several early Such Sweet Thunder songs. His live set usually consists of just him and a guitar and some of the most touching songs you have ever heard.
Tucker
Originally named Triphammer, but having to change for legal reasons, they chose Tucker. After playing around NYC for about three years, and recording with Steve Albini...
Urethra Franklin
Urethra Franklin was the best of the early bands from Lincoln on -ismist. They were just plain evil.
Water
Water was a band of high school seniors at Lincoln's Southeast High School. They had won a battle of the bands, went on tour in the summer of 1993, and broke up shortly after the tour. They were a very emo-punk type band, and the songs were good overall....
Wide
Wide is a full-on Electric Rock unit, invading your living room under the command of Lt. Col. M.F. One, who flails funkily and wields his weapon with great panache.
Young Executives
The Young Executives were a mainstay in the mid-late 1980's pop scene in Lincoln. The fact that they weren't a cover band did much to help them.