Willard (band)

Willard is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed around 1989. Though they sought to challenge the grunge image"[1] of Seattle, they are acknowledged as a part of the grunge music scene of the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Willard
OriginSeattle, Washington, U.S.
GenresGrunge, heavy metal, alternative metal
Years active1989 (1989)–1995 (1995), 2018 (2018)
LabelsGreen Gel, Roadrunner, BLACK GUITAR
Associated actsTad
MembersJohnny Clint
Mark Spiders
Otis P. Otis
Steve Wied
Darren Peters
Past membersTyson Garcia

History

Jeff Gilbert and Tad Doyle were instrumental in Willard's record deal, which resulted in the Endino-produced Steel Mill in 1992. Gilbert called Willard the "drunkest band in Seattle" in his Rocket article. They had previously released a self-titled four song EP on Jerry O'Neill's aka Gerald Weymeth's Green Gel Records.[2] After performing an outdoor show for the "Pain in the Grass" Festival at the Seattle Center, Willard was banned from further performances by the Seattle Police Department and the City of Seattle, resulting in band shirts displaying "Banned by the SPD". The music of Willard was sonically similar to another Seattle band, Melvins. Otis was an early member of Napalm Beach, Clint and Peters played in H-Hour, while Wied was the original drummer for Sub Pop artist Tad.

They disbanded after recording eleven songs in November 1993. These songs were transferred from 2" tape to digital by Stuart Hallerman at Avast!. Mark Spiders and Aaron Skok mixed the songs, and Black Guitar Records published the album, Underground, in 2018.

Band members
  • Johnny Clint - vocals
  • Mark Spiders - guitars
  • Otis P. Otis - guitars
  • Steve Wied - drums
  • Darren Peters - bass 1989 to 1993
  • Tyson Garcia - bass 1994 to 1997

Discography
  • Sunshine Spread the Love EP (1989)
  • Willard - EP (Green Gel Records, 1991)
  • Roadrunner Records Promo PR063 features "Sweet Kali" (Roadrunner Records, 1992)
  • Metal Detector CD Metal Monsters features "Stain" (FMBQ, 1992)
  • Steel Mill (Roadrunner Records, 1992)
  • Best of Grunge Rock features "Fifteen" (Priority Records, 1993)
  • Seattle Music Scene Volume 2 features demo version of "Larie" from ABV Sessions (Insight Records, 1994)
  • Underground (Black Guitar Records, 2018)

References
  1. Macdonald, Patrick (1992-07-31). "Willard Is Saying `Rats!' To Seattle's Grunge Profusion". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  2. Brenda Herrmann, "Willard: Steel Mill", Chicago Tribune, December 17, 1992, Sec. Tempo, Pg. 7.
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