G.S.F.U. formed in the early fall of 1995, consisting of Kenneth Hister and Jason Alexander. Alva Goldbook, who had been in previous bands with Hister and Alexander, was recruited a month later as lead guitarist. G.S.F.U. soon recruited OJ to handle the bass duties, and Paul Kustra to play drums. Alexander soon left for financial reasons, and G.S.F.U. prepared material to record their first EP, recorded at Clear Sound studios in Manassas, Virginia. The recording session was a nightmare, and was literally produced and engineered by a drunk who fell asleep while mixing.
Hister decided to move back in with his parents in North Carolina for personal and financial reasons, and the band lay dormant during most of 1998.
Goldbook reformed the band with OJ on bass, and recruiting his brother, CB, to fill in on drums. CB soon moved over to rhythm guitar, and brought in Greg to play drums, and Doshu for vocals. The band slowly started getting tighter, but CB and Greg found themselves at odds over one of CB�s songs, �I Hate Straight Edge.� Doshu left to pursue his other band, and G.S.F.U. found their first competent drummer, Joey.
G.S.F.U. continued to work on material, and in the summer of 1999 recorded a double single, �Still Born Wishes�, written by Goldbook, and �I Can�t Mosh�, written by CB. The single was recorded at Inner Ear Records in Shirlington, and was produced by Don Zientara
Shortly after words, G.S.F.U. found a new lead vocalist, Nikki Nova, who had just one week to prepare for a show at DC�s Kaffahouse. Nova was mugged on his way to the show, having to play through a set after being pistol whipped just 45 minutes prior. The show went well, and was joined with Hister, Alexander, and Kustra in the audience.
G.S.F.U. then set it�s sights on recording it�s first full length album, Nothing Is Absolute. Unfortunately, it was recorded at Cue Studios, and was produced by Tom Lyle. Goldbook was forced to re-master the album, and it was released in February of 2000.
G.S.F.U. continued to play shows, but Joey was forced to leave the band, as his family was re-locating to Texas. G.S.F.U. found a new drummer, Jon, and played more shows, playing with several DC area punk bands, but most notably the legendary British band, The UK Subs. Charlie Harper, the Sub�s singer offered to drop the opening act they were touring with, and have G.S.F.U. tour England.
G.S.F.U. continued to play shows, and began working on material for a second album, America The Beautiful. Unfortunately, CB got into a destructive relationship, and Goldbook fired him and decided to break up the band. The last recording G.S.F.U. made was a rehearsal tape, released as Barco Rebar Session 5/13/03, containing many of the songs that were to comprise of America The Beautiful, along with a complementary EP, Raise Your Kids, containing extra material. |
