Corm was a band from 1990 to 1997. Corm started in the suburbs of D.C. when Dan Chu (drums), John Davis (guitar), Josh Hecht (guitar) and Ben Winters (vocals) got together in March of 1990 to try out for the 8th grade talent show. They did not make the cut. Soon, Alex Ficker joined on as lead singer and Ben switched over to bass. The five spent nearly every weekend together for the next few years, slowly learning how to play their instruments and write songs. The band recorded a few demo tapes (This Six in 1992 and Rule 303 in 1993) and continued to play throughout the D.C. area. In January of '94, Rob Anthony replaced Josh on guitar and the band immediately went into WGNS Studios to record its first 7", Custom Cool, which was issued in the spring of '94, weeks before their high school graduation. This was followed with the band's first forays out of state, with little weekend tours here and there. Ben left the band in the summer of '95 and was replaced by Scott Stenger. A week after Scott joined, the band left on a tour of the midwest in support of its second single, The Conservation of Momentum (which was a split release between Dischord and John's label, Shute). In 1996, Corm recorded its only full-length, Audio Flame Kit, which was was released that summer on Shute/Dischord. The band went on its most extensive tour that summer and also recorded four new songs which were intended to be released as two singles on different labels (Polyvinyl and Foresight). However, the band decided to split up in 1997 and played its final show at the Black Cat in June of that year. One of the songs from the Polyvinyl single ("Traded Green Trees") was re-routed to a split single with Braid that Polyvinyl issued in the summer of '97. The four songs the band recorded on its '96 tour wound up coming out on a CD called Everything Streamlined (Contrast Records) which collected the band's entire output since Rule 303. Since the split was amicable, Corm has reconvened in the fall of '97 to record the last song they'd written, "I Have No Use For Empires," to be included on Everything Streamlined. During the recording, they wound up writing another new song, "Chess," which opens up Everything Streamlined. Following Corm, Dan, John and Alex started up a band called The Elusive with Ian Chu (bass) and Chris Richards (guitar/vocals). The Elusive was a short-lived project, but did leave behind a CDEP called Sometimes Sounds Collapse. Rob went on to play guitar in a band called The Maginot Line. Dan still write music and performs solo occasionally. John went on to play drums in a band called Q And Not U, who released several albums and toured extensively from 1998 to 2005. He now plays in a band called Georgie James. Scott continues to work on assorted musical projects. Ben had a band called The Miracle Cures from 1993 to 1998 and has gone on to write musicals for the stage. In the spring of 2005, Audio Flame Kit was remixed and remastered at Silver Sonya/Inner Ear Studios by TJ Lipple. It was reissued by Polyvinyl Records in November 2005.
Reviews from the 1996 issue of "Audio Flame Kit":
"Beginning with a long, beautiful piece, 'Then I Built My Own Violin'
(somewhat reminiscent of Rodan), this Washington D.C. band then dives
into Jawbox/Wreck territory, with off-kilter guitars, a bit of Fugazi
in the vocals and passionate, yet abstract lyrics. A really neat
album, which manages not to sound like anyone in particular, while
incorporating cool things from other bands. 'Though I Speak in the
Tongue of Men and Angels' sounds a bit like Jesus Lizard musically,
while other songs completely rock out. And, most interestingly, the
album is framed by a series of quiet, understated instrumentals with
interlocking guitar textures and strange ringing harmonics. Highly
recommended." - Punk Planet
"Corm's music fits nicely on the shelf below and slightly to the right
of Hoover, the Crownhate Ruin and other such driving, abrasive, jagged
emo bands. The songs are intelligently structured with enough twists
and turns to hook you in and keep you interested." - Ink 19
"Audio Flame Kit is heavy, intricate, well-played and a bit harder to
digest than your average record. I'm reminded of bands like Rodan and
Sunny Day Real Estate in terms of the feeling the music conveys, but
the band has their own sound." - Jersey Beat
"Corm is one of the highlights if the burgeoning post-punk wave that's
sweeping across the country. The thing is, Corm looks beyond Fugazi
and Slint to take cues from a variety of influences and styles.
There's a subtle pop influence here, if you look far enough past the
fierce instrumentation and Ficker's roaring delivery." - The
Diamondback
