Just one fan's appreciation of a Chicago band that deserved recognition and remembrance;if anyone can send me band photos,live shots and a full accurate bio of the band,that would be greatly appreciated.
"Chicago's Wicker Man formed in the early '90s and featured bassist/vocalist Keith Pastrick, guitarists A.J. Guba and Matt Tuite, and drummer Bill Daniel. Playing an uncompromising blend of noise metal with alternative tendencies, the band drew little attention from the majors, but eventually convinced independent VP Records to release 1992's Gun War EP. Still, their prospects looked bleak until record companies and music insiders (partially spurred by the fast-rising Smashing Pumpkins) began touting Chicago as the "next Seattle," igniting a band-signing frenzy in the mid-'90s which included what had previously been considered fringe groups like the Jesus Lizard, Veruca Salt, and, eventually, Wicker Man. Inking a deal with Hollywood Records (a subsidiary of the Walt Disney corporation, ironically enough), the band quickly recorded a bludgeoning, self-titled debut, released in 1995. But the record was a bust, and the unreliable Hollywood soon revised their mission statement, cut their roster, and dropped them. Back in the underground, Wicker Man has remained active with various different lineups, performing in and around the Chicago area, but never resuming a mainstream career."~ Ed Rivadavia, allmusic.com
"In 1994 and 1995, Hollywood signed a lot of noteworthy alternative rock acts that the label ended up dropping. One of them was Wicker Man, a brutal alternative metal trio that showed some promise on this self-titled CD. With influences ranging from Metallica to Seattle grunge to punk, Wicker Man members Keith Pastrick (vocals, bass), A.J. Guba (guitar) and Bill Daniel (drums) go directly for the jugular on such blistering, noisy items as "Pussycat Motorgasm," "You Annoy Me" and "Jawbreaker." This isn't an album that favors escapist lyrics or has a terribly optimistic outlook -- like so many alternative bands active in the 1990s, Wicker Man thrives on angst, anger and dysfunction and often uses them to its creative advantage. Not perfect but fairly promising, Wicker Man made listeners want to keep an eye on the threesome and see how it would develop. But regrettably, Hollywood gave Wicker Man the boot, and the metalheads never recorded a second album." ~ Alex Henderson, allmusic.com
