The VSS
Encyclopedia
History
The VSS formed in 1995 after the breakup of the hardcore group Angel Hair. Vocalist Sonny KaySonny Kay
Sonny Kay is a visual artist/musician currently residing in Los Angeles, California.Kay was born in London, England on March 13, 1972 and raised in various locations including the UK, Barcelona , and Johannesburg . His family relocated to Los Angeles in 1979, and to Colorado in 1987...
and guitarist Josh Hughes had both played in Angel Hair; the rest of the lineup consisted of bassist Andrew Douglas Rothbard and Dave Clifford. They quickly released several 7" records and toured the United States, achieving nationwide notice among the underground punk scene with acclaim from publications like Maximum Rocknroll
Maximum RocknRoll
Maximum rocknroll is a widely distributed, monthly not-for-profit fanzine based in San Francisco, USA. It features interviews, columns, and reviews from international contributors...
and Flipside
Flipside (fanzine)
Flipside was a punk rock fanzine published in Los Angeles, California from 1977 to 2000.As one of the first and longest running US punk rock fanzines, this publication extensively chronicled the world of independent and underground music during this era. Known for its highly opinionated cast of...
. Midway through their career, the band relocated to San Francisco. Their only full-length, Nervous Circuits, was released on Honey Bear Records in 1997, and the group broke up shortly thereafter.
Sonny Kay went on to sing with Year Future and founded the label Gold Standard Laboratories
Gold Standard Laboratories
Gold Standard Laboratories or GSL was an independent record label which was founded in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado by Sonny Kay. In 2000, it was relocated to San Diego, California, USA, and two years later, to Los Angeles. It was headquartered in L.A...
, which re-released their Gravity 7" records as a CD entitled 21:51 in 2000. Dave Clifford, Josh Hughes, and Andrew Douglas Rothbard formed a new group called Slaves, which changed its name to Pleasure Forever, and released two full length LP's on Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
records. Dave Clifford later played with Red Sparowes
Red Sparowes
Red Sparowes is a Los Angeles post-rock band comprising current and former members of Isis, Halifax Pier, Angel Hair and Pleasure Forever. Their sound is characteristic of soundscape-influenced experimental rock, with an otherwise uncommon extensive use of a pedal steel guitar.-History:Red Sparowes...
. Josh Hughes went on to form the band Rabbits, and Andrew Douglas Rothbard has released several solo albums.
Their use of synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s and keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
in a hardcore punk setting was uncommon for its time, but has been recognized as an influence on bands such as The Faint
The Faint
The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst...
and Death From Above 1979
Death from Above 1979
Death from Above 1979 are a Toronto-based Canadian dance-punk/noise rock duo. Their album, You're a Woman, I'm a Machine, was released in late 2004. The band broke up in 2006, but announced a reunion in 2011.-History:...
. In 2008, Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records
Hydra Head Records is an independent record label which specializes in heavy metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993...
re-released Nervous Circuits on CD with a bonus DVD, as well as an additional bonus CD with the first 1,000 copies.
Members
- Sonny Kay - vocals
- Josh Hughes - guitar
- Andrew Douglas Rothbard - bass and synthesizer
- Dave Clifford - drums
Discography
- The VSS 7" (Strict Records No. 4, 1995)
- The VSS/T-Tauri Split 7" (Titanic RecordsTitanic RecordsTitanic Records is a record label founded in 1973 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. It was one of the pioneers in the recording of early music on period instruments...
No. 8, 1995) - The VSS 7" (Gravity RecordsGravity RecordsGravity Records is an underground independent record label from San Diego. It was formed in 1991 by Matt Anderson, a member of the influential underground band Heroin. It has been central in developing and promoting the "San Diego sound" - an idiosyncratic form of post-hardcore with loose, chaotic...
No. 25, 1996) - 21:51 CD (Gold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard Laboratories or GSL was an independent record label which was founded in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado by Sonny Kay. In 2000, it was relocated to San Diego, California, USA, and two years later, to Los Angeles. It was headquartered in L.A...
, No. 7 1996) - The VSS/Rye Coalition Split double 7" (Super 8 records No. 13, 1997)
- Nervous Circuits LP and CD (Honey Bear Records, No. 16,1997)
- 21:51 CD (Gold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard LaboratoriesGold Standard Laboratories or GSL was an independent record label which was founded in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado by Sonny Kay. In 2000, it was relocated to San Diego, California, USA, and two years later, to Los Angeles. It was headquartered in L.A...
, No. 7 re-released with different artwork, 2000) - Nervous Circuits CD/DVD reissue (Hydra Head RecordsHydra Head RecordsHydra Head Records is an independent record label which specializes in heavy metal music, founded in New Mexico by Aaron Turner in 1993...
, No. 158, 2008)