Bush League

Bush League

Bushleague004.jpg
Years Active:	1989 - 1994 2010 - 2014
Record Labels:	Better Days Records Self Destruct Little Heart Records
Started By:	Buzz Minnick and Mike Borich
Based In:	Louisville
Largest show:	1,000 people
First Show (original run):	Uncle Pleasant's with Oblong Box and Kinghorse 9/17/89
Last show (original run):	Uncle Pleasant's with Erchint and Veruca Salt 3/94
Reunion shows:	9/4 and 9/5 2010 with Indignant Few and Son of Dog at The Vernon Club
Last show (Second run):	2/8/14 with Vice Tricks, The Lickers, Vodka Demilo at The New Vintage
Number of Members:	4

Bush League is loud, raucous punk rock with definite nods towards other Louisville bands such as Maurice, Kinghorse, and Fading Out.

Kill Buzz.

Reunited in 2010 with with Mike G and Doug at the Better Days Bash, remaining active at the time. A full-length was recorded and intended for release by 28:48 Records but never came to fruition. Bush League disbanded again in 2014.

History

Original Run (1989 - 1994)

Bush League formed on 16 January 1989 by Waggener High School classmates Norman "Buzz" Minnick (vocals) and Michael Borich (guitar). Eventually recruiting a rhythm section by the summer the band would host their first concert on 17 September 1989 at Uncle Pleasant's alongside Oblong Box and Kinghorse. Bush League would build themselves up as a part of the revered late-80s/early-90s Louisville music scene, performing alongside the likes of Crain, The Indignant Few, Endpoint, Cherub Scourge, Undermine, Rodan and Slint. Much of this era has been documented in photographs, recordings, and concert flyers that have been featured in White Glove Test, published by Drag City, and in the Louisville Underground Music Archive at the University of Louisville.

In 1990 Bush League would recruit Rusty Sohm on bass and David Pajo on drums, the latter who joined the band after Slint had broke up. This lineup would record two EPs, with Better Days Records releasing them as Sicko and Fetor in 1991. Pajo would leave the group by the end of 1991, with Mark Tuazon performing as the new drummer on their third EP Smut, released in 1992. Bush League performed regionally, but ventured out on stints that took them mainly throughout the Southeast and the Midwest. They toured with bands such as Loppybogymi, Floor, Load, and F.U.C.T. Locally they opened for a variety of touring bands such as The Lemonheads, Seaweed, Tad, Poster Children, and Public Enemy. Their last show was in March 1994 at Uncle Pleasant's in Louisville with Veruca Salt and Erchint. Better Days would later release a compilation album known as Discography in the late 90s, capturing nearly every studio recording the band did in their original run.

Reunion (2010 - 2016)

Amid several bands in Louisville performing one-time reunions in 2010 such as Endpoint, Sunspring, Cerebellum and My Own Victim, Bush League would be announced to reunite for two shows in September along with other reuniting locals in The Indignant Few and Son of Dog for a "Better Days Bash". Along with founding members Minnick and Borich would be new members Doug Walker (Old Vikings) and Mike Giralico. The reunion was originally intended to take place at Uncle Pleasant's but would be moved to The Vernon Club, taking place on 4 and 5 September to a packed audience. Bush League later revealed two more live shows in early 2011 as the band was reunited.

One of these return shows for 2011 would take place on 11 February at Cahoots to a past-capacity attendance of 450, notably introducing a new song in "Doublethink". The new lineup would perform regularly in Louisville, Indianapolis, Evansville and Lexington in this return, sharing the stage with the likes of Trap Them, Torche, Hookers, Vice Tricks, Bam Margera, The Enders, Black God, The Decline Effect and many others.

In 2011 Giralico would move away with David Mancini (The Glasspack) joining on bass. This lineup would record a host of songs at Mancini's home studio, later revealing two songs ("Doublethink" and "I Created God") on their Reverbnation page. By the end of 2011 Walker would re-locate to the West Coast with Tony Rymniak taking over on drums. The band remained active for a time and talks were lined up for the band to release a debut album, having written and recorded enough material over the next couple years. Little Heart Records would reissue the Discography album circa 2012. Notably in 2013 original recording bassist Rusty Sohm would rejoin the group after the band parted ways with Mancini. Sohm would record bass tracks for the album that December. The band's first show with this lineup would be on 8 February 2014 at The New Vintage (Uncle Pleasant's), ultimately proving to be their last show as they essentially disbanded some time after. 28:48 Records attempted to release the Bush League album but issues with the mastering and conflicts between the band and label caused the release to be canceled along with the label folding.

Members

• Buzz Minnick - vocals
• Mike Borich - guitar
• Jason Hayden - bass 1
• Austin Head - bass 2
• Rusty Sohm - bass 3, 7
• Kyle Blust - bass 4
• Mike Giralico - bass 5
• Dave Mancini - bass 6
• John Causey - drums 1
• Joe Malone - drums 2
• Woody Delaney - drums 3
• David Pajo - drums 4
• Mark Tuazon - drums 5
• Doug Walker - drums 6
• Tony Rymniak - drums 7

Releases

• Fetor (7" EP) (Better Days Records)
• Sicko (7" EP) (Better Days Records)
• Smut (7" EP) (Better Days Records)
• Discography (Compilation Album) (Better Days Records)
• Class WAR (Studio Album; Unreleased) (28:48 Records)

Compilations

• Slamdek:Merry Christmas cassette (Slamdek)
• Omphalos CD (Richies Lemon Herb Media)
• Aftereffects of Insomnia Vol. 1 cass. (Three Little Girls)
• Aftereffects of Insomnia Vol. 2 cass. (Three Little Girls)
• Aftereffects of Insomnia Vol. 3 cass. (Three Little Girls)
• Head Cleaner: A Louisville Music Compilation vol 1 & 2 Double Cassette/Digital (Gubbey Records)

Shirts/Merch

Bush League has had 24 different T-shirts.

Links

• LEO Weekly Article
• Facebook
• ReverbNation
• Riffipedia