Releases by sukpatch

Forming in the early 1990s, Minneapolis group Sukpatch helped pioneer a genre with no name, blending together the sample-based trip-hop and indie pop of the time. They utilized abstract, pot-friendly lyricism along with stream-of-consciousness style vocals. Initially creating home-made cassettes for the record labels Toytown and Slabco with traditional rock band instrumentation, the band shifted through multiple line-ups with different singers and evolved their sound. They put out three albums in this time between 1991 and 1992: That’s Leeona’s Business, Sukpatch, and Lite Hits. A few years down the road, the roster of the band had settled into the trio of Steve Cruze, Chris Heidman, and Stephen Hermann. They embraced a more beats-and-synths heavy sound, focusing on samples and loops more than traditional instrumentation. They continued to release various albums, EPs, and singles at a prolific rate on Slabco Records from 1995 to 1998, including Cabo San Lucas, Haulin’ Grass and Smokin’ Ass, Hoop, and Honky-Tonk Operation, before Stephen Hermann parted ways with the band. The band continued as a duo of Steve Cruze and Chris Heidman for the rest of their career. They then caught the attention of Sub Pop Records, who put out their 1998 single Stolen Chrome. They also caught the attention of Beastie Boys, who ended up signing them to their newly developed record label Grand Royal, putting out the EP Tie Down That Shiny Wave and the ill-fated album Naturalizms before the label ultimately went bankrupt, both of which featured a more polished synth-pop sound. After several years of hiatus, the duo finally released what would be their final album entitled Twenty-Three on Moshi Moshi Records in 2006, which was a return to their indie rock roots. Two years later, they digitally released the EP Light’s End…Love’s Swell on the internet label Heartphone. Talk of more Sukpatch releases came about here and there on the band's social media before the passing of Steve Cruze in 2019, which further solidified the end of the group. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.