I encountered THE WYNONA RIDERS first at a Sunday afternoon show at Gilman Street with a dozen or so other people. I was still new enough that I jumped at any chance to hang out at the graffiti-coated club and be bombarded by any manner of punk rock allowed to mount the stage. Sunday afternoon shows were musical pot lucks: they seemed to book bands that pestered the staff for so long they had to be... Read More.

Related Bands: Vagrants, Pot Valiant, Sweet Baby

I encountered THE WYNONA RIDERS first at a Sunday afternoon show at Gilman Street with a dozen or so other people. I was still new enough that I jumped at any chance to hang out at the graffiti-coated club and be bombarded by any manner of punk rock allowed to mount the stage. Sunday afternoon shows were musical pot lucks: they seemed to book bands that pestered the staff for so long they had to be given a show—my own first band was one of them. They were almost always all local bands that I'd never heard of, but it was fun to just hang around, and if the band sucked you could talk outside on the sidewalk. When THE WYNONA RIDERS started playing, I looked up from whatever conversation I was engaged in. They sounded good, the songs were melodic and catchy, and they seemed well-practiced, unlike the other bands they were appearing with that day. Pat and I were putting together The Can of Pork Compilation, and I asked the vocalist, Skip, who later ran for mayor of Alameda, CA, if they wanted to contribute a song. He gave me their demo tape, with which I became preoccupied. Their music was even more infectious on further listenings, and the lyrics were cryptic, humorous poetry—or at least, I hoped they were because they made me laugh. THE RIDERS went through some lineup changes and two East Bay band veterans and scenesters, Richie Bucher (SOUP, SWEET BABY) and Dave E.C. (FILTH, THE VAGRANTS) ended up in the band. Lookout! released a 7"EP, then recorded demos for an LP when the band broke up, all in 1992. Then in 1995, THE WYNONA RIDERS reformed in response to the resurgence of '92 era melodic pop-punk. The time seemed perfect. After two ambitious and arresting releases, THE WYNONA RIDERS broke up again over the question of whether to internet or internot. Skip and '95 era guitarist Joe Selby went on to form the short-lived but still great TOYBOAT.—Christopher Appelgren