Versus (band)

Versus is an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 1990 by vocalist and guitarist Richard Baluyut, bassist Fontaine Toups and drummer Edward Baluyut.[1] Richard Baluyut and Toups remained the two core members throughout the band's history.[2] The band was noted for their marriage of indie pop songwriting and vocal harmonies to the "loud-soft" dynamics of grunge and alternative rock. They were also noted for their proficient and disciplined musicianship and for their credo of "meat, sports, and rock", none of which had much currency in the early 1990s American indie scene.[2] The band was named after the Mission of Burma album Vs.[3]

Versus
Versus performing live in New York City
Versus performing live in New York City
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1990–2001, 2007–present
LabelsTeenBeat, Caroline, Merge
Members
  • Richard Baluyut
  • Fontaine Toups
  • Edward Baluyut
  • Margaret White
Past members
  • Robert Hale
  • James Baluyut
  • Patrick Ramos

Versus has counted at least two and sometimes three of the Filipino-American Baluyut brothers as members throughout its existence.[4] The New York Times listed Versus as one of the most prominent 1990s American indie rock bands featuring Asian American members.[5] The band has been signed to TeenBeat Records, Caroline Records and Merge Records.[6][7]

The band broke up in 2001 but reunited in 2007 and in 2009, released their first album in a decade. After another lengthy break, the band released their sixth album Ex Voto in 2019, their first in nine years.

History

The Baluyut brothers grew up in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan and formed the band with friends after Richard moved to New York for college.[2] Before Versus, Richard Baluyut formed the band Flower in 1986, while Edward Baluyut and Fontaine Toups formed Saturnine in 1990, a band which only lasted for two months. The band signed to TeenBeat Records and released their debut album The Stars Are Insane in 1994, originally titled Meat, Sports and Rock.[8] The band also made an appearance in the 1994 cult road movie Half-cocked.

In 1995, the third Baluyut brother James joined the band, which expanded into a quartet. That year, the band toured with Seam, aMiniature and Venus Cures All, all bands featuring Asian American members, on the Ear of the Dragon tour.[5] Versus also played Lollapalooza's second stage in August 1995 alongside acts including Hum, Beck, Blonde Redhead and the Roots.[9][10][11] On TeenBeat, Versus also released the compilation Dead Leaves in 1995 and the EP Deep Red in 1996.

Now on Caroline Records, Versus released their second studio album Secret Swingers in 1996 (named after a Henry Kissinger quote) and their third album Two Cents Plus Tax in 1998. Drummer Edward Baluyut left the band in 1996 and was replaced by Patrick Ramos. Then, Versus signed to Merge Records to release the EPs Afterglow (1999) and Shangri-La (2000), as well as their fourth album Hurrah (2000).[8] The album Hurrah was inspired by the closing of Detroit's Tiger Stadium.[2]

The band still continued to tour occasionally, including dates opening for Sleater-Kinney on The Hot Rock tour,[12] but began a recording hiatus in 2001 after it broke up for a short period and Richard Baluyut relocated to San Francisco.[6] The members afterwards moved on to other bands: James Baluyut and Patrick Ramos formed +/-, Fontaine Toups formed The Fontaine Toups and Richard Baluyut converted his solo acoustic project Whysall Lane into a full band.[13] Former member Edward Baluyut formed and played in the Pacific Ocean from 1996 to 2003.

Reunion

After a prolonged period of inactivity, playing just one show in the preceding three years, Versus played a private warm-up show in November 2007 and opened for Yo La Tengo at a Hanukkah show on December 4, 2007.[14][15] At that point, Richard Baluyut had recently returned to live in New York City, both TFT and Whysall Lane had broken up, and +/- was temporarily on hold while member Chris Deaner was touring as part of Kelly Clarkson's live band. Versus opened for Love Is All at the Bowery Ballroom in June 2008 as a three-piece with Ed Baluyut on drums. The band played as a four-piece with James Baluyut and Patrick Ramos when they toured Japan with +/- in late 2008, but in June 2009, the Versus MySpace page announced that Edward Baluyut had rejoined as a longtime member and that James and Patrick had left the group. The group began recording a new album that month, and started performing as a four-piece band with Margaret White on violin and keyboards.[13] The band released On the Ones and Threes on Merge Records in August 2010, their first album in 10 years.[16] To promote the album, Versus toured with Polvo and Superchunk.[17]

The band were chosen by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel to perform at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival that he curated in 2012 in Minehead, England.[18] They played the third annual Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, North Carolina, which took place September 6–8, 2012.[19] They were joined onstage by Mac McCaughan of Superchunk for several Neutral Milk Hotel songs and by Kurt Wagner for a Lambchop song.[20] Versus played 2017 Riot Fest in Chicago, chosen for the lineup by headliners Jawbreaker, as Jawbreaker drummer Adam Pfahler played in Whysall Lane with Richard Baluyut.[21]

In May 2019, the band released the Ex Nihilo EP and followed it up with Ex Voto in August, their first album in nine years.[22]

Versus opened for Jawbox's For Your Own Special Sweetheart show in July 2022 at New York City's (Le) Poisson Rouge.[23] Versus were announced as Unwound's opening act for their March 11, 2023 show in New York City's Irving Plaza.[24]

Members

Current members
  • Richard Baluyut – guitar, vocals (1990–present)
  • Fontaine Toups – bass guitar, guitar, vocals (1990–present)
  • Edward Baluyut – guitar (1990–1991); drums (1992–1996, 2008–present)
  • Margaret White – violin, keyboards (2009–present)

Former members
  • Robert Hale – drums (1991–1992)
  • James Baluyut – guitar, keyboards (1995–2008)
  • Patrick Ramos – drums (1996–2008)

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Compilations

Singles
  • Insomnia/Astronaut [7-inch] Land Speed 1992[25]
  • Bright Light/Forest Fire [7-inch] Pop Narcotic 1992[25]
  • "Tin Foil Star" on January Working Holiday [7-inch] split single with Scrawl Simple Machines 1993
  • Frog/Go Tell It on the Mountain [7-inch] K Records 1994
  • Big Head On/N.I.T.A. [7-inch] TeenBeat Records 1994
  • Yeah You [7-inch/cd5] (UK only) Caroline Records 1996
  • Glitter of Love [7-inch/cd5] (UK only) Caroline Records 1996
  • Oriental American (TEENBEAT 272 – 1998)

Compilation appearances

Soundtrack appearances

References
  1. Ankeny, Jason. "Versus Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  2. "Four-lane suburban highway". Detroit Metro Times. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  3. Milner, Greg (July 9, 2002). "The undeniable truth about Burma". Salon. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  4. AsianWeek.com Retrieved December 11, 2009 Archived September 4, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  5. NY Times – Asian-Americans Stake a Claim on Rock Retrieved December 11, 2009
  6. Magnet Magazine Issue 75 Lost Classics: Versus Retrieved December 11, 2009
  7. Philadelphia Citypaper:Free Versus Archived September 5, 2005, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 11, 2009
  8. Neff, Joseph (January 15, 2015). "Graded on a Curve: Versus, The Stars Are Insane". The Vinyl District. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  9. "Lollapalooza Second Stage Acts Announced". MTV. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  10. "Lollapaloozalollapaloozalollapaloozalollapalooza". Daily Bruin. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  11. "SONIC YOUTH: 08/09/95 – Austin, TX @ Southpark Meadows". www.sonicyouth.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  12. "Sleater-Kinney Schedule Hot Rock Tour". MTV. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  13. AV Club: Versus and Soft Power at the Black Cat Backstage Retrieved December 11, 2009
  14. Staff, BrooklynVegan. "Yo La Tengo – Hanukkah night 1 (Versus, Jon Glaser, Jon Benjamin, Mark Arm)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  15. "Yo La Tengo 2007 Hanukkah Diary – Yo La Tengo". Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  16. Raposa, David (August 4, 2010). "Versus.: On the Ones and Threes". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  17. Everhart, John. "Versus Stream New Album, Announce Record Release Show". www.undertheradarmag.com. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  18. "ATP curated by Jeff Mangum (Neutral Milk Hotel)". All Tomorrow's Parties. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  19. Versus at Hopscotch Archived April 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  20. "Mac McCaughan plays solo (kinda) -Hopscotch highlight " Fake Fake Eyes". Archive.is. December 10, 2012. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  21. Heisel, Scott (August 30, 2017). "The Riot Fest Guide to Jawbreaker's Post-Jawbreaker Bands". Riot Fest 2023 – September 15th–17th. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  22. Pearis, Bill. "Versus detail first album in nine years, share "Mummified"". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  23. Pearis, Bill. "Jawbox play career retrospective NYC shows this week before DC & Riot Fest". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  24. "Unwound, Versus @ Irving Plaza in New York on 03/11/2023". Oh My Rockness. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  25. Caught in Flux review Archived November 29, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  26. Credits for The Dhamma Brothers Archived December 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 11, 2009
  27. Credits for Midas' Son Archived October 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved December 11, 2009
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