Shameless Tuesdays: Livre 141 | Quiz Show
One of my favorite albums from 2023 was the self-titled release from Quiz Show. Originally known as the hardcore band Shudder to Think, guitarist Chris Matthews and bassist Jesse Krakow went back to square one with new drummer Joe Billy. The end result was an album that felt like peak 90s alt. rock, a perfect blend of Pixies, The Presidents of the United States of America, and even The New Adventures of Pete & Pete band Polaris! Now after taking a hell of a victory lap, Quiz Show are back with the brand-new EP Flotsam. These three tracks are fast, it's in-your-face, and even have some laughs and tears thrown in for good measure. We're excited to have them contribute to this week's Shameless Tuesdays, which has been delivered via a super concrete brick thrown through my windowpane.
Here's what Quiz Show have to say about this week's playlist:
This playlist tells a bit of the story behind my music, which started in the mid-80s but took a break from 1992 until 2017, when I returned with a new voice. I start the list with some of the DC bands that impacted me deeply. I missed the origin years of DC Hardcore but caught and was lucky enough to be part of a subsequent generation. As a sample of this time I added songs by Rites of Spring, Dagnasty, Fugazi, Nation of Ulysses, Jawbox, and a few from the first iteration of Shudder To Think.
The next tracks are the songs that have had staying power for me since these years. Some are classic rock like Baby’s On Fire, Cool it Down, I’m Waiting for The Man, and Celebration Day. Others are songs that make me think of that time because of how fucking good the music was. So, there’s a few from XTC, Pixies, Replacements, Minutemen, and the only band I ever followed along on tour, fIREHOSE. I 💕💕 Mike Watt!!
The list continues with songs from bands that evolved from my DC-roots.You’ll find a couple second iteration Shudder To Think tunes, some Craig Wedren solo work as well as Girls Against Boys and SAVAK. To these I added three songs that kicked me down in the 90s: Sheela Na Gig, Randy Described Eternity, Divine Hammer, and Against the 70s.
The last section is a sample of songs from the Quiz Show catalog and some tunes from bands in my neighborhood in north Jersey that I have been lucky enough to play shows with since picking up the guitar again. Elk City is the classiest of the bunch but you’ll also love Tri-State, Rob Munk, Stuyvesant, and Thrill Ride. The playlist closes with Pete Seeger, whose song, Quiz Show, inspired the band name.
- Chris Matthews (Quiz Show, Shudder To Think)
For more information on Quiz Show, visit their official Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Check out their new EP Flotsam below via their Bandcamp!
Promotional consideration provided by Shameless Promotion PR.
