Biography
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Years Active
1989 – present (35 years)
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Founded In
Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, United States
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Members
- Chuck Garrison (1989 – 1991)
- Jack McCook (1989 – 1990)
- Jim Wilbur (1990 – present)
- Jon Wurster (1991 – present)
- Laura Ballance (1989 – present)
Superchunk is an indie rock band which formed in 1989 in the college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. The band consists of Mac McCaughan (vocals, guitar), Laura Ballance (bass), Jim Wilbur (guitar) and Jon Wurster (drums). McCaughan and Ballance founded the indie record label Merge Records mostly to distribute the band's material, but has since grown into one of the largest indie record labels in the United States.
After a pair of well-received singles, Superchunk released Superchunk in 1990, a critically-lauded LP. In spite of the ensuing interest from major labels, Superchunk decided to stay independent, going with Matador Records for their second, just as critically-lauded LP, No Pocky for Kitty, followed by a collection of singles, Tossing Seeds and another pair of well-reviewed LP's, On the Mouth and Foolish.
Superchunk singer Mac McCaughan and bassist Laura Ballance decided to release future albums on their own Merge Records, which they had started in 1989. The band continued touring and recording, appearing on Lollapalooza and backing a minor hit in "Hyper Enough" (from Here's Where the Strings Come In). In 1999, Superchunk released Come Pick Me Up.
McCaughan was a member of Seam and has also recorded several albums as Portastatic. Initially a solo project, Portastatic has evolved into a full band, which currently includes Superchunk's Jim Wilbur as a member. Before forming Superchunk, McCaughan was a member of the Slushpuppies, Wwax, and Bricks.
In 2008, the band announced they would be performing live shows and working on new material. That new material manifested itself as 2009's Leaves in the Gutter EP, which was followed by a full-length in 2010.
In 2013 bassist Laura Ballance announced that she would no longer tour, due to a worsening hearing condition (hyperacusis). However, the band continues to release new material, including the 2018 album "What a Time to be Alive."
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