Years active 1991–2001 Genres Punk rock, Pop punk | Active until 1998 | |
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Associated acts Tales From The Birdbath Members Denny Bartlett
Ean Hernandez
Josh Rubin Origin Seattle, Washington, United States (1991) Albums You Can Feel the Love in This Room Record labels Red Scare Industries, Mutant Pop Records, Empty Records Similar Screw 32, Blacky, Kemo the Blaxican, South Central Cartel, The Connie Dungs |
Sicko were an American rock group from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. Exceptionally, the three-piece pop punk group maintained a constant membership for every recording as a band. This line-up was Denny Bartlett (guitar, bass, vocals), Ean Hernandez (guitar, bass, vocals), and Josh Rubin (drums, brother of Aaron Rubin from The Mr. T Experience). Although the band wrote and recorded an extensive catalog of original material throughout the mid-1990s, the group is perhaps best known for its punk-flavored cover of the song "Closer To Fine", originally written and recorded by the folk duo Indigo Girls.
Contents
Sicko released four full-length albums and five 7" eps as well as a retrospective CD with unreleased and rare material, a released demo and a tour video. They also appeared on approximately fourteen compilations on labels such as Lookout! Records and Liberation Records. They once exchanged covers with Cub. The vast majority of their recorded output was recorded by Kurt Bloch of The Fastbacks and released on Seattle-based punk label eMpTy Records. One EP and the retrospective CD were released on Mutant Pop Records. Three Sicko songs were featured on the Xbox game Project Gotham Racing 2 alongside artists like The Flaming Lips and Princess Superstar.
During its heyday - roughly 1993 to 1998 - Sicko actively played in numerous clubs throughout the Seattle area, toured the United States, and toured Japan. A typical Sicko set would last about twenty songs lasting about 45–50 minutes, in a blistering, no-interruptions manner reminiscent of the Ramones or The Fastbacks (whose lo-fi style resembled Sicko, possibly in part due to Kurt Bloch's production input in the studio). Denny and Ean would typically switch places on the bass and guitar duties halfway through the set (and often handing each other their instruments while on stage). Sicko often split the bill with other bands that would eventually go on to achieve more national acclaim, including a show with Harvey Danger in 1994 at the (now defunct) Lake Union Pub, and several shows with the The Presidents of the United States of America, most notably at a show at the Capitol Hill club Moe's (now Neumo's) on the same night that the Presidents filmed concert footage for the video of their hit song "Lump". While no longer being updated, the Sicko web site is still up at Sicko.com.
On August 26, 2009, Red Scare Industries announced that they would be re-issuing the band's catalog.
Albums
Singles
Compilations
Songs
Corrosive2016
Hipster BoyfriendYou Are Not the Boss of Me · 1997
RehashedLaugh While You Can Monkey Boy · 1995