Though many have dubbed Superdrag a punk-pop or power pop band, their music has shown itself to be atop of the aforementioned genres. Taking as much influence from the British
Invasion-style pop of the Beatles and the Zombies as My Bloody Valentine and Husker Du, their songs have always combined melodicism and noise in fully distinct fashion. While many have compared frontman John Davis -- no relation to the Jonathan Davis of Korn or John Davis of Folk Implosion -- to Big Star's Alex Chilton in terms of his throaty vocals, often cynical lyrics, and major-minor chord progressions, the history of the two Tennessee-based groups have shared many parallels in terms of being a band's band that has often gone misunderstood.
With members Davis, guitarist Brandon Fisher, bassist Tom Pappas, and drummer Don Coffey Jr. having played together in various outfits, including Punch Wagon and 30 Amp Fuse, the guys eventually molded into the Used in the early '90s. Featuring Davis on drums, Pappas on vocals and guitar, Fisher on lead, and Chris Hargrove on bass, Coffey was eventually recruited to get behind the kit as Davis left to pursue "Superdrag" -- a vehicle for his songs. Though Davis was fully competent towards playing all of the instruments on his originals (as proved on circulated home demos), he enlisted the talents of Fisher, Pappas, and Coffey so the group could play live. Constantly gigging beyond their hometown of Knoxville, Superdrag quickly became a buzz band through their release of 1995's The Fabulous 8 Track Sounds of Superdrag on Darla Records, a label co-run by manager Jake Ottmann. As the EP received rave reviews in publications like CMJ, a major-label bidding war eventually followed with the band heading to Elektra Records.
Releasing Regretfully Yours in the summer of 1996, Superdrag found a highly positive response despite many looking to write them off as a "one-hit wonder." With first single, "Sucked Out," becoming a major radio hit on both alternative and crossover stations in addition to becoming an MTV "Buzz Clip," sales of Regretfully Yours eventually pushed to a moderately successful 300,000 despite the failure of follow-up single and video "Destination Ursa Major." Playing hundreds of shows in support of the record, the group found itself a highly renowned touring entity, though many of Davis' new songs were showing themselves piano-based and darker: the anti-thesis of the jangly-rock that Superdrag was known for amongst the mainstream.
Recorded in Woodstock, NY, with producer Jerry Finn -- of Green Day, Rancid, and Blink 182 fame -- Head Trip in Every Key was more of a conceptual album as it featured well-thought orchestrations. While the other members served their usual roles, Davis played the piano, organ, theremin, and sitar in addition to his usual being as a guitarist. Although solid pop/rockers like "Hellbent" and "Do the Vampire" were radio friendly and did receive minor play, powerful and emotional cuts like "She Is a Holy Grail" and "The Art of Dying" (an ode to The Tibetan Book of the Dead) more so represented the vibe of the album as each clocked in above five minutes. In fact, "Shuck & Jive" featured a Beach Boys-esque bridge with Davis himself doing five-part harmonies. Though reviews in many cases were the strongest ever seen by the group, Elektra Records was all but enthusiastic over Head Trip in Every Key. Little if any support was given upon its March 1998 release, as funding for a "Do the Vampire" video was revoked and given to a "more commercial" techno act. Minimal touring support was provided and the group found itself off the road quickly.
Disgusted with the failure of Head Trip in Every Key, Superdrag independently released Stereo 360 Sound -- a compilation featuring original demos, alternate versions, and unreleased tracks -- on their own label, Superdrag Sound Laboratories. Feeling up on their success on a smaller scale, the quartet happily returned to the studio as they recorded at Nashville's Woodland Studios for a yet-to-be-titled third LP (on a newly signed two-album extension). However, endless pressures from their label to write "hit songs" led them to grow tired of working with Elektra and ultimately demanded to be dropped, which happened months later. Grown frustrated with the group's situation, Pappas left in 1999 to fully pursue Flesh Vehicle -- a Rolling Stones-meets-Johnny Thunders power trio featuring him as songwriter -- though Davis, Fisher, and Coffey did play on Flesh Vehicle's full-length disc Elastic Prose (released later in the year on Green Point Music Works). Wasting no time, Superdrag added Sam Powers, bassist and songwriter from the Nashville-based Who Hit John, to their full-time lineup.
Opening up their own studio entitled Knoxvegas, Superdrag recorded In the Valley of Dying Stars with the aid of producer and longtime friend Nick Raskulinecz who had worked with the group on all recordings since their 1994 inception. Released in the fall of 2000 on the New York-based Arena Rock Recording Company -- a company that began with exclusively putting out Superdrag's N.A. Kicker 7" single -- In the Valley of Dying Stars combines elements of both Elektra releases, having its fair share of lush arrangements mixed in with the feedback-enhanced pop that first achieved Superdrag their fame. Two years later, Superdrag's rowdy rock ways were found on the Last Call For Vitriol album. The following tour found them promoting the album heavily while it climbed the college radio charts. In May 2003, Superdrag announced the departure of Sam Powers. Powers wanted to spend more time with his family and the rest of the band did too, fueling rumors of a split. ~ Darren Paltrowitz, All Music Guide
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