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The pick-Up Sticks were born from the web pages of The Recycler Magazine, in the month of September, in the year 2003.

The sound they developed together first brewed alongside the abandoned traintracks of industrial Vernon, CA, where their practice space resided. This particular building was located in between a meat packing factory (Farmer John) and a bakery (Bon Apetit). As they rehearsed, the night became early morning and even the massive concrete sound-proofed walls of the building could not protect the odor from penetrating them, through and through. This mixture of unbearably sweet pastry and slaughtered flesh--both waiting in their factories for their respective destinations--wafted into The pick-Up Sticks rehearsal space. It was no wonder there was no peep from other rooms at those late hours. Other bands were smart enough to stay away. But for The pick-Up Sticks, this was a calling.

(Plus, it was the only time they had in common to play.)

But, I digress.

The truth is (well, what you make of it) that these opposing forces are the blood that runs through the veins of The pick-Up Sticks. They are the mother's milk that fed them back in Vernon.

Ed likes to call his song writing:

"Political songs disguised as Love songs disguised as Political songs..."

or is it:

"Love songs disguised as Political songs disguised as Love songs..."

the pick-Up is Ed Hudecek on guitar, vocals and drums.

the Sticks is Sarah Clothier on drums, vocals and keyboard.

Ed has played in various LA bands over the past ten plus years. Although he would have easily outclassed the field in the International Neo-INXS Michael Hutchence search, Ed chose to remain true to his actual personna and continue life in pitiful obscurity.

Sticks has been out and about as a player as long as The pick-Up Sticks has existed, but she had been a avid student a long time previous. She has also worked extensively with Azalia Snail, playing shows in town, including opening for Stereolab, Monade, Low and Ceasar at venues such as the El Rey, Troubador, Echo, Spaceland, Fais Do Do and many more. She toured Europe with Azalia in April 2006.

The pick-Up Sticks as a band has had a long and close relationship with Azalia Snail over the years. She invited them to share a residency at with her at Cole's Bar downtown which lasted most of 2004 and led to a few shows in 2005.

The pick-Up Sticks supported her in other shows in LA as well as joining her on a tour of the Pacific Northwest that went through San Francisco, Portland, Tacoma and Eugene. They also played together in San Diego.

Azalia directed the "Open Fire" video that is now on MySpace. It is totally worth checking out!

Venues have included:

Cole's, M. Bar, Eagle Rock Bowl, Black Pussy Soiree,

Hollywood & Highland, Kickstand Cafe, the Cog,

various private parties

The pick-Up Sticks have produced one demo to date and are currently working on their next release that will hit so hard it'll cause fault lines. They decided to take a hiatus from playing out to focus on recording--a sort of self imposed hybernation for productivity. They are now planning shows again and will release a CD sometime in the fall.

Their first demo was co-produced by Dean Chamberlain, founding member of the band the Motels. The pick-Up Sticks had met him while campaigning for John Kerry in the last days of the election. Dean and LA Weekly writer Judith Lewis also have a band and they played together at a later event for John Kerry at Hollywood & Highland.

J.J. Watson plays bass, but he's also known to play a sick euphonium and trumpet... that's for albums to come. Hailing from the Lone Star State, Watson is both a studied musician and a veteran of many a raucous consortiums of rockers. They met under the wing of Azalia Snail and now J.J. is kicking some pick-Up Sticks ass.

We are now all complete with the addition of the amazing artist/musician Matt Hutchinson. With more, more, more guitar, lapsteel, egg beaters and whatever else he thinks to use to make music, the pick-Up Sticks have finally reached sonic bliss.

There is usually a scathing knife of political discontent twisted somewhere in the belly of a pick-Up Sticks song, even if it's a pretty ballad. It's the slaughter house and the industrial bakery.

The smell, it doesn't leave you.