Hovercraft – Zero Zero Zero One
Description
Hovercraft was an instrumental experimental rock group that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. It was co-founded by its core duo of guitarist/samplist/tape looper Ryan Shinn, and bassist Beth Liebling. Liebling and Shinn would use the pseudonyms “Sadie 7” and “Campbell 2000”, respectively, throughout the duration of the band’s history. Hovercraft has been cited as one of the most abrasive, non-commercial sounding bands ever to receive major-label distribution for its albums. Though somewhat overlooked and sometimes heavily criticized because of the band’s early association with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, the group was largely well respected and well received by critics and developed a cult following.
On January 8, 1995, recordings by Hovercraft and Magnog were played back to back on Pearl Jam‘s Self-Pollution satellite radio broadcast, a four-and-a-half-hour-long pirate broadcast out of Seattle, Washington which was available to any radio stations that wanted to carry it. The tracks which followed immediately after Pearl Jam’s final set are described by Eddie Vedder as a “cleansing of the palate.”The recording would appear on Hovercraft’s first release, a seven-inch single on the band’s own Repellent Records, run by David Meinert who also managed the band. Recorded in August 1994, “Zero Zero Zero One” featured Bobby Tamkin aka “Paul 4” on drums and on “box of nails.” No track titles were given, but “0001-A” and “0001-B” are etched into either band of the vinyl sides. It was also released as a VHS tape “video single” in a simple black slipcase. Pearl Jam’s Self-Pollution broadcast also featured humorous, holiday answering machine messages from Bobby Tamkin and Matt Lukin of Mudhoney.
