Cougars is a
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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-based
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band formed in 2000.
The band signed to the
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
-based label
Go-Kart Records
Go-Kart Records is an independent record label specializing in punk rock located in New York City that was most active from 1995 to 2005. It also has a European division in Mannheim, Germany.
History
In its May 1999 issue, '' Guitar World'' ...
in 2003 and embarked on several extensive US and European tours. Cougars' music is often compared to that of
The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard is an American rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas and based in Chicago, Illinois. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground… hoturned out a series of independent records filled with s ...
and
Rocket from the Crypt. The band avoids categorizing themselves in interviews; they've claimed to be simply "a rock band with horns" and "a rock band making rock music."
In 2007, the band parted ways with saxophonist Jeff Vidmont and trumpet player Mark Beening. In 2008, it parted ways with keyboardist Sam Ambrosini.
The band dicked around through most of the 2010's, continuing to write and play sporadic shows in Chicago.
In 2022, the band parted ways with guitarist Brett Meingasner. To maintain its trademark brand of two-guitar whoopass, Bienias moved from bass to guitar and Cougars added veteran Chicago rock god and all-around gentleman, Fred Popolo (former
Haymarket Riot
The Haymarket affair, also known as the Haymarket massacre, the Haymarket riot, the Haymarket Square riot, or the Haymarket Incident, was the aftermath of a bombing that took place at a labor demonstration on May 4, 1886, at Haymarket Square in ...
), on bass.
The reconsituted five-piece (no more keyboards or horn section) opted to stop dicking around and, in early 2023, began recording its third-full length album with engineer Shane Hochstetler at
Electical Audio in Chicago, Illinois and Howl Street Recording in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Several rough mixes ended up in the hands of Justin Nardy, owner of Expert Work Records from Columbia, Missouri, who experienced instachubbs and agreed to sign the band.
On August 4, 2023, the band officially released its long awaited third LP, "Cougs."
Band members
Current Band Members:
* Bryan Bienias - Bass (2000-2022), Guitar (2022-Present)
* Matt Irie - Vocals
* John McClurg - Guitar
* Fred Popolo - Bass
* Brian Wnukowski - Drums
Former Band Members
* Sam Ambrosini - Keyboards (2000-2008)
* Mark Beening - Trumpet (2000-2007)
* Brett Meingasner - Guitar (2000-2022)
* Jeff Vidmont - Saxophone (2000-2008)
Discography
* ''Nice, Nice'' (2003), Go Kart Records
* ''Manhandler'' EP (2004), Thick Records
* ''Pillow Talk'' (2005 in Europe, 2006 in North America), Go Kart Records
* ''Cougs'' (2023), Expert Work Records
External links
Cougars Official Web SiteCougars MySpace Page
Rock music groups from Illinois
{{US-rock-band-stub