Fire Town

Fire Town
OriginMadison, Wisconsin, United States
GenresGarage pop, Alternative country
Years active1986–1989
LabelsAtlantic Records
SpinoffsGarbage
MembersDoug Erikson
Phil Davis
Tom LaVarda
Butch Vig

Fire Town was an American garage-rock band formed in the mid-1980s in Madison, Wisconsin, United States,[1][2] from the remnants of an earlier popular local group, Spooner. Fire Town appeared on MTV's "Basement Tapes" show in 1986. Their video, "Carry The Torch", placed second losing to the Columbus, Ohio band Oswald and The Herringbones and their music video "Be By Yourself".[3][4] Fire Town were signed to a major label and published two albums, In the Heart of the Heart Country and The Good Life. Fire Town separated in 1989 as the members' production commitments grew. Chris Heim of The Chicago Tribune rated The Good Life three stars.[5]

Sharing duties on vocals and lead guitar were Doug Erikson and Phil Davis, Tom LaVarda on bass guitar, and Butch Vig on drums. Vig would later go on to become a notable rock producer; Erikson and Vig would later team up with Fire Town's audio engineer Steve Marker to form the multi-platinum selling Garbage in 1994.[2][6]

Wounded Bird Records re-released both In the Heart of the Heart Country and The Good Life on CD in 2007.[7][8]

  1. ^ Sutton, Michael. "Fire Town - Biography and History". Allmusic.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Gone Digital: Fire Town, Red Kross, Denzil, Francis Dunnery, and The Wild Swans". Rhino.com. Rhino. July 14, 2020. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  3. ^ Landaas Music (April 23, 2023). "MTV Basement Tapes 1986 (Full Show)". Youtube.com. Archived from the original on April 23, 2023. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Oswald and The Herringbones (November 10, 2010). "MTV Video Martha Quinn & Oswald and The Herringbones". Facebook.com. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  5. ^ Heim, Chris (April 6, 1989). "Fire Town - The Good Life, Star Star Star". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  6. ^ "Welcome to Spooner Town", by Andy Davis, Record Collector, issue No. 209, January 1997
  7. ^ "Fire Town - In The Heart Of The Heart Country (2007, CD)". Discogs.com. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
  8. ^ "Fire Town - The Good Life (2007, CD)". Discogs.com. Retrieved April 27, 2023.