As the fog rolls over the cityscape, San Francisco embraces the advent of a musical revelation, encased in the heart of its very own past. Nestled within this upcoming revelation is Nuzzle, an archetypal exemplar of the city’s rich ’90s-’00s era screamo and post-hardcore scene.
Solid Brass Records, a cornerstone reminiscent of Trust Records, has been vested with the responsibility of bringing these tracks back from their lost abode. Their focus rests on unearthing and re-polishing the gems of the bygone era, reminiscent of the days when screams were the voice of passion, and post-hardcore was a burgeoning genre challenging the norm.
Founded by music industry veterans Chuck Pettry, Justin Sinkovich, and Jason Pearson, Solid Brass Records not only breathes new life into the spectral classics, but also enhances their allure. Pettry, renowned for his managerial work at Sandbag and Alternative Tentacles; Sinkovich, a co-founder of Epitonic and an old hand at Touch & Go, Southern Records; and Pearson, a tech startup maven who traded silicon circuits for vinyl grooves, have poured their collective experiences into this venture. The result is a meticulous curation of remastered long-lost albums, complete with upgraded packaging that could yet surprise with an occasional nod to the past, like a nostalgic paper-bag cover.
In a poignant twist of fate, Nuzzle had recorded these soon-to-be-revealed tracks in 1997 for Sub Pop subsidiary Die Young Stay Pretty. However, the planned release fell through the cracks of time, relegating the recordings to the realms of forgotten lore amongst the ’90s west coast indie music enthusiasts. Echoes of some tracks eventually found their way onto Nuzzle’s 1999 album released on Troubleman Unlimited. Yet the original, more unrefined and electrifying recordings remained obscured until now, finally slated to emerge in the summer of June, under the title “No Love Like That: Stanford Sessions 1997″. These are the raw, unrestrained precursors to Nuzzle’s 1999 LP “San Lorenzo’s Blues”, truly encapsulating the essence of the band’s spirited live shows.
Born in the suburbs of Rosemead, CA, in 1991, Nuzzle initially comprised of Nate Dalton on guitar, Simon Fabela on bass, and Ricardo Reano on drums. The trio found their home in Santa Cruz and later welcomed Nate’s older brother, Andrew Dalton, into their ranks. Andrew, who initially contributed with his guitar, transitioned into the role of the band’s frontman in 1994, rounding off their lineup.
By the mid-’90s, Nuzzle had carved out their reputation in the West Coast scene, touring extensively, releasing several records, and even finding themselves sharing stages with the likes of Evergreen, Unwound, Lync, and more.
An important chapter in Nuzzle’s history lies in their 1996 collaboration with Andy Radin, a friend and engineer who found himself recording bands in the late-night silence of Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. Here, in the depths of twilight hours, eight tracks sprung into existence. Yet, with circumstances leading to the band and their recordings parting ways, these tracks were shelved and forgotten for years, as Nuzzle continued to light up stages along the Californian coast.
With the passage of time, the whispers of these lost recordings stirred up intrigue and fascination among those familiar with Nuzzle’s journey. The Stanford sessions eventually became a shared secret among a select few, captivating them with the band’s raw and electrifying live spirit. As the band members, their friends, and fans revisited these recordings, they unanimously agreed that they best captured the raw intensity and vitality of Nuzzle’s live performances.
“None of our recordings really captured the sound, the energy, the rawness of Nuzzle as she remembers us live. Listening to the Stanford sessions, I think these recordings came the closest,” guitarist Nate Dalton reflected.
Now, as the wheel of time spins towards a nostalgic past, these sessions will soon bask in the spotlight. Renamed as “No Love Like That: Stanford Sessions 1997″, these tracks have been revived by the deft hands of Liam Andrew Nelson, who remixed the recordings, and Dave Gardner, who expertly remastered them at Infrasonic Mastering in Los Angeles.
Soon, the fans old and new will have the chance to experience the quintessential Nuzzle, the band at their pinnacle, as the band’s heartbeat pulsates once again through these tracks.
“No Love Like That: Stanford Sessions 1997” is set to be released on June 9th, 2023 by Solid Brass Records. It is a journey back in time, a celebration of a band’s essence that continued to resonate throughout the years. It’s a tribute to a period in music history when each note and word bled raw emotion, and it’s a tribute to a band that embodied that era. For Nuzzle, it’s more than a comeback; it’s a resurrection of the spirit they embodied, a chance to resonate once again in the hearts of those who remember, and to stir the souls of those yet to discover them.
