Mr Epp And The Calculations

Bruce Pavittt, co-founder of Sub Pop, was who first described the Seattle bands with the word grunge in mid 80s, but this definition was created by Mark Arm some years early. 

Mark Arm writte to a Seattle maganize in order to critize his own band, he used for the first time the "grunge" as a noun. That band, the Mark Arm first band was called Mr Epp And The Calculations.

Mr Epp was founded in the early 80's, between 1980 and 1981. The name came from the high school math teacher of John Smitty .

Then, John Smitty (or Jeff Smith) as vocalist, Mark Arm as guitarist and Darren Morey as bassist founded the band, all three went to the same school. Darren's brother friend Peter Wick joined them as drummer.

Maire Masco, co-founder of the maganize Desperate Times, stated that she had to chase Mark and John over the Seattle streets because was hard to get in touch with them, she did not know them and wanted to meet with them. Mark Arm had written a letter to that magazine in order to critizese his own band. The Maire told Mark and John that she wanted to book Mr Epp, then Mark Arm said something like "Oh my God, that mean we have to get instruments".

Stephen Rabow, who hosted a radio show named KZAM in Seattle, promised to display every tape sample received. Mr Epp And The Calculations sent his song "The Pigeon in the Fountain Bed". The story is wellknown, Rabow stated they were the "worst band in the world", that statement followed them until the band demise in 1984.

1981 arrived and the lineup was formed by:

• John Smitty as vocalist and guitarist.
• Mark Arm as guitarist and vocalist.
• Todd Morey as bassist.
• Randy Rubato as drummer.

There was a band called Student Nurse, which played at Queen Anne's UCT Hall in Seattle in 1981, Mr Epp And The Calculations opened for them that day.

First Mr Epp EP, Of Course I'm Happy, Why?

Shortly after, Darren Morey returned as the drummer and the band released the first EP called "Of Course I'm Happy, Why?" through Pravda Records in early 1982.

The main single was "Mohawk Man". During that time, some tracks were included in several compilations from L.A and Seattle.

Later, the band began to record more songs, apparently Mr Epp And The Calculations were not soo bad.

More songs were recorded, in this case with Tom Dyer at TDS Studios.

Mr Epp live album, Live As All Get Out!

Mr Epp And The Calculations played two shows which were included on this live album released under the name of "Live As All Get Out!" through Deus Ex Machina / Dog Tapes.

It includes two special covers, "Starway to Heaven" from Led Zeppelin and "I Wanna Be Your Doll" from Iggy Pop.

John Smitty was the vocalist and played the saxophone, Mark Arm played the guitar, on drumms were Darren Morey, and finally Todd Morey played the bass guitar.

The members were involved in different projects out of Mr Epp, that made the band did not release any new album during those years. John Smitty played with Doherty and Mark Arm and Todd Torey did the same with Jack Klugman and the Ice Picks.

Mr Epp started to openend for good band, like Dead Kennedy's at the Eagles Auditorium. After this show, they also played at the Seattle's Metropolis, that place was managed by Hugo Piottin, Gordon Doucette and Susan Silver, there they gathered the best Seattle band.

It was summer and Steve Turner joined Mr Epp. Steve had played in The Ducky Boys with Stone Gossard (Green River, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam and Brad), on the other hand was close friend of Mark Arm, they met in 1982 over their common friend Alex Vincent, so a second guitar was added to the lineup.

Alex Vincent or Alex Shumway was playing with Spluii Numa and Steve Turner made some rehearsals with them, but understood that he would adjust better with Mr Epp and the Calculations. Anyway Turner just could play two gigs with Mr Epp.

In 1984 they openend for Malfunkshun, the band of Andy Wood, it was on February 3 in the Metropolis. The drummer was Talya Christian, who could not remain any longer, thus it was the last Mr Epp show.

Mr Epp compilation, Ridiculing the Apocalypse

Mark Arm and Steve Turner went to The Thrown Ups and Green River with Alex Vincent, later Mudhoney. Darren Morey, John Smitty and Peter Wick formed a new band, but it disbanded soon.

 

Darren Morey joined Steel Pole Bath Tub and Todd Morey went to Dead and Fred's Crashshop. 

John Smitty released on "Tapes From the Dead" in 1990, it included old Mr Epp tracks. Moreover, he created his own label, Box Dog, and released a compilation named "Ridiculing the Apocalypse" in 1996.