'Off to a Bad Start' Release Day
My Gratitude + Five Favorite Popsicko Songs
It has been quite a journey since I first texted my friend Marko DeSantis about doing an oral history for his early ‘90s band Popsicko.
Two-and-a-half years later, the Off to a Bad Start vinyl reissue and oral history book are officially out in the world today—but really this project was 30 years in the making, dating back to the band’s formation in Santa Barbara, California.
Fronted by former Pennywise singer/guitarist, Keith Brown, Popsicko’s line up included guitarist/vocalist Tim Cullen (later of Summercamp), bassist DeSantis (Sugarcult), and drummer Mick Flowers (The Rentals).
Popsicko was one of the hottest bands in SoCal when they self-released Off to a Bad Start in 1994, the same year they played shows with other up-and-coming California groups like Weezer and Green Day.
It seemed like the sky was the limit for this high-energy alternative rock/power pop quartet until tragedy struck.
Brown, who was one of my closest friends, died in a car accident in November 1995. Many of us who loved Keith and the band tried to keep his memory and their music alive over the years, but by 2021 both were starting to fade. So, I texted Marko about doing an oral history and this reissue project slowly began to reveal itself.
It has been truly incredible watching music-lovers of all ages from around the world discover this lost gem of an album and the story of the talented band who made it.
My sincere gratitude to everybody who embraced this labor of love: countless DJs, podcasters and music writers; people who ordered a copy of the vinyl/oral history reissue; fans new and old who spread the word over the last few months, and our dedicated partners Christina and Rex at Big Stir Records.
None of this would have been possible without you.
Right on! Congrats on getting this out into the world for all of us. I'm pretty psyched to have my copy get here.