IN BLACK AND WHITE
(CD)


THE STORY OF MUSTARD PLUG
(DVD)

6.18.91
Colin and Dave run into each other at a Special Beat show in Ann Arbor and discuss starting Grand Rapids' first Ska band.

11.5.91
First practice in first drummer, Mike McKendrick's basement. Colin had to work, no horn section or bass. Dave "sings", Mike plays drums. Short practice.

11.12.91
Second practice, this time with Colin, Anthony Vilchez on bass and a horn section made up of people we really didn't know.

11.21.91
First performance at Mike's girlfriend's birthday party.  Played five "songs" including 3 originals, a Black Sabbath cover and something called "Ska Karaoke". Played each twice. The crowd was either too drunk or too nice to tell us to stop.

12.18.91
First public performance: Open mic night at Martini's Lounge.  Kicked off stage after 3 songs.

5.12.92
First show in Detroit at the 404 Willis Anarchist Collective.  No one gets hurt.

6.92 - 6.94
Mustard Plug plays relentlessly throughout the Midwest at every bar, legion hall, college party and punk rock dive that will have them.

8.3.92
Mustard Plug enters the studio to record their first cassette tape, dropping the massive amount of $600 to record and mix 10 songs.

10.30.92
After coming up with one of the worst ska-puns in what would soon be an avalanche of crappy ska bands following suit, Mustard Plug christens it's first release "Skapocalypse Now!" and goes on playing more dives throughout the Midwest.

4.17.93
Mustard Plug plays a house party in East Lansing, Michigan.  Noted LSD experimenter Dr. Timothy Leary, in town to deliver a speech on the cyber-movement, drops by and rocks out to the band.  Says Leary, "I dig this band!".

5.15.93
When Mike goes to Florida on vacation he is replaced by Nick Varano on drums.  Nick does not vacation for the next 7 years.

12.11.93
Mustard plug releases it's first CD "Big Daddy Multitude" on an unsuspecting ska world, courtesy of the nation's ska monolith, MOON records.

6.16.94
Mustard Plug embarks on it's first national tour, sleeping on floors all across this great country.  Highlights include playing a living room in Salt Lake City and a Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles. A resounding financial failure but artistic triumph. This would be the start of non-stop touring for years to come.

10.94 - 10.96
Time commitments and the call of the road serve to weed out various members of the band only to be replaced by other members who in turn are replaced by other members.  Craig moves from alto sax to bass. Brandon Jenison on trumpet is found drinking at a bar across the street from the band's practice space.  Jim Hofer on trombone is stolen from Detroit ska pioneers, the Exceptions. Finally for the first time in it's five year existence, Mustard Plug has a steady, committed line-up.