Crate Digging is a recurring feature that takes a deep dive into music history to turn up several albums all music fans should know. In this edition, Neil Gust and Brandt Peterson of Heatmiser share 10 essential albums from the Pacific Northwest.
For decades, the Pacific Northwest has been a hotbed for indie rock, punk, and all things alternative — and it extends far beyond the so-called “grunge explosion.” From foundational rebels like Greg Sage and his band Wipers to the melancholic beauty of Elliott Smith, something about the majestic but gloomy atmosphere of the area breeds astounding, deeply moving art.
Smith, in particular, stands as shining example of the Pacific Northwest’s artistic community. Before his solo career took him to places like the Academy Awards, he was deeply intwined in the local scene, fronting the punky, folky, indie rock outfit Heatmiser.
Rounded out by members Neil Gust, Brandt Peterson, and Tony Lash, Heatmiser was Pacific Northwest through-and-through. Their sound was a cloudy, left-field take on early ’90s indie rock, they collaborated and toured with figureheads of the community, and they boasted members who previously had stints in other now-legendary bands from the scene.
The last time fans heard from Heatmiser was Mic City Sons, their 1996 swan song. Fortunately, the band has a new, extensive compilation of rarities, demos, and live cuts on the horizon. The Music of Heatmiser arrives in full tomorrow (Friday, October 6th) via Third Man Records, offering a further look into story of the underground heroes.
So, who better to provide a listening guide for the Pacific Northwest than Heatmiser’s Gust and Peterson? We connected with the two musicians to chat about 10 of the most essential albums, complete with stories of old friends, community building, and buying groceries with stolen credit cards.
“Obviously, we could have come up with a hundred records we love,” Peterson tells Consequence. “But we were not only thinking about records we love, but records that maybe aren’t on everyone’s radar if you’re not in the Pacific Northwest, [albums from] the Portland music scene that we wound up inhabiting and to the Pacific Northwest more generally.”
Check out Gusts and Peterson’s full deep dive into the crates of the Pacific Northwest music scene below.
