Aslund Constant - The End of an Era in 1997

Here is the download: Aslund Constant - 1997 Demo

Since I don't have any pictures of Aslund Constant to include here, I am using another picture of Bryan Fielden on the drumset in its place. Aslund Constant was the combination of Bryan Fielden and Craig Dempsey from The Forty-Two on drums and guitar, Lewis Lovely from Scout on bass, and our favorite Somber Reptile soundman John Archer on guitar. They existed around 1997, around the time the 1994-1996 bands started breaking up (Scout, The Forty-Two, Wheeljack, etc.) and starting new bands with different combinations of members (Aslund Constant, Chapman Park, The Mascara Aesthetic, etc.). Most of these "second wave" bands were pretty short-lived, but then went into a "third wave" which had a much longer shelf-life and went in noticeably different directions from the original mold. For example, after Aslund Constant Bryan went on to play drums in San Agustin, Craig Dempsey started At the Price of the Union, Lewis Lovely started Red Lab recording studio (now The Living Room under Ed Rawls), John Archer doing sound stuff, and on and on. So I look at Aslund Constant as being one of these last bands of the initial era of Atlanta mid-90's house show postpunk, before it fragmented beyond recognition.

In my opinion, the music holds up to anything from that time period, although the only song that was ever officially released by them was on the Food Not Bombs compilation posted here previously. I was really surprised at how good of a drummer Bryan was, as I only previously knew of him as a guitarist. Now I can't even think of him playing guitar after so many years behind the kit. It is also the only recording that I have with John Archer on guitar, since to me he has always been the guy putting mics on my drums and making smartass comments. Soon Lewis would be pretty much exclusively behind the board as well, becoming the touring soundman for pretty much every band out there as well as a resident soundman at MJQ/Drunken Unicorn. 1997 was a transition year for these guys, but definitely worth a listen. Thanks to Kelsey Wilson (All Night Drug Prowling Wolves, The Weight, Thoroughbred) for the tape.