Artist description firetrucs have enjoyed some success in their first year together in the exciting but chilly rock world of Minneapolis. Los Angeles native Tony Parks (guitar) met drummer Shane Speltz in the fall of 2000 while visiting Minnesota. They promptly found guitar player Brian Gruidl, strapped him into a Rickenbacker bass, and worked out 40 rock songs. Tony does much of the writing, and everybody sings. firetrucs have played with local heroes (Houston, Snails, Grant Hart, Light FM, Wolworthy, Zero to Nine) in cool bars in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Madison and have recorded and released two full-length albums. The Space Loaf LP's fifteen songs, released on Secret Fire Records, are indicative of the band's early rock offerings. The staggering "Hovercraft LP" was released in June, 2002, and shows a more dynamic, more mature, more impressive side of firetrucs.

Music Style Loud, honest, dense songs about girls...

Musical Influences Dinosaur Jr., Elevator Drops, Shiner, Labradford, Swervedriver, Queens of the Stone Age, Slint, Joseph Arthur

Similar Artists Shiner, Dinosaur Jr., Sunny Day Real Estate, Everclear, Jawbox, Foo Fighters, The Flaming Lips, Get Up Kids, Veruca Salt, Jane's Addiction, Hey Mercedes, Cupcakes, Toadies, (early) Smashing Pumpkins

Artist History Loud sweet indie pop from Los Angeles descended upon sunny Minneapolis in 2001 via firetrucs.

Group Members Tony Parks (guitar/vocals) Brian Gruidl (bass) Shane Speltz (drums)

Instruments Guitar, Bass and Drums

Albums Space Loaf LP (Winter, 2001) Hovercraft EP (Summer, 2002)

Press Reviews "Firetrucs at the Dinkytowner. Great vocals and fire-in-the-belly musicianship make this group one of the best local grooves today." Rachel Hager - Minneapolis Star-Tribune 03.03.02 "Firetrucs released their first full-length, Space Loaf, in December. Among the gushy reviews posted on the Firetrucs website (www.firetrucs.com) is a quote from Veruca Salt's Louise Post, who says, "Firetrucs are my favorite new band... Expect to be floored." Fittingly, the Firetrucs' grungy-pop sounds as though it was written when people still cared about who Veruca Salt were. That's a good thing in my book, but then again, I still wear flannel, have a Nirvana poster on my wall and own more than one Foo Fighters CD." -Dan Haugen (The Dan One) - The Minnesota Daily 02.05.02

Additional Info Three nice Midwestern boys with loud instruments in t-shirts and jeans who came to rock.

Location Minneapolis, MN - USA

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