A-Z of Skin Graft Records – Yowie

Although they were named after an Australian bigfoot, members of Yowie are actually hailing from US (St. Louis, Missouri area, to be exact). Previously, all members of the trio were  in various local bands – Shawn O’Connor was in Captain Captain, Jim Haggerty was in Malade De Souci and Jeremiah Wonsewitz was in The Elements.
Skin Graft bio describes them as “a dual-guitar and drums trio”, which comparing them musically with the likes of Magma, Big Black, Slayer and Ruins. The band also toured with numerous other acts, including Chinese Stars, Cheer-Accident, Wesley Wills and The Frogs.
Even before they started recording their debut album “Cryptooology”, they were nominated for The Riverfront Times St. Louis Music Award, alongside Chuck Berry and Chingy. The album which came out in 2004 featured artwork by Skin Graft founder Mark Fischer. Tiny Mix Tapes gave the album 2 stars out of 5 and pointed out that there are plenty of other bands playing similar music and while the record itself is not bad, its not something that one can return to again and again.
KJFC radio review pointed out that the album is full of sonic chaos with “warbley guitars and a drum having seizures as they fly all over the place in fast paced and aggressive style that produced tuneless tunefulness” and, as they pointed out, “if you’ve heard one Yowie track, you’ve heard them all”. At the same time, according to them, the album’s duration just half an hour, which makes it a “sweet debut”.
In 2008, Yowie contributed a track called “Dundercruck” (their take on “Thunderstruck”) to an ongoing Skin Graft series of tributes to AC/DC. Compilation also featured new and unreleased tracks by Mule, Pre and Colossamite.
MP3: Trina