Bunnygrunt

Bunnygrunt are an American indie pop band from St. Louis, Missouri composed of guitarist/vocalist Matt Harnish and drummer Karen Ried. History 1993–1998 The band formed in early 1993, with Wally Schwartz on bass. Their first release, the "Criminal Boy" 7", came in the same year, on Silly Moo Records. In short order Rene Dullum took over the duties on bass. They continued to release 7"s and EPs, drawing attention for this and for their rapid release schedule, until they recorded their debut full-length in 1995, titled Action Pants!, released on No Life Records. This release was not without its problems. Dullum was fired from the band before the album was released, taking her songs with her. This meant that the album's running time was rather short – now being only 8 songs long, and around 20 minutes in length (partly due to the 10-minute-long "Open Wide and Say Oblina", the album's closer). The band then recruited bassist Jen Wolfe, and continued to release 7"s, including The Bunnygrunt Family Notebook, and Blue Christmas (a Christmas 7", with their cover of the holiday standard on the one side, and an original, 'Season's Freaklings', on the other). In 1998, they released their second album, Jen-Fi, again on No Life. This had double the tracks of their first album, although the running time was again very brief, as few songs broke the 2 minute mark. The album attracted favourable reviews, yet the band disappeared soon after this, with little fanfare. Matt and Karen went on to form The See-Thrus. Later still Matt joined The Julia Sets and Karen formed The Fantasy Four. 2003–present In 2003, the earlier-recorded Bunnygrunt song 'Season's Freaklings' (also previously featured on a compilation entitled Better Than Fruitcake which was a forerunner to the Bert Dax Christmas compilations—see below) was used on the soundtrack to the Billy Bob Thornton movie, Bad Santa, enhancing the band's popularity. In the fall of 2004, a new collection of Bunnygrunt's old tracks and rarities, entitled In the Valley of Lonesome Phil, was released on Harnish's own label, "The Bert Dax Cavalcade of Stars". Ried had been playing with various local musicians as The Fantasy Four, and Harnish was busy at various pf local artists playing original and traditional holiday songs every Christmas season), playing bass for the St.