San Diego Reader

John Reis: Bass guitar, Drums, Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Vocals | Jason Crane: Drums, Trumpet | Paul O'Beirne: Saxophone

Genre: Blues & Soul, Rock

Sound description: According to the band's page at Wikipedia.com, "The music produced by Back Off Cupids was significantly different from Reis's other musical endeavors. While his previous groups had explored genres such as rock & roll, post-punk, and post-hardcore in an aggressive fashion, Back Off Cupids was slower, mostly instrumental, and to a certain degree free-form. It most closely resembles Drive Like Jehu in its complexity and intricate song structures, but lacks the aggression and raspy vocals of that group."

RIYL: Drive Like Jehu

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Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 1994

Influences: Drive Like Jehu, Rocket from the Crypt, Pitchfork

Background:

Back Off Cupids was the name of a solo musical project by local musician John Reis. The project took place in 1994, in between sessions with Reis's bands Drive Like Jehu and Rocket from the Crypt. Rocket from the Crypt horn players Jason Crane and Paul O'Beirne were also involved in the project, though the vast majority of the recording was conducted by Reis. Recording took place with friend and fellow musician Gar Wood in his garage.

Recording of the Back Off Cupids material was completed in 1994, but with the exception of a few songs that appeared on compilations, it remained mostly unreleased for several years. Reis left the material shelved for the most part, occasionally mixing and tweaking the arrangements in between touring and recording with Rocket from the Crypt. In 1999, during a period in which Rocket from the Crypt was not as active, Reis completed mixing the material and released it as an album through Drunken Fish Records under the title Back Off Cupids. Of Reis's many musical endeavors, Back Off Cupids remains the most obscure.

-- Wikipedia

Discography