Biographies

We had a few and so far, these are the two I could find. Mike C. wrote a pretty amazing one for the release of If The Blues Were Red that I have yet to locate, but it's out there, somewhere...

This first one is The Takers' biography as it originally appeared in the Biography section of The Takers web site. I believe it was written by Chris Keene, and I do not remember why it was never updated past 2001. Suzette Fontaine, by the way, is alive and well and living quite happily (the last time I checked) in West Roxbury, MA.

Biography

The Takers began in February, 2000 after the Daviess County Panthers lost their singer Suzette to a tragic Valentine's Day suicide. Crushed by the loss, but determined to carry on, the remaining three tried to keep forging ahead as a trio.

But something was still missing.

As luck would have it, Mike C. had been casing the Sound Museum, and finding an unlocked practice space, happened upon Mike H., Chris and a large Scandinavian named John Paananen playing bass. Thinking quickly, the erstwhile Mike C. told the band he was a singer, and could he sit in for a song. The rest was history, they say, and thus began the Takers. Two shows were played in this line-up, songs were being written faster than Gamble/Huff, then tragedy struck.

Hoping to fill an open bass spot for Arab on Radar, and hoping to beat the rap on a paternity suit, John packed up the truck, with wife and infant in tow, and moved to Providence, RI. For months, the Takers were lost, looking for the elusive bottom end. Recruitment in the Fenway, Watertown Sanctuary and other hot cruising spots proved fruitless and the Takers had to resort to the club scene, where, in a weakened, steroid-induced moment, an even larger Scandinavian named Nick decided this was a gig he might just be interested in.

After a summer and fall playing shows and writing songs, the Takers took to Fort Apache 10/00 to record what would be the EP Never Get Out of These Blues Alive. In another small triumph of quantity over quality, the Takers managed to record and mix 5 songs in just two days. After many delays, the EP is expected out imminently and will be a co-release on Rubric/Op Pop Pop.
Throughout this period, the Takers started getting a buzz around town, opening for the likes of Pere Ubu, Six Finger Satellite and the Melvins. This buzz was not wasted on the likes of one Dave Gwiazdowski, who offered the Takers a deal with Rubric Records for a sum we're not presently prepared to disclose.

Today, the Takers are finishing up the final touches for the Rubric debut EP, and are working on a full lengther, recorded with Mr. Stuart Sikes 6/01 at Easley/McCain Studios in Memphis.

This second one, also written by Chris Keene with some assistance, I believe, from Mike Hibarger, appeared just before the release of If The Blues Were Red...

The Takers have built a buzz in their Boston hometown, having shared the stage with the likes of Pere Ubu, Murder City Devils and the Melvins. This buzz was not wasted on the likes of one Dave Gwiazdowski, who offered them a deal with Rubric Records for a sum we're not presently prepared to disclose. Their full-length album, If The Blues Were Red was recently completed and is to be released in June 2002. The Takers debut EP Never Get Out Of These Blues was released by Rubric Records on November 13th and is 5 songs of garage-punk madness. The Takers officially began in February of 2000, born from the ashes of acclaimed Boston bands the Daviess County Panthers, the In Out, and Red Bliss.

The Takers simply kick ass. What began as a over-the-top garage punk entity has morphed into a Birthday Party/Leonard Cohen noisy outfit. Last fall they toured with Oxbow. There aren’t many bands left that are pushing the envelope in this direction right now. In an indie world drowned by inept cheerleader rock, sissy pop and genericism, it’s refreshing to see there are still bands not afraid to do their thing without regard to popularity or trends. The Takers are the embodiment of what Rubric stands to represent and support.

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My eternal thanks to the Internet Archive for finding that which was thought previously lost.

Resuscitated from The Takers' web site (www.system360.com/takers) which was graciously maintained and paid for by Chris Keene 2000-2002.