Out of all the bands that were part of the late-’80s/early-‘90s Dischord Records roster, Shudder to Think was one of the least likely to be thrust into the mainstream. But that’s what happened come 1994 when the Washington D.C.-based post-hardcore outfit found their fifth LP, Pony Express Record, released by Epic Records.
Even for a label diverse enough to have Pearl Jam, Gloria Estefan, Michael Jackson, Sepultura, and Oasis under its umbrella, Pony Express Record was an outlier, what with its head-scratching blend of dissonant and experimental math rock, striking vocals, and off-kilter song structures. Buoyed by the MTV 120 Minutes staple “X-French Tee Shirt,” Shudder to Think developed a cult following and stood poised to be one of those bands who, a la Girls Against Boys and Guided by Voices, always had an ardent audience keeping them going.
It didn’t quite work out that way.
Shortly after promotions for Pony Express Record began, frontman Craig Wedren was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma…
Read the rest of this piece over at Vanyaland, where Wedren and I spoke about the emotional toll the cancer diagnosis and other health scares took on him, why now is the right time for a Shudder to Think reunion, and the enduring legacy of the band’s Pony Express Record. Also, here’s one of my favorites by the band, “So Into You.”
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The Chronicles of Michael Christopher 
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