2008 Woodie Awards
Tummler returns to Friends & Co. riding high after 'Early Man'
Ben Turner/ verge editor
Issue date: 2/13/03 Section: The Verge
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Tummler's intense, stoner rock sound has taken the band all over America. In March they will headline the Small Stone Records showcase at the South by Southwest music festival held annually in Austin, Texas.
Frontman and guitarist Brad Buldak and drummer J Vance has seen some highs and lows with their outift since forming in 1996. After releasing their demo on the Bartlett-based Small Unmarked Bills Records, Tummler sent their demo to about 25 prospective labels but Buldak said Man's Ruin Records was the label they desired most.
After playing shows with fellow Man's Ruin acts like Gaza Strippers, Alabama Thunderpussy and Solar Rods in late 1999, the buzz from fans and bands was enough to convince the owner of Man's Ruin, Frank Kozik, to sign Tummler.
"We were floored when Kozik asked us to release our next record," Buldak said. "People would buy Man's Ruin releases just for Kozik's artwork, with all the hype surrounding the label, it was the pinnacle of where we wanted to be."
Tummler joined the Man's Ruin lineup at SxSW in 2000 and in October "Queen to Bishop VI" was released. Tummler was flying high but just as things were really taking off the band ran into some major detours.
According to Buldak in one year Man's Ruin went bankrupt, the band lost two of its original members and their website lost its server. After playing 50 or 60 shows in 2000, Buldak estimated Tummler only played live 10 times in 2001.
Things began to take a turn for the worse when former bassist Steven Hill began to get sick of the Chicago to Champaign commute he was making to practice. Guitarist Jason Casanova lost his job at the University of Illinois and after searching for work around the CU area he moved to California.
Swampass bassist Jason Ginchy offered the band his services after hearing of their opening. Ginchy joined the band in March of last year and his first show with Tummler was at Friends in April. To complete Tummler's current lineup Buldak tapped his friend Ryan Jerzak, who he had played with in the early '90s in a project called Morgue. According to Buldak, Jerzak is a musical prodigy and was giving guitar lessons as early as 15.
"Our original lineup was great, but it's even better now," Buldak said "I feel like I'm the worst one on stage which is good because playing with better people elevates the music as well as providing me a bigger comfort zone as the frontman."
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