* En anglais uniquement
Taking their name from the
Syd Barrett song, the effervescent power-pop unit
Gigolo Aunts first came together in 1981 in Potsdam, New York as Sniper. The group -- comprised of vocalist/guitarist Dave Gibbs, brothers
Phil and Steve Hurley (on lead guitar and bass, respectively) and drummer Phil Brouwer -- went through a series of subsequent names like Marauder and Rosetta Stone before settling on
Gigolo Aunts (a suggestion from
Gibbs' father) and moving to Boston in 1986.
In 1988, the band issued its debut Everybody Happy to little notice, and receded from view until
Gibbs began playing guitar with fellow East Coast popsters
Velvet Crush, whom he joined for a U.K. tour. While overseas,
Gibbs made a number of crucial contacts with the likes of Creation Records' Alan McGee and the members of
Teenage Fanclub, and interest in the
Gigolo Aunts began to build. A series of assured EPs -- Gigolo Aunts, Gun and Full-On Bloom -- appeared to strong reviews, as did 1994's full-length
Flippin' Out. After
Gibbs and
Phil Hurley turned down offers to join the reunited
Big Star, they issued the 1995 EP Where I Find My Heaven; shortly after its release,
Phil Hurley was replaced by Jon Skibic and
Brouwer was replaced by
Fred Eltringham.
Minor Chords and Major Themes appeared in 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny