THIS PAGE: JOHN BAUMGARTNER; OPPOSITE: GUYNUP/WINTER
Only Life
(1988)
Mercer: Overall, bands that we considered
our peers were signed to major labels. It kind
of seemed like that situation where you gotta
keep moving up, and [there were] a lot of high
hopes both on the side of [A&M Records] and
the band, I think, for something to happen.
68
Million: For us, everything always kind of
Mercer: I remember Bill and I did an interview
starts with the songs in front of us—and how
with somebody from England where we said,
we want to record them. When [Only Life] was
“Well, we don’t mind being a cult band, all our
complete we were perfectly happy. We did go
favorite bands are cult bands…” And this guy got
on tour but I think that also was a time where
really mad! “You’re full of shit, nobody’s like that,
we [decided], “Let’s give this a chance and see
everybody wants to be as popular as they can be…”
if this is something that we want to do as a
We’re just not comfortable with certain aspects of
career.” And as it turned out in the long run,
the music business. We’re just kind of shy, really.
it was the wrong decision. It was something
We’re not the kind of band that gets up and is like,
that just didn’t fit us. But we gave it a chance.
“Hey, everybody!” [Laughs.]
FLOOD