P R E V I O U S - M E M B E R S

CHAVEZ, ART
Drums, 1993

Joined in 1993. Played over a dozen shows with the band at venues ranging from the Off Ramp to the Swan Café. Recorded TWBA's first demo (Sea Bus, Freak Show, Ghost in My Head, and Monster Song). Impressed the whole band one night in Pioneer Square when, after finishing a set with TWBA, went over to another bar a few doors down and sat in with a blues band. Currently living his wife Gayle in San Jose, CA, where he is playing regularly on the club and festival circuits.

FOX, JENNY
Backing vocals, percussion, 1994-1995

Armed with a microphone and a tambourine, Jenny arrived as Brenda Hazen's replacement shortly after the Hazens left. She was also a lyricist and guitarist/bass player. She shared lead duties with Brenda and Mary Beth one fabled night at the Swan Cafe, when MB was ailing with the flu. But her stay was a relatively short one, unfotunately, and her singing never made it onto a TWBA recording. Now with Way South.

GORCZYCA, CHRIS
Drums, 2007-2008

A talented drummer with a penchant for writing complicated parts and interesting rhythms, Chris stayed with TWBA just long enough to get in on the recording of the EP Morning After Food Poisoning in the South of France (2008). He recently finished a tribute CD to his late brother Andrew Gorczyca, which featured the playing of several renowned musicians, including Adrian Belew, Nick D'Virgilio, Mike Keneally, and Yogi.

GUNN, CHRIS
Bass, 2003

His was a short stint, as far as TWBA enlistments go, but Chris stuck around long enough to lay down the bass tracks on War Stories (2003) and play a handful of shows. Chris, a solo artist from Port Townsend with several self-released albums under his belt, gave War Stories just the right amount of dirt and punk rock ethos. Instead of trying to pick up where Jay had left off, he made his own sound. Grrrr.

HAZEN, BRENDA
Back-up vocals, percussion, 1993-1995

Brenda joined shortly after Dan and ended up singing back-up vocals on "Hymn 522" and "Fear" on Hazen (1995). Banged the heck out of a wood block when necessary. Impressed the band a year earlier when she sang Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" at a barbecue in Smokey Point, Wash. Currently living with her husband, Dan, and two children in nearby Marysville, where she sings with the band Soulcurve.

HAZEN, DAN
Drums, 1993-1995

Dan played on TWBA's first release, a 5-song EP entitled Hazen (1995). Appreciated for his leadership skills and infectious enthusiasm, Dan (along with his wife, Brenda) had to leave TWBA for domestic reasons (i.e., work, children, etc.). An hour-long commute from Smokey Point to Georgetown for practice twice a week made the decision easier. Currently serving as a music director at Allen Creek and drummer of Soulcurve.

JOHNSON, ROGER
Drum player, 1999-2007

Yes, Roger asks that we refer to him not as a drummer, but as a drum player. There is a huge difference, as anyone will note after listening to Roger beat his bumble-bee-yellow drum set into submission. Roger's handiwork is featured on only one TWBA album, Be (2001), but he has played countless shows with us, steadfastly and enthusiastically pounding out the meter behind the melody.

MILLER, STEVE
Bass, 1993-1997

TWBA owes its name to Miller, who culled The Whole Bolivian Army from a page-long list of potential names, including Epstein's Mother, Hairnet Fiasco and Stop Hitting Me. Steve played on several early TWBA recordings, two of which saw the light of day: Hazen (1995) and The Whole Bolivian Army (1997). After TWBA parted ways with him in the spring of 1997, Steve left the band with, among other things, a self-monitoring cheese detector.

MONGRAIN, MIKE
Drums, 2009

Okay, Mike only lasted one show with us, due to other commitments on his part and general slacker-ness on ours. But oh my, the guy could play. Imagine Keith Moon and John Bonham mating in outer space (or something similarly cataclysmic). Mike, whose resume includes stints with Tad and Love Battery, truly brought it. Alas, only one semi-sober audience (at a show in Lakewood, WA!?!) witnessed his muscular tribute to rock and roll.

PERRY, JAY
Bass, 1997-2004

The throbbing undercurrent on Spinner (1998), Amnesty (1999), and Be (2001), Jay gave the band the confidence it needed to be true to its own voice. He also earned quite a few devoted fans, all of whom watched in rapt silence as he rocked and swayed behind his stand-up fretless bass. It wasn't so much the notes he played but what he did with the space between them.

RANDALL, CHUCK
Drums, 1998-1999

A peanut-butter-lov'n, ham-fisted Michigan transplant who constantly challenges himself on the drums, Chuck played with TWBA briefly at the end of 1998 and into the spring of 1999 (including an amazing show at the ol' Crocodile one cold Saturday night!) before musical differences surfaced.

STANDLEY, JOHN
Drums, 1994, 1999

John enjoyed two separate stints with the band. He joined TWBA for a few months in 1994 until personality differences made his first stay in the band a short one. He then took over for Chuck in April of 1999, but stayed only briefly due to prior commitments. Unfortunately for TWBA, his playing never made it onto an album (at least not yet). He's a natural on the drums and an all around good egg.

WARBURTON, DAVE
Drums, 1995-1999, 2003

Monster of groove and all things -alicious, Dave logged five years with the band over three separate periods. He first joined TWBA in early '95. He left toward the end of 1998 before rejoining the following summer to record Amnesty (1999). He left again shortly thereafter, but briefly rejoined in the fall of 2002 to record War Stories (2003). In all, he played nearly 200 shows with the band while recording four full-length albums, one demo and several preproduction and live tapes. He went on to play with the Souvenirs and Redneck Girlfriend, among others.