Remembering the Fireballs: Lync
Posted by: marisa | From: January 26, 2005
I have resisted writing about Lync, even though they are one of my beloved bands, because I'm really not sure what to say about them. They are an amazing band in a way that's hard to describe. Part of me thinks maybe you had to see them play, and watch the drummer, Dave, light his drum kit on fire while playing, like, "Two Feet in Front." But maybe that's snobbery. Anyone can like Lync.
Do we care about the requisite bio? Three boys from the suburbs of Seattle, mid-'90s, releases on K Records, only a band for a few years. You get it, right? Their album These Are Not Fall Colors is sublime. I spent so many hours listening to it during my high school years, it's not even funny. I remember seeing them play at the first Yoyo-a-Go-Go and Sam Jayne was wearing a Lone Ranger mask. He seemed like he was in on some kind of personal joke that I, at sixteen, so badly wanted to be a part of.
The other day I made a list of reasons why I have loved Lync for the past decade or so and here they are, transcribed from the back of my checkbook: Sam, the singer, kind of sounds like he has a stuffed up nose. Lots of lyrics about being bored. Singing "Satellite is now!!!" while driving in my best friend's car on weekends and not knowing--and not caring--if those were the correct lyrics. Good hair. A song called "Turtle" seemingly sung from the viewpoint of one, but whose lyrics are sort of also about relationships. General sense of urgency imbuing all their songs. You can totally dance to "Lightbulb Switch." The opening noted to "B" still gives me shivers.
I think that show in Olympia was maybe the last time I saw Lync, unless you count the all-asian Lync cover band, Chync, fronted by the illustrious George Chen, who I saw play on Halloween in San Francisco one year (and I sort of do). And really, I can say how urgent and meaningful and enduring Lync's songs are, but maybe Chync was all you needed to know about. Can you think of another band who has one album and a couple singles, around only a few years, who, half a decade after their demise, inspired an asian cover band fronted by George Chen? Only Lync, the Greatest Band of All Time.
i found 'these are not fall colors' while speed-sifting through the outdoor cd bin of a hole in the wall pawn shop in east surrey. being about 15 at the time, (1996) and stuck with my friend's family on a hospital visit or something, i took my five bucks and tossed it on the counter because i had somehow become completely absorbed and mesmerized by the mysterious packaging after only a few seconds of the thing being in my hands... i knew nothing about it then and i didn't still until the internet came around full circle a few years later- funny how things have changed. i remember when it was still exciting finding new bands like lync that could change yr life and the way you know music in the blink of an eye... now you feel like it's owed to you. we are all a bunch of spoiled brats. give me all yr old cassettes.
Posted by: crom at July 15, 2005 01:31 AM
I just got into this band about 2 years ago, when I was about 16. They are a very emotional band, but not in a cheap way, like other emo bands. They are really noisy, and scream too. I too spent a lot of time listening to them in high school, especially in class! Anything close to this band would have to be Unwound, because they both have a sleepy but restless quality to them. And they are both from Washington like me!
Posted by: Ian at December 3, 2005 06:04 PM
Christie Front Drive introduced me into the genre of music that would become my one true love several years ago. Since then I've ceaselesly searched the internet for more. Found Lync while listening to Red Stars Theory- was mentioned as the band one of the members had been in. Like most of these obscure references I run across (Evergreen, Boys Life) it paid off. What an awesome band.
Posted by: Caleb at January 7, 2006 06:08 AM
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If only I was cool enough in 1994 to know about Lync. There is so much musical potential on Remembering the Fireballs, it's a shame Lync didn't release about 3 or 4 more albums. Still, B might be the best song on any K records release.
Posted by: Ruddiger at January 28, 2005 11:08 PM