Loftus

In the fall of 1995, Red Red Meat was touring the East Coast with Rex and the Grifters in support of their latest Sub Pop release, Bunny Gets Paid. As the tour progressed, different members from the bands began sitting in on each other's sets. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it failed. By the end of the last set of the triple bill at Bard College everyone was on-stage, and it was magical in the sense of sheer numbers. Hard not to marvel.

An A&R rep from A&M was showing up at a lot of the shows and eventually a deal was struck for two of the bands (Rex and Red Red Meat) to attempt to capture some of this magic on record for one of A&M's farm-league labels, Treat and Release.

Over the course of the following summer — August 25-September 4, 1996 — the record was recorded by Bundy K. Brown (ex-Tortoise, Directions) and Brian Deck at BJ Transportation on Chicago's south side. BJ's was a trailer wash/truck stop that at the time served as somewhat of a practice space/studio compound for Red Red Meat. The record was made by putting everyone's names in a hat and then picking out four names at a time to go into the room and come up with a song. The lineups changed, the songs were recorded and the record took shape.

The finished record, Loftus, sat while Treat and Release tried to figure out what to do with it and how to remain solvent on the slim margins of independent rock. The label soon succumbed to financial pressures and eventually (and fortunately) the record was sold back to the bands and released on Perishable Records. With little to no promotion, the record was thrown to the public and has been enjoying a steady and slow adoration and reverence from those who find it and those it finds.