The Lucerne, Switzerland-based lo-fi outfit Sportsguitar was formed in 1993 by frontman Oliver Obert and multi-instrumentalist Roland Saum, who previously teamed in the band Hypocrisy in Spring. After recording a demo, the duo approached a number of international labels, all of whom passed on releasing their music; as a result, Sportsguitar's 1994 debut LP Fade/Cliché appeared on the band's own label, the aptly-named Our Own Records. After a tape made its way to the offices of SubPop, the label issued the single "Gong Gong" in early 1995, while Sportsguitar's second album, 1996's Married, 3 Kids, appeared on another high-profile American indie, Matador. Happy Already followed in 1998. ~ Jason Ankeny