Seattle glam rockers the Turn-Ons formed in 1997, a few years after the dying gasps of the area's grunge scene had been a mainstream fixture. Starting with singer/guitarist Travis DeVries and guitarist Corey Gutch, the band was heavily inspired by not just vintage glam (although that remains their primary influence,) but Britain's androgynous rock scene that includes artists like the Smiths and Suede. Bringing in bassist Sharon Oshima and drummer Will Hallauer soon after forming, the band began to write and perform their swaggering hard rock around the area. By 2000, they had met multi-instrumentalist Erik Blood and invited him into their group after originally approaching him to produce their first record. Still agreeing to do that job as well, they recorded their eponymous debut that winter and released it in January of 2001. Playing around the West Coast, fan Peter Buck caught a show at Seattle's famous Crocodile Cafe and gave them a rave review for Britain's Q Magazine. Using the press to their advantage, they stepped back into the studio while the Pacific Northwest got caught up in the Turn-Ons' sound. Recording the EP Love Ruined Us the following spring, they released it soon after to keep interest up while they worked on a new full length record. ~ Bradley Torreano