![The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated[1] American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110826151514im_/http://cdn2.wn.com/pd/49/35/b93cb182a2a26b8639c5e7474e36_grande.jpg "The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated[1] American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993.")
![Pike Place Market Centennial celebration, August 17, 2007: start of concert. Pike Place Market celebrated its 100 year anniversary on August 17, 2007. A wide variety of activities and events took place, and a concert was held in Victor Steinbeck's Park in the evening,[35] consisting entirely of songs related one or another way to Seattle.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110826151514im_/http://cdn0.wn.com/pd/18/a0/23b5d9a03461e7ebb4f27d599776_grande.jpg "Pike Place Market Centennial celebration, August 17, 2007: start of concert. Pike Place Market celebrated its 100 year anniversary on August 17, 2007. A wide variety of activities and events took place, and a concert was held in Victor Steinbeck's Park in the evening,[35] consisting entirely of songs related one or another way to Seattle.")
| Name | The Presidents of the United States of America |
|---|---|
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Genre | Alternative rockPost-grungePower pop |
| Years active | 1993–1998, 2000–present |
| Label | PopLlama (1994)Columbia/SME (1994–1998)MUSICBLITZ (2000–2002)PUSA Inc. (2004–2007)Fugitive RecordingsTooth & Nail |
| Url | www.presidentsrock.com |
| Current members | Chris BallewJason FinnAndrew McKeag |
| Past members | Dave Dederer |
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew, drummer and vocalist Jason Finn with "guitbassist" and vocalist Andrew McKeag. "Guitbassist" and vocalist Dave Dederer was a member of the band for 11 years before leaving in 2004. They have released six studio albums since forming in 1993.
The Presidents recorded a 10-song cassette, Froggystyle, in early 1994 in one day at Laundry Room Studios. The band sold the cassette at shows in 1994. Finn also sold the cassette from behind the bar of Seattle's legendary Comet Tavern, where he bartended.
In 1994, the Presidents signed with the tiny Seattle label PopLlama Records and released their self-titled debut in the following year. The band also released a limited edition blue vinyl 7" single, "Fuck California", on C/Z Records. Columbia Records signed the band shortly thereafter and re-released the album in late July 1995. Driven by the singles "Lump", "Peaches", and "Kitty", their debut album proved to be a smash.
Critics praised the band's catchy, humorous, and self-deprecating songs, which were a major departure from the grunge/post-grunge sound. The album received Grammy nominations in 1996 and 1997. Though "Peaches" met the most critical success, the band credits "Lump" as their favorite single. The song's strange lyrics came from a dream that Ballew had while fighting pneumonia. The antibiotics he was taking caused an allergic reaction that produced several consecutive nights of wild and crazy dreams. The lyrics for "Peaches" were written about a crush Ballew used to have on a girl. According to him, she had a peach tree in the front of her yard, and when he finally summoned the courage to go talk to her, he stood under the tree and smashed peaches in his fist until he decided not to talk to her.
In 1996, "Weird Al" Yankovic created a parody of the Presidents' "Lump", titled "Gump". This song was released on Yankovic's album Bad Hair Day.
A follow-up album, II, received similar praise, but did not match the commercial success that the Presidents' debut album had, though it was still certified gold in the US.
Throughout 1995, 1996 and 1997, the band made worldwide tours to support their first two albums. In addition to relentless touring in the U.S. and Canada, PUSA made multiple tours of Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. They also made many appearances in major print media and on radio and TV, including multiple appearances on Leno and Letterman in the U.S. A little-known fact is that the Presidents turned down an offer to perform on Saturday Night Live in the fall of 1995 because the date conflicted with Ballew's wedding.
The band broke up in January 1998 as Ballew quit to spend more time with his young family and explore other musical terrain. Pure Frosting, a final album composed of new songs, covers, and demos, was released in 1998. The CD also contained videos for "Lump," "Peaches," "Mach 5," and "Dune Buggy."
Pure Frosting featured two songs that had previously been used in a movie and as a television show theme. "Video Killed the Radio Star" was included on the soundtrack for The Wedding Singer, while "Cleveland Rocks," originally recorded by Ian Hunter, was chosen as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Another song on the album, "Man (Opposable Thumb)", appeared in the Nickelodeon-produced motion picture Good Burger but was not directly written or performed for the film.
The Presidents also wrote the theme song for the 1998 TV movie My Date with the President's Daughter. They also performed a cover of the George of the Jungle theme song for the 1997 movie of the same name. This performance is not available on any of their albums.
In 1996, the band performed a live concert at Mount Rushmore on Presidents Day. They were introduced with: "Ladies and gentlemen, the Presidents of the United States."
In 1998, the group appeared on the album Happy Hour by Japanese female rockers Shonen Knife (also a three piece); they did backing vocals on the song "Sushi Bar".
The Presidents also collaborated with Sir Mix-A-Lot as Subset, a short-lived rock and hip-hop band. They had a brief tour and recorded several songs, but never released an album. The band broke up because Sir Mix-A-Lot wanted to take the band in a harder, more electronic direction, but Finn and Dederer were not interested.
In 2000, Columbia Records released Lump, a discount greatest hits compilation, without the band's approval or collaboration.
Afterwards, the band members once again went their own ways. Ballew continued to produce and record his own work and collaborated with Tad Hutchison of The Young Fresh Fellows as The Chris and Tad Show. Also during this time, The Young Fresh Fellows recorded a song, "Good Times Rock 'N' Roll", about The Presidents, which appeared on the 2001 album Because We Hate You.
Andrew McKeag, Seattle guitarist (formerly of Uncle Joe's Big Ol' Driver, Shuggie, The Black Panties and others), joined the band on guitbass in late 2004, as an occasional live-performance stand-in for Dave Dederer, who had expressed an interest in spending more time with his family. Since late 2007, Andrew started touring full-time with the band, and later replaced Dederer.
Dederer has played live with the band in concerts in Seattle on occasion.
In November 2007, it was announced that the band's next album would be entitled These Are the Good Times People, which was released on March 11, 2008. They did a live webcast celebrating the albums release from Easy Street records: http://app.synclive.com?show/17772
In December 2007 KEXP played the new song "Bad Times." On February 1, 2008, 107.7-The End (a Seattle radio station) played the first single from the Presidents' new album, title "Mixed Up S.O.B." The music video for the song was directed by "Weird Al" Yankovic. On June 15, 2008, they played for Pet-Aid 2008 in Oregon.
In October 2008, "Lump" was released on the video game Rock Band 2. "Ladybug", "Feather Pluck'n," and "Dune Buggy" were released as downloadable content for the game on November 4, 2008.
Around 2006, Chris Ballew began collaborating with Seattle-based rapper Outtasite as The Feelings Hijackers. They have done local shows and have released two albums.
In the summer of 2009, The Presidents performed in San Diego at the North Park Music Thing Music & Media Festival which only showcases local bands. Apparently, the new President's guitar player is a San Diegan. In 2009, in addition to his continued work with The Presidents, Ballew began recording and performing as children's artist Caspar Babypants. In September 2010, The Presidents performed during halftime of the UW-Syracuse game at Husky Stadium.
On March 5, 2011, The Presidents performed a new tribute song, "Can't Stop (Catchin' 'Em All)" at the Nintendo World launch event for the video games Pokémon Black and White.
Guitars modified in this way use heavy-gauge strings for a heavier sound and are normally tuned in Drop D, though the Presidents play half a step lower in C#. For a basitar, the strings are placed in the D and B positions. Chris uses a .60 gauge string tuned to C# and a .36 tuned to G#. On a guitbass, the strings are placed in the A, D, and G positions. .54 gauge tuned to C#, .42 to G#, and a .32 gauge tuned to C#.
Finn's drum kit is currently supplied by Slingerland; his cymbals are a variety of Sabians.
Category:1990s music groups Category:2000s music groups Category:2010s music groups Category:C/Z Records artists Category:Alternative rock music groups from Washington (state) Category:Musical trios Category:American post-grunge musical groups
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![The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated[1] American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110826151514im_/http://cdn1.wn.com/pd/49/35/b93cb182a2a26b8639c5e7474e36_thumb.jpg "The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated[1] American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993.")
![Pike Place Market Centennial celebration, August 17, 2007: start of concert. Pike Place Market celebrated its 100 year anniversary on August 17, 2007. A wide variety of activities and events took place, and a concert was held in Victor Steinbeck's Park in the evening,[35] consisting entirely of songs related one or another way to Seattle.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110826151514im_/http://cdn9.wn.com/pd/18/a0/23b5d9a03461e7ebb4f27d599776_thumb.jpg "Pike Place Market Centennial celebration, August 17, 2007: start of concert. Pike Place Market celebrated its 100 year anniversary on August 17, 2007. A wide variety of activities and events took place, and a concert was held in Victor Steinbeck's Park in the evening,[35] consisting entirely of songs related one or another way to Seattle.")
