Steel Pole Bath Tub
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 in Bozeman, Montana, United States |
| Founder | Mike Morasky, Dale Flattum |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles, EPs |
Steel Pole Bath Tub is a rock group originating from the United States, established in 1986 in Bozeman, Montana by Mike Morasky (guitar and vocals) alongside Dale Flattum (bass and vocals).
Band history
Initially formed in Bozeman, Montana, Morasky and Flattum soon moved to Seattle, Washington, where they added drummer Darren Mor-X, formerly of Mr. Epp and The Calculations. By 1988, the band had relocated to San Francisco, California. Renowned for their intense noise rock style and heavy incorporation of samples from television and films, they issued multiple singles and albums through Boner Records, establishing themselves as significant contributors to the San Francisco music landscape.
During the mid-1990s alternative rock boom triggered by Nirvana’s mainstream breakthrough, Steel Pole Bath Tub secured a contract with major label Slash Records. Their 1995 debut under this label featured reduced sampling due to copyright constraints. Although they intended to produce a full cover album of The Cars’ debut record, this project was declined by Slash, which also withheld the release of their demo recordings. These issues sparked typical creative and rights disputes of that period.
The band embarked on extensive tours, notably supporting Faith No More during the 1995 North American leg of the King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime tour. After reclaiming ownership of their Slash-era recordings in 2002, they released Unlistenable, an album title reflecting critical reception from the label. That same year saw a brief reunion for San Francisco’s Beyond the Pale festival.
In 2008, Steel Pole Bath Tub reunited once more to perform at MusicFestNW in Portland. Their song "Train to Miami" from The Miracle of Sound in Motion was featured in a 2008 commercial promoting the PC and Xbox 360 game Left 4 Dead. Mike Morasky contributed additional music for the game’s sequel through the fictional ensemble Midnight Riders.
On August 11, 2023, they issued "The Skulls Tape," a re-release of an early cassette recording, followed by a reunion performance at Houston’s Rockefeller's during Emo's rock club event on September 9, with Noah Landis joining on keyboards and samples. Remarkably, children of original band members participated by adding keys and percussion on selected tracks.
From 1986 to 1997, Steel Pole Bath Tub connected punk, noise, art, and grunge genres while maintaining rigorous touring schedules. They shared stages with influential acts such as The Flaming Lips, Sonic Youth, Neurosis, and toured Europe alongside Melvins. Closely tied to the Seattle scene, they performed with Mudhoney, L7, Tad, Hole, and joined early tours with Nirvana. Their extensive touring covered multiple trips across the United States, Europe, and Japan.
Side projects
The group partnered with Jello Biafra to create Tumor Circus, releasing a self-titled album in 1991.
Milk Cult, featuring Morasky, Flattum, and sound engineer Eric Holland (under aliases The Bumblebee and C.C. Nova), produced four albums between 1992 and 2000. Their final release, Project M13, was developed following an invitation from the Cabinet of France to participate in the La Friche Art Collective located in Marseille.
Novex is a collaboration involving Dale Flattum and Kent along with Vern and Justin at Unwound’s farm; they released Kleptophonica in 2002.
The Hand is another side endeavor including Dale Flattum alongside Zak Sally from Low.
Cassettes
- 1986 - Steel Pole Bath Tub (Demo, independently released)
- 1987 - We Own Drrrills (EP, independently issued)
Albums
- Butterfly Love (Released by Boner Records, 1989)
- Lurch (Issued through Boner Records, 1990)
- Tulip (Distributed by Boner Records, 1990)
- The Miracle of Sound in Motion (Published by Boner Records, 1993)
- Your Choice Live Series 019 (Your Choice Records, 1993)
- Best of Steel Pole Bath Tub (Sento, 1993)
- Scars from Falling Down (Slash/London, 1995)
- Unlistenable (Zero to One, 2002)
EPs and singles
- "I Dreamed I Dream" - Split 7'/10" with Melvins - (Boner/Tupelo, 1989)
- "Arizona Garbage Truck" / "Voodoo Chile" (Sympathy for the Recording Industry, 1990)
- "European Son" / "Venus in Furs" (The Communion Label, 1991)
- "We Walk" - Split 7" with Jawbreaker - (Staple Gun Records, 1991)
- "Your Choice Live" - Limited edition 7" - (Your Choice Records, 1991)
- "Bozeman" (Boner/Tupelo, 1992)
- "Some Cocktail Suggestions EP" (Boner/Tupelo, 1994)
- "Tragedy Ecstasy Doom and So On EP" (Genius Records, 1995)
- "Auf Wiedersehen" / "Surrender" (Man's Ruin Records, 1995)
- "Twist" / "Surrender" (Slash Records, 1995)
- "Hey Bo Diddley Live in Tokyo" - Split 7" with Unwound - (Honey Bear Records, 1996)
- "Soul Cannon" - "Live at Emo's: Volume 2 - #2: This Place Sucks" - Split 7" with Unsane / Gomez - (No Lie Records, 1997)
- "The Skulls Tape" - Early cassette reissued (No Coast, 2023)
Compilations
- "Bee Sting" featured on The Thing That Ate Floyd - (Lookout! Records, 1988)
- "We Walk" included in Surprise Your Pig - A Tribute to R.E.M. - (Staple Gun Records, 1992)
- "Chemical Warfare" on Virus 100 - (Alternative Tentacles, 1992)
- "Down All the Days" part of The Mission District: 17 Reasons - 7" Box set (Mission Merchants, 1992)
- "Kung Fu Love" from Milk for Pussy - (Mad Queen Records, 1993)
- "Froggie Would a Wooing Go" credited as "Mud Bath" with Mudwimmin on Power Flush - (Broken Rekids, 1993)
- "The Seventh Hour of the Seventh Day" included in Smitten - A Love Song Compilation - (Karate Brand Records, 1994)
- "A Washed Out Monkey Star Halo" featured on Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volume Ten - (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1994)
- "The 500 Club" on CMJ New Music August - Volume 24 compilation - (College Music Journal, 1995)
- "Twist" appeared on both Introducing Vol. 2 and London Records compilations (Indigo/London Records, 1995)
- "The Charm" from Jabberjaw... Pure Sweet Hell collection - (Mammoth, 1996)
- "The Ghost" included in Twisted Willie compilation - (Justice Records, 1996)
- "A Washed Out Monkey Star Halo" again featured on Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Volumes 8-11 - (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1997)
- "Soul Cannon" part of the Live at Emo's BOX SET - Limited edition 7" Box set (No Lie Music, 1997)
- "I Dreamed I Dream" included in the tribute album Confuse Yr Idols (A Tribute To Sonic Youth) (Narnack Records, 2004)
Albums
- Love God (Released by Boner Records / Tupelo Recording, 1993)
- Burn or Bury (Priority Records, issued in 1994)
- Bruse Lee Marvin Gaye (ZK Records, released in 1994)
- Project M-13 (Zero to One Records, released in 2000)
EPs and Singles
- Mama Paranoia – Split 7" release with Dosed Bernie (Box Dog, 1994)
Albums
- Tumor Circus (Alternative Tentacles, 1991)
EPs and Singles
- Take Me Back or I'll Drown Our Dog – 7"/12" format (Alternative Tentacles, 1991)
- Meathook Up My Rectum – 7" single (Alternative Tentacles, 1991)
Compilations
- Meathook Up My Rectum featured on The Bat is Back compilation (Alternative Tentacles, 1992)
C.C. Nova
- 1994 – Milk Cult C.C. Nova Dispatch (Communion)