The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1993 in Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Founder | Chris Ballew, Dave Dederer, Jason Finn |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Fate | Disbanded |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Chris Ballew, Dave Dederer, Jason Finn, Andrew McKeag |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Number of employees | 4 (band members) (Various (1993–2015)) |
The Presidents of the United States of America—often abbreviated as PUSA, PotUSA, or simply the Presidents—was a rock ensemble originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 1993. The founding lineup consisted of vocalist and bassist Chris Ballew, drummer Jason Finn, and guitarist Dave Dederer. They achieved notable commercial acclaim during the mid-1990s, propelled by popular tracks such as "Lump" and "Peaches" from their self-titled debut album, which was certified triple Platinum.
The group initially disbanded toward the end of 1997 when Ballew embarked on a solo path, culminating in a farewell performance in early 1998. The band regrouped in 2002; however, in 2004, Dederer left and was succeeded by Andrew McKeag. The Presidents eventually dissolved quietly in 2015, with the official announcement of their breakup made public in 2016.
Formation and beginnings (1993–1994)
Late 1993 saw the formation of the band by Chris Ballew (handling bass and lead vocals) alongside Dave Dederer (guitar and backing vocals), who connected in Seattle. Prior to this, Ballew had been involved with a punk-busker outfit named Egg, which influenced many early compositions for PUSA. Initially functioning as a duo without a drummer, they performed under various monikers such as "the Lo-Fis" and "Pure Frosting" before adopting the name "the Presidents of the United States of America." Shortly thereafter, drummer Jason Finn joined their ranks; the trio’s debut live show took place at Seattle’s Romper Room in December 1993. Finn was concurrently the drummer for Love Battery, a band signed under an A&M subsidiary.
In early 1994, they produced a ten-track cassette titled Froggystyle at Laundry Room Studios, which they distributed during live performances.
Commercial breakthrough (1994–1998)
During 1994, PUSA inked a deal with Seattle-based independent label PopLlama Records, releasing their eponymous debut album in 1995. They also put out a limited-edition blue vinyl single called "Fuck California" via C/Z Records. Soon after, Columbia acquired the band and reissued their album in July 1995. Fueled by hit singles like "Lump", "Peaches", and "Kitty", the album earned triple Platinum status from the RIAA.
Their sophomore effort, II, received favorable critical reviews but did not replicate the commercial heights of its predecessor, though it still achieved Gold certification within the United States.
Between 1995 and 1997, PUSA embarked on extensive global tours supporting their initial two albums, including multiple visits to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. In 1996, MTV broadcast a live concert from Mount Rushmore to commemorate Presidents Day. The band also gained considerable media attention through appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Show with David Letterman. They declined an invitation to perform on Saturday Night Live in 1995 due to Ballew’s wedding but later appeared on Mad TV in January 1996, where they performed "Lump" and took part in a sketch titled "Public Domain."
Pure Frosting, partnerships, and dissolution (1998–2000)
In January 1998, The Presidents disbanded as Ballew decided to prioritize family commitments and explore new musical avenues. Their final release that year, Pure Frosting, comprised a mix of fresh compositions, cover songs, demo recordings, and music videos for popular tracks such as "Lump" and "Peaches".
Several songs on Pure Frosting had prior associations with various media projects: "Video Killed the Radio Star" was featured on the soundtrack of The Wedding Singer, while "Cleveland Rocks" was used as the theme song for The Drew Carey Show. Additionally, "Man (Opposable Thumb)" appeared in Nickelodeon's movie Good Burger. The group also produced the theme for the 1998 television film My Date with the President's Daughter and recorded a rendition of the George of the Jungle theme for the 1997 movie adaptation; however, this particular cover was never included on any official album.
In 1998, The Presidents lent backing vocals to the track "Sushi Bar" on Japanese rock band Shonen Knife's album Happy Hour.
From 1999 through 2000, the band collaborated with Sir Mix-a-Lot under the name Subset, a brief fusion of rock and hip hop. Although they toured briefly and recorded several songs, no album was ever released.
Short-lived reunion and disbandment (2000–2003)
The Presidents came together again in 2000 to release the single "Jupiter" through MUSICBLITZ Records. The single's favorable reception led to the launch of the album Freaked Out & Small, which received positive critical reviews but lacked touring support or promotional efforts. Approximately 25,000 copies were sold before MUSICBLITZ's bankruptcy curtailed further distribution.
Afterward, band members embarked on individual ventures. Ballew collaborated with Tad Hutchison of the Young Fresh Fellows in the Chris and Tad Show project. Moreover, The Young Fresh Fellows recorded a tribute song titled "Good Times Rock 'N' Roll" about The Presidents on their 2001 album Because We Hate You.
Complete reunion and new guitarist addition (2003–2010)
In 2003, The Presidents officially reunited and released Love Everybody in August 2004 through their independent label, PUSA Inc. Two singles from this album were made available via the iTunes Store. Later that year, they reacquired rights to their debut album and reissued it twice through PUSA Inc.: once as a tenth-anniversary edition with bonus tracks and again as an affordable edition in spring 2006.
Seattle-based guitarist Andrew McKeag joined late in 2004 as a live substitute for Dederer, who wanted to devote more time to his family. By late 2007, McKeag had become a permanent touring member and eventually took over Dederer's role.
In November 2007, The Presidents announced their album These Are the Good Times People, which was released on March 11, 2008. To celebrate this release, they hosted a live webcast via Easy Street Records. Seattle radio stations KEXP and 107.7 the End premiered tracks "Bad Times" and "Mixed Up S.O.B." respectively; the music video for "Mixed Up S.O.B." was directed by "Weird Al" Yankovic. On June 15, 2008, PUSA performed at Pet-Aid 2008 in Oregon.
In October 2008, their hit "Lump" was included in the video game Rock Band 2. Additional songs such as "Ladybug," "Feather Pluck'n," and "Dune Buggy" were released as downloadable content on November 4, 2008.
Final period (2010–2015)
On March 5, 2011, The Presidents introduced their tribute track, "Can't Stop (Catchin' 'Em All)", during the launch event for Pokémon Black and White at Nintendo World.
In 2012, Columbia Records re-released Lump, a budget-friendly collection of their greatest hits.
By November 2013, the group initiated a PledgeMusic campaign to finance a new studio record. They exceeded their funding target within just over a week and subsequently unveiled Kudos to You! on February 14, 2014, alongside their inaugural full-length live album, Thanks for the Feedback. Supporters could pledge for both digital and physical editions as well as exclusive merchandise such as autographed instruments and limited-edition vinyl pressings.
On November 16, 2016, Ballew publicly confirmed that the band had disbanded during the summer of 2015 to explore other ventures, humorously describing themselves as "old people now."
Post-2016: Individual endeavors and vinyl reissues
Following the group's dissolution, members pursued solo careers. Ballew remained particularly prolific, releasing albums through his side projects the Giraffes and the Tycoons. Dederer collaborated with Duff McKagan, former Guns N' Roses bassist, in the Gentlemen and contributed to McKagan’s hard rock band Loaded’s 2001 album Dark Days. Finn performed drums for various bands including Nevada Bachelors, Fastbacks, and Love Battery.
In 2009, Ballew embarked on a children’s music career under the moniker Caspar Babypants, producing numerous albums in that genre.
In 2020, the band launched a Kickstarter campaign to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album by reissuing it on green vinyl. The campaign offered signed LPs, commemorative t-shirts, enamel pins, and additional collectibles.
On December 6, 2022, they revealed plans for a limited-edition vinyl re-release of their demo tape Froggystyle, which became available on streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music on February 24, 2023.
Musical style
The Presidents of the United States of America are chiefly characterized as alternative rock with influences from pop-punk and traces of post-grunge. Although often categorized by media outlets as grunge, The New York Times described their sound as a counterbalance to grunge’s gloom and introspection. Similarly, The Washington Post highlighted their revival of "the pleasures of pure pop" devoid of angst.
They were notable for their distinctive custom instruments: Ballew’s two-string basitar employed heavy gauge strings (.060 C# and .036 G#), while Dederer’s three-string guitbass utilized .065 (low C#), .045 (G#), and .035 (high C#) strings. These setups allowed for chord formations when fretting all strings on the same fret.
Legacy
Following the 2020 US presidential election, on November 6, 2020, Ultimate Guitar ranked The Presidents of the United States of America as the 20th "weirdest band name ever." Senior editor David Slavković commented: "This is about the right time to mention this band."
Band members
- Chris Ballew – lead vocals, bass (1993–2016)
- Dave Dederer – guitar, backing vocals (1993–2005)
- Jason Finn – drums, backing vocals (1993–2016)
- Andrew McKeag – guitar, backing vocals (2005–2016)
Timeline
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Discography
- The Presidents of the United States of America (1995)
- II (1996)
- Freaked Out and Small (2000)
- Love Everybody (2004)
- These Are the Good Times People (2008)
- Kudos to You! (2014)
External links
- Articles with short description
- 1993 establishments in Washington (state)
- Alternative rock groups from Washington (state)
- American musical trios
- American grunge groups
- American post-grunge musical groups
- American punk rock groups
- Columbia Records artists
- C/Z Records artists
- Musical groups established in 1993
- Musical groups disestablished in 1998
- Musical groups reestablished in 2000
- Musical groups disestablished in 2002
- Musical groups reestablished in 2003
- Musical groups disestablished in 2015
- Musical groups from Seattle
- PopLlama Records artists
- Pop punk groups from Washington (state)
- Sony Music artists
- Tooth & Nail Records artists
- The Presidents of the United States of America (band)