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Wipers (band)

From Alfawiki
Wipers
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1977 in Portland, Oregon, United States
FounderGreg Sage, Sam Henry, Dave Koupal
Headquarters
Portland
,
United States
ProductsPunk rock music, albums, singles, EPs

Wipers was a punk rock group from the United States, established in 1977 in Portland, Oregon by guitarist and singer Greg Sage, drummer Sam Henry, and bassist Dave Koupal. Their music, characterized by concise compositions and intense distortion, received critical praise and left a lasting impact on numerous artists. Among those influenced was Nirvana's frontman, Kurt Cobain, who acknowledged them as a significant inspiration. They hold the distinction of being the pioneering punk band from the Pacific Northwest.

Beginnings

Sage's musical journey started early, facilitated by access to a professional record cutting lathe at home, which his father provided due to his involvement in the broadcasting field.

Motivated by the work of Jimi Hendrix, Sage began playing guitar and, at age 17 in 1969, contributed to an album by wrestler Beauregarde.

Formation and initial phase

In 1977, Sage formed Wipers in Portland alongside Henry on drums and Koupal on bass. The group initially functioned as a studio project with an ambitious plan to produce 15 albums within a decade without engaging in touring or promotion. Sage approached music as an art form rather than mere entertainment, prioritizing profound listener connection through recordings alone.

Their debut single, "Better Off Dead," came out in 1978 on Sage’s own Trap Records. By 1979, Sage encouraged local punk acts to record singles under Trap, emphasizing independent production free from outside financial backing.

The first full-length album, Is This Real?, was released in January 1980 through Park Avenue Records to achieve broader distribution. Though originally tracked on a 4-track recorder, the label insisted on professional studio mixing for completion. The album cultivated a devoted fan base, with recognition largely stemming from live performances around Portland. Subsequently, Henry departed to join The Rats while Koupal moved to Ohio.

Later that year, Park Avenue released the Alien Boy EP featuring its title track plus three demo recordings.

With new members Brad Davidson on bass and Brad Naish on drums, Wipers issued their sophomore album Youth of America in 1981. This release intentionally broke away from typical brief punk songs by including lengthier compositions as an artistic choice. Although it initially received limited attention domestically, it achieved greater acclaim in Europe and eventually influenced underground rock scenes across the U.S.

The 1983 album Over the Edge, distributed via Trap and Brain Eater Records, represented a milestone by gaining modern rock radio play led by the track "Romeo." This era featured their inaugural extensive tour, captured on the cassette-only Wipers Tour 84, which Enigma Records later reissued as Wipers.

In 1985, Steve Plouf replaced Naish behind the drum kit. Enigma also launched Sage’s solo debut Straight Ahead. Under Enigma’s Restless Records label, Wipers released Land of the Lost (1986), including "Let Me Know," featured in the movie River's Edge. This was followed by Follow Blind (1987) and The Circle (1988), all recorded at Sage’s own 421 Sound studio.

In 1989, drummer Travis McNabb joined for touring duties during which Sage announced Wipers’ dissolution due to frustrations with the music industry and losing access to their studio space. Sage relocated to Phoenix, Arizona while Davidson moved to London. After setting up a new studio abroad, Sage released his second solo effort, Sacrifice (For Love) (1991).

Wipers were revived in 1993 by Sage and Plouf as a duo, producing three albums: Silver Sail (1993) and The Herd (1996) on Tim/Kerr Records, followed by Power in One (1999) on Sage’s Zeno Records imprint. The group ceased activity after 1999.

In 2001, Zeno issued the Wipers Box Set, compiling their first three albums—which had been out of print—alongside the Alien Boy EP and previously unreleased material. Jackpot Records and Sage later reissued these early works on vinyl format.

Post-Wipers

In 1982, Henry and Chris Newman established Napalm Beach, with Henry continuing to contribute actively to Portland's music community. He collaborated with groups such as Napalm Beach and Don't, as well as musicians including Pete Krebs, Morgan Grace, and Jimmy Boyer. Henry succumbed to stomach cancer on February 20, 2022, at the age of 65.

Plouf operated Zeno Oddities, a Portland-based shop specializing in vintage items and Zeno Records, which ceased operations sometime between 2009 and 2010.

McNabb went on to create the Beggars and built a career as both a session and touring drummer. His credits include work with Vigilantes of Love, Billy Pilgrim, Shawn Mullins, Indigo Girls, Brendan Benson, Howie Day, Dar Williams, Mandi Perkins, Big & Rich, and Gavin DeGraw. He was part of Better Than Ezra from 1996 until 2009 and joined the bluegrass/country ensemble Sugarland in 2007.

Davidson, who contributed to the Sage-produced Rancid Vat recording in 1985, also played bass on the 1993 EP Sound of Speed by The Jesus and Mary Chain.

Influence and legacy

Sage reflected on their early reception: "We weren’t truly a punk band... When Is This Real? was released, it certainly didn’t fit into any category; none of our albums did. Yet nearly a decade later, people began calling it the quintessential punk album of the '80s."

In 1992, Tim/Kerr issued a tribute collection titled Eight Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers, a box set featuring Wipers tracks covered by bands such as Nirvana, Hole, Napalm Beach, among others. The CD reissue expanded to Fourteen Songs for Greg Sage and the Wipers, including additional covers from Hazel, Calamity Jane, Saliva Tree, Honey, Nation of Ulysses, and Thurston Moore collaborating with Keith Nealy.

Wipers had a profound impact on Nirvana; for example, the bass riff in Wipers' "Potential Suicide" bears resemblance to Nirvana's "Breed." Nirvana’s 1992 renditions of "D-7" and "Return of the Rat" helped raise awareness of Wipers' work. The track "D-7" also appeared as a B-side on Nirvana’s UK CD single "Lithium" and was featured on their live album Live At Reading. Around 1993, Kurt Cobain listed the first three Wipers albums among his top fifty records. Courtney Love’s band Hole regularly performed covers of "Over the Edge," demonstrating Wipers’ influence.

The German grunge group Alien Boys derived their name from Wipers' song "Alien Boy." Other artists who have acknowledged Wipers as an inspiration include Mudhoney,Cloud Nothings,Hot Snakes, and Metz. Dylan Baldi of Cloud Nothings has cited Wipers’ influence on both his songwriting approach and guitar tone. John Reis from Hot Snakes has named Wipers alongside Suicide as major influences shaping their sound.

Members

Final lineup

  • Greg Sage – lead vocals, guitar (1977–1989, 1993–1999); bass guitar (1993–1999, studio recordings only)
  • Steve Plouf – drums (1985–1988, 1993–1999)

Former members

  • Sam Henry – drums (1977–1980) (deceased 2022)
  • Dave Koupal – bass guitar (1977–1981)
  • Brad Naish – drums (1981–1985)
  • Brad Davidson – bass guitar (1981–1987)
  • Travis McNabb – drums (1989, touring musician)

Timeline

Studio albums

Live albums

  • Wipers Tour 84 (1984, Trap Records)

EPs

Singles

  • "Better Off Dead" (1978, Trap Records)
  • "Romeo" (1982, Trap Records)
  • "Silver Sail" (1993, Tim/Kerr)
  • "The Herd" (1996, Tim/Kerr)
  • "Insane" (1996, Tim/Kerr)

Compilation albums

  • The Best of Wipers and Greg Sage (1990, Restless Records)
  • Complete Rarities '78–'90 (2001, Objects Of Rarity)
  • Wipers Box Set (2001, Zeno Records)
  • Out Takes (2010, Jackpot Records)

Compilation appearances

  • "Same Old Thing" featured on 10-29-79 (1980, Trap Records)
  • "My Vengeance" and "The Story" included in Trap Sampler (1981, Trap Records)
  • "Nothin' to Prove (Live)" appeared on both Sub Pop 9 (1983) and Sub Pop 100 (1986, Sub Pop)
  • "Let Me Know" contributed to the soundtrack of River's Edge (1987, Enigma Records)
  • "Return of the Rat" featured on the soundtrack for Hype! The Motion Picture Soundtrack (1996, Sub Pop)

References


External links

Interviews
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