Gauge

Gauge was a post-hardcore/emo band from Chicago that formed from the ashes of Ivy League and Target in 1991. The band features Scott Gub Conway on vocals/guitar (Even in Blackouts, Red Villain, Screeching Weasel), Kevin J. Frank on guitar/vocals (Haymarket Riot, Traluma, the Sky Corvair), Neil Sandler on bass/vocals (Rollo Tomasi, Traluma, the Sky Corvair) and Ryan Rapsys on drums (Euphone, Amazing Baby, Owls). They were highly regarded in Chicagos northwest and western suburban punk scenes in the early 90s. They inspired and performed with other acts from the same area such as Capn Jazz, Friction, Sidekick Kato and Braid, until their breakup in 1994. Gauge was known for their intense, cathartic performances, which combined power and melody.

Over the course of several regional tours and two U.S. tours in the early to mid 90s, the band shared the stage with groups such as, Green Day, Jawbox, Jawbreaker, Avail, Smoking Popes, Born Against, Screeching Weasel, Kerosene 454, All, Los Crudos, Lungfish, Pegboy, Shudder to Think and Trenchmouth. They played 150 shows from 1991-1994.

Gauge released two full-length albums: Soothe in 1992 on THD/Radius Records and Fire Tongue Burning Stomach in 1994 on Underdog Records. In 1995, Actionboy Records released a posthumous 10 titled 43. The first half of their catalog was released on CD by Tree Records in 2000, this is known as Gauge : I. The second half of their catalog was released on March 6, 2010 on Shakefork Records, this is known as Gauge : II.

In August 2009 the band decided to reunite and in December 2009 entered Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago, IL with Greg Norman to record a new song and updated versions of older material. These recordings were released on March 6, 2010 as Mints a 2-song 7 with a code for a 4-song digital download on Shakefork Records. The band played live for the first time in almost 16 years on March 4, 2010 at Ronnys in Chicago, IL and followed with a performance at Bay View Brew Haus in Milwaukee, WI on March 5, 2010. An official reunion show was played at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago, IL on March 6, 2010.

Gauge is often mentioned in the same breath with bands like Indian Summer, Hoover and Current, which influenced a crop of bands that came out of the mid to late 90s Midwestern post-hardcore/emo scene.

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Members of Gauge went on to perform in bands such as the Sky Corvair, Euphone, Even in Blackouts, 5ive Style, Sweater Weather, Haymarket Riot, Traluma, Radio Flyer, Heroic Doses, Ambulette and Rollo Tomasi, as well as working with Joan Of Arc, Owls and Noyes.

Kevin J. Frank contributed vocals to the songs, "Geheim" and "Sergio Valente", which are tracks 12 and 13 on disc 2 of the Cap'n Jazz anthology album, Analphabetapolothology. These songs also appears on the Cap'n Jazz 7", Boys 16 to 18 Years... Age of Action (Further Beyond Records, 1993).

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