A play on words using Ernest Thayer's Casey at The Bat, Gainesville, Florida band For Squirrels penned a wonderful melancholy and jangly ode to Kurt Cobain with their minor 1995 radio hit "Mighty KC." From the band's major label debut Example, the song found the band pairing REM-style college guitar rock with some of the harder elements of grunge and punk. The song was a lovely tribute to the man who inspired a whole swath of artists and musicians to form their own bands (for better or worse), but ultimately and sadly ended up as a kind of self-written eulogy for the band itself.
One of the more depressing stories from the 1990's alt-rock scene, the band was involved in a tragic auto accident just weeks before their album was released. Travelling back to Florida from performing at the CMJ Festival in New York, the band's van blew a tire in Georgia on the Interstate Highway and flipped, killing vocalist Jack Vigliatura, bassist Bill White, and tour manager Tim Bender. The surviving members eventually pushed on in some capacity or another, but never quite reached the heights that their original lineup seemed to be on the cusp of attaining.
Tragic stories aside, "Mighty KC" remains a standout from its era, endlessly hooky, but also a thoughtful reflection on art, life, and death. But in its innate lyrical somberness and melancholy guitar crunch, a sliver of hope still manages to shine through. Honestly, we all need that right now.
"Things are gonna change in our favor..."
Listen below, our Daily Jam.
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