The angular indie rock trio
Guv'ner formed in 1993 as an outgrowth of the romance between singer/guitarist Charles Gansa and singer/bassist Pumpkin Wentzel. After the couple moved to New York City, Wentzel gave a demo tape of the group's off-kilter pop to
Pussy Galore/
Free Kitten member Julia Cafritz, whom she had known since elementary school; Cafritz subsequently passed the tape to
Sonic Youth's
Thurston Moore, who ultimately issued
Guv'ner's debut, Hard for Measy for You, on his Ecstatic Peace label. Following the addition of full-time drummer Danny Tunick,
Guv'ner signed to Merge Records, which released the group's sophomore effort,
The Hunt (co-produced by Cafritz and
Gumball's
Don Fleming), in 1996.
Spectral Worship followed two years later. ~ Jason Ankeny