CUB

by Jason AnkenyCrush pop trio Cub formed in 1992 after vocalist/bassist Lisa Marr, guitarist Robynn Iwata, and drummer Valeria Fellini met while working at the college radio station of their alma mater, the University of British Columbia. Despite no prior musical experience — throughout the bands first year, Iwata played live seated on the stage while looking at cheat sheets for chord progressions — Cubs live shows (during which the group often tossed candy to the audience) won their unique brand of simple, infectious punk-pop a cult following on the Vancouver club circuit, and in October 1992 the trio issued their debut EP, Pep, on Mint Records, the Vancouver-based label co-owned by Iwatas brother Randy. Following the release of Betti-Cola — a superb collection of EP tracks and new recordings complete with a Josie and the Pussycats-styled cover by famed Archie Comics artist Dan DeCarlo — Fellini left the band; she was replaced by drummer Lisa G., whom Marr met through the pages of the fanzine Self-Esteem Queen. After the release of 1994s Come Out, Come Out, Mint signed a distribution deal with the U.S. punk label Lookout!, which brought increased visibility to the release of 1996s edgier Box of Hair; Mauler, another collection of singles, followed in early 1997. On June 10 of that year, a series of three handwritten messages posted on the Mint Records website — one from each member — announced Cubs breakup.