Maybe one of Kansas City’s longest running bands, Season to Risk are one of the first names that come to mind for me whenever the topic of “local music” comes up. Still even these days, after being fairly dormant for the past couple years or so, they are one of the most prominent names around this area. And while there may have been plenty of other great bands to come out of KC during the 90’s, S2R were definitely at the top for being one of the noisiest and abrasive of the bunch.
Their lengthy career began in 1989 around the core of Steve Tulipana and Duane Trower. Paul Malinowski was also among the ranks at that time, but would later leave the band for Shiner after the bands first couple records. After recording a demo and the band was then swept up in the early 90’s alternative feeding frenzy by Columbia Records. After a couple early singles they released their first album, which was Self-Titled, through the label in 1992. A good album, but it was evident even then that there was going to be no mainstream market for a band like Season to Risk, however Columbia stuck with the band long enough for them put out a second record in the form of 1995’s In a Perfect World. The album obviously didn’t go on to be a hit with the masses; however to me was the bands best album and accurately what S2R were about sound wise. The album is raw, jagged, and full of nasty rumbling low end. While it goes fairly unnoticed these days, it sits comfortably amongst some of the better noise-rock records from that period in my opinion.
Following In a Perfect World and being dropped by their label the band would go on to release two more albums, 1998’s Men Are Monkeys, Robots Win on Thick Records and 2001’s The Shattering through Owned and Operated. Both were fine albums that grew the S2R sound a bit from being just a bludgeoning noise steamroller.
Since the release of their last album The Shattering the band has been somewhat inactive, only playing out sporadically. During the break members have been involved in other projects and ventures. Steve Tulipana co-owns one of KC’s best venues for live music, The Record Bar and also plays in the post-punk Roman Numerals with current S2R bassist Billy Smith. Smith and current S2R guitarist Wade Williamson also play in Olympic Size together.