Formed from the shell of a Go-Go’s cover band named Raspberry Bang, SWIRLIES began their life in Boston/Cambridge, Massachusetts in the summer of 1990. The original band featured Damon Tutunjian (guitar/vocals), Seana Carmody (guitar/vocals), Andy Bernick (bass), and Ben Drucker (drums). SWIRLIES played live for the very first time on 25 January 1991 at The Alcove in Allston, MA. In these early years, SWIRLIES wandered the Northeastern Megalopolis with other like-minded people, releasing 7″ records through the kindness of Slumberland, Pop Narcotic, Cinderblock, and other labels. Billy Ruane was often there. In June 1992, SWIRLIES signed to then-Boston-based Taang! Records. The first two Taang! releases, the ’What to Do About Them’ EP (a collection of previous 7″s and new tracks) and ‘Blondertongue Audiobaton’ LP, were created and recorded by the original members plus other mysterious entities. Our dependence on sacred symbols (embodied by The Ostrich, The Number 11, The One Who Speaks Abstractly On Recordings, and others) began at approximately this time. Sadly, none of these symbols protected us from The Curse.