James Kennedy, bass:
Comeuppance is the first band in which I ever played an instrument. I learned how to play the bass by practicing along with a
Teenage Dope Slaves tape in my room at Sorin, and thus will always have a fondness for "Death Spa.” I was such an amateur I remember Chris had to literally push my fingers down on the fret board where they needed to go. Chris is from South Bend, so we practiced at his parents' house, in his boyhood bedroom. You can’t get much twee-er than that.
Chris Norborg, drums:
Comeuppance came about because Allison wrote beautiful poems and turned one into a song. Then I wrote a few quickies and cobbled together a drum kit. (The same kit featured in another obscure combo, Ely Parker & the CIAs, that I hope to get Ted to document someday on this site.) I knew Kate could sing from our hours driving around singing Morrissey songs together. James contributed his (criminally underrated) bass technique and "Freak Cathode Accident." A precious few shows, then Tim Schaffler (of the infamous Tennessee Schafflers) recorded essentially our entire repertoire - save a couple clunkers best forgotten - on his big ol' reel-to-reel four-track. And that was that.
Allison Rigo, guitar:
Comeuppance was the fun of being in a band compressed into four brief months: we practiced, we learned songs, we made flyers and T-shirts and stickers, we played a few shows, we recorded, we made a cassette tape – and then it was over. Its novelty and its compactness made it feel like a gift.
The songs were sweet and sometimes melancholy, and that was perfect for who we were – college kids finding their inner fourth-graders through Beverly Cleary motifs, Ludwig Bemelmans references, and the newspaper funnies.
Kate Connell, vocals:
How to succinctly sum up my days in Comeuppance you ask? Well, as my good pal Chuck Dickens once said, "It was the good times, it was the poo times" (I'm paraphrasing here, people). It was my sophomore year at St. Mary's College, a school I never actually chose to attend but was chosen for me. By the time I hit second year there, I was thoroughly depressed. However, there was this gleaming, fleeting light of hope. And that hope had a name... no, not Obama, but rather Comeuppance. Chris, Allison, and James were very much my saving grace(s) that year. Not only did we get to play music together, we also became a family. I know, corny but true. We would practice at Chris' parents' house which to me was the best part. Usually a delicious dinner was prepared and shared with fantastic company. In fact, the first time I ever saw someone have apple pie with a slice of cheese on top happened right there in their kitchen after practice. As for the shows, they're kind of a blur to me. But I still love the songs. Sometimes I find myself these days playing guitar alone in my room I strum and hum "Non Issue" or "Clock" or "Falter." Looking back on our short-lived career, I feel given just a little more time, we could've conquered the world!! Or, at the very least, played another show or two...
listen/download:
see also:
Comeuppance on MySpace
