Cat Heads

A SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA supergroup of underground music artists, the Cat Mind formed in 1985. Vocalist and guitarist Tag Zanandrea was from your Leaches and Like Circus, guitarist Sam Babbit from your Ophelias, drummer Melanie Clarin used just about everybody around, and bassist Alan Korn hailed from X-Tal. The music group exchanged vocal and songwriting tasks to make a chaotic mixture of folk-rock, indie-rock, joke-rock and nation. Its 1987 debut, Hubba, was made by the Rainfall Parade’s Matt Piucci, and its own follow-up, 1988’s Submarine, was made by Camper Vehicle Beethoven’s David Lowery. With therefore very much insider support, it’s a little wonder that this Cat Mind didn’t endure the late-eighties post-R.E.M. groundswell of alternate bands, but rather disbanded after touring behind their second recording. All former users continue to function in Bay Region bands too several to list right here. Babbit and Korn instantly shaped the (former mate) Cat Minds following the group’s demise. Zanandrea and Clarin continued to be collaborators within it Thing. Zanandrea and Babbit regrouped in 1996 beneath the name Androgynauts, and Babbitt and Korn also reunited using the (former mate) Cat Minds to create the Mudsills.