Rachel Flotard - vocals & guitar Ben Hooker - drums Kim Warnick - bass & vocals
VISQUEEN ARE FROM: Seattle, WA
history lesson: more about the fastbacks
Best friends Ben and Rachel fell together playing in the Seattle punk-pop favorite, HAFACAT. Scrapes and scratches later, and thankfully not before uncorking on bills with Men At Work and Corey Feldman, HAFACAT was sadly put to sleep. Their much anticipated debut remains buried with them.
February 2001. Ben and Rachel began heavy focus on her closet of mink-lined powerpop songs. Thrilled with what was happening in thier practice space, their smoke signal for a bassist found wisecrack maiden of rock & roll, Kim Warnick. History Lesson: Specialists in borderline Spinal Tap drummer syndrome (their first was Guns ‘N Roses Duff McKagan, their last was The President’s Jason Finn), The Fastbacks pop genius has inspired most of rock’ s most influential. So much fun in fact, Pearl Jam invited them around the world opening in gigant-arenas in 20 countries. The songs of Rachel and Ben hooked Kim. So much that she tucked in her 23rd year(!) as Fastbacks icon/lead singer/bassist and now weaves hilarious bullshit tapestries full time for Visqueen.
Visqueen quickly re-enlisted genius rock producer Barrett Jones (Foo Fighters, Melvins, Nirvana) who recorded sessions at his Laundry Room Studios in Seattle. Rachel had penned a buzz record full of songs to overdose on. Ten were chosen when her astonishing vocal tracks raised goose bumps over guitars and flooring the veteran Jones. It wasn’t punk but it was fast. Melodies punctured instantly but weren’t predictable. It was rock fresh, undefined, and all live.
October 2002 A limited edition 7" single (Vaxxine/His Way)
February 2003 "King Me” released on Valentine’s Day.
Rachel’s ready-for-radio songs and her golden voice has been called “A Secret Weapon.” Rolling Stone’s David Fricke hails it the real deal. (see the other side of this sheet). Many more reviews have surfaced. All glowing. All positive. The LA Weekly, NPR, Amazon.com, The Big Takeover, Rockrgrl, All Music Guide and a slew of the best dailies and newsweeklies across the country. Visqueen has attended SXSW 2003, CMJ 2002 and shared billing with some of their heroes like: Local H, The Donnas, Guided By Voices, X, The New Pornographers, Imperial Teen, Greg Dulli & The Twilight Singers, Cheap Trick, Pretty Girls Make Graves, and The Minus 5.
March 2004 Visqueen has begun recording thier follow-up record with producer Phil Ek. Expect a fall release. King Me is slated for Japanese release this spring. The April 20, 2004 release, "This One's For The Fellows - A Sonic Salute to the Young Fresh Fellows", has a Visqueen version of Still There's Hope.
