Thirty Ought Six

by Steve HueyPortland, OR's Thirty Ought Six fused elements of emo's past and present, drawing from the likes of Sunny Day Real Estate, Fugazi, and even the genre's spiritual forefathers, Hüsker Dü. Founded in 1992, the band consisted of vocalist/bassist Sean Roberts, guitarist David Blunk, and jazz-trained drummer Ryan Paravecchio. The group gathered a following around the Northwest, opening several gigs for Sunny Day Real Estate, and issued its debut single, "Huck," in 1993 on the independent Candy Ass label. A split single with Cavity Search's Gern Blanston followed, as did the 1994 7" "Eris," which appeared on C/Z. Thirty Ought Six returned to Candy Ass for the full-length album Bosozuku, which generated a substantial local buzz upon its release later in 1994. The band subsequently scored a deal with Mute Records' new American wing, and released the John Goodmanson-produced single "Talon" as its label debut in 1995. Their second album, Hag Seed, arrived later that year, and featured guest vocals from Sunny Day Real Estate's Jeremy Enigk on "Tourmaline." A tour of the U.S. and England followed, and in 1996 they joined the second half of that summer's Lollapalooza tour, playing on the indie stage. However, Roberts was happier performing on a local basis, and left by the end of the year; without him, Thirty Ought Six called it quits. Roberts subsequently joined the short-lived Umberhulk.