Formed in 1993 by guitarists Scott Patalano and Brad Rigney, bassist Ruben Layman, drummer Todd Demma and Forgione (ex-Funeral Party, Twelve Tone Failure), Mistle Thrush took their name from a
bird that eats the poisonous-to-most berries of the
mistletoe plant. Generally identified as
goth—although the term, as
The Phoenix's
Brett Milano later put it, "never quite suited them"—quickly found a home at
Washington, D.C.'s
Bedazzled Records, who released the band's debut 7" in 1994. Later that same year, they released a 5-song CD entitled
Agus Amàrach. In May 1995 they advanced as far as the semi-finals of the 17th annual
WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble; by the time they put out their full-length debut (1995's
Silt), Rigney had been replaced by former teenage
Boston hardcore semi-star Matthew Kattman (ex-Funny Wagon, Kingpin). Two years later, they released
Super Refraction on the "fake"
indie label, Egg Records (bankrolled by major label
Elektra). The album landed them on the
Boston Herald's "Local Best of 1997" list, with music critic Tristram Lozaw declaring it to be "[s]ilky smart pop with sublime sonics". The album was nominated for a
Boston Music Award for Indie Label Album of the Year, with Forgione also being nominated for Outstanding Local Female Vocalist. Signing a publishing deal with Warner-Chappell Music, they ultimately used most of the advance money buying out the remainder of their 5-album contract with Egg, with whom they'd become increasingly disillusioned. All of the legal wrangling involved in extracting themselves from their contract took its toll on the band and Kattman and Layman both left the band. Matthew Klain was recruited to take over on bass, and the band decided they could make do with just one guitarist. In early 2002 the band released what would be their final album,
Drunk with You on new
Los Angeles indie label, Ecstatic. The album was recognized by the Boston Music Awards with a nominations for Local Album of the Year, and Local Song of the Year (for the song "Small"). == Discography ==