Snatches of Pink was formed in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1985 by Andy McMillan and
Michael Rank. McMillan studied architecture at
North Carolina State University before transferring to the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he majored in math. For the band's first four shows, McMillan played stand-up drums and sang, with Rank on guitars. On one occasion, McMillan said the band's name was his description of an album cover. He noted that the name was "not a frock, not a communist collaborative,...not an overt euphemism for the vagina." Later in October, they were using the name Almost Human. For a show with the Bad Checks at the Cat's Cradle on October 31, 1986, they were advertised as "Snatches of Pink (the unnamed band's former name)." However by November, they were back to using Snatches of Pink. Romweber said, "We tried changing the name, and we had many different names and none of them worked. So Michael and Andrew, too, said, 'Let's go back to this name.' And all I said was, 'I don't have to say the name out loud,' and so I rarely do." One reviewer wrote, "If
Keith Richards had grown up listening to
The Velvet Underground's '
Sister Ray' instead of
Muddy Waters, the Stones might have sounded like this. And don't balk at the comparison because this Chapel Hill band is that good." Another reviewer said, "Imagine
Husker Du's waves of noise coupled with early Replacements' bratty disdain for 'convention.' Now imagine rock 'n' roll would-be martyrs Johnny Thunders or Keith Richards fronting this motley crew. Got it? Now turn it up to 11. Good. Now you have Snatches of Pink..." Jack Wenberg joined the lineup on bass. The band recorded a second demo cassette in the summer of 1987 which was sold through
School Kids Records. The band knew Holt from Chapel Hill before he relocated to
Athens, Georgia and discovered R.E.M. Peterson also produced the album—he knew Rank from high school and did this as a personal favor. In contrast, another reviewer wrote, "It's a promising debut, but it definitely would have benefited from clearer lyrics. ...I don't think every rock song should have perfectly clear, cleanly articulated lyrics. But I do think you should be able to hear enough of a song to tell what it's about. ...The music is good—very good—and you can't help but thinking that the band has something to say. Maybe on their next album, we'll hear what it is." To support the album, the band went on an extensive tour.
Send in the Clowns did not get the radio airplay or the sales that the label and band had hoped for. However, guitarist Ray Dafrico played on some tracks—and would continue to play in the band's live shows of the era. With this record, Rank shared lead vocals with McMillan who had returned to playing the bass guitar. However, internal issues at Dog Gone caused delays. In contrast, another reviewer wrote, "One of the highlights of
Dead Men is Rank's vocals. Not that you can understand any of the words. But the
sound of Rank's voice is what distinguishes the songs. It's world-weary and throaty like a punk rock Jim Morrison. Sometimes it's a drunken caterwaul, with a metal explosion behind it for accent. But there's harmony in the din." At this time, the band consisted of Romweber, Rank, McMillan, and Dafrico—with the latter three sharing vocals. As a result of the MTV segment, record sales and calls for bookings were up.
Freddie Salem (
The Chamber Brothers,
Outlaws) recorded the band's ''Deader Than You'll Ever Be'', live at
CBGB on April 25, 1990. This four-song EP was only released on vinyl as a limited-edition radio promotion, and also included a live performance of "Dogs" that was recorded by MTV's
Tim Sommer. Over the years, Snatches of Pink opened for several acts working in a similar vein, including
Johnny Thunders,
The Ramones,
The Cramps,
Iggy Pop,
Soul Asylum,
John Kay and Steppenwolf, and
Rocket from the Crypt. As one review of the era noted, "They lived the part and looked it, too, each member's shaggy, unkempt hair shrouding his or her face to the point that you figured it was only a matter of time before someone tumbled off the edge of the stage." Rank really wanted to work with Keith Wood at Caroline Records, and negotiated a deal with Hollywood Records in that allowed him to make a solo record with Caroline. However, after the band recorded their big-label album, Hollywood was struggling financially, and Tim Sommer, the A&R person who signed Snatches of Pink, left the label to host a show for
VH1. Later,
Spin placed
Bent With Pray as number six on the "10 Best Albums You Didn't Hear in 1992." The band also created a related video for "Powder Blue." McMillan says, "I remember telling people—and there was some truth to this actually—that we just decided to give ourselves a name that their mothers could tell people. That was an easy answer, but again, it did have some truth to it." McMillan correctly said, "Just wait a while and Frank [Heath] will be back with a new Cradle." In 1996, Clarissa released the album
Silver. Silver'' was "less raucous," according to Romweber. Clarissa toured the United States with
The Tragically Hip in the summer of 1996, playing more than forty shows. Continuing, the reviewer wrote, "The trio maintained
heartland rock's sense of community with the ups, downs, and in-betweens of common people. But the air's thin up where Clarissa resides, a landscape where rugged
Byrds-style harmonies are doused with thunderclap instrumentals that push songs to the edge of dissonance. No wonder flatland rockers like Mellencamp never attempt the ascent. You just don't make much money up there." Clarissa released
Blood & Commons with Mammoth in 1997, but the label declined to extend the band's contract. == Reorganization ==