
Number One Cup was an American indie rock band based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. After leaving his band Eliot in 1993, guitarist Seth Cohen was interviewed by the Chicago weekly "Newcity." When asked what he might do next, Cohen mentioned attending a show featuring Unrest, Gastr Del Sol, and Stereolab in Chicago. This caught the attention of guitarist Pat O'Connell and drummer Michael Lenzi, who both called Cohen after reading the article. As a result, the three formed Number One Cup.
They released their first single, "Connecticut" in 1994 on Sweet Pea Records and started playing live shows. Cohen's former Eliot bandmate John Przyborowski filled in on bass until the band recruited Jenni Synder. They released their second single, "Indie Softcore Denial" before Synder left the band.
The trio then signed with Flydaddy Records and released their debut full-length, Possum Trot Plan in 1995. Pat "Tiger" Reis briefly joined the band on bass, but it didn't work out so Przyborowski once again filled in and eventually joined the band full-time. The band's single "Divebomb" was a minor hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1996, peaking at number 61.
In 1998, after recording their third album, People, People, Why Are We Fighting? Cohen broke his neck while playing hockey, and tour plans had to be postponed until he recovered. Around this time Kurt Volk replaced Przyborowski on bass, but their 1998 album was to be their last.
Cohen and Lenzi went on to form the group The Fire Show, active from 1999 to 2002.
Links to Peel[]
Peel first played Number One Cup in 1994 when the band started releasing material and had them do their debut session on Mark Radcliffe's show, which JP was sitting in for in 1996. A year later he had them do a session for his own show in 1997. The band split in 1998, but Peel did not play any material from Cohen and Lenzi's new band The Fire Show, who were active from 1999 to 2002.
Sessions[]
Number One Cup - John Peel Session -1 18th March 1996
1. Recorded live: 1996-03-18. First Broadcast: 18 March 1996
- Malcolm's X Ray Picnic / Waiting On The Lions / Astronaut / Paris
2. Recorded: 1997-03-11. First Broadcast: 15 April 1997
- Countdown / Vintage Male Singer / The New Virginia / The Monkey Song
Other Shows Played[]
- 1994
Number One Cup - Divebomb
- 18 June 1994 (BBC World Service): Connecticut (7") Sweet Pea
- 18 June 1994 (BFBS): Bat Masters/Relationship (7" - Connecticut) Sweet Pea
- 02 July 1994 (BFBS): Connecticut (7") Sweet Pea
- 01 October 1994: That's The Spirit" (7" EP - Indie Softcore Denial) Sweet Pea
- 08 October 1994 (BFBS): Divebomb (7" EP - Indie Softcore Denial) Sweet Pea
- 10 October 1994 (BBC World Service): Divebomb (7" - Indie Softcore Denial) Sweet Pea
- 15 October 1994 (BFBS): That's The Spirit (7" EP - Indie Softcore Denial) Sweet Pea
- 05 November 1994: Divebomb (7" - Indie Softcore Denial) Sweet Pea
- 1995
- 01 December 1995: 'Aspirin Burns (LP-Possum Trot Plan)' (Flydaddy)
- 05 December 1995 (Radio Mafia): Aspirin Burns (LP - Possum Trot Plan) Flydaddy
- 15 December 1995: Outboard Motors (album - Possum Trot Plan) Flydaddy
- 23 December 1995 (BFBS): 'Outboard Motors (CD-Possum Trot Plan)' (Flydaddy)
- 1996
- 19 January 1996: Pocket (album - Possum Trot Plan Flydaddy / Sweet Pea
- 26 January 1996: Lustrous Poppies (album - Possum Trot Plan) Flydaddy
- 03 February 1996: Strange And Silent Staircase (LP - Possum Trot Plan) Flydaddy
- 10 February 1996 (BFBS): 'Strange & Silent Staircase (LP-Possum Trot Plan)' (Flydaddy)
- 1997
- 02 February 1997: 'Backlit (CD - Wrecked By Lions)' The Blue Rose
- 08 February 1997: Bright Orange Fireball Sun (album - Wrecked By Lions) Blue Rose
- 27 February 1997: The Black Choppers Cry (CD - Wrecked By Lions) The Blue Rose
- 01 April 1997: ‘Malcolm’s X-Ray Picnic (CD Single – Kim Chee Is Cabbage)’ Flydaddy
- 02 April 1997: ‘Not Quite Reading (CD Single – Kim Chee Is Cabbage)’ Flydaddy
- 10 April 1997 (BFBS): 'Not Quite Reading (CD-Kim Chee Is Cabbage)' (Flydaddy)
- 06 May 1997: ‘Ease Back Down (7 inch)’ Flydaddy
- 16 May 1997 (BFBS): 'Ease Back Down (CDS)' (Blue Rose Record Company)
- 1998
- 01 December 1998: Ice Melts Around My Battery (LP - People, People, Why Are We Fighting?) Flydaddy
- 1999
- 03 January 1999 (BFBS): 'Vintage Male Singer (CD-People People Why Are We Fighting?)' (Cooking Vinyl)
- 25 April 1999 (BFBS): 'Little Johnny Jewel (7"-Remote Control)' (Flydaddy)
- 05 May 1999: Little Johnny Jewel (b-side 'Remote Control' single) Cooking Vinyl
- 06 May 1999 (Radio Eins): 'Little Johnny Jewel (7"-Remote Control)' (Flydaddy)