Shudder To Think - 1987

1987 captures Shudder To Think at the very start of their journey. The band began in 1986 in Glover Park, Washington D.C., when bass player Stuart Hill and drummer Mike Russell recruited Chris Matthews on guitar for their fledgling hardcore band Stüge. When they suddenly needed a new singer, Matthews suggested his friend Craig Wedren. At the audition, Wedren’s style clashed with the band’s previous sound, but it quickly became clear they had discovered a “chocolate-in-my-peanut-butter” situation full of creative potential. The group changed their name and embarked on a bold new direction.

Side A features five songs from one of their first recording sessions, all previously released only on demo tapes and never re-recorded for future albums. Notably, this version of “Too Little, Too Late” appeared on the local punk compilation FR-5 in 1987. Side B collects four tracks from their first 7-inch release, the It Was Arson EP, a split release by Sammich/Dischord Records, with an early version of “Take The Child” included at the end—later re-recorded for their 1988 debut album.

This LP offers a rare glimpse of the band’s earliest experimentation, energy, and inventive spirit.