Jon Wurster
| Jon Wurster | |
|---|---|
|
Jon Wurster performing with Superchunk in 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jonathan Patrick Wurster |
| Also known as | Quasar |
| Born | October 31, 1966 |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer, comedy writer, humorist |
| Instruments | Drums |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Associated acts | |
| Website |
scharplingandwurster |
Jonathan Patrick "Jon" Wurster (born October 31, 1966) is an American musician and humorist best known as the drummer for indie rockers Superchunk and the Mountain Goats, as well for his comedic work with radio host Tom Scharpling on The Best Show.
Wurster has recorded and/or performed live with artists such as Bob Mould, Jay Farrar, Ben Gibbard, Robert Pollard, Katy Perry, The New Pornographers, Rocket from the Crypt, Ryan Adams, R.E.M., Guided by Voices, Marah, Alejandro Escovedo, A.C. Newman, Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple, Inspiral Carpets, The Minus 5, and Charlie Daniels.
Early music career
In the mid-1980s, Wurster was the drummer in a band in the Philadelphia area called Psychotic Norman. They released a three song, 7" EP in 1985.[1] During this time, Wurster also played in The Right Profile, a roots rock band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The band was signed to Arista Records and co-founded by Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner.
Wurster booked the first show by punk rock artists The Dead Milkmen which took place at the Lower Salford Youth Association in Harleysville, Pennsylvania.[2] He is also mentioned in the lyrics to The Dead Milkmen song "Stuart" from the album "Beezlebubba".
Comedy work
Wurster is one half of the radio comedy team Scharpling and Wurster. Tom Scharpling is the host of long running radio program The Best Show which ran for the bulk of its run on free-form station WFMU and, as of December 2014, functions as an independent, online-only program. The duo released a variety of CDs on their Stereolaffs label starting with Rock, Rot & Rule in 1999, followed by four "best of" releases that came out between 2002 and 2007. A 16 disc box set, The Best of The Best Show, was released by The Numero Group in 2015.
Scharpling and Wurster have collaborated in music videos written and directed by Tom Scharpling and starring Wurster. The videos were created for The New Pornographers, Aimee Mann, and The Postal Service.
Wurster has written for television shows such as Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell, Monk, Squidbillies, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, and Tom Goes to the Mayor.
Wurster is a frequent contributor to Modern Drummer magazine.
Wurster has appeared as an "expert witness" in the Judge John Hodgman podcast episode "A Trial of Two Cities".[3]
References
- ↑ http://www.45cat.com/record/sgro001
- ↑ Kaufmann, Justin. "Wikipedia Files: Superchunk's Jon Wurster". WBEZ. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
- ↑ MaxFun Intern (12 February 2014). "Judge John Hodgman Episode 147: A Trial of Two Cities". Maximum Fun. Retrieved 2014-05-14.