Wagner Quartet
From The Secret History of the Cedar Valley
Contents |
History
The Wagner Quartet was formed as part of a deal. In exchange for the building of a shelf, Don Darrow allowed Benjamin, Michael, and Joseph Wagner to record music for their Individual Studies in Technology class. The proposed band went through many incarnations before it became the adolescent noise rock some know and love today. The band was originally going to feature the guitar stylings of the angst filled dittohead Judd Saul and his cronies Tanner and Ferguson. Judd's early departure, in favor of looking at porn on the internet, inspired The Wagner Quartet's first song, Saul Dust. The band, inspired from their work on Darrow's purgatory shelf, became known for a time as The Shelf Builders. The song "Drill You To Hell," created without the use of typical instruments (it used a power drill, a fan and tapping on a table as the instruments as well as Benjamin's haunting vocals), the video of the shelf's construction, and the shelf itself are all that remains of this period.
The shelf was built and The Shelf Builders were all set to go, but something was missing, something that made it impossible to begin. What Michael Wagner figured out is that that something was inspiration, inspiration in the form of their long lost brother Cory Wagner. Michael sought Cory out and found him, languishing in a study hall on the second floor. One hall pass later, and Cory Wagner found his way to the technology area of the school's basement. The rest is history.
Lore
- All members of the band are family members.
- The band had originally set out to make four albums. Sadly, the third album, called "The Video Album" has not been worked on for several years and looks like it may never come out.
- Manib, punk rock cousins of the band, covered two The Wagner Quartet songs which were then featured on The Wagner Quartet's second album, Lonely.
- Joseph Wagner now runs an online game of the imagination entitled, "The Shelves."
Band Members
- Cory Wagner - Guitar, vocals
- Joseph Wagner - Instruments, vocals
- Michael Wagner - Instruments, vocals
- Benjamin Wagner - Instruments, vocals
- Chuck Wagner - Keyboard Drums
- Melanie Wagner- Vocals
- Rebel Genius Wagner - Drums (specialized in drum solos)
- Wes Jones Wagner - Vocals
- Bob Casio - Drums
