Transformer Lootbag

Matt Abplanalp, Steve Riches and Ricky Riemer have been making music together since high school, and in early 1996 they assembled themselves as a three-piece band with the name Transformer Lootbag. Always looking for new sounds and ways to combine them, the band writes angular songs using their instruments in unconventional fashions and labyrinths for arrangements, but the music seems to have no trouble making it through these mazes - like it's just something normal and effortless to do ? jerking, wailing and twitching along the way.

Over the years the band has released its puzzles of sound on internationally distributed compilations, singles and home-produced recordings and has enjoyed playing shows with bands such as Mike Watt, U.S. Maple, Mudhoney, Deerhoof, Melt Banana, Sicbay, The Flying Luttenbachers and Numbers at various venues around the Midwest. In 2003 TLB recorded themselves and released their self-titled, nine-song debut album-- the only full-length that made it out of their enormous hidden vault of material.

"It's not easy to get on stage after Transformer Lootbag rocks well in Beefheartian and Minutemen fashion." - Vince Meghrouni of Mike Watt and the Pair of Pliers.