Cows

Noise experimenters extraordinaire Cows were formed by vocalist/horn player Shannon Selberg in 1987, as fellow Minneapolis bands and key influences like The Replacements and Hüsker Dü were moving toward more polished songcraft. The group’s live performances nearly rivaled G.G. Allin for their raucousness and their records seemed determined to distort both their instruments and listeners’ eardrums into feedback-generated oblivion. Still, Cows quickly rose to prominence in their hometown, and among cross-nation pockets of indie fans, thanks to a long-term relationship with the venerable Amphetamine Reptile label. Their peak of near-accessibility came with the relatively listenable CUNNING STUNTS in 1991, followed by four more full-lengths before breaking up in 1998.