Welcome Sugarfiends,

Sit yourself down and hear the tale of how the mighty Sugar dePalma came to be. Well, since this bio is only available online, there’s a very good chance you’re already sitting down.

San Francisco, CA's Sugar dePalma started out as the pet project of bassist and vocalist Joe Costa, and guitarist Scott "the C is silent" Czadzeck. Started as the occasional weekend jam session between the two, Sugar dePalma quickly became more than just a fun side project, but a complete and full blown obsessive/compulsive disorder. Working together years before in a band called Splatterbox with drummer Dave Machlan, Costa and Czadzeck reforming as Sugar dePalma seemed only natural.

Prior to Splatterbox, Costa and Czadzeck played for an earlier San Francisco band, Under Milkwood. They had a minor local hit with the song 12 Buses. And by minor hit, we mean it was their favorite song at the time. Originally getting his start as the lead vocalist for a band called American Refugees, a group that was heavily influenced by the punk/pop sensibility of bands like The Clash. Costa later learned bass out of necessity after joining with Czadzeck to form The Walk.

Czadzeck was one of the original founding members of Matrix Tentatively, but when the New Wave explosion hit in the early 80's, Czadzeck left to form The Walk with Costa. Taking their name from a Cure song with the same title, The Walk became a regular name on the Broadway marquees of San Francisco. Playing for no pay (except for free beer tickets handed out by the club owners) The Walk played at venues like The Chi Chi Club and the infamous Mabuhay Gardens (aka The Mab or Fab Mab). Putting together an all female lineup (Czadzeck and Costa aside), the band included Laura...What's-her-name on rhythm guitar, Marilyn on keyboards, (she couldn't play but she looked good), and someone else on drums. Unfortunately, time and the excess of drugs have erased her name from our memories.

After an incredible amount of frustration maintaining a lineup of musicians who couldn't play, including the aforementioned founders, the duo decide to strip down to just that...a duo. But not an a la White Stripes but more the likes of Soft Cell or the Cocteau Twins.  Putting much of the drum and keyboard tracks on tape, The Walk began its endeavor to perform as a duo and get their act out of the bedroom and on to the stage.

One of the first gigs they booked was a big show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, the arena that was to become the last venue The Beatles ever performed in live and had a similar effect on The Walk. Having spent a chunk of change, (it's called writing a hot check) on a very expensive tape deck in preparation for the show, they figured they could cover the cost by the money they were promised for the gig ($300). As it turns out, this big show was in fact a huge Hells Angels party. As imagined, the sight of 2 guys in eyeliner and big kinky hair didn't go over so well with the biker boys. With everyone’s masculinity being threatened with each passing note, the band was informed that their set was finished after the second song.

Desperately needing the money that was promised, Costa and Czadzeck struck up a deal...Costa was to go to Moose (his actual name) and try to collect the money as nonchalantly as possible, and Czadzeck would load the van as quickly as possible and keep the engine running.  Fifteen minutes later Costa leapt into a revving van with check in hand. Cashing the check the next day at 9-am, they later heard rumors that everyone else's checks were bouncing sky high.

Fast forward quite a few years, and quite a few screaming matches  later, our two heroes found themselves together again only this time  under the moniker Splatterbox.  Taking their name from one of the  first songs they wrote where the drum machine rattled off a drum roll  that sounded like a machine gun splattering bullets...Splatterbox. The approach was slightly different this time, (but only slightly) as they tried to simplify both the sound and the lineup. Taking the music back to the earlier days of the punk era, and a few years before Green Day, Splatterbox began to write songs influenced by bands like The Buzzcocks and Wire. This time they even managed to take it out of the bedroom and into the studio, and recorded with long time Bay Area musician, producer and engineer, Kevin Army. Having finally found their 3rd and final member Dave Machlan, they began rehearsals for an upcoming show at a club called the Chameleon, hosted by local KUSF DJ, Germ. It was the greatest show the band ever played and it would be their last.

Fast forward another 13 years and we find our lovable masochists reforming one more time. Only this time the priorities are slightly reversed. This time Sugar dePalma has no ambition other than to play in their room. Their only desire is make great songs, upload them for the Sugarheads to enjoy (that's you) and get laid from time to time, (which shouldn't be too hard since both have spouses).

Sugar dePalma's first song was Vacuum of Your Heart. Written in a basement apartment on a patchy San Francisco day, Vacuum's various tracks were laid down in a couple of hours. The final mix of the song however took the next 3 weeks, as the 2 labored over the tiny details.  No eyeliner was involved.

And there you have the foundation of the philosophy of Sugar dePalma. Feeling like every other band they were a part of had the problem of the song writing being too rushed, they've decided to focus on the music. They hope to hone their craft and create songs that everyone can enjoy, not just their proud mothers.

Until next time...

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THIS BIOGRAPHY WAS NOT WRITTEN BY THE MEMBERS OF SUGAR DEPALMA, BUT BY SOMEONE WHO DID ALL THIS RESEARCH AND LIKE LOVES EVERYTHING WE DO.  WE JUST CAN'T TELL YOU WHO. SO PLEASE DON'T THINK WE WROTE OUR OWN BIOGRAPHY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE LAME.