| The Micronotz | |
| Landscape: | yes |
| Origin: | Lawrence, Kansas, United States |
| Genre: | Punk rock |
| Years Active: | 1980-1986, 1995-present |
| Label: | Fresh Sounds, Homestead, Bar/None |
| Associated Acts: | Cryin' Out Loud, PedalJets |
| Current Members: | Jay Hauptli John Harper Steve Eddy Matt Kesler |
| Past Members: | Dean Lubensky David Dale |
The Micronotz, also known as the Mortal Micronotz, were an American punk rock/alternative rock quartet formed in 1980 in Lawrence, Kansas, that, along with bands like The Embarrassment and Get Smart!, were prominent on the local music scene in Lawrence in the early 80s.
The band formed in 1980 when all the members were still teenagers. The Embarrassment were looking for an opening band for a show they had booked on December 12, 1980 at the "Off The Wall Hall" (now known as "The Bottleneck"). The Embarrassment knew John Harper and knew that he was putting a band together, so they asked him if his band could open the show, but the band hadn't actually formed yet. At this point, the band just consisted of John Harper on guitar and David Dale on bass, so a drummer and singer needed to be recruited. Dean Lubensky and Graham Reece were recruited as vocalist and drummer. Dean was a good fit and became the permanent singer, and Steve Eddy replaced Reece as the drummer.
The band soon came to the attention of local music promoter, Bill Rich, who wrote about them for his "Talk Talk" magazine and then signed them to his Fresh Sounds record label. Their first release for Fresh Sounds was the 4-band split cassette Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 1) in December 1981, just one year after the band formed. The "Fresh Sounds" compilation series was organized by Bill Rich as a way to promote regional bands nationally.
When the band discovered that Bill Rich was an acquaintance of William S. Burroughs they asked for an introduction and Burroughs would end up giving them some lyrics for a song ("Old Lady Sloan" from the Mortal Micronotz album).
Lead singer, Dean Lubensky, left the band sometime after the 1984 Live Recording of the Video Soundtrack EP. He was replaced by Jay Hauptli, who would remain the band's vocalist throughout the rest of their career and subsequent reunions.
After releasing three albums and two EPs, the band broke up in 1986. Bassist David Dale committed suicide on Sunday, January 31, 1993. The surviving band members reunited for a memorial show which was held at the Outhouse on February 6, 1993.
Renewed interest in the band lead Fresh Sounds to release two Micronotz compilations, called Complete Recordings Volume I and II where the first volume covered the Dean Lubensky recordings and the second covered the Jay Hauptli recordings. A tribute album was also put together featuring William S. Burroughs and various other artists. The band still does the occasional reunion show, with Matt Kesler, formerly of the Pedaljets, playing bass.
In 2016 the Bar/None label digitally reissued the band's entire catalog.
The Outhouse was a popular venue in Lawrence for punk shows and not only did the Micronotz perform there, but they also helped get the venue into shape ready to have concerts. In 1984, the band built the stage, painted the walls and cleared the brush outside.
| Year | Title | Band Name | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Mortal Micronotz | Mortal Micronotz | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1985 | The Beast That Devoured Itself | Micronotz | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1985 | 40 Fingers | Micronotz | Homestead | |
| 1995 | Complete Recordings Volume I (1981–1984) | Micronotz | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1995 | Complete Recordings Volume II (1985–1986) | Micronotz | Fresh Sounds |
| Year | Title | Band Name | Notes | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Smash! | Micronotz | 12", 8 songs | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1984 | Live Recording of the Video Soundtrack EP | Mortal Micronotz | 7", 4 song, live EP | Fresh Sounds |
| Year | Title | Band Name | Notes | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 1) | Mortal Micronotz | 4-band split with Get Smart!, the Embarrassment and the Yard Apes | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1985 | We Got Power No. 2:Party Animal | Micronotz | includes track "Born to Kick Ass" | Mystic Records | |
| 1986 | Fresh Sounds From Middle America (vol 3) | Micronotz | includes track "Gimme Some Skin" | Fresh Sounds | |
| 1995 | The Mortal Micronotz Tribute | various artists | William S. Burroughs/Eudoras, Stick, Kill Creek, Shower Trick, Cher UK, etc. | Iconoclastic Pop! |