Gwen Mars

Birmingham, AL-native Mike Thrasher left for Los Angeles in the early '90s, hooking up with John Boutin (drummer) and Matt Westfield (bass) to form Gwenmars in 1995. The trio shaped their own guitar-driven alterna-rock from the influences of the Cure and Echo & the Bunnymen, which was quite noticeable in Thrasher's shimmying pop melodies. The band also found themselves a major-label deal with Hollywood Records after only playing three gigs and the debut full-length Magnosheen was issued the same year. Tours with Catherine Wheel and Filter followed, but the support from Hollywood dwindled and the sounds of Gwenmars disappeared. The band finally resurfaced six years later with a new contract with Dave Sardy's SeeThru Broadcasting label and the sophomore effort Driving a Million.