Band members

Jenny Toomey: guitar, vocals 1990 - present
Kristin Thomson: guitar, vocals 1990 - present
Andrew Webster: bass 1990-1996
John Pamer: drums 1990-1996
Luther Gray: drums 1996 - present
Amy Domingues: bass, cello 1997-1998
Bob Massey: guitar, keyboards 1997-1998
Rob Christiansen: bass, present
Franklin Bruno: guitar, keyboards, present
 

Current bio

Self-sufficient and quick-witted, Tsunami were among the most inventive and resourceful bands to emerge from the American independent scene of the 1990s. Founded on the intertwined guitars, sharp-tongued lyrics, and forceful vocals of frontwomen Jenny Toomey and Kristin Thomson, co-owners of the highly regarded Simple Machines record label, Tsunami were equally noted for their music and their unwavering commitment to D.I.Y. principles, which established them among the most respected voices in the alternative community. 

Tsunami formed in Arlington, VA in late 1990, when Toomey and Thomson were housemates at Arlington, Virginia’s legendary punk-activist Positive Force house. Toomey, formerly of Geek and Slack, persuaded bassist Andrew Webster to relocate from Austin, TX; drummer John Pamer, another former Positive Force resident, completed the initial line-up. Over the next seven years, Tsunami wrote and recorded prolifically, releasing three full-length albums and over a dozen seven-inch singles and EPs, most on their own Simple Machines label, as well as a tour CD, a cassette and several compilation contributions. Over the same period, the band logged tens of thousands of miles in the minivan, touring the U.S., Canada, the UK and Europe multiple times, and playing the side stage at Lollapalooza in 1993.

Loud Is As, Tsunami’s new 5-LP box set on Numero Group, is the first reissue of the band’s catalog since their original releases, many long out-of-print. It includes the 4-track demos released as Cow Arcade (1991); remastered versions of their three Simple Machines albums, Deep End (1993), The Heart’s Tremolo (1994), and A Brilliant Mistake (1997); and all of their singles, b-sides, and compilation tracks. The 61 songs across the box set’s five LPs track Tsunami’s rapid evolution from a scrappy, self-taught outfit playing house parties and Chinese restaurants, to a varied and ambitious band, using harmony and metaphor to tackle love and its disappointments, mock the corporate music industry, and kick back at capitalism.

Designed by Farbod Kokabi and Emily Sneddon, the box set’s packaging reflects Tsunami’s distinctive design aesthetic – a mix of Popular Mechanics magazines, clip art, font and wallpaper sample books, travel postcards, punk fanzines, and vintage letterpress. The accompanying 32-page book is jammed with photos, flyers, and ephemera sourced by the band, documenting tours, festivals, friendships, and crashpads. Edited by DC native Joe Gross, the band’s history is retold through Interviews with bandmates, including Tsunami’s later lineup members Amy Domingues, Luther Gray, Bob Massey, Rob Christiansen, and Franklin Bruno. Essays by six respected music writers recount Tsunami’s history and significance, from record-to-record and from then-to-now, restoring the band to its rightful place as standard-bearers for the 1990s independent explosion.

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History

Originally written for Simple Machines website, but refreshed Aug 2024

Tsunami has always had big ideas to live up to. Their first show in January 1991 was planned in advance of any practice or serious song writing, and this sort of ambition quickly became the standard. Over the next seven years, Tsunami recorded and released two cassettes, three full length albums, 15 7”s, and one tour EP, drove their minivan and U-Haul trailer around for six American and Canadian tours, enjoyed three UK/European tours, had a hot side-stage summer at Lollapalooza 1993, shot two videos, and screened countless dozens of shirts, golf jackets and satin running shorts. Cut from the cloth of the socio-political activism of DC’s punk rock scene, Tsunami is still going strong.

The Beginning: It was the end of 1990, and Kristin and Jenny were living in the Positive Force house in Arlington, VA, where they co-ran Simple Machines record label out of a defunct second floor hallway/kitchen, after their day jobs in downtown DC. Earlier that summer they had met Andrew Webster when Jenny's band Geek (another Simple Machines band) had done a three-week tour with Superchunk and Seaweed. Andrew and Jenny made fast friends and eventually he re-camped to Arlington around Thanksgiving 1990 to try to form a band that could play at a New Year's party several weeks later. After enlisting the support of former housemate John Pamer to play drums, Tsunami was formed. They weren't quite ready for the New Year's party, but within a couple of months they were packed into Kristin's Isuzu Trooper in freezing February for their first tour.

1991: Without even a single to their name and only a handful of shows under their belt, Tsunami hopped in the Trooper and high-tailed it across the country in the middle of February to play four shows with Beat Happening. Being as busy as they were, they had only allowed a few hours grace on the journey. So, when they heard the gnashing of gears at 2:00 AM in the middle of Indiana, they shifted to Plan B. After two days at the same hotel as a jubilant defense contractors’ convention in Indianapolis, they had a new transmission and were on their way to Milwaukee, WI for the third show. Tsunami rocketed home from their first tour, recorded their first four-track cassette "Cow Arcade" in March 1991, then went into Inner Ear to record the Headringer 7". That summer, they squeezed in the Trooper again and trekked across the country, doing some shows with Scrawl on the way to Olympia, WA for the International Pop Underground Convention.

In 1992, Tsunami got a lot of recording under their belt. The Homestead 7”, “Genius of Crack” was released in January. "Left Behind" was released on a Sub Pop Single of the Month split 7" with Velocity Girl. Then they contributed "Punk Means Cuddle" to a Teriyaki Asthma compilation 7" for C/Z Records. Later in the year they recorded "Could Have Been Christmas" for the Simple Machines "Seasons Greetings" split 7” with Velocity Girl, and finally "Beautiful Arlington" a 3 song 7" that was released in Australia by IV Recordings.

1993: Tsunami had multiple releases in 1993 including their acclaimed Diner and Matchbook 7"s, as well as the long awaited full-length debut, Deep End. Although it had been recorded the previous summer, three changeovers in the manufacturing strategy and an unsuccessful attempt at re-mixing had pushed it back by 10 months. That spring, Tsunami also got what they thought was a prank call. Some guy named John from Lollapalooza said he wanted Tsunami to play the side stage! It seemed too weird - they thought they were small potatoes but John Rubelli was determined to change the face of Lollapalooza, and Tsunami was excited to help out. Tsunami hooked up with Lollapalooza in New Orleans and headed west, doing six shows with Sebadoh, Free Kitten and Thurston Moore. In the middle of a 6-week American tour in late fall, Tsunami crashed for a week at Steve Albini’s home studio in Chicago to record their second full-length, The Heart's Tremolo with Brian Paulson.

1994 was Tsunami's big year of touring. Following the release of The Heart's Tremolo, Tsunami did two separate US tours and made two trips to England, one with Eggs and Rodan (The Monsters of Rock II Tour) and the second to play the Phoenix Festival with Shellac, Girls v Boys, Bailter Space and The Raincoats.

1995: Drummer John Pamer - perpetual student - took off another semester of school from UMASS Amherst in the spring of 1995 and Tsunami set out on the road again. In the midst of a long spring tour, Simple Machines released World Tour and Other Destinations, a 22-song compilation of their hard-to-find singles, b-sides and compilation tracks. After a short East Coast tour in July, Tsunami dropped off John in Boston and bid him good luck; he was off to Amherst for one full year of summer school and college to finally finish his undergrad degree. With that, Tsunami was officially on hiatus until John's graduation in May 1996.

1996-97: Well, the end of 1995 and beginning of 1996 flew by with no Tsunami action. As John's graduation approached, Jenny and Kristin kicked into high gear, writing songs like crazy and getting ready to practice again. Unfortunately for Tsunami, John decided to spend the summer in Amherst, making enough money to eventually move to New York City. Knowing John's long-term goal of living in NYC, they weren't surprised about his decision, but what to do? Drummer-less? After talking about commuting, tape swapping, or whatever, Tsunami took a bold step and asked another drummer in Arlington to work on the new songs - Luther Gray. Previously a Simple Machines mailorder intern, Trip was a drum teacher, played in a bunch of jazz combos, the live version of the band Sea Saw and even played sax on Delta 72's record! After six months of practice with Trip, Tsunami headed to Chicago in the spring of 1997 and recorded fourteen songs at Kingsize Soundlabs with Dave Trumfio and Mike Hagler. The result was their fourth record, A Brilliant Mistake, which was released by Simple Machines in August 1997.

1998: After a huge US tour in the fall of 1997 to support A Brilliant Mistake with new members Amy Domingues (bass), Trip Grey (drums) and Bob Massey (guitar & keyboards), Jenny and Kristin returned home with a complex task ahead; how to wind down the label with joy by executing the Simple Machines Finale party. They bore down on this final project, balancing out party details with fevered Tsunami practices. The Finale in March 1998 was remarkable, with hundreds of folks flying in from all around the world to “Kick the Bucket” and see Tsunami's set. After the party Tsunami did a small East Coast tour, finishing up in New York on Easter Sunday.

2001: While on a tour supporting her solo record Antidote, Jenny and Amy were joined by Kristin to play a few Tsunami songs during a show in Philadelphia.

2002: In August, Tsunami practiced hard and got a set back into shape to play Ladyfest DC with Amy, Trip and special guest Franklin Bruno on extra guitar and keyboards. Kristin was 9 months pregnant.

2003: Feeling energized by the previous Ladyfest, Tsunami played Ladyfest Philly in March with Amy, Trip and Ida's Dan Littleton sitting in on a couple of songs.

2023: Skip ahead twenty years. Tsunami was invited to play Numero Twenty in Los Angeles. Like the Justice League, the band reassembled for practices in Catskill, NY, plated one warm up show at The Avalon Lounge, then headed out to LA to play on the same bill as our old friends in Unwound, The Hated, Chisel, Codeine, Rex, Ida, Karate, and Ui.  

2024: Numero Group announced the release of Loud Is As, a 5xLP box set that collects all of the band's recordings from the Cow Arcade demo cassette (1991), though to A Brilliant Mistake (1997). The 32-page booklet is packed with flyers, photos, and essays by six leading writers/critics, recounting Tsunami's resonance. 

Legacy press

Legacy press clips (PDF)