Vertebrats

The Vertebrats were a musical group formed in the twin cities of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, initially active from 1979 until 1982. They are credited with being one of the originators of a local CU DIY music scene that still exists. The Vertebrats gained notoriety due to their energetic live performances, on-stage chemistry, numerous original compositions, a fiercely loyal local fan base, and, as time went on, other bands covering their songs. During their initial existence their recorded legacy was scant. Their song “Left in the Dark” was included on Greg Shaw’s Voxx Records anthology called “Battle of the Garages” released in 1981. Because this anthology LP was distributed internationally, The Vertebrats gained broad exposure. As a result, “Left in the Dark” was covered later by The Replacements, Uncle Tupelo, The Screaming Tribesmen, and Courtney Love, among others. The band put out a 7-inch 45 RPM single with “Diamonds in the Rough” and “Jackie’s Gone” on their own label in 1981. Their song “Any Day Now” was included on a locally produced anthology “Stabs in the Dark” put out by Pogo Records in 1982. From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ver...) under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...)