Biographies

Additional Biography

Over the past year the trio has been clobbering concert goers in their Austin, Texas hometown, performing in front of packed houses under the name Magneto USA. But for reasons of paramount national security, at the beginning of 1996 the group selflessly changed their name to Fastball -- even though they're oblivious to America's drowsy pastime.

The band name may be different, but the essentials remain the same: featuring the dual lead vocals of bassist Tony Scalzo and guitarist Miles Zuniga -- while drummer Joey Shuffield provides the rhythmic kick -- Fastball continues to specialize in terse, edgy bursts of power punk/pop blending equal parts sweetness and savagery.

The group's devotion to pop buzzcraft insures that each cymbal crash and guitar squawk exists for a singular purpose: to serve ye almighty song. Guided by that principle, and bereft of any extraneous instrumental filigree (read: minimal guitar solos), the salvos on Make Your Mama Proud trace a wry, noisy arc through the Fastball realm.