Mr. Epp

Mr. Epp and the Calculations was the brainchild of vocalist Jo Smitty, who thought it would be a good idea to name a rock band after his Bellevue, WA, Christian High School math teacher, Mr. Epp. Along with his friends Mark McLaughlin (aka Mark Arm) and Darren Morey (aka Darren Mor-X), both of whom also attended the school, the three gathered at Morey's bedroom to record some material in June of 1980. Darren's brother, Todd (aka Todd WhyNULL), along with friends Tom Wolf and Peter Wick, sat in on the session. Playing various instruments, the group created a backdrop for a story Wick had written titled "The Pigeon in the Fountain Bed." The group heard about a radio contest on KZAM radio where on-air personality Stephen Rabow promised that any band submitting a cassette would receive airplay. For fun, the group decided to send a copy of "The Pigeon in the Fountain Bed." The song aired on Rabow's show, and Rabow declared to listeners that Mr. Epp was "the worst band in the world," a title that stuck with the group until their demise in 1984.

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