"This long-awaited CD from the legendary Charles "Upchuck" Gerra finally sets right one of the lost chapters in Seattle's pre-grunge music era. Essential for anyone who loves punk rock, glam rock, or just groundbreaking music of any genre."

-Charles R. Cross, author of Heavier Than Heaven;The Biography of Kurt Cobain and Room Full of Mirrors

18 years after his death from AIDS, the music of CHARLES “UPCHUCK” GERRA has been collected into a career-spanning retrospective by one of the most influential Seattle singer/performers of the 1970’s and ‘80s. Upchuck was a respected and well-loved member of the Seattle music underground in the years that led up to the Northwest “grunge” explosion. His outrageous, anarchic, and stunning stage performances have yet to be matched, and his musical influence is undeniable.

UPCHUCK; GONE BUT NOT FORGIVEN starts off with 1978’s single by CLONE Both sides, JACUZZI FLUZZI and AFTER THOUGHT are represented here. The band consisted of Chuck and other early punks, JEFF GOSSARD and GORDON RAPHAEL who went on to produce three great records for the Strokes.

Other tracks by SLEEPING MOVEMENT and THE FAGS feature drummer BEN IRELAND currently of SKY CRIES MARY, legendary guitarist PAUL SOLGER, and bassist BARB IRELAND -currently touring as a duet with STONE GOSSARD.

Five tracks were recorded with multi-Grammy winning producer mixer JOHN HOLBROOK in 1988 and 1989 are being released for the first time. All five songs have been re-mastered and remixed for 21^st Century ears by JOHN HOLBROOK with updated percussion and programming by BEN IRELAND and MICHAEL COZZI also of SKY CRIES MARY.

Rounding out the collection is a 2008 track DANCE TO SILENCE (RESURRECTION REMIX) by CHARLES GARISH & THE EX-GAY MINISTERS. This track was recorded under the “spiritual direction” of UPCHUCK using séances, automatic instrumentation and signs inspired by the trajectory Upchucks music would have taken had he lived.

This release presents an artist who’s importance to Seattle music is undeniable: Upchuck was an openly gay artist working in the alternative rock genre. He was only one of many gay artists that helped establish the American punk/alternative subculture who have never received the widespread recognition they deserve. We hope to address that with the release of this collection.

Upchuck’s story also provides us another look at the loss American arts suffered due to the AIDS in the 1980’s. Those losses were not confined to the American stage, design or Hollywood. They were felt even in the expanding field of alternative rock. Happily those losses have been partially overcome by the legacy hundreds of thousands of artists of all stripe left us. In the spirit of helping others Gerra’s artist royalties from this CD go to the continuing worldwide battle against AIDS