home
news
discography
lyrics
sounds
videos
images
links

News

3/3/02
Good news (sort of)! The MP3s are back online, and are being hosted right here at FortuneCity; the only catch is that (1) they had to be zip'd up to comply with FortuneCity's no-MP3 policy, and (2) they're lower quality than before, because FortuneCity has a 1Mb file size limit . . . this means that the longer songs sound even crappier than the short ones. Still, better than nothing. The renovated Sounds section now includes "Hot Box" from the Gloryhounds album . . . so check it out!

2/10/02
Still no news on the future of the Pulsars, but I am slowly filling in the gaps in the band's past . . . After their high school band Le Stress, the next project for the brothers Trumfio was a group called Gloryhounds. The band achieved some success in the Chicago area, even opening for Smashing Pumpkins. Gloryhounds' only release was a 1989 cassette entitled Boh!, with the following track list:

  1. You & Me
  2. Silence Is Golden
  3. Sixteen Steeples
  4. Sunday School
  5. Hot Box
  6. Rubber Spirit
  7. D for Death
  8. Big Sedan
  9. Lucifer Sam
I'd like to put up one of the tracks for you all to check out, but I'm going to have to find a new place to host my MP3s first. (All the current sound links are broken, thanks to the whole dot-com depression.) If you know of any place that's still offering free file storage, drop me an email.

Big thanks to Smacie for the Gloryhounds info.

11/3/01
Sorry there hasn't been an update in awhile, guys, but to be honest, I haven't heard anything from the Pulsars camp in a long, long time . . . Starball (Eric Hanna's new band) does have a new site, though. Click here to check it out!

3/2/01
Two news flashes for ya:

  • Put up a new mp3 in the Sounds section: "Admiration," by LeStress . . . Dave and Harry's band when they were in high school! Dave shares songwriting credit with someone named Tom Boghossian, and I believe it's Dave on lead vocals. It's a great tune, too . . .
  • I got an email earlier this week from a Mr. Christopher Chardi who recently got a whiff of what Dave's been up to lately: "I recently saw They Might Be Giants in concert out here in California (my fifth time) and a Chicago band called OK GO opened for them. Some of the band's repertoire had a sort of synth-pop vibe to it, so I picked up their 3 song CD. Turns out it was produced by the mysterious Baron Von Trumfio, and one of the studios is credited as 'Casa De Trumfio/The Shithole.' On track 2 - 'We Dug A Hole' - it sounds like Dave might even be singing backups. The chorus just screams Pulsars! Track 3 - 'It's Tough To Have A Crush When The Boy Doesn't Feel The Same Way You Do' - features 'the Baron bidding farewell to his double bass.' Anywhow, check them out at http://www.okgo.net." Thanks for the info, Chris!

2/13/01
Just got wind of this:

That's Eric Hanna's new band, so any Pulsars' fans in the Chicago area, check it out and let me know about the show! More stuff coming soon . . .

1/10/01
Is this the end of Pulsars? Last time I heard from Eric (which, admittedly, was over a month ago) he was talking about the happenings "since the band 'broke up'" . . . It certainly seems like the group's members are going their separate ways. Dave's spending most of his time at his new house in LA; Harry's missing in action (bad blood between the Trumfio brothers? Say it ain't so!); Marianne lives in Berkeley; and Eric's still in Chicago, playing with a new band called Starball. (Starball is, incidentally, quite rocking . . . check out GetYourMusicHere for more info.) To my knowledge, the group hasn't officially disbanded, though it's certainly seen more promising days . . .

Other tidbits: I should be getting a copy of a LeStress demo tape (LeStress was Dave and Harry's band in high school) any day now, and will of course put up info (and maybe sounds?) accordingly. Also, I did some checking and I can confirm that the "Capsule" mp3 people have seen on Napster is a demo version of the song, NOT the final album version. The Human League tribute album does exist (I got mine from InSound) and is required listening for all Pulsars' fans; in addition to having the newest quasi-Pulsars' song, every track on there is great. If you haven't ordered it already, what are you waiting for?!

11/12/00
I apologize for the lack of updates lately . . . but there hasn't been too much news coming down the pipe. For those of you who rushed to your local record store on Halloween in hopes of purchasing that Human League tribute album featuring Clicks (formerly KLIXX, aka Dave Trumfio w/Eric Hanna & Sally Timms), well . . . so did I, and I discovered it's not all that easy to locate. March Records' official online distributor, Darla, doesn't list it in their catalog, and even a search of GEMM (which boasts an inventory of 9 million different items) turns up nothing. It took some digging, but I was finally able to order a copy from the Insound Annex . . . so get over there and order your copy right away!

In other news, orbitron has reported that at least some of the new Pulsars' album has found its way onto Napster . . . "Capsule" is one track that I've seen. Thanks for the heads up, orbitron!

9/15/00
Alright kids, there are two items of note today . . .

  • First off, I am very proud to announce the tracklist to the new (perhaps never-to-be-released?) album:

    1. Slow Motion
    2. What's Your Language?
    3. Float
    4. Fireworks and Thunderstorms
    5. Hate Song
    6. Cold
    7. Girl Friday
    8. You Say You Don't Love Me
    9. Anytime
    10. Pacify
    11. No Regrets
    12. Capsule
    13. Long Term

    Yes, I've finally heard the album, and no, I'm afraid I can't put up any mp3's of the songs . . . but I will say this: even if this record really did cost the rumored $200,000 to produce, it was money well spent. I simply cannot say enough good things about it . . . This album absolutely knocked me over the first time I heard it. The tunes and production are distinctly Pulsars, but at the same time it sounds quite a bit more sophisticated than the debut album. There are boy/girl harmonies all over the place, which make me cry, they're so nice . . . and in addition, "Fireworks and Thunderstorms" (which would probably get my vote for the first single) features steel drums that defy description. In conclusion, if you're a fan like me: it will be a damn shame if this album is not released. In conclusion, if you're a record company: buy this album now, release it immediately, and promote the hell out of it!

  • The Human League tribute album Reproductions, featuring a cover of "Seconds" by Dave Trumfio, Eric Hanna, and Sally Timms (collectively known as Klix), will be released October 31 on March Records.

    8/15/00
    No news in a while, hopefully this will make up for it . . .

    • Brett Schmitz wrote in with this news: he is the luckiest Pulsars' fan alive! After performing a search on gemm.com for Pulsars the other day, what should he discover: "Pulsars LP II Demos", for $10. Of course he ordered it (the seller's one and only copy), and now is the prowd owner of 21 exclusive, new Pulsars' tracks:

      1. Cold
      2. Slow Motion
      3. Float
      4. Long Term
      5. Girl Friday
      6. Capsule
      7. Pacified
      8. No Regards
      9. Hate Song
      10. Zero Zero
      11. Anytime
      12. Automatic Sidewalk
      13. Cheap Date
      14. Nervous Twist (should be "Twitch")
      15. Upside Down
      16. Trophy
      17. Disco Demolition
      18. The Amateur
      19. 13th Generation Club
      20. Consumers
      21. Caught on Fire

      According to Eric, a number of these songs (though not all) were re-recorded for the new album, but none of these versions will ever be officially released. It's a shame too, because I've heard this material, and damn it's good; Brett really hit the jackpot. Thanks Brett!

    • Speaking of the new album: where is it? Eric now says "it will most likely never come out." It was a particularly expensive album to record, and most labels aren't willing to pay Almo that much for an album from a band without a proven track record. That's the bad news. The good news is that Eric and Dave are talking about re-recording the material (again), so they'll own something they can shop around (or possibly release themselves?), without having to worry about Almo. In the meantime, there's been talk of releasing the material a song at a time (on soundtracks, compilations, etc.)

    • Other news: Dave will be playing solo at the House of Blues in LA under the name "Pulsar." Also, Dave, Eric, and Sally Timms (under the name "KLIX") recently recorded a cover of the Human League song "Seconds" for an upcoming Human League tribute on March Records. The CD, entitled "Reproductions: Songs of the Human League" also features covers by the Aluminum Group, Momus, Barcelona, and others, and will hit stores later this month.

    I think that's just about it . . . for now :)

    6/14/00
    Just got an email from Eric Hanna: "i recently talked to our manager JOHN HENDERSON who said that he is definitely shopping the PULSARS LP II to other interested parties, who will have to buy it out from ALMO." Let's hope John finds a buyer soon!

    6/1/00
    Fixed some broken links in the Links section. Thanks go out to shipwreck for pointing them out.

    4/20/00
    Hans sent this link to pics of Dave Trumfio with Ashtray Boy in Europe. Thanks Hans!

    4/17/00
    It's Spring, so where's the new album? Here's the skinny, straight from the horse's mouth (ie Eric Hanna, Pulsars' guitarist): Almo Sounds is in the process of going under, so the question of who owns the rights to the new album is up in the air. Eric seemed very optimistic about it; the powers-that-be know that the Pulsars are a great band, and this album has the potential to be a big hit (as long as it's marketed better than the first album was). To make a long story short: expect the new album sooner rather than later once the dust settles, but right now everything's sort of in rock-n-roll limbo. For those of you (like me) eager for more info, Eric mentioned a few notable tracks: "Slow Motion" (which Machine Talk correspondent Christine reported about over a year ago), "What's Your Language?" (which may end up being the album title too), "Fireworks and Thunderstorms" (featuring cool group vocals), and "Capsule" (an older song, performed during last year's Internet broadcast).

    4/12/00
    shipwreck wrote in with this tidbit about what Dave Trumfio is working on these days, as reported by www.holidaymatinee.com: "Tristeza is on their way to Chicago to record their second full length with Producer Dave Trumfio. The record is set for release in September on Tiger Style Records." Now if only someone had some Pulsars album news . . .

    2/13/00
    Just got off the phone with Eric Hanna. Who's Eric Hanna? Two-and-a-half years ago, he was the guitarist for a band called Vivid, when Pulsars' manager John Henderson saw him play at the Metro. John set him up with an audition with the Trumfio brothers, and he's been the Pulsars' guitarist ever since. Anyway, Eric had quite a bit to say about the current state of the Pulsars. The new album has been finished. Fifteen or sixteen songs have been recorded, but two or three of them will be saved for b-sides. While the band was in the studio they kept a legal pad for folks to write down their ideas for an album title. To date, they haven't decided on one. Ditto for the first single. Eric's creating a new official Pulsars website to coincide with the release of the new album; to that end, he's registered the domain name www.thepulsars.com. Nothing's there yet, but keep an eye on it!

    1/20/00
    Added an mp3 of Sally Timm's "Junk Barge" to the Sounds section. "Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a Pulsars site!" you say. Well, it so happens that this song was written by Pulsars' frontman Dave Trumfio . . . and bass, guitar, and production are credited to a mysterious Baron Von Trumfio. So go check it out! And if you can find the album (To the Land of Milk and Honey), be sure to pick up a copy . . . it's ace!

    11/19/99
    Been kinda slow around here as of late . . . so, to bide my time I added mp3's of the new songs from the Metromix webcast to the Sounds section. Now, keep in mind these mp3's were made from the RealAudio, so the sound quality is still pretty crappy . . . but at least now the file format is a little more convenient.

    10/21/99
    Ever heard of the band Sabina & Wolfie? (If you have, I'm surprised.) It's one of Dave Trumfio's side projects, with Ursula Davis. You can now find an mp3 of their song "Domina" in the Sounds section.

    10/7/99
    Sorry for the lack of updates lately . . . I just added "Cool for Cats" to the Lyrics section and uploaded a slightly better quality "Cool for Cats" mp3 (made directly from the CD; the old mp3 was made from a tape Dave sent me). Also, you may have noticed that the official Pulsars site has finally been updated! The following message can be found on the entry page: "The Pulsars are currently in the studio working on their 2nd record to be released in the spring of 2000." Spring?!

    8/5/99
    Chicago correspondent Christine has written in with some news straight from Kingsize: "The Pulsars are still working on the new album. It looks like it won't be out any sooner than winter and probably not that soon." I guess we'll all have to be patient . . . Thanks, Christine!

    7/9/99
    Hahaha! I finally got my hands on a copy of the Belgian Tunnel Song single! Check it out in the Discography. (Now if I can only get the Belgian Suffocation single, we'll be in business . . .) Also, I can no longer say with a clear conscience that this is the only unofficial Pulsars page on the Internet . . . Just for kicks I did a search to see who (if anyone) has linked to this site, and discovered Happy Fun World's Pulsars Home Page. The link can be found (appropriately enough) on the Links page.

    5/31/99
    Check out the guest book if you haven't lately! John has written in with more fantastic news! I've also cleaned up the Lyrics and Discography section a bit, thanks to a tip off from David Whited. Thanks David!

    5/22/99
    The picture of the cover of the Local 101 CD I've had up for the past nine months, well, it was wrong. I don't know what that picture was, but I just got my copy of the CD, and that's not the cover. So, I replaced it with a scan I made of the real cover. Sorry if this has caused any confusion!

    5/12/99
    Added the new Videos section . . . check out "Tunnel Song" in RealVideo!

    5/3/99
    Finally posted the entire track list to the Local 101 compilation CD in the Discography section. Also updated the entry for the British "Suffocation" single (which I just got, and I don't care that I already have all of the songs . . . Pulsars rock!) Turns out I got the catalog number wrong :)

    3/8/99
    This might be a little late, but it's news to me: the Pulsars had a live webcast January 26th on Metromix. Check it out in the Sounds section.

    2/14/99
    Added a link to the new Pulsars' Fan Club on Yahoo. Check it out!

    1/11/99
    Happy New Year, Pulsars fans! This news is a little late, and for that I apologize . . . Chicago correspondent Christine reported that last month's show at the Double Door was fantastic. The band opened the set with "Tunnel Song," and went on to play five new songs, including one called "Slow Motion." Apparently they will be headlining another gig this month or next, and then they plan on writing and practicing more songs for upcoming releases. Look for more news as it develops!

    12/9/98
    I posted a high-quality mp3 of "Cool for Cats" from the Local 101 CD. Also, Christine has reported that the Pulsars will be playing a gig on the 17th, with all-new material! Check the guestbook for details.

    11/4/98
    I ran into Dave on Sunday after the Mekons' show, and he was able to answer a few questions. First off, the European singles feature all new cover art! Check back here soon for scans . . . . Secondly, regarding the Cibo Matto collaboration that the band's manager John and superfan Demetri mentioned: Dave says it was recorded at his house, with Cibo Matto, Sean Lennon, and Beck's guitarist Smokie. It should be released shortly in Japan; Dave isn't sure if it'll be released stateside anytime soon, though there's a chance it could end up on the next Cibo Matto album. (Thanks go out to Mitch at Kingsize for clarifying the details of the project . . .) In other news, I've added a link to Kingsize Sound on the Links page.

    10/24/98
    For those of you who haven't checked the guestbook in the past week or so, be sure to check it out. The band's manager John has written in with some more great news about Pulsars' European releases. Also, Demetri left some intriguing news about a collaboration between Pulsars and Cibo Matto. Thank you John and Demetri! In other news, I've made a couple of minor updates to the Discography.

    9/26/98
    Fixed the links to "Worker Robot Droid," "Logo," and "Silicon Teens" in the Sounds section. Thanks go out to Camm for pointing out the broken links.

    9/21/98
    Added Takako Minekawa's Recubed EP to the Discography section, and an mp3 of her "Fantastic Cat" (remixed by the Pulsars) to the Sounds page. If you've never heard of Takako, she's the girl who says "Playstation" at the end of all those Playstation commercials, and apparently she's huge pop star in Japan (not unlike the Pulsars themselves). Anyway, every song on her Recubed EP is excellent, and is highly recommended listening for all Pulsars fans.

    8/28/98
    Finally added the Local 101 compilation to the Discography section. If anybody wants to clue me in on the complete track listing and label (or, for that matter, where i can get a copy) please e-mail me. Also corrected some lyrics.

    7/21/98
    Added a couple more mp3's to the Sounds page.

    7/19/98
    Added a RealAudio clip of the new Pulsars' song, "Cool for Cats," from the Local 101 CD, which comes out on Tuesday.

    7/11/98
    The band's manager John stopped by a couple of days ago with tons of great news. Check the guestbook now to see what he had to say!

    5/7/98
    The lyrics to every Pulsars song are now listed.

    4/29/98
    Added a RealAudio concert and interview to the Sounds page.

    4/27/98
    Got the Sounds page working again. Also updated the Links page with a new link.

    4/25/98
    Added the Links section. Updated the Discography a bit.

    4/20/98
    Added the Lyrics section, with lyrics for all the songs from Inland Empire and Submission to the Master.

    4/5/98
    Put up a couple of new images. Discography is believed to be complete. Sounds page is still being renovated.

    3/16/98
    Every section is online (and has been for awhile); I added an mp3 for "Deep Sea Diving Suit" to the Sounds page. I'll be updating the Discography and the Images pages soon (most likely tomorrow).

    2/26/98
    The News page is officially up and running, along with the Sounds page and the Home page. Hopefully everything else will be working by the end of the week.