Going Places with Job's DeSoto, 1994. Image courtesy Charles Mohnike

Job's DeSoto was a short-lived, but vital band on the Chico scene from 1993-1994. Influenced by The Stooges, The Cramps, and The Velvet Underground (the Holy Trinity of rock n roll), their raw and rootsy approach gained them a cult following, first in Chico, then on the web long after the artists had moved on to other projects. Ten years after splitting, they were one of the most downloaded bands on MP3.com, and probably still would be today if the web site hadn't changed their business model.

According to DeSoto guitarist Charles Mohnike: "It wasn't the commercial allure of the music industry that killed Job's DeSoto. It was the doing of a chain of convenience stores called "Square Deal." In late 1993, Square Deal raised the price of a 12-pack of Burgie beer from $3.69 to $4.19. As a result, the world witnessed the dissolution of one of it's most promising bands. Times were tough. The band left only one recording after its short one-year career: a monumental opus titled "Going Places With Job's Desoto." The vinyl-only release sold nearly a score of copies worldwide, and its effects on modern music can still be felt today. In original songs like "I'm Taken Aback," "Termite Head," and the instrumental "That One in E," the foursome rewrote the future of rock history. Copies of the original LP release are highly valued by collectors and have been known to draw as much as $4 at trade shows."

More recently, Job's DeSoto has developed a large following in Germany and Eastern Europe. Internet rumors indicate a European album release may be in the works.

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