Sunny Day Real Estate - Empty Set Demo

 

Label: One Day I Stopped Breathing

Year: 1992

Historical archive alert! 

Here's the first demo by the band Empty Set, who would very quickly change their name to Sunny Day Real Estate, and later go on to be a big deal to some folks (myself included). The two songs included here may or may not have been recorded at the same time as the two other pre-Jeremy Enigk songs which would be released as the "Flatland Spider" 7" the same year. But if they were, then the two on the 7" got a little extra love in the studio, as they sound much more "finished", which leads me to believe it was two separate sessions. But, then there is visual evidence of a four song demo cassette with these two songs and the two 7" songs, which would lead me to believe they were all recorded together and two got selected for official release and were polished up. 

I can't say for certain, and I'm sure there are lengthy internet articles explaining it, but who has time to "read". Certainly not me.

So whatever the case may be, here are the two songs that are most commonly referred to as the "Empty Set Demo" which was a three piece band: William Goldsmith, Nate Mendel, and Dan Hoerner. I think this is correct. There's another demo after this one under the name Chewbacca Kaboom, which I've never seen or heard. Then they changed their name to One Day I Stopped Breathing, and then they finally pulled their shit together and became the band they became. 

But don't quote me on any of that. Please.

DL