Sprawl

Mighty funk lords who were among the biggest bands in Houston's early '90s underground. Sprawl started in 1986 at Rice University, when drummer Nick Cooper met vocalist Matt Kelly and bassist Dan on his dorm balcony late one night. They went through numerous horn players before settling on the lineup of trombonist Dave Dove, trumpeter Bo Morris, and saxophonist Clay Embry.

Sprawl were a mainstay at the Axiom and tore through the Houston scene with a horn-driven, genre-defying funk assault. They recorded a tape, a vinyl record (Guise of a Salesman), and their first CD King of Parking in 1990. The Texas Funk Compilation followed, then their second CD The Deflorist. When Dan quit, Joey joined on bass, and they recorded the Heat Miser EP and The Man with the Yellow Hat. Sprawl toured the U.S. many times, releasing four CDs before breaking up in 1994.

Nick Cooper went on to found Free Radicals in 1996. In October 2007, Sprawl reunited for two shows — one at Rudyard's and another at Fitzgerald's for the Axiom 20th Anniversary Reunion — and released America is Dying of Wetnurse, a CD of live and unreleased tracks.

Members

Photos

Discography

King of Parking (1990)

First CD.

Axiom Volume I (1994) compilation

Contributed "Big Ass Jewel" to this 10-band Houston compilation LP.

Big Ass Jewel

America is Dying of Wetnurse (2007)

Live and unreleased tracks. Released for the Axiom 20th Anniversary Reunion.

Guise of a Salesman

Vinyl record. Early release.

The Deflorist

Second CD.

Heat Miser

EP.