Misunderstood, mistreated, underrated, and/or just plain unknown, Greg Sage should be mentioned in the first breaths about trailblazing guitarists and U.S. independent music of the 80s and 90s. Since forming his band, Wipers, in Portland, Oregon, in the late 70s, Sage has been put through the ringer more than enough to justify his hermetic operating methods and attitude. While most of his devout fans consider it a travesty that his name isn t as well-known as a contemporary like Bob Mould or even an unabashed fan-boy-turned-legend like Kurt Cobain, Sage would likely retort that it s not for the attention that he began making music. Unlike most other musicians who gain inspiration and motivation from watching their favorite stars revel in popularity and idol worship, Sage s inspiration stemmed more from the joy he got from cutting records on his own lathe. He has been more than content to remain in the underground, retaining optimum control over his own career while lending production help and support to younger bands that look to him for his guidance. Throughout his lengthy and prolific career, he has downplayed or shunned any attention or recognition given to him, preferring to let the music speak for itself.
Initialized with the intent of being a recording project and not a band in the truest sense, Sage formed Wipers in 1977 with drummer Sam Henry and bassist Doug Koupal. Sage s original goal was to release 15 records in ten years, free of traditional band aspects like touring and photo shoots. However, he found out early on that being involved with independent labels involved plenty of compromise -- and that independent labels took a great deal of independence away from him, rather than empowering him.
For 1982 s excellent Over the Edge, the structures of the songs tightened, the pop sensibility hit full stride. As a result, Romeo and Over the Edge each sustained a fair amount of radio play in the U.S., thanks to a few stations that were developing play lists that would later be identified as alternative or modern rock. Another factor in Wipers somewhat increased exposure had to do with the better distribution of their new label, Restless. Before Over the Edge s release, Sage fell out with Park Avenue on a number of unresolved issues.
A distant cousin of the preceding Youth of
America but undoubtedly no less excellent and no less venomous, Over the
Edge is a return to the easily digestible song lengths of Is This
Real? however, it all but leaves that debut in its wake. On the
strength of some brave/smart radio stations that decided to play this
album s Romeo a propulsive horn-flecked slammer in the vein of Youth
of America , Wipers solidified their status as a certifiable force in
the American underground of the early 80s. Songs like Messenger and
What Is show Greg Sage s increasing skill as a pop songwriter. Despite
the fusion of punk and pop, the record hardly mirrors the bands that
would later be called punk-pop. In fact, this collision of the two
elements makes what followed decades later seem twee. There s just too
much blood and sweat, and there s too much tightly wound tension
released. The overload is tempered somewhat on the album s second side.
The arrangements are sparse and there are less guitar fireworks when
compared to their first-side counterparts, but the level of intensity is
hardly sacrificed. Over the Edge is a kind of classic it might have
been created with guitars and drums, and it might have
verse-chorus-verse song structures, but it s doubtful that Wipers were
allowing any influences to creep into the record.
