Gwen Mars

at the Rat, and beyond
by Joshua Brown
photo by Joe Reilly

Michael Thrasher, country music brat (just kidding if you’re reading, Mike) who is the son of one of the legendary Thrasher Brothers and the centerpiece of his own band, made the big move from hometown Birmingham, Alabama, to Los Angeles to form Gwen Mars. A self-produced 7″ of the later-to-be-a-hit, “Cosmic Dick,” created an immediate buzz that got them onto a major label. His voice is a little on the Reznor/Filter side, but the similarity ends there. Other than that, it’s tight, accessible heavy rock that combines the sounds of Seattle and L.A., and people who are long over the “grunge” thing shouldn’t have any problem getting into them, because they’re innovative enough to set themselves apart. Gwen Mars has only one release, Magnosheen (Hollywood), but have recently had numerous successful Boston area shows.