Excuse 17
Excuse 17 was a punk rock trio from Olympia, Washington that recorded and performed between 1993 and 1995. The lineup featured Becca Albee on vocals and guitar, Carrie Brownstein on guitar and vocals, and Curtis James on drums. Fast writing, small-room shows, and a pair of albums tell the full story.
How The Band Got Started
Becca Albee, Carrie Brownstein, and Curtis James formed the group in Olympia. Albee and Brownstein shared guitar and vocal duties while James handled drums. A quick demo came first, followed by tracks for compilations on independent labels. The self-titled debut, Excuse Seventeen, landed in 1994 as an LP on Atlas Records and a CD on Chainsaw Records.
Second Album and Studio Growth
In 1995 the band released Such Friends Are Dangerous on Kill Rock Stars. The recording quality stepped up from the debut, and the songs showed tighter interplay between the two guitars and voices.
Connections and Scene
Excuse 17 often shared stages and tours with Heavens to Betsy as part of the Olympia riot grrrl current. Both bands appear on the compilation Free to Fight. During this time Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker started a side project that became Sleater-Kinney as their original bands wound down. Albee and Tucker also recorded together as Heartless Martin, releasing a cassette on Chainsaw Records in 1993.
Aftermath and Individual Paths
After the trio wrapped, Becca Albee built a career in visual art. Her work received attention from outlets such as Bomb, Tom Tom, Artforum, and Aperture. Her papers are archived at the Fales Library at New York University, and as of 2017 she serves as a photography professor at the City College of New York.
Members
- Becca Albee, vocals and guitar
- Carrie Brownstein, guitar and vocals
- Curtis James, drums
Discography
- 1994, Excuse Seventeen, Atlas Records LP and Chainsaw Records CD
- 1995, Such Friends Are Dangerous, Kill Rock Stars
Singles and Notable Tracks
- “Youth On Fire,” split single with Lync, Candy Ass Records
