Spares

SPARES formed in a basement in Portland, Oregon, during the fall of 2022. John Massel (drums), Ryan Shanahan (guitar), and Mike Vera (bass)—veterans of bands associated with labels Deep Elm and No Idea Records—came together without a specific sound in mind, driven by a shared desire to create music they loved. As a three-piece, they quickly developed a handful of promising songs. Their sound gained focus and depth in the winter of 2022 with the addition of guitarist Mike Large, a North Carolina transplant and member of Youth League. The band’s final missing piece was a vocalist. After a year of searching and debating, Portland native Gabriel Mathews joined as the frontman. With Gabriel on vocals, SPARES hit their creative stride, writing eight songs and selecting six for their debut self-titled EP, released through Columbus, OH-based Better Days Will Haunt You. When describing their sound, SPARES point to a wide range of influences. Listeners will hear echoes of DC’s Revolution Summer of the 1980s, the noise rock of Touch & Go and AmRep in the 1990s, the angular post-hardcore of San Diego’s underground scene, and the raw energy of indie icons like Sonic Youth and Unwound. Balancing beauty and grit, SPARES don’t merely emulate their influences—they expand upon them. Their music is post-hardcore guitar-driven chaos, crafted for the musically restless.