Formed in December of 1980, The Basics was a New Wave rock group from Catlin, IL. The lineup included:
Matthew Sigmon – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Julie Anderson – Keyboards, Vocals
Joe Legg – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Rob Mayerik – Bass, Vocals
Mark Metzger – Drums
The group were prolific writers, performed primarily their original material and eventually recorded over 50 songs. The Black & White album, their first significant studio project, was recorded during the winter of 1983/84 in Fisher IL by Chuck Gray and Rick Sadowski who engineered and co-produced the tracks. The masters were never officially released or made available to the public by Gray and Sadowski, and the versions here were rescued from a mix tape given to the band.
The Basics’ work is a unique example of Midwestern American rock of the era. Even after more than 3 decades, the songs retain a fresh, energetic quality, and represent an authentic contribution to the early 80’s New Wave genre.