Great Western Squares

The alt-country outfit the Great Western Squares formed during the summer of 1996 -- originally a one-shot, impromptu project assembled by Gary Fitzpatrick (formerly of the noise band Pincher Martin) to play a "Johnny Cash Appreciation Society" showcase in Dublin, Ireland, the group's debut performance went over so well that it soon became an ongoing concern. By October, the Squares were playing on a weekly basis, covering classics by everyone from Hank Williams to Gram Parsons to Jimmy Webb, and in early 1997 they recorded the covers album Judas Steer. A collection of originals, Almost Sober, followed a year later.