Monday, January 13, 2025

INFODUMP - Melting Hopefuls

↑↑ [OPEN THE POST TO SEE THE FULL INFODUMP!] ↑↑ 

(last updated 03/02/2025)
 
many small artists i grow to love are incredibly sparse for information online; the INFODUMP post series is my attempt to host as much of my personal research regarding these artists as i can. these posts are intended to be returned to and updated!
i try to add sources where i can (using the "[src]" format for readability's sake), but please understand that this is fan-created work and it is not official in any capacity. thanks!

(L-R) Lorraine Turi, Max Siebel, Renee LoBue, Ray Ketchem, Sue Kresge
Unknown photoshoot, 1995(?)

The Melting Hopefuls were an indie rock band from Belleville, New Jersey formed in 1990 by lead vocalist/guitarist Renee LoBue and drummer/producer Ray Ketchem. Following a series of homemade cassette releases and 7" singles, the group would eventually settle on a quintet lineup for the release of the Space Flyer album and the Viva La Void EP, the band's two most "major" outputs. The mass departure of members and the beginning of a change in sound would lead the band to break up and rebrand as Elk City in 1997.

Members:
Renee LoBue (vocals, guitar)
Active in Melting Hopefuls: 1990 - 1997
Associated acts: Elk City
Ray Ketchem (drums)
Active in Melting Hopefuls: 1990 - 1997
Associated acts: Elk City
Max Siebel (guitar)
Active in Melting Hopefuls: 1990 - 1995-1997(?)[src]
Sue Kresge (bass)
Active in Melting Hopefuls: 1992(?) - 1995-1997(?)[src]
Aliases: Susan Kresge
Lorraine Turi (guitar)
Active in Melting Hopefuls: 1994(?) - 1995-1997(?)[src]
(L-R) Sue Kresge, Max Siebel, Ray Ketchem, Renee LoBue
"Suck My Heart" single, 1992. Photo by John Wohland
(L-R) Lorraine Turi, Max Siebel, Sue Kresge, Ray Ketchem, Renee LoBue
Unknown date, image used on streaming services
















Discography

*listed in chronological order

Landscape (1990)

Type: Demo
Released: 1990
Format(s): Cassette(?)
Recorded: [unknown]
Length: [unknown]
Label(s): [unknown] (possibly Population Records?)
Track listing:
  1. [unknown song]
  2. [unknown song]
  3. [unknown song]
Personnel: [unknown]
Audio: [not circulating]
Notes: Confirmed to exist from the inner credits of Magnet for Stains.

Prune Juice (1991)

Type: EP
Released: 1991
Format(s): Cassette[src]
Recorded: [unknown]
Length: [unknown]
Label(s): [unknown] (possibly Population Records?)
Track listing:
  1. [unknown song]
  2. [unknown song]
  3. [unknown song]
  4. [unknown song]
  5. [unknown song]
Personnel: [unknown]
Audio: [not circulating]
Notes: Confirmed to exist from the inner credits of Magnet for Stains as well as the band's description on streaming services[src].

"Suck My Heart" / "Trying to Catch a UFO" (1992)

Type: Single
Released: 1992
Format(s): Vinyl (7")
Recorded: February - March 1992 in the WOMB (the band's basement studio[src, pg 42]), Belleville, NJ
Length: [unknown]
Label(s): Population Records, Dromedary Records [DRM001]
Track listing:
  1. "Suck My Heart" (3:44)
  2. "Trying to Catch a UFO" (3:44)
Personnel:
  • Max Siebel (guitar, bass)
  • Renee LoBue (vocals, lyrics)
  • Ray Ketchem (drums, engineering, mixing)
  • John Wohland (band photo)
Notes: Single release containing two tracks from Magnet for Stains, unclear if released before, after, or in tandem with the EP. Originally self-released under the vanity label Population Records, the single was reissued as the first non-compilation release from Dromedary Records (by quite literally stickering over the old label on existing copies).

Magnet for Stains (1992)

Type: EP
Released: 1992
Format(s): Cassette
Recorded: February - March 1992 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ
Length: [unknown]
Label(s): Population Records
Track listing:
  1. "Gondola" (4:10)
  2. "Pulling My Hand" (2:30)
  3. "Suck My Heart" (3:44)
  4. "Trying to Catch a UFO" (3:44)
  5. "Mouth" (4:07)
  6. "Long, Long, River"
Personnel:
  • Max Siebel (guitar, bass)
  • Renee LoBue (vocals, lyrics)
  • Ray Ketchem (drums, engineering, mixing, sleeve design, photos)
Audio: [partially circulating, see "Suck My Heart" / "Trying to Catch a UFO" and Space Flyer]
Notes: EP release on single-sided cassette, "Gondola", "Pulling My Hand", and "Mouth" are likely unmastered versions of what appear on Space Flyer.

"Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" / "Coming" (1993)

Type: Single
Released: 1993
Format(s): Vinyl (7")
Recorded: August 1992 - May 1993 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ
Length: 7:50
Label(s): Dromedary Records [DRM003], Hipster [HIP002]
Track listing:
  1. "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" (3:30)
  2. "Coming" (4:20)
Personnel:
  • Renee LoBue (vocals, lyrics)
  • Sue Kresge (bass)
  • Lorraine Teri (guitar)
  • Max Siebel (guitar)
  • Ray Ketchem (drums, recording, producer)
Audio: [not circulating/see Space Flyer]
Notes: Single release containing two tracks from Heal Back Harder, unclear if released before, after, or in tandem with the EP. Tracks are likely unmastered versions of what appear on Space Flyer. Received an artless UK release through Hipster.

Heal Back Harder (1993)

Type: EP
Released: 1993
Format(s): Cassette
Recorded: August 1992 - May 1993 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ
Length: 28:32
Label(s): Population Records
Track listing:
  1. "Anchor" (3:49)
  2. "Coming" (4:20)
  3. "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" (3:30)
  4. "Hanging (acoustic)" (1:59)
  5. "What She's Wearing" (3:49)
  6. "Rise" (6:33)
  7. "Don't Touch Me" (4:32)
Personnel:
  • Renee LoBue (vocals, lyrics)
    • acoustic guitar (track 4)
  • Sue Kresge (bass)
    • guitar (track 6)
  • Max Siebel (guitar)
  • Ray Ketchem (drums, recording, producer)
  • Jon Procopio (jangle guitar (track 3))
  • Dee O. (photography)
Audio: YouTube
Notes: EP release on single-sided cassette, tracks are early edits/mixes of the versions of that appear on Space Flyer. Alongside the listed songs, a short sound collage appears between "Rise" and "Don't Touch Me". "Don't Touch Me" is not listed on the release and is instead advertised as a bonus track by a sticker on the front cover.

Space Flyer (1994)

Type: Album
Released: 1994
Format(s): CD
Recorded: January 1992 - May 1993 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ; mastered at Master Cutting Room, New York City, NY in April 1994
Length: 46:40
Label(s): Shanachie/Big Pop [5703]
Track listing:
  1. "Gondola" (4:10)
  2. "Don't Touch Me" (4:32)
  3. "What She's Wearing" (3:49)
  4. "Coming" (4:20)
  5. "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" (3:30)
  6. "Hanging (acoustic)" (1:59)
  7. "Anchor" (3:49)
  8. "Mouth" (4:09)
  9. "Pulling My Hand" (2:30)
  10. "Space Flyer" (2:22)
  11. "Rise" (6:33)
  12. "Johnny the Steamroller" (3:00)
  13. "Let's Cut This Angry Cord" (1:59)
Personnel:
  • Melting Hopefuls
    • Renee LoBue (vocals, lyrics)
      • acoustic guitar (tracks 6, 10, 13)
    • Sue Kresge (bass)
      • lyrics (track 2)
      • guitar (tracks 2, 10, 11)
      • accordion (track 12)
    • Ray Ketchem (drums, producer, engineer, color art design)
      • backing vocals (tracks 9, 12)
    • Max Siebel (guitar, interior art)
      • bass (tracks 1, 8, 9)
      • acoustic guitar (track 11)
      • mandolin (track 12)
    • Lorraine Turi
      • Listed on the release but did not play on any of the recordings.
  • Joe Procopio (jangle guitar, track 5)
  • Dan Kincaid (mastering)
  • Studio 800 (interior art)
Audio: Spotify, YouTube
Notes: Melting Hopefuls' first and final full-length album primarily made up of newly remastered recordings from the previously released Magnet for Stains and Heal Back Harder EPs.

Viva La Void (1995)

Type: EP
Released: 1995
Format(s): CD
Recorded: Februrary - June 1995 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ; mastered at SAE Mastering, Phoenix, AZ in July 1995
Length: 25:57
Label(s): Big Pop [bp0311-2]
Track listing:
  1. "White Light" (2:04)
  2. "Turn on the Turn Off" (3:01)
  3. "Blackie" (3:24)
  4. "She's a Big Boy Now" (2:57)
  5. "What Gets Me Up" (3:30)
  6. "Oh, Davey" (2:21)
  7. "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" (3:31)
  8. "Good Things" (5:09)
Personnel:
  • Melting Hopefuls
    • Renee LoBue (vocals)
    • Max Siebel (guitar)
    • Lorraine Turi (guitar)
    • Sue Kresge (bass)
    • Ray Ketchem (drums, recording, mixing, remixing (track 7))
  • Jon Marc (mixing (track 7))
Audio: YouTube
Notes: Melting Hopefuls' first "major" EP and final release before their breakup. Track 7 "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" is a remix of the version that appears on Space Flyer.

"Gondola" (2018)

Type: Single
Released: January 10, 2018
Format(s): [Digital only]
Recorded: January 1992 in the WOMB, Belleville, NJ
Length: 4:13
Label(s): Dromedary Records
Track listing:
  1. "Gondola (2018 Remix)"
Personnel:
  • Renee LoBue (vocals)
  • Max Siebel (guitar, bass)
  • Ray Ketchem (drums, producer, remixing, remastering)
Audio: Bandcamp
Notes: Digital single release of a newly remixed and remastered version of "Gondola" in celebration of Dromedary Records' 25th anniversary. Remixed and remastered by original Melting Hopefuls member Ray Ketchem.

Compilation appearances

  • Breakout USA (CD, US, 1991; Westwood Entertainment) - "Forever and a Day"
  • Hear No Evil: A Compilation (CD/Cassette, US, 1991; Galt Records) - "World for Free"
  • ...Nothing Smells Quite Like Elizabeth (CD, US, 1992; Dromedary Records) - "Gondola"
  • Son of Uncharted: Volume 2 (CD, US, 1992; March Records) - "Mouth"
  • Homage: Lots of Bands Doing Descendents' Songs (CD, US, 1995; Coolidge Records) - "I'm Not a Punk"
    • Descendents cover
    • Possibly the band's furthest reaching release?
  • ALD Fall & Winter CD Sampler (CD, US, 1996; Big Pop) - "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself"
  • B.L.A.S.T. Modern Rock Program #15 (CD, US, 1996; S.I.N.) - "Turn on the Turn Off"
  • Coolidge 50 (2xCD, US, 1998; Coolidge Records) - "New Jersey"
    • Cover of New Jersey's state song for a compilation of bands covering their state's song
  • Chronic Indie-Gestion 2 (CD, US, [unknown date]; Alternative Press) - "Johnny the Steamroller"

List of Melting Hopefuls songs

an attempt to collate all known songs by the band; for further info/links/sources regarding these songs please see the sections above.
  • a song's "primary" appearance is listed first, even if it wasn't the first place the song was released
  • compilations are excluded from the appearances section unless deemed noteworthy
    Song title Circulating? Year Appearance(s) Length Notes
    "Anchor" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Heal Back Harder    		 3:49
    "Blackie" yes 1995 Viva La Void 3:24
    "Coming" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" single
    Heal Back Harder    		 4:20
    "Don't Touch Me" yes 1993 Space Flyer
    Heal Back Harder    		 4:32
    "Forever and a Day" no 1991 Breakout USA
    "Gondola" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Magnet for Stains
    "Gondola" single (2018)    		 4:10
    "Good Things" yes 1995 Viva La Void 5:09
    "Hanging" yes 1993 Space Flyer
    Heal Back Harder    		 1:59 Often rendered as "Hanging (acoustic)"
    "I'm Not a Punk" yes 1995 Homage: Lots of Bands Doing Descendents' Songs 2:27 Descendents cover
    "Johnny the Steamroller" yes 1992 Space Flyer 3:00
    "Let's Cut This Angry Cord" yes 1993 Space Flyer 1:59
    "Long, Long, River" no 1992 Magnet for Stains
    "Mouth" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Magnet for Stains    		 4:07
    "New Jersey" yes 1998 Coolidge 50 1:42 Cover of New Jersey's state song
    "Oh, Davey" yes 1995 Viva La Void 2:21
    "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    "Pulling an Allnighter on Myself" single
    Heal Back Harder
    Viva La Void    		 3:30
    "Pulling My Hand" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Magnet for Stains    		 2:30
    "Rise" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Heal Back Harder    		 6:33
    "She's a Big Boy Now" yes 1995 Viva La Void 2:57
    "Space Flyer" yes 1992 Space Flyer 2:22
    "Suck My Heart" yes 1992 Magnet for Stains
    "Suck My Heart" single    		 3:44 Often rendered as "$uck My Heart"
    "Trying to Catch a UFO" yes 1992 Magnet for Stains
    "Suck My Heart" single    		 3:44
    "Turn on the Turn Off" yes 1995 Viva La Void 3:01
    "What Gets Me Up" yes 1995 Viva La Void 3:30
    "What She's Wearing" yes 1992 Space Flyer
    Heal Back Harder    		 3:49
    "White Light" yes 1995 Viva La Void 2:04
    "World for Free" yes 1991 Hear No Evil: A Compilation 3:56