Little Buddy Has Fun With Power-Pop Sound

Who are the members of Little Buddy?

Alan Cooper, bass

Nigel Euling, vocals and guitar

David Yeend, vocals and guitar

Mark Yeend, drums

A fine mess you've gotten yourself into this time, Little Buddy.

It's not enough that you grounded your skipper's boat on a small island back in the '60s, stranding your group forever in endless TV reruns of "Gilligan's Island."

Now you've gone to Seattle and named a rock band after yourself.

What's that? You have nothing to do with the band, you say? The band members are four Seattle guys who just happen to call themselves "Little Buddy"?

We'll go meet them and see if they corroborate your story.

"No one in this band is a particular fan of `Gilligan's Island'," says band member Nigel Euling. "Around mid-1994, we were throwing around some names, and `Little Buddy' just came up."

All right. So you really didn't have anything to do with this band, Gilligan. But maybe on some deeper, philosophical level you inspired the band name?

"Well, we really have no philosophical relation to Gilligan," Euling says doubtfully. "The only thing about the name that would correlate with the band is that we don't take ourselves seriously. David works in the software industry and I work in accounting. We don't intend for music to be our careers, so the name sort of fits our lack of serious musical aspirations."

And yet the band has come up with a highly infectious, happily sloppy power-pop sound. A few years ago, it recorded a cassette under its old band name, the Nigels.

"But we thought the name sounded like a British pop band, which we don't sound like," Euling says.

So they changed the name, roughed up the sound, and emerged as Little Buddy.

So far Little Buddy has recorded a CD, "blue collar travis," on its own joe blow records label; recorded a song for a local Posies tribute album due out this month; and played at local venues such as the Off Ramp Cafe, the Colourbox and Gibson's.

For a not-so-serious band, Little Buddy is actually doing pretty well.

OK, Gilligan, so you have nothing to do with the band. But your bumbling luck seems to be rubbing off on your namesake.

We can't wait to see what you'll get yourself into next, Little Buddy.

Where to check out Little Buddy: The band will be interviewed on KCMU's "Audioasis" Jan. 27, and will be playing Feb. 18 at the Off Ramp. "blue collar travis" is available at most local music stores, or by calling 442-2040, or by sending $11 (including shipping and handling) payable to David Yeend at: Joe Blow Records; 4505 University Way N.E., No. 338; Seattle, WA 98105. The Posies tribute album, on which Little Buddy has a track, will be available through the Internet by writing to: sequoia@halcyon.com