In 1996, the Chapel Hill music scene had a lot of eyes on it. After Seattle had made a splash in the early part of the decade, the music industry at large was looking for the next great music town, and with its large student population and bustling music scene, Chapel Hill had all the important
elements to fit the bill.
Indie rock bands like Superchunk, Archers of Loaf, and Polvo were all making a lot of noise both literally and figuratively. Soon to be superstars Ben Folds Five were gaining national attention after their first single “Underground” became a radio hit.
Perhaps most surprisingly, a swing band named after a sweet treat from the 1920’s rocketed into the national spotlight, too. Squirrel Nut Zippers released their second full-length LP “Hot” on June 4th of that year. It would go on to sell more than a million copies by the end of 1997…