Fig Dish
When Shove Goes Back To Push (white)
Chicago's FIG DISH didn't name themselves after a soft, sweet, fleshy fruit; rather, the name is a phonetic approximation of the German expletive, fick dich. (make of that what you will). FIG DISH were four high school friends: guitarists/vocalists Rick Ness and Blake Smith, bassist/vocalist Mike Willison, and drummer Andy Hamilton. In their day (a day that began in the late Winter of 1991 and ended in the early summer of 1998), they were known for catchy songs, memorable (often booze-fueled) live shows, and self-sabotage. In 1995, FIG DISH released their major label debut That's What Love Songs Often Do. And just like that, the band was catapulted from regional obscurity into national obscurity. MTV played the video for "Seeds" and FIG DISH toured the U.S. and Canada relentlessly with bands like VERUCA SALT, THE MUFFS, LETTERS TO CLEO, JULIANA HATFIELD, LOCAL H, and SPONGE. In 1997, they recorded their sophomore album, When Shove Goes Back To Push with Bill Swartz on drums. The album was sunk by a risque music video for the single "When Shirts Get Tight" featuring adult film stars. MTV refused to play it and the band was dropped by an indifferent Polygram Records and parted ways as they moved on to new projects CAVIAR and NESS. In 2024, FIG DISH returned from hibernation with two sold out shows in Chicago and the release of Feels Like The Very First Two Times, the band's first "new" release in 27 years, collecting unreleased tracks recorded in the late 90s. In 2025, That's What Love Songs Often Do was released on vinyl for the first time, 30 years after the original CD release and the band celebrated with shows with LETTERS TO CLEO, LOCAL H, and FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE. On vinyl for the first time, 29 years after the original CD release. The officially licensed 2xLP features colored vinyl, reworked gatefold jacket art by Wall of Youth and vinyl mastering by Carl Saff and was pressed in Chicago by Smashed Plastic.