The 6 Seconds That DESTROYED The Presidents
The Presidents of the United States of America story is a bizarre tale of 90s alternative rock success, strange instruments, and an abrupt walkout from the limelight. This week, we explore how Chris Ballew, Dave Dederer, and Jason Finn conquered MTV and the Billboard charts using only five total strings and songs about peaches and dune buggies. From their explosion out of the Seattle grunge scene to their triple-platinum debut album, we detail the burnout that led to their sudden 1997 breakup and their refusal to play the corporate music game. We’ll uncover the secrets of the “basitar” and “guitbass,” the struggle with Columbia Records, and the frontman’s eventual transition into the world of children’s music as Caspar Babypants. Kindly like and subscribe – it really helps this channel a lot. I do appreciate it!
How To Kill A Platinum Band In 5 Years
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZEb9SWX2vM
The 13 Minutes That DESTROYED The Smashing Pumpkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?0K2MUZeQgds
The Most Selfish Sabotage In Rock History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0msS6CPt8_k
The Most DEVASTATING Collapse In Rock History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsj8V7V-DQ8
How To Ruin a Band In 1 Summer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f54Xz3kHOOA
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@guitarmeetsscience
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Dune buggy was on the first album
@BlastFromthePast6054
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Peaches come from a can, they were put there by a man in the factory downtown.
Sun soaked bulges in the shade 😂😂
@BlastFromthePast6054
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
We had the cassette it was peach orange colored. Coolest actual cassette next to ICP’s Great Milenko and the red cassette from Live’s throwing copper album
@-CelShader-
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Hey, it’s Caspar Babypants!
@pat5882
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
“Dune Buggy” kinda gives off that Southern Culture On The Skids vibe.
@seanhorgan6774
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Between Presidents and Spacehog i had a great few summers of sun in my heart
@unklejohn8575
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I want to start a cover band callled the Vice Presidents of the United States of America.
@RuthlessMojo
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
IT'S THE WEEKEND! You know what that means! Another Guitar Meets Science back catalogue binge. Have to appease the almighty algorithm. Ohhh yeahhh. Keep on rockin' in the free world! 🙂🎸🔥
@marcosdepaula3593
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Speaking of made up instruments, Mark Sandman from Morphine and his two string bass played with a slide. That is a story that is begging Guitar Meets Science for descent narrative. I actually had a 5 minute chat with Mark after a show in Charlotte NC. The man was fluent in Portuguese and knew everything about the South American music scene besides being the genius behind one of the most successful College Radio bands of the 90s.
@kdawg3484
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Always wondered what happened to them. I remember Lump and Peaches all over the radio. It's nice to know that they were never deeper and more complicated than what they sounded like. I'd prefer more songs simply about eating peaches; we already have infinite cryptic songs about love, drugs, and war.
@darkcloud2442
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
To this day my brother will swear that “Peaches” is a super dirty song about a guy going going down on his partner, we used to fight about it every time the song came on in the mall arcade we used to live at in the summer. Shit that was such a 90’s thing I just said.
@knifeswitch5973
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Reminds me of Super Nova although not similar acts. Attitude
@RebelSun88
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I'll never forget working in Santa Barbara listening to 92.9 KJEE and a girl calls in to request "Peaches" because her 3 yr old son loves the song. The thought of a little kid dancing around singing "millions of peaches, peaches for me" just made me laugh.
@Dhhvhjbcghbbb
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
This band sucked. People love crap, they eat it up by the bowl full.
@joshm8097
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Never liked them but now I at least have some respect for them.
@saber005
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I met the lead singer when I worked at a radio station in San Diego. He was the biggest A-hole that I ever met.
@obscured.by.clouds.
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I was wondering if the idea for the two string “bassitar” had anything to do with Mark Sandman, and it turns out he and Chris were personal friends. Not only do I learn a shit ton from your channel, and you often connect a lot of dots that don’t seem obvious that answer some really interesting questions!
Have you done a video on Mark Kozelek yet?
@Opt79
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Absolutely love the videos! I may have missed it, is there a Blind Melon vid?
@michaelCMcGhee
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Watching your content is like having a friend recall a story, I mean this in a good way. You sound very natural telling the story, leave in the mistakes, it's refreshing!
@da_jeezuss8922
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
They became popular when I was nine and started to watch less Nickelodeon and more Mtv. It felt like they made music for my age group. Light silly music but still rocked hard unlike all the emotionally heavier music that I couldn't really relate to yet. Then they disappeared just as my music taste started to refine. It was like they made music just for me and my friends at school then left right when we started to mature.
@wyleewatts
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I love their song Peaches. It's the best song about peaches, or any type of fruit, ever.
@LandruTheBody
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I always thought that when they decided to name the band, The Presidents of the United States of America, each of them should have picked an actual president and started referring to each other by those names.
@Halsyan
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
What if I told you that I've been really enjoying these videos?
@markswabey5870
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I have the first album, not heard it in a years but as soon as you said lump it was in my head
@Sweet_2D_Volcano
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
If no one's ever heard it, I recommend "The Fruity Track" by Lemon Jelly for fans of "Peaches."
@obscured.by.clouds.
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
I was binging on these guys yesterday. How the hell is this just suddenly existing today? I feel like I manifested this or something lol
@Citizen_Jack
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Good video
@TheThomaskattus
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Lump is in MY head now.
@HMmurdock80
August 8, 2026 at 7:32 am
Presidents and Primus should have hooked up.