FOUR STAR MARY. BtVS/Angel Writer/Director/Contributor.
California
band Four Star Mary were formed in 1997. They named themselves after the Four
Star vs. Mary Case in which a woman was trying to sue Exxon (a big US oil
companies). Lead singer Tad Looney, guitarist Michael ‘Zu’ Zufelt, bassist
Steve Carter, drummer Chris Sobchack (who replaced original drummer Buddy) and
rhythm guitarist Derrick Tanner (fourth guitarist after Falon, Dave McClellan
and Doug Granville) are the band behind fictitious band Dingoes
Ate My Baby in which Oz plays guitar in Seasons Two, Three and Four. They
have also had tracks featured in the shows Party
of Five, Road
Rules and The Real
World.
According to an interview in The Watcher’s Guide volume 2 (2002, 457), music editor John King heard their music at a party given by Steve Carter’s girlfriend and thought they would be good on the show. On hearing the tape, Joss decided that they had the right sound for the fictitious band he wanted to feature in the show. Thus while they have only appeared personally once on the show in Season Four’s “Restless” as the band behind Giles when he sings the “Exposition Song”, their music has been featured more than that of any other band. Zu has also been down to the set to coach Seth Green on how to appear to play guitar. In the extra-textual Buffy world, they have played several posting board and cast/crew parties.
Dingoes Ate My Baby ‘play’ Four Star Mary songs during the following Buffy episodes:
Season Two
“Inca Mummy Girl”: Oz notices Willow for the first time while playing “Shadows” (Four Star Mary, 1997) at the Bronze during the costume dance, Xander and Ampata dance to “Fate” (Four Star Mary, 1997).
“Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”: “Pain” (Four Star Mary, 1997) is played at the Valentine’s Day dance where Cordelia breaks up with Xander
Season Three
“Dead Man's Party”: Dingoes play various tracks at Buffy’s homecoming party including “Never Mind” (Thrown to the Wolves, 1999) while Buffy tries to talk to Willow about the distance that seems to have come between them since Buffy went off to L.A. at the end of Season Two, “Sway” (Four Star Mary, 1997) while Buffy tries to talk to Xander and Cordelia but ends up feeling like an outsider, overhears the rumour that this party is for a chick just out of rehab and hears her mother tell Pat how difficult it is to have Buffy home and “Pain” while Giles trys to warn Buffy over the phone about the zombie mask but gets stuck talking to a stoner.
“Homecoming”: Willow tells Xander and Faith that Oz wrote “She Knows” (Thrown to the Wolves, 1999) for her while it is played at the Homecoming Dance.
“Band Candy”: Dingoes are playing “Violent” (Thrown to the Wolves, 1999) at the Bronze when the adults besiege the stage.
“Revelations”: Oz is playing “Run” (Thrown to the Wolves, 1999) at the Bronze at the beginning of the episode before joining the gang for drinks.
Season Four
“The Harsh Light of Day”: “Dilate” (Thrown to the Wolves, 1999) is played in the opening scene at the Bronze before Oz joins Willow and Buffy at their table.
“Pain” is also featured as source scoring at the end of the Season Four episode “Living Conditions,” as Willow hangs up her Dingoes Ate My Baby Poster, and “Fate” is featured as source music on a tape played at a party in the Season Four episode “The Initiative”. As by this point Oz has left, the track serves to make Willow depressed.
For lyrics, discography and interviews see the fan site fourstarmary.net
Works Cited
Holder, Nancy with Mariotte, Jeff and Maryelizabeth Hart, 2000. The Watcher’s Guide volume 2, New York: Pocket Books