Once upon a time there was a band from Lincoln, Ne called Thirteen Nightmares. 

Nobody in the scene had really seen anything like them before.  It was almost as if Bruce Springsteen had stayed up for days drinking Sanka and cough syrup and reading ultra left-wing political diatribes and then decided to start a Replacements tribute band with the guys from Husker Du.  After a well received release on Pravda in 1989, and some midwest touring, there was a parting of the ways with the band's singer and main songwriter, Gregg Cosgrove.  Guitarist Jon Taylor, bassist Heidi Ore and drummer Ron Albertson decided that enough was not enough and started Mercy Rule.  With Jon, Heidi and Ron now fully in charge of the songwriting, the songs and the sound began to change.  The band's debut 7" "1000 MPH" (Pravda 1992) showcased their new approach:  muscular guitar lines swirling around a new, catchier pop sound fueled by Ore's emotive vocals.  Ron had also figured out how to make his cymbals all swing back in forth in unison.  To say the least, everyone was impressed.  The transformation culminated in the release of the full length "God Protects Fools" on Caulfield in 1993.  The band proceeded to hit the road relentlessly, playing everywhere and anywhere there was a place to plug in.  Their ear-splitting, stage smashing live show attracted the attention of bigwigs at Relativity Records, who at that time could boast of such indie heavy weights as Toto and hessian ultra-wanker Steve Vai in their stable.  Producer Brian Paulson was brought on board on the resulting album "Providence" released in 1994 was a cleaner, more polished, but plain spoken version of their now patented lock-step assault.  As always the attack was ballasted by Taylor's army of nagging guitar hooks and Ore's vocal promise now bore full fruit.  Mercy Rule was riding high at this point, but they were about to be exposed to the darker side of major label music making.  For the next recording, hip producer Lou Giordano was brought in to take the band's sound to a new level.  Additional musicians were brought along to weave elaborate string arrangements.  The results were arguably the bands greatest recordings.  Unfortunately, they would not see the light of day for another two plus years.  Before the recording began, the band learned that they had been dropped by the label and without a contract, would no longer be able to afford Giordano.  The producer liked the demos they had done and agreed to stay with the project, but the band had no luck finding another label willing to buy the record.  In the end, in a weird gesture of psuedo-generosity, MCA allowed Mercy Rule to buy the project back for 10,000- the price of their advance.  Back home at Caulfield, and back on the road after the birth of Jon and Heidi's first child, the band assured anyone that had a shadow of a doubt: they could still bring the rock.  After another couple of tours, the band called it quits as drummer Albertson set sail for New York City. 

Personal note: Speaking as someone who has shared the stage with this band on numerous occasions, I can still recall the feeling of a brick hitting your throat when Jon hit the first guitar chord of a song, the spooky worklights they always had shining up from below, Jon's immortal quip "Nice job, audience!" between songs, and the sheer joy they always exuded at being in a rock band.  It was tangible, and it was there every night.  This band was there to play hard for YOU.  If you were one who was lucky enough to see Mercy Rule play, whether you realized it or not at the time, you were party to something special, and something you might never see again. If you crank their records up loud enough, you can still almost get that same ringing in your ears.  I know I can. 

-Lincoln Dickison

SPEED! Nebraska Records