In May of 1996, with a handful of releases under their belts, the kings of the insanity sound, then known simply as: The Champs, began recording their magnum octopus, III. This time their sights were set beyond the still diminu- tive cassette format and trained squarely on a gatefold double album — the perfect medium for Total Music. Over the next year, in between touring up and down the west coast, the band molded the Kubrickian monolith known as III. In May of 1997, after lugging a console, tape machines, speak- ers and a smattering of outboard gear up three flights of stairs, the band mixed the album in the bed- room of a third floor apartment, directly overlooking the 280 free- way. The noise floor was such that all windows remained closed for the duration of the process. Over the next six weeks they played wherever people thirsted for something compelling and different, something to rock out with their Bach out, in a word, well two words, Total Music. While on the road, the band also searched for a suitable record label willing to make the financial commitment a gatefold double album requires — a tall order for a band virtually unknown outside of the west coast and the bor- ough of Manhattan. Ultimately, the eclectic San Francisco label, Frenetic, took the plunge and generously emptied their modest coffers to fund the manufacture of III, which was released under the legally distinct band name: C4AM95. In print, the name was easily decoded by use of the ubiq- uitous “devil horns” or “maloik”, with the index finger covering the awkward section of the 4 and the underrated pinkie finger covering the southern portion of the 9. This deliberate obfuscation shielded the band from increasingly omi- nous communications emanating from Nashville concerning the similarity in name to a certain band from the 1950’s. After the release of III, The Champs continued to tour the US, embarking on (and com- pleting) six tours before the turn of the millennium. It was at this point the powers that be at Drag City International realized they could sit on the sidelines no lon- ger and committed to release the band’s aptly titled follow-up, IV (on which I was honored to guest, playing bass on the only Champs song ever to feature that instrument). However, one obstacle stood in the band’s way to global dissemination of Total Music: the seemingly benign moniker they had saddled them- selves with so many years ear- lier. After much discussion and consultation with The Oracle, it was determined that adding the supplemental “Fucking” to The Champs name would clear up any confusion regarding another band of the same name from the 1950’s and provide lasting legal indemnification. The band subsequently released four albums with Drag City, an EP with Thrill Jockey, and a collection of greatest hits on Matador. They contributed music to moving pictures (both television and film) and wrote music for video games, such as The Sims. They collaborated with French sensations Justice. They toured the US, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zea- land, and spread the totality of Total Music far and wide. Name dropped by luminaries such as Chloë Sevigny, they were often cited as inspiration by sources from Metallica to The Strokes to that guy from Guided by Voices. The Fucking Champs left an indelible mark on the musi- cal consciousness of the second to last and final millennia. For this special 26th anniver- sary edition of III, the album was remastered by the band from the original master tapes, lacquers expertly cut by John Golden and artwork restored by foren- sic experts in Drag City’s employ. Long sought after on eBay, Dis- cogs and the like, this will be the first time that this master stroke of musicality will be made widely available.