August 29, 2004
NEW record: “when friends turn against you”, a 5 song EP, will be released soon on the Czech labelDay After Records.

NEW bass player: That’s right! Already! Jessica Hopper is out of the band, having burned out on the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle after one US and one Japanese tour. Next up to face the challenge is Pete Wagner, who will be the seventh person to play in Challenger and the fourteenth person overall to attempt to withstand the rigors of the Burian-Laney combine. Good luck, Pete! Welcome to the terrordome!

MORE touring: despite self-assurences that we are getting older and more brittle and need to take care of ourselves, somehow we still have ended up booking a two month European tour throughout September-October. The inescapable truth of the matter is that we like you and want to come visit as many of you as possible. If you would all act more like us and move somewhere centrally located (say, for instance, Indiana), it would make things a lot easier on us. Click here for European tour dates.

July 3, 2004
We're home again. We made it through Canadian customs and the spooky Southwest. The van is idle on the street – the reek of feet and tour slowly fading. Thank you to everyone who came out to the shows, and everyone that helped out or put us up, your efforts were much appreciated. Challenger, now, collectively, settles in for a several week torpor, then re-animates to write hot lixx for our mini-alb for Day After.

June 11, 2004
Right now, we are in Canada, about to return to the US for a swift ride down the West Coast. Al needs some new shoes – if you live in any of the towns we are playing, and are a mens 10, Al will trade you a book or a severe hug for some shoes without a giant-azz rip in them.

In other news, we will be recording an EP for the Czech label Day After upon returning from tour. The EP should be out mid-Fall, 2004 –it will primarily be a European release, so you may have to scour the bins for it a bit if you live in ye ol' USA. This will be our first recording with this line up and we are quite excited.

Feb. 18, 2004
Challenger member out…. Of commission. Full story and gruesome X-rays// click here



Interviews
Links to a few interviews and an article on the band. More will be posted as they come roll into us in a computerized format. May help answer the question "Why in the hell are they doing this band. Don't they already have a band." Hmm. Are you suspicious?
Thrasher Interview
Swimmer's Ear Interview
Unknown Interview

Challenger
"When Friends Turn Against You" LP/CD

Released on Day After
Recorded by Stan Wood
Volume Studios • Chicago, IL

Track Listing
01. The Indictment
02. Crash Course In Crashing
03. Victim of Changes
04. The Tree Surgeon
05. Bombs Over Baghdad


Downloads
Wallpaper for your computer. Choose your model:

	Record Cover More or less the cover to the full-length, stripped down so you can enjoy it without clutter.
	Record Cover Black An offshoot of the cover. A mistake that we thought was cool, plus it won't burn your screen out.
	Family Oh yes, the happy family. Shouldn't you send this to a friend as well?

Contact
Challenger
Post Box 220386
Chicago, IL 60622
info@challengermusic.com


Booking
Fleet Team Booking
Scott Comeau
fleetteam@hotmail.com
fleetteambooking.com

Tour dates
Click here for European tour dates, 2004: September, October & November!


Non-band Activites
Al Burian does a fanzine called Burn Collector. All issues including the book compilation of the first nine issues are available through Stickfigure Distribution. He recently released a solo 7" as part of Troubleman's limited edition solo 7" series.

Dave Laney runs the not-for-profit, free-of-charge newsprint magazine MediaReader, which focuses on politics and socio-politics. Past issues have included interviews with Jello Biafra, Ralph Nader, Sue Coe, Derrick Jenson, Kathy Kelly and John Yates. Issues are available through Stickfigure for $1 ppd, or free at a record store in your area. The website is usually out of date but contains full content: mediareader.org

Noah Leger is surrounded by music on every side. Between playing in Challenger, Noah finds time to tour with the Blue Man Group and his other two bands: Milemarker and Taking Pictures.

Pete Wagner can usually been seen at shows standing next to his book distro, pushing lefty political books from AK Press on audience members. He has constantly toured with Milemarker, Challenger, The Weakerthans, and the International Noise Conspiracy. Pete can now been seen on stage with Challenger.

Timothy Remis played drums on the first Challenger record but does not tour with the band. He fronts the Chicago-based Sweet Cobra, who do not have a website and completly fucking rule. They just released their first full length on Seventh Rule Records.

Dave, Al, and Noah play in Milemarker.
milemarker.org

Stickfigure Distro:
stickfiguredistro.com
POB 55462 / Atlanta GA / 30308
404-752-7340