88. Shudder To Think

Papercut by Markly Morrison

After moving to D.C. in 1985, then 16-year-old Craig Wedren helped shape Shudder To Think into a standout act within the Dischord Records scene, evolving from a raw hardcore-adjacent sound into a complex style that eventually earned the respect of Ian MacKaye. The band pivoted to Epic Records in 1994 during the big alt-rock boom, releasing the sonic anomoly Pony Express Record before facing label pressure to produce more commercial hits for their follow-up, 50,000 B.C., which would be the group’s final studio album to date. Following their 1998 split, Wedren built a prolific career in film and television scoring, but the group reunited in 2025 to record new material. Despite a 20-year hiatus from their signature style, their collective muscle memory remained intact, allowing them to integrate modern digital tools with the foundational creative energy that defined their early years. Shudder To Think’s latest single, “Thirst Walk,” is out now on Dischord records. I spoke with Craig Wedren from his home studio in Los Angeles.