Riding in on the tail end of the New York No Wave movement, noise-rockers Of Cabbages and Kings provoked the usual comparisons to The Swans and Live Skull with their harsh, abrasive sound and the dark self-loathing of their lyrics. When Chicago transplants The Bag People broke up after releasing only one undistributed 45 in New York, guitarist and sometime vocalist Carolyn Master put together Of Cabbages and Kings with sometime Swans and Glenn Branca collaborator Algis Kizys (bass).

Due to the outside commitments of Kizys and some other revolving-door members, it took some time for Of Cabbages and Kings to develop into a viable band. Drummer Ted Parsons played on the group's first two albums before leaving to join Prong full time; he was replaced by Rich Hutchins (Live Skull, Ruin). Other members and/or guests have included Chicago-based blues singer Diane Wlezien, guitarists Eric Hubel and Dave Ouimet, and drummer Vincent Signorelli. Of Cabbages and Kings' self-titled debut appeared in 1987 and was followed a year later by Face, which featured some rewrites of Bag People material. With Parsons' departure came a move to the Triple X label, which issued Basic Pain Basic Pleasure in 1990. Hunter's Moon appeared in 1992. ~ Phillip Ewing, 80s Retro Music