Supersport 2000

Supersport 2000
(L-R) Graciela Germann, Cherielynn Westrich, Mike Fletcher, Rod Cervera
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California
Years active	1993 - 1994 (Magpie) 1994 - 1997
Genre(s)	Alternative rock, power pop
Label(s)	Skinny Records (Magpie) Boy's Life Records
Past members	Cherielynn Westrich Rod Cervera Mike Fletcher Graciela Germann Debbie Diament (Magpie)

Supersport 2000 (previously known as Magpie and Starhustler) were a pop-rock band that rose alongside Weezer and other similar acts in the 1990's Los Angeles alternative rock scene. Band members Rod Cervera, Cherielynn Westrich, and Mike Fletcher were also a part of Matt Sharp's side project the Rentals.

Overview

Magpie

Supersport 2000 originally began as a band titled Magpie sometime around late 1992 to early 1993, consisting of guitarist Rod Cervera, drummer Mike Fletcher, and vocalist/guitarist Debbie Diament (under the stage name Debbie Diamond). Diament would soon recruit bassist Cherielynn Westrich (who—at the time—had never played bass) after meeting at a bar and the band would begin recording for their first release in February of 1993. Their self-titled EP MAGPie (also sometimes referred to as the "Animals" single) would release later that year on Skinny Records, including a backing vocal feature from Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins on the opening track. The band would follow this with the "Seven 8" single (backed with "Mopar and You") in 1994 before Diament would be kicked from the band and the Magpie name would be retired.

Starhustler and Supersport 2000

Following the dissolve of Magpie, the remaining members formed a new band under the name Starhustler, which saw the addition of guitarist Graciela Germann and Westrich's adoption of vocal roles within the band. The band's first and only release, the "Pinkslip" single, was recorded in October of 1994 and—following a name change to Supersport 2000—would be released in early 1995 on Boy's Life Records. The single was backed with "17 Braids", while CD and cassette pressings of the single included a third track, "I Love Christian Stone". Cassette releases of the single were sold to members of the Weezer Fan Club, and—due to the lateness of the band's name change—cassette releases of "Pinkslip" carrying the Starhustler name are known to exist.

Supersport 2000 became less active following the Rentals' 1995 and 1996 tours (of which three of the band's four members participated in) and would ultimately come to a quiet end in 1997.

Supersport were together for a while after the Rentals[' tour]. We played around L.A. and opened for Blur at the Palladium and the Palace. Then we just quit. I don't know why; I think I was the one who said we should quit. I don't know why, really. Maybe because I am a big quitter.

—2001 interview with Cherielynn Westrich

Although the band recorded upwards of 35 songs during the height of their activity, only five Supersport 2000 songs have ever been officially released. The band appears on a 1998 tribute compilation to Mykel & Carli Allan with the song "Faster Kiddies", as well as the 2024 compilation Generation Blue with the song "Mooks", the band's first release in over twenty-five years since their breakup. However, many unreleased Supersport 2000 songs are circulating online, as songs outside of the band's official releases received radio play from local stations and were recorded by fans at live shows. Many of these recordings appear on Shine Like the Holy Grail (1995-1997), a digital bootleg compilation consisting of released and unreleased studio, demo, and live Supersport 2000 recordings.

We recorded many songs. I was a recording engineer and had a studio, so we recorded basically everything we wrote—all to tape. Certainly an album or two's worth that is unreleased. I'm aware of the bootleg that's out there, but there are more unreleased songs (including studio versions of some of the live tracks on the bootleg). Some of the material is still on tape and I'm not certain what condition those tapes are in, but there are several I had digitally transferred. There are also some films of recording sessions. Definitely some interesting stuff in the archives!

—2024 interview with Rod Cervera

Discography

Magpie

• MAGPie (1993)
• "Seven 8" (1994)

Supersport 2000

Singles

• "Pinkslip" (1995)

Compilation appearances

• Hear You Me! A Tribute to Mykel and Carli (1998) ("Faster Kiddies")
• Generation Blue (2024) ("Mooks")

Bootlegs

• Shine Like the Holy Grail (1995-1997)

See also

• List of Supersport 2000 songs
• The Rentals