Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Green Apple Quick Step, in Seattle, by 1992. The initial lineup under the new name consisted of lead vocalist Tyler Willman, guitarists Daniel Kempthorne and Steve Ross,<!--[http://realgonerocks.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html]Ross went on to form punk band The Briefs, and then The Cute Lepers, both under the pseudonym Steve E. Nix. (seeking more RS's now)--> singer-bassist Mari Ann Braeden,<!--see old deleted diffs on this article for details & cites, her marriage, etc. for new article development on her.--> and drummer Bob 'Mink' Martin.
The original lineup recorded and released two records: Wonderful Virus in 1993 and Reloaded in 1995. Their third album, New Disaster, was recorded in 1998, with new lineup including Dana Turner on guitar and Dain Hudson on drums was planned for release that year, but remains shelved. Their music has been featured on the soundtracks for three films, The Basketball Diaries, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Homegrown.
They disbanded in 1998 and then re-emerged more than a decade later to perform more shows in 2010, with Willman hopeful of releasing their third album. As of May 2010, the band consisted of lead vocalist Ty Willman, guitarist Dana Turner, and drummer Geoff Reading, with guitarist Mike Squires and vocalist Christa Wells joining them for the reunion shows. In 2025, Chad Childers of Loudwire included the band in his list of "10 '90s Post-Grunge Bands That Should Have Been Bigger".
History
Early years as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys (1989–1992)
Green Apple Quick Step started as the Tacoma-based band, Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys, consisting of vocalist Tyler Willman, guitarists Steve Ross and Dan Kempthorne, drummer Bob Martin and bassist Eric Munday."Another World", and contained 4 songs: "Soul Step", "Seamonkeys", "Another World", and "Eleventeen". The band that would eventually become Pearl Jam played their first-ever show (when they were still called Mookie Blaylock) for Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys, on October 22, 1990 at the Off Ramp Cafe in Seattle.
Reformation and Wonderful Virus (1992–1994)
Later in 1992, the band reformed in Seattle, Washington as Green Apple Quick Step, with a new bassist, Mari Ann Braeden. They performed locally, sharing bills with Sweet Water, Meddaphysical and Best Kissers in the World, before recording their debut album, Wonderful Virus, at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle through The Medicine Label, They filmed a music video for the album track "Dirty Water Ocean" which depicted the band in a garbage sluice. The band toured in support of the album, performing with bands that included The Pleasure Elite Gruntruck and Sister Psychic. In order to keep secret a Pearl Jam show at the Off Ramp in Seattle, it was billed as a Green Apple Quick Step show, though the band was touring Eastern Washington at the time. Green Apple Quick Step began recording their second album in October 1994. The band had befriended Gossard previously and asked if he would be interested in working with the band.
In support of the album, they began a residency tour, during which the band played several shows each in the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Phoenix and they also supported Candlebox at their New Year's show.
Willman and Braeden contributed to the song "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'", by Mike McCready's side-project $10,000 Gold Chain, which was featured on the soundtrack to the 1996 film The Cable Guy. Willman also sang with Devilhead,
New Disaster and lineup changes (1996–1998)
Green Apple Quick Step then signed with Columbia Records and spent over a year writing songs for their new album, prior to which, guitarist Ross left the band to later, along with Kempthorne, form The Briefs, under the pseudonym Steve E. Nix and Daniel J. Travanti. Guitarist Dana Turner took Ross' place, Reading joined the band in June 1997 following a successful tryout in May 1997 and featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Willman formed a side project, Calm Down Juanita, on the five-song EP that band recorded during the summer of 1997. Though a March 3, 1998 Braeden also formed a female trio<!--with whom and when?--> called Celebrity Damage. One of the tracks he sang, "Unhand Me", was chosen as the first single from the album. and Mass Sugar<!--with whom?--> in 2007–2008.
Reading joined New American Shame, in 1999, before joining Loaded, with former Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan, the following year. When Loaded went on hiatus in 2002, he formed The Disciples, that would later become The Chelsea Smiles, with Christian Martucci, Todd Youth, and Howie Pyro before Loaded reunited in 2008.
Tribute Shows (2009–2010)
A reconstituted Green Apple Quick Step performed at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle on December 20, 2009. After speaking with Ken Connell at the Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma about performing another Green Apple Quick Step show, with a stage lineup consisting of Willman, Turner, and Reading, with guitarist Mike Squires of Reading's previous band, Loaded, and singer Christa Wells. Willman has expressed hope of releasing the band's third album. The following May 20, they played at the Crocodile Café in Seattle. alternative rock,