Group gets record deal nearly 20 years after it broke up

For most local bands, getting signed by a record company is a dream. For Glastetter, it was almost a joke. The band has been inactive for nearly 20 years.

Formed in 1986, Glastetter was originally based out of Portageville, Mo. A diverse band that featured original and cover songs by popular rock, metal and "hair metal" bands of the time, (some of their favorites included AC/DC, Aerosmith and Guns 'n Roses) in 1987 they recorded and produced their first demo at the now famed Easley-McCain recording studio in Memphis, Tenn.

It was this demo — uploaded on a MySpace page — that caught the ear of Retrospect Records, which has released more than 300 albums the past two years. The offer sounded unbelievable at first to band member Steve Glastetter.

"My brother and I are always thinking about how to use MySpace to promote Lost Possum, so we kind of just put up the Glastetter page as a side project-type of thing," Glastetter said. "I figured as long as I'm already on here why not go ahead and make a page for this band that had a lot of interest in its time."

Lost Possum is a local band the Glastetter brothers are currently in.

The original Glastetter band — with Steve Glastetter on guitar, drummer Nathan Day, Malcolm Springer on bass guitar, vocalist Greg Johnson and guitarist Bob Glastetter — broke up in 1990, but they have reunited and plan on recording new music to go along with the re-released material. Retrospect Records also plans on slotting Glastetter at the Pryor Creek, Okla., Rocklahoma Festival — one of the biggest rock festivals of the summer — in 2009.

"The best thing about this is that we are together for the first time in 25 years," Steve Glastetter said. "We have been practicing, and I've gotta say it's been like riding a bike. We've got all the original members back and we're already ready to play some big shows. It's exciting to say the least."

Steve Glastetter said this experience should send an encouraging message to every local musician trying to make it in Southeast Missouri: There's always a chance, but don't give up on your music.

"You have to promote yourself and your band," he said. "We weren't even trying; it just happened. We got lucky. But we got lucky because we promoted ourselves with myspace and other outlets. You hear stories about bands that work their butts off for years and never go anywhere because no one knows about them."

For more information about Glastetter check out www.myspace.com/glastetterrocks.