▁by ▁avant - gar de ▁fla ut ist ▁Susan ▁St enger ▁and ▁guitar ist ▁Robert ▁Poss , ▁they ▁took ▁their ▁name ▁from ▁the ▁tri o ▁of ▁Sus ans ▁then ▁in ▁the ▁line up . ▁Poss , ▁St enger , ▁and ▁Sp itzer ▁grew ▁up ▁together ▁in ▁Buff alo , ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Band ▁of ▁Sus ans ▁released ▁the ▁ 1 2 " ▁EP ▁B less ing ▁And ▁Cur se ▁on ▁Poss ' s ▁own ▁Trace ▁Element s ▁label . ▁A ▁record - release ▁party ▁( also ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁band ' s ▁first - ever ▁live ▁gig ) ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁NY C ' s ▁The ▁Love ▁Club ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 8 7 ; ▁Bo S ▁were ▁the ▁opening ▁act ▁for ▁a ▁band ▁called ▁Das ▁F url ines . ▁They ▁were ▁soon ▁signed ▁to ▁the ▁avant - gar de ▁Bl ast ▁First ▁im print ▁of ▁UK ▁record ▁label ▁M ute ▁Records . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁début ▁album ▁Hope ▁Again st ▁Hope , ▁Rog ers , ▁Ly all ▁and ▁T all man ▁quit , ▁and ▁were ▁replaced ▁by ▁Kar en ▁H ag lo f ▁( gu itar ) ▁and ▁Page ▁Hamilton ▁( gu itar ). ▁This ▁line up ▁recorded ▁the ▁album ▁Love ▁Ag enda ▁and ▁a ▁Pe el ▁S essions ▁EP , ▁which ▁featured ▁a ▁cover ▁of ▁Gang ▁Of ▁Four ' s ▁" I ▁Found ▁That ▁Ess ence ▁R are ." ▁The ▁two ▁new ▁guitar ists ▁then ▁quit , ▁with ▁Hamilton ▁quickly ▁forming ▁the