boldly going nowhere

A retrospective on the Houston pop/rock trio that battled robberies, revolving drummers, and the turn of the millennium.

In the late 1990s, the Houston music scene was a gritty, diverse landscape where ska bands played upstairs at Fitzgerald’s while pop/rock hopefuls grinded it out downstairs. Among them was waiting for her… (often stylized with a trailing ellipsis), a trio that blended melodic pop sensibilities with a “do-it-yourself” work ethic.

Formed by two childhood friends and a vocalist they found in the classifieds, the band spent roughly two years navigating the Texas club circuit. Their story (chronicled in a series of self-deprecating email newsletters and local press clippings) is a classic snapshot of the turn-of-the-millennium independent music grind.

The Origins (1988–1998)

The band’s core was built on the long-standing friendship between guitarist Terry Matula and bassist David Barbee. The two had been writing and performing together since 1988, having met in high school (Terry began guitar at age 9; Dave had been singing since age 3). By 1998, they found themselves in a musical lull. Barbee had just graduated from the University of Houston Law School and felt a void where music used to be. Matula, a University of North Texas music alum and technical director for the 93Q Country radio morning show, agreed it was time to return to their roots.

Seeking a “high-quality, original pop/rock” sound, they placed an ad in a local newspaper… a “hail mary” for a female vocalist.

They found Myla Cowan, a file manager who had grown up singing in church and “making stuff up” on the piano. It was the first and last time Myla ever answered such an ad. In the fall of 1998, they met up at Cafe Artiste and Myla sang acapella some of her songs, including “DaDaDa”, and the group was official. The initial rehearsals were tense; Myla later admitted she initially told the band they “needed an audience, not a singer,” while Barbee noted the difficulty of a new singer breaking into a decade-long friendship.

The Debut and The Robbery (Early 1999)

The band made a soft debut in February 1999 during Mardi Gras on Galveston Island with friend Chris Jones filling in on drums. According to a profile in Houston’s Other, the show went smoothly despite Myla’s pre-show jitters (“I hope we don’t suck”).

Their official Houston debut followed on April 23, 1999, at P.J.’s, supported by the release of their first CD, neon. By this time, they had recruited Matt, who would serve as the band’s drummer through their formative months from April to July.

The debut was a success, but momentum hit a wall almost immediately. Just days later, their rehearsal space was burglarized. The band lost their P.A. system and equipment valued at over $1,200.

The “Spinal Tap” Dilemma

Throughout their existence, waiting for her… struggled to keep a drummer. While the core trio (Terry, Dave, Myla) remained constant, the drum stool was a revolving door that became a running joke in their newsletters:

• Chris Jones: Played the early Mardi Gras shows.
• Matt: The “Official Debut” drummer (April ’99 – July ’99).
• Steve: Joined in August 1999.
• Trea: Took over in November 1999, debuting at Instant Karma.
• Chris Jones (Return): Briefly returned for a farewell show in May 2000 before moving to Dallas.
• Boris: The final drummer, joining in July 2000.

The band treated this instability with humor.

The Boldly Going Nowhere Era (2000)

In late 1999, the band entered the studio to record a follow-up to neon. The result was a four-song cassette EP titled boldly going nowhere, released in March 2000. The EP featured tracks like “Dispelling Rumours” and “Secret Crushes.”

The release marked the band’s most active period. They embarked on a “Spring Tour” that expanded their reach to College Station (North by Northgate Festival), Dallas (Deep Ellum), San Marcos, and Lufkin.

Fan reactions varied wildly. In Huntsville, they played to a raucous crowd of 250 college students. In Lufkin, they played to 50 patrons, where a local fan offered to let them crash in her hotel room and then tried to hitch a ride back to Houston with them (they declined).

By May 2000, they landed a high-profile opening slot for Sense Field (a Warner Bros. act) at Instant Karma.

The Final Stretch (Late 2000 – Early 2001)

The band’s momentum continued into late 2000. In August, Myla and Matula made their first radio studio appearance on KPFT 90.1 FM’s “Sound Awake.”

However, life began to intervene. Bassist Dave got married in September, and by November, the band announced they would soon be taking a hiatus to “let Myla have a kid.” Before the break, they squeezed in a final run of shows, including a freezing outdoor gig at The Art Studio in Beaumont and a “Battle of the Bands” at The Engine Room in downtown Houston.

The band’s final documented performance took place on January 13, 2001, at The Mausoleum. Myla took the stage while seven months pregnant, performing alongside indie-popsters Galaxy Girl.

The End

Shortly after, the band sent out their final newsletter, Issue #20. The email confirmed that the band “no longer exists,” citing the need for members to move on to other phases of life. They did play a few more shows in late 2002 and early 2003.

While the major label deal they once joked about (“touring the world with a debut selling 3 million copies”) never materialized, waiting for her… left behind a footprint of the era: a time when bands sold cassettes for $3, promoted shows via email chain letters, and defined success by whether the bartender was wearing their bumper sticker.