Formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in the mid-'80s, Sick of It All became a seminal band in the New York City hardcore scene. While remaining true to their roots and without compromising their style, Sick of It All have progressed from an indie band with a strong live following to a major-label act touring with the likes of Helmet and... [+] Read More

Formed by brothers Lou and Pete Koller in the mid-'80s, Sick of It All became a seminal band in the New York City hardcore scene. While remaining true to their roots and without compromising their style, Sick of It All have progressed from an indie band with a strong live following to a major-label act touring with the likes of Helmet and Rancid. Sick of It All remain a vital influence on the hardcore scene. They released Built to Last in early 1997 to critical acclaim and an expanding audience.

The brothers came up with the band's bluntly expressive name in their parents' basement in 1984. SOIA's original lineup -- with Lou on vocals, Pete on guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Arman Majidi on drums -- released an initial self-titled EP in 1987 on the independent Revelation label. After playing N.Y.C. clubs like CBGB's and building a strong local following, SOIA released, on the Combat label, their first album, Blood Sweat & No Tears, a collection of 19 songs of intense energy, 17 of which clocked in at less than two minutes. Following the release of the album, SOIA embarked on their first national tour. Majidi left during the tour to work with Rest in Pieces and was replaced by Max Capshaw. Majidi rejoined to record the We Stand Alone EP, which was released in early 1991 on the Relativity label. Neither Majidi nor Cipriano played with the Koller brothers on the tour preceding the release; Eddie Coen substituted on bass, plus E.K. on drums.

SOIA recorded and released Just Look Around for Relativity in 1992 with the original lineup intact, and then Cipriano left for good prior to an international tour that brought SOIA to Europe and Japan. Craig Setari came on to play bass and to establish the lineup that has remained intact through the release of Built to Last. Just Look Around was instrumental in revitalizing the declining N.Y.C. hardcore scene. SOIA left the Relativity label after the release of the album, citing dissatisfaction with the efforts of the indie label. They released Scratch the Surface in 1994 on the Eastwest label, facing accusations of selling out from fans and industry members.

Two releases in 1995 on the Lost & Found label -- a live album entitled Live in a World Full of Hate and a collection of early recordings, Spreading the Hardcore Reality -- bridged the gap between the releases of Scratch the Surface and Built to Last, which was released on the Elektra label. During that time, SOIA continued to tour extensively, including visits to South and Central America.

SOIA has suffered from associations with violence. Frequent fights at early shows gave them the unwanted and unfounded image of condoning violence. The bandmembers have attempted to disassociate the group from the violent acts of their fans. In the early '90s, Wayne Lo, a Massachusetts prep student, shot and killed several classmates while wearing a Sick of It All T-shirt, and The New York Times granted space to the bandmembers to issue a statement of vindication, in which they explained how Lo had misinterpreted their lyrics. Rolling Stone also ran an editorial in defense of the band. "Goatless," a song on Scratch the Surface, is inspired by the episode.

SOIA's steady progression has been colored by numerous accusations of selling out. The band once debated the pseudo-anarchist band Born Against live on N.Y.U. radio about that very subject. The band generally dismisses any such accusations. Only in recent years have the members of the group been able to give up their "day jobs." They are not overly concerned about their image, and in fact have stated in interviews that they have no image. They are more concerned about writing music inspired by real events in their own lives, and performing it with more emphasis on impact and energy than on melody.

Still going strong into the new millennium, Sick of It All returned with their second release on Fat Wreck Chords, Yours Truly, in the fall of 2000. Next came the band documentary video The Story So Far in 2001, their contribution to Fat's Live in a Dive series (2002), the studio album Life on the Ropes (2003), and the B-sides collection Outtakes for the Outcast (2004). Marking 20 years together in 2006, they began the year over in the U.K. with Dropkick Murphys before their ninth full-length, Death to Tyrants, dropped in April on Abacus. ~ Nick Kemper, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Blending rap, funk, hardcore punk, heavy metal, and socially aware lyrics, Downset was initially formed in Los Angeles in the late '80s as part of the city's still thriving hardcore scene, but quickly expanded their sound (and changed their name from the more didactic Social Justice). Composed of vocalist Rey Oropeza, guitarists Ares Schwager... [+] Read More

Blending rap, funk, hardcore punk, heavy metal, and socially aware lyrics, Downset was initially formed in Los Angeles in the late '80s as part of the city's still thriving hardcore scene, but quickly expanded their sound (and changed their name from the more didactic Social Justice). Composed of vocalist Rey Oropeza, guitarists Ares Schwager and Rogelio "Roy" Lozano (the latter of whom has also worked as Cypress Hill's touring guitarist), bassist James Morris, and drummer Chris Lee, Downset perfected their bleak, urban brand of rap/hard rock fusion years before the genre exploded commercially, debuting in 1994 with a self-titled album for Polygram. The follow-up, Do We Speak a Dead Language?, appeared in 1996, but the band was soon frustrated in its efforts to complete a third album due to contractual entanglements resulting from its label's merger with Universal. Downset eventually caught on with Epitaph and issued Check Your People in late 2000. Universal followed four years later. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Named for its founder and lead singer, CIV blends traditional hardcore with an upbeat philosophy and catchy rhythms that take their cue from Adam Ant. The singer, Anthony Civocelli, was formerly a member of New York's Gorilla Biscuits, which released one album before breaking up in 1992. Civ opened his own tattoo parlor on Long Island before... [+] Read More

Named for its founder and lead singer, CIV blends traditional hardcore with an upbeat philosophy and catchy rhythms that take their cue from Adam Ant. The singer, Anthony Civocelli, was formerly a member of New York's Gorilla Biscuits, which released one album before breaking up in 1992. Civ opened his own tattoo parlor on Long Island before forming a new band, which includes bassist Arthur, guitarist Charlie, and drummer Sammy (bandmembers choose not to reveal their last names). The band's knack for occasionally wearing gold-lamé suits and powder-blue leisure suits at gigs helped them get a record deal, and their first album, Set Your Goals, was released in 1995. Thirteen Day Getaway followed in 1998. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

One of the cornerstone bands of the '90s punk revival, Rancid's unabashedly classicist sound drew heavily from the Clash's early records, echoing their left-leaning politics and fascination with ska, while adding a bit of post-hardcore crunch. While some critics dismissed Rancid as derivative, others praised their political commitment, surging... [+] Read More

One of the cornerstone bands of the '90s punk revival, Rancid's unabashedly classicist sound drew heavily from the Clash's early records, echoing their left-leaning politics and fascination with ska, while adding a bit of post-hardcore crunch. While some critics dismissed Rancid as derivative, others praised their political commitment, surging energy, and undeniable way with a hook. And, regardless of critical debate over their significance, the band's strengths made them perhaps the most popular neo-punk band after Green Day and the Offspring. Their third album, 1995's ...And Out Come the Wolves, made them a platinum-selling sensation and an inescapable presence on MTV and modern rock radio. While they never translated that success into an enormous blockbuster record (like the aforementioned bands who hit the mainstream first), that wasn't necessarily their ambition, choosing to stay with the independent punk label Epitaph and the creative freedom it allowed them. That decision helped them retain a large, devoted core audience as revivalist punk-pop began to slip off the mainstream's musical radar.

Rancid were formed in 1991 by San Francisco Bay Area punk scenesters Tim Armstrong (guitar/vocals) and Matt Freeman (bass). Lifelong friends and longtime punk fans, the two had grown up together in the small, working-class town of Albany, near Berkeley; they'd also played together in the legendary ska-punk band Operation Ivy, Armstrong as "Lint" and Freeman as Matt McCall. After Op Ivy disbanded in 1989, Armstrong and Freeman spent a few weeks in the ska-punk outfit Dance Hall Crashers, as well as Downfall; Freeman later briefly joined the hardcore band MDC. Meanwhile, Armstrong was waging a battle with alcoholism (but, fortunately, winning), and to help keep his friend occupied, Freeman suggested they escape their day jobs by forming a new band, which became Rancid. The duo added drummer Brett Reed, Armstrong's roommate and a familiar presence on the Gilman Street scene where Operation Ivy had cut their teeth. Just a couple of months later, Rancid were performing live around the area, and in 1992 they released a five-song debut EP on Lookout! Records.

The EP caught the attention of Brett Gurewitz and his well-respected Epitaph label, which signed Rancid to a highly favorable contract guaranteeing them a generous amount of creative control. The band's eponymously titled, first full-length album arrived in 1993, pursuing an up-tempo, hardcore/skatepunk style with few hints of early British punk. Rancid had been seeking a second guitarist, and Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong even played live with the group at one show. They pursued Lars Frederiksen, a Bay Area resident who'd joined a later incarnation of U.K. Subs and was performing with the band Slip; Frederiksen initially declined Rancid's invitation to join, but when Slip disbanded, he quickly changed his mind and came along on Rancid's first tour. Frederiksen made his recording debut on the early-1994 EP Radio Radio Radio, a side dalliance on Fat Wreck Chords. Released later that year, Let's Go was the album that made Rancid's name in the punk underground. It marked the beginnings of their fascination with the 1977-era London punk scene, particularly the Clash, and it also provided their first widespread exposure when MTV picked up on the video for the single "Salvation." Let's Go quickly went gold, and with the breakout mainstream success of Green Day and the Offspring that year, major-label interest in Rancid quickly escalated into a full-fledged bidding war (even Madonna's Maverick imprint got in on the action). Ultimately, Rancid decided that no major could offer them the level of decision-making power that Epitaph had given them, and stayed right where they were.

Rancid scored a major success with their next album, 1995's ...And Out Come the Wolves, whose title was a reference to the near-predatory interest in signing the band. The Clash fetish was even more pronounced, augmented with a greater interest in the original Two-Tone ska revival the Clash had helped influence (bands like the Specials). "Ruby Soho" was a major MTV and radio hit, and "Time Bomb" and "Roots Radicals" were hits in their own right. The album went platinum and made Rancid one of the most visible punk bands around. They played the 1996 Lollapalooza Tour, and afterward took a short break, their first since becoming a quartet. During that time, Freeman played with former X singer Exene Cervenka in Auntie Christ, while Armstrong set up the Epitaph subsidiary Hellcat; he and Frederiksen both began doing production work for other bands they hoped to spotlight.

Rancid returned in 1998 with the even more ska-heavy Life Won't Wait, a guest-star-loaded affair that featured members of ska bands the Specials and Hepcat, Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, dancehall reggae star Buju Banton, and Agnostic Front vocalist Roger Miret. While it didn't cross over on the level of ...And Out Come the Wolves, it demonstrated that Rancid retained a substantial fan base. For the 2000 follow-up, their second self-titled release, the group largely scrapped its ska-punk side, recording a visceral, hardcore-influenced album that blasted through 22 songs in under 40 minutes (in contrast to its two lengthy predecessors). Perhaps for that reason, Rancid received a highly positive response from the punk community. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Out of all the post-Nirvana American alternative bands to break into the pop mainstream, Green Day was second only to Pearl Jam in terms of influence. At their core, Green Day was simply punk revivalists, recharging the energy of speedy, catchy three-chord punk-pop songs. Though their music wasn't particularly innovative, they brought the sound... [+] Read More

Out of all the post-Nirvana American alternative bands to break into the pop mainstream, Green Day was second only to Pearl Jam in terms of influence. At their core, Green Day was simply punk revivalists, recharging the energy of speedy, catchy three-chord punk-pop songs. Though their music wasn't particularly innovative, they brought the sound of late-'70s punk to a new, younger generation with Dookie, their 1994 major-label debut. Green Day wasn't always able to sustain their success -- Dookie sold over eight million, while its follow-up, Insomniac, only sold a quarter of its predecessor -- yet their influence was far-reaching because they opened the doors for a flood of American neo-punk, punk metal, and third wave ska revivalists.

Green Day was part of the northern California underground punk scene. Childhood friends Billie Joe Armstrong (guitar, vocals) and Mike Dirnt (bass; born Mike Pritchard) formed their first band, Sweet Children, in Rodeo, CA, when they were 14 years old. By 1989, the group had added drummer Al Sobrante and changed its name to Green Day. That year, the band independently released its first EP, 1000 Hours, which was well received in the California hardcore punk scene. Soon, the group had signed a contract with the local independent label Lookout. Green Day's first album, 1,039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hour, was released later that year. Shortly after its release, the band replaced Sobrante with Tre Cool (born Frank Edwin Wright III); Cool became the band's permanent drummer.

Throughout the early '90s, Green Day continued to cultivate a cult following, which only gained strength with the release of their second album, 1992's Kerplunk. The underground success of Kerplunk led to a wave of interest from major record labels; the band eventually decided to sign with Reprise. Dookie, Green Day's major-label debut, was released in the spring of 1994. Thanks to MTV support for the initial single, "Longview," Dookie became a major hit. The album continued to gain momentum throughout the summer, with the second single, "Basket Case," spending five weeks on the top of the American modern rock charts. At the end of the summer, the band stole the show at Woodstock '94, which helped the sales of Dookie increase. By the time the fourth single, "When I Come Around," began its seven-week stay at number one on the modern rock charts in early 1995, Dookie had sold over five million copies in the U.S. alone; it would eventually top eight million in America, selling over ten million copies internationally. Dookie also won the 1994 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Green Day quickly followed Dookie with Insomniac in the fall of 1995; during the summer, they hit number one again on the modern rock charts with "J.A.R.," their contribution to the Angus soundtrack. Insomniac performed well initially, entering the U.S. charts at number two, and selling over two million copies by the spring of 1996, yet none of its singles -- including the radio favorite "Brain Stew/Jaded" -- were as popular as those from Dookie. In the spring of 1996, Green Day abruptly canceled a European tour, claiming exhaustion. Following the cancellation, the band spent the rest of the year resting and writing new material, issuing Nimrod in late 1997. Three years later, their long-awaited follow-up, a refreshingly poppy record titled Warning, was released. Another long wait preceded 2004's American Idiot, an aggressive rock opera that became a surprise success -- a chart-topper around the world, a multi-platinum seller, and easily the best reviewed album of their career. Green Day reveled in the album's success, hitting numerous award shows and performing as part of Live 8 in July 2005. That fall brought Bullet in a Bible, which documented the trio's expansive Idiot live show. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A couple years after breaking up, Screeching Weasel return with a new lineup, a new sound and an album that would influence seemingly a million imitators. Labeled as their big comeback album, My Brain Hurts has a poppier, more mature sound rather than the teen-angst-ridden thrash-pop these guys were known for on their previous two records. And... [+] Read More

A couple years after breaking up, Screeching Weasel return with a new lineup, a new sound and an album that would influence seemingly a million imitators. Labeled as their big comeback album, My Brain Hurts has a poppier, more mature sound rather than the teen-angst-ridden thrash-pop these guys were known for on their previous two records. And with their best-known songs here -- like "Guest List," "Kamala's Too Nice" and their cover of "I Can See Clearly Now" -- My Brain Hurts was the album that would eventually define the Screeching Weasel sound for the remainder of their careers. ~ Mike DaRonco, All Music Guide [-] Hide

[-] Hide

Wearing their Ramones influences even more prominently on their sleeves, MTX "Starship" returned with another knockout album. "Dumb Little Band" is an honest reaction by a dumb little band that was left behind by their punk rock Gilman Street peers who hit the big time. Most of these songs, including "I Just Wanna Do It With You," "Ba Ba Ba Ba... [+] Read More

Wearing their Ramones influences even more prominently on their sleeves, MTX "Starship" returned with another knockout album. "Dumb Little Band" is an honest reaction by a dumb little band that was left behind by their punk rock Gilman Street peers who hit the big time. Most of these songs, including "I Just Wanna Do It With You," "Ba Ba Ba Ba Ba," and "I Fell for You" (among others), are winners. ~ Kembrew McLeod, All Music Guide [-] Hide

The all-female quartet Fluffy hails from England, and Black Eye is a hyperactive, glam-tinged punk assault. Lead singer Amanda Rootes delivers every lyric with a sneer and her guitar playing, along with Bridget Jones, who emphasizes sonic crunch over innovation. With the bedrock-solid rhythm section backing them, Fluffy tears through fourteen... [+] Read More

The all-female quartet Fluffy hails from England, and Black Eye is a hyperactive, glam-tinged punk assault. Lead singer Amanda Rootes delivers every lyric with a sneer and her guitar playing, along with Bridget Jones, who emphasizes sonic crunch over innovation. With the bedrock-solid rhythm section backing them, Fluffy tears through fourteen concise, melodic cuts of melodic punk with purpose. The lyrics generally focus more on debauchery than substance, but there's no denying that the foursome always offers up hooks galore. The lack of dynamic diversity makes Black Eye somewhat of a one-trick pony, but it's a trick that makes the album's strongest tracks a joy. ~ Tom Demalon, All Music Guide [-] Hide

D Generation's eponymous debut album for EMI Records was sunk by a glossy, mainstream production that rendered them more hair-metal than modern-day punk. After the record stiffed and EMI dropped them, the group headed over to Columbia Recrods, where they recorded No Lunch with producer Ric Ocasek. Unlike its predecessor, No Lunch keeps it simple... [+] Read More

D Generation's eponymous debut album for EMI Records was sunk by a glossy, mainstream production that rendered them more hair-metal than modern-day punk. After the record stiffed and EMI dropped them, the group headed over to Columbia Recrods, where they recorded No Lunch with producer Ric Ocasek. Unlike its predecessor, No Lunch keeps it simple and dirty. D Generation recalls the sleazy hard-rock of proto-punkers like the New York Dolls more heavily than the speedy punk of the Ramones and, occasionally, they sound like the Clash at their most anthemic. In short, they're an angry hard-rock band that plays fast and loose, whether it's the furious "Scorch," the insistent "No Way Out" or the melodic glitz of "Not Dreaming." No Lunch has a few weak patches, particularly when the band tries to slow things down, but it is the album that justifies D Generation's long-simmering hype. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide