Friday, February 22, 2008

Caught Inside


City: Miami
Years Active: 1994 - 2000
Type of Music: Punk/Ska
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/caughtinside

Poised to really blow up, Caught Inside broke up way too soon. They had signed with Drive Thru Records and then broke up soon after. They played a great blend of punk and ska, later dropping the ska in favor of a more melodic, faster style. Members went on to Forget the Jones.

Caught Inside - 25 Song Discography

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IKODK3FC

Caught Inside - Bolts In The Machine

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=29LEGUM9

Glasseater




City: Miami
Years Active: 1998 - 2004
Type of Music: Emo-Core
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/glasseater

Glasseater was a force to be reckoned with in the late 90's early 00's, playing all over the country, 4 Hellfests, and a tour of Japan. They released 4 records, 3 of which are still available. Members served time in and went on to Stretch Arm Strong, Destro, Set Apart, and Dance Floor Justice.

Glasseater - Miles Ahead of Where We Left Off (original pressing)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NVGGCE4P

Glasseater - Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=DY9GU04X

Glasseater - Demo 2

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9A0BLFR6

You can order 7 Years Bad Luck, their Self Titled, and Everything is Beautiful When You Don't Look Down here:

http://verydistro.com/moreinfo.aspx?id=777

http://verydistro.com/moreinfo.aspx?id=6620

http://verydistro.com/moreinfo.aspx?id=8787

Destro


City: Miami
Years Active: 1997 - 2002
Type of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: n/a

Along with Morning Again, Destro carried the torch for straight edge hardcore in the late 90s. The songs were very fast and melodic with vocals that had been compared to Karl from Earth Crisis. Members went on to or played in Until the End, Where Fear And Weapons Meet, Glasseater, All Hell Breaks Loose, Dance Floor Justice, and Promise No Tomorrow. If you are interested in ordering a copy of either record, send an email to Glengarryx@gmail.com

Destro - The Accuracy of Broken Whispers

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=4QE55ZO1

Destro - Lost, Lonely, Broken...And That's Just The Beginning

http://revhq.com/store.revhq?Page=search&Id=IOM2

Destro - Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8B7EJMTY

Destro - Demo 2

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NAM3V6R9

Stickshift Lover

City: Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
Years Active: 1996 - Present
Type of Music: Cock Rock
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/stickshiftlover

Stickshift Lover is just something you have to see to believe. Made up of some of the best known musicians in South Florida, "The Lover" likes to plizzease. Songs about sex, drugs, more sex, and the "Manaconda" of the Metal Wolf. Members have been in The Agency, Beyond Reason, Where Fear and Weapons Meet, Seville, 108, Machine, and Until the End.

Stickshift Lover - Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7ULWSBY1

Sasquatch


City: Miami
Years Active: 1996-1997
Type of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: n/a

Sasquatch may very well be the greatest band to ever come out of South Florida that have never heard. Their full name was actually "Sasquatch In Jew Head Duck" which means Sasquatch In Your Head Dog". I saw them a few times and I remember wanting to be in the band so bad because I thought they were amazing. They were only around for about a year and only recorded a live set of which the first song "Emergency Exit" was cut off. Members went on to Destro, Dance Floor Justice, and Glasseater.

Sasquatch - Live Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=K9JGWQMM

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Shortest Distance, A South Florida Compilation


Great comp featuring bands like New Found Glory, Last Minute (pre-Poison The Well and Forever And A Day), Milkshed, and Dashboard Confessional. I believe this is the first recording from Dashboard actually...

This will be available soon through Itunes from Fiddler Records.

Anger

City: Miami
Years Active: 1995 - Present
Type of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: n/a

Anger has been around in one form or another for the better part of 13 years. Featuring Alex "Tiny" Marquez on drums (Demolition Hammer, Solstice, Malevolent Creation) they took the anger of Madball and added the speed of Marquez's old death metal bands to create one of the angriest (no pun intended) bands to ever come out of Miami. As far as I know, Miami, Fl. is their only release, not sure if they recorded a demo or not.

Anger - Miami, Fl.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WSRSICAT

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Cynic



City: Miami
Years Active: 1988 - 1994
Type of Music: Metal
Myspace or Website: http://cynicalsphere.com/

Cynic was one of those bands that is impossible to describe because one minute they are all out fast thrash, then they slow down and do a 180 throwing in jazz fusion. They just did a reunion tour of Europe and are writing material for a new record. You can order their only full length "Focus" which has been remixed and remastered along with including new mixes of songs as well as the Portal demo

Cynic - Demo 1988

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TZ4UT92N

Cynic - Reflections of a Dying World (1989 Demo)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L1XFX1MV

Cynic - Demo 1990

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=KSA69M29

Cynic - Roadrunner Demo 1991

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=C93K9BJJ

You can order "Focus" here:

http://www.amazon.com/Focus-Cynic/dp/B0002ZYDXS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1203480278&sr=1-1

Quit



City: Miami
Years Active: 1988 - 2002
Type of Music: Punk
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/earlierthoughts

From the Quit website, written by Tom Bowker for an article in the Miami New Times.
Very special thanks to Steve Neurotic for all his help on getting the info correct on this post. Also a special thanks for the random person who sent the music to me, whoever you are.

Just Can't Quit - Twelve years later Miami's pop-punk trailblazers are back on track - By Tom Bowker

"Think back to what you missed." That question, asked on "It's All the Same" from Quit's landmark 1990 LP Earlier Thoughts, has haunted the Miami pop-punk trailblazers since the summer of 1993, when Quit singer/guitarist Addison Burns fell off a rooftop and pulverized his wrist -- suspending the career of Miami's most popular band for two years.
"The doctor said my wrist exploded," Burns recalls. "It was a year before I could even pick up a guitar, let alone play one." The timing couldn't have been worse. That same year, Quit watched idly by as the mall-punk revolution began and a parade of its pop-punk contemporaries gained fame and fortune. "I was bartending during that time," Burns grins. "And a lot of the time I was drinking instead of pouring." Nine years later -- after more comebacks and swan songs than an aging rock star behind on his alimony -- the three original members of Quit have banded together behind their strongest material to date.

Quit began in 1988 when Burns, drummer Andre Serafini, and guitarist Russell Mofsky hooked up at a skate ramp near the Falls shopping mall. "We got rained out one day, so we went back to my house and plugged in: instant band," Burns recalls. Within weeks the three amigos played their first show at the Cameo Theater. "We played at 2:00 p.m. and there were five people there, including our parents," Serafini chuckles. "We were playing a Descendants cover and this nut in a Descendants T-shirt ran down to the front and started going crazy. After we played he ran up to us and yelled, "I'VE GOTTA BE IN YOUR BAND!"

The nut -- a.k.a. Tony Rocha -- quickly metamorphosed from Quit's first fan to its bassist. With its lineup solidified, Quit began conquering Miami's sprawling punk and hardcore scene. Venues like Flynn's, the Kitchen Club, Beirut, and Churchill's hosted the band, and a growing throng of skaters, metalheads, and punkers fell in love with Quit's rapid-fire, yet danceable suburban angst.

After a gig at Beirut with the Mavericks, UM music business student Ralph Cavallero introduced himself and convinced the quartet he should manage them. "We were a bunch of teenage punks and he was coming from an ultra-pro, textbook way of doing things," Burns says. Cavallero, a partner in Rat Bastard's Sync studios, brought Quit in to take advantage of his free downtime. After a week of midnight-to-sunrise sessions, Quit completed Earlier Thoughts and began pounding the pavement for the funds to release it. "We weren't making enough from our shows," Burns explains. "So we went door to door asking our neighbors to invest and had Quit car washes." After washing every car from Kendall to Key Biscayne, Quit released the album in the summer of 1990 -- but lost guitarist Mofsky to the New England Conservatory of Music. Undeterred, the band soldiered on as a three-piece, stopping at both Austin, Texas's SXSW festival and New York City's New Music Seminar. Meanwhile Cavallero worked the phones into a frenzy, managing to crank Quit up to number 30 on CMJ's college radio charts. "Ralph got a list of every college radio station in the country and bugged the hell out of them until they played us," Burns smiles. "We washed a lot of cars to pay his phone bill."

In 1992 the trio went to Tampa's Morrisound Studios to record Grazing Day, their second record, but went broke before they could mix. While they hemmed and hawed about their unfinished record, Hurricane Andrew blew through their Kendall warehouse and ended the discussion. "We parked all of our cars in front of the warehouse to protect it from the wind," Burns grimaces. "When we came back the next day, Andre's van was upside down half a block away, two of the Morrisound tapes were swimming, and one was missing." Although the remaining tapes dried out and remained playable, the missing tape was the bane of Quit's existence. That is, until Burns's fall from the roof.

Quit returned to the stage in 1995 as a four-piece with Burns's fellow bartender Bobby Henion on second guitar. Despite the crowds that flocked to the gigs, the band was no longer a top priority for Serafini and Burns. "I was working fourteen-hour shifts, four days a week," Burns explains. "We both just saw Quit as a hobby." After eighteen months, the thrill of reliving past glories as a big fish in a small pond was gone. "It just wasn't the same as before, and I didn't want to be the old guy onstage trying to recapture the magic," says Burns. When reverting to a three-piece failed to bring back the spark, Quit called it quits -- sort of. After 800 people attended Quit's much-ballyhooed farewell show at Marsbar, the band decided to play another "last show" at Cheers. "I just didn't know what else to do with myself," Burns sheepishly admits.

After the second breakup, bassist Rocha left and was replaced by Fay Wray bassist Dan Bonebreak. Fed up with Miami, Burns and Bonebreak made plans to join ex-guitarist Mofsky in Boston and restart the band there. The week before Burns left town, Quit re-recorded Grazing Day but couldn't manage to mix the record before Burns's departure. "No matter what, Quit always takes a long time," Serafini cracks.

The reunited Burns and Mofsky set up a studio in Mofsky's one-car garage. "Addison bartended all night and I taught school during the day, so we'd see each other for an hour or two in the afternoon," Mofsky recalls. Burns slaved in the studio, teaching himself how to engineer and play drums while honing his songwriting with Mofsky. In April 1999 Burns joined Bonebreak and Serafini as Quit and Fay Wray embarked on a two-week bender across the South. "It was a blast," Burns affirms. "The shows were great. It reminded me why I started a band in the first place."

After the tour, Bonebreak briefly stuck with Burns and Mofsky before jumping at the chance to join Dashboard Confessional. Though they lost their bassist to a juggernaut, the duo had plenty to work with: Serafini had located the missing Morrisound tape. Burns contacted former manager Cavallero -- now a VP at Universal Music -- and the two of them began laying down vocal tracks when Cavallero went east for business. "Technology is great!" Burns enthuses. "I sent the ADAT tape to Ralph, he had it converted to his hard disk recorder and then sent me the CDs so I could work on it here." While continuing to crank out songs in Boston, Mofsky and Burns made plans to join Cavallero in Los Angeles to seek a record deal.

Burns hopped in his truck and drove to L.A. this past January in hopes of showcasing for labels on the industry's home turf. What happened was another matter. "L.A. is a rough town when you're down and out," Burns grimaces. No longer with a huge following or a working band, Burns and Cavallero made the A&R steak-dinner rounds. "They took us out to dinner, but then they basically talked to Ralph the entire time," Burns recalls. "After an hour or so they'd turn to me and say, 'So Addison, I understand you're working on some new material.' I'd say, 'Yeah, that's right,' and then they'd go back to talking to Ralph."

After six months in Los Angeles, Burns drove to Miami and found a newly divorced Serafini ready to jump back in the ring. "I called him to ask if he knew any good drummers and he said, 'I'm available -- take me,'" Burns smirks. Burns took Serafini's offer one step further, and moved both himself and his studio into Serafini's house. Serafini recruited Holy Terrors bassist Will Trev. Mofsky offered to fly down for shows. Suddenly Quit was reborn in Miami. Huh? "Andre and Addison are the only two people I've remained friends with for this long of a period," Mofsky explains. "I went to a jazz conservatory to find out I wanted to play in a rock band -- and the only band I want to play in is Quit."

Now back at full strength, with 40 new songs to draw on, Quit finally seems able to maximize its opportunities. "For years Less Than Jake has reminded us of their standing offer," Serafini notes. "'Get your shit together and we'll take you on the road.' Now we're ready." Currently the band is readying a compilation of early tracks for release on Purple Skunk Records this winter -- while continuing to record new songs in its studio. Nostalgic Gen-Xers eager for a trip back to 1990 are in for a surprise at Quit's upcoming gigs. While Descendants' Bill Stevenson still screams "Boom!" through Serafini's drums, the band's new tunes have a gravity befitting the indentations in Burns's wrist. No longer thinking about what they missed, the members of Quit have accepted the tagline of "It's All the Same": "You've lived your life to end up just like this."

Quit - Gettin Off On It Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X89OIA6J

Quit - Earlier Thoughts (1990 Original Release)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=BT0R8NX9


Quit - Earlier Thoughts (1996 Remix, Reissue)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1ALQQQ1W

Quit - Churchills Hideaway Compilation Track

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=THSDCUE0

Quit - Unreleased Tracks

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=0L1YOEK6

Morning Again






City: Coral Springs/Ft. Lauderdale
Years Active: 1996 - 1999
Type of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/xmorningagainx

Morning Again is my FAVORITE band to ever come out of South Florida. So much energy and passion that I can't even describe it. There was a period between 1996 and 1997 that you could see them once a month and we made a point to never miss them. Luckily for everyone, all their material is still available. You can order them from the following sites:

As Tradition Dies Slowly

http://revhq.com/store.revhq?Page=search&Id=REV070

Hand Of The Martyr

http://www.districtlines.com/design/2057/Eulogy


The Fallen, The Few That Remain

http://www.districtlines.com/design/2098/Eulogy

Friday, February 15, 2008

Amboog-A-Lard


City: Coral Springs
Years Active: 1987 - 1996
Type Of Music: Metal
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/amboogalard

Amboog-A-Lard will always be remembered for 3 reasons.
1. Their wacky name
2. Jeordie White who went on to play bass for Marilyn Manson
3. Their love of Star Wars
They really never got their due unfortunately but did release their only full length "A New Hope" as well as a Pro Demo. Members went on to Marilyn Manson

A New Hope

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OY6VPSNV

Pro Demo

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=7PMF2AS4

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Straight Youth


City: Miami/Hialeah
Years Active: 1990 (if memory serves)
Type Of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: n/a

Straight Youth was a joke band by future members of DNME and The Crumbs. To the best of my knowledge, none of the members were straight edge but they wrote some serious youth crew hardcore. The lyrics are amazing with songs like "X On My Hand" and "Positive Stand". This record is pretty valuable from what I understand and its the only record I have bought in the past 5 years. I dont have the cover on my computer but when I go home next month Ill scan mine to have it posted.


Together, We Can Make The Difference

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=WZTGD7GQ

Brethren





City: Hialeah
Years Active: 1995 - 2001
Type Of Music: Hardcore
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/brethren305

Brethren was one of the best and well respected bands from the 90s in South Florida. They had a sludgey sound with breakdowns early on but then changed a bit when they released their full length and went for more of a Madball style with a faster tempo. One of the first shows I went to was a Brethren show in 1995 and Im happy that I became pretty good friends with them.

No Regrets (7 Inch)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CCJDB2IE

To Live Again (Full Length)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=FF016B3Q

Trapped In Reality (Demo)

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=GJ0966S1

Unreleased Track

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S1OFR67S

What Wishes Can't Mend


City: West Palm Beach
Years Active: 1998 - 2004
Type Of Music: Metal
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/whatwishescantmend

From the ashes of Domain (with some lineup changes mainly the introduction of new lead singer Corey Digiacomo) came What Wishes Can't Mend in 1998 based out of West Palm Beach. They played a furious blend of emotional metal and hardcore comparable to those of the signature Florida metalcore sound that would soon become popular with the likes of Poison the Well and Remembering Never yet never incorporating overly redundant chugging mosh parts. Instead they favored a noisier approach to being heavy, loud and melodic. Unfortunately, they never really got the recognition a lot of people felt they deserved because of their lack of ability to tour due to Corey's various complicated medical conditions. That's not to say they never toured, just never too extensively. Around 2002 the band went on hiatus while Corey was treated for a medical illness. During this time, the band played a handful of karaoke shows (where the audience was provided the opportunity to be the lead singer) while Corey recovered. Making a comeback in 2003, WWCM reentered the local scene in full effect but it was bittersweet as in the summer of 2004, the band members started to encounter a plethora of personal issues which eventually lead to the band breaking up. They played a giant reunion show of sorts in 2005 at the Alley in Miami with Tyranny of Shaw, Pygmy, and Adore Miridia.

The most consistent lineup for the band:

Corey Digiacomo - vocals
Mike D'impero - bass
Phil Pinto - drums
Mark-Anthony Young - guitars
Ross Yabut - guitars

Post-WWCM:

Phil also played drums in south Florida metal band Cyst and once in a blue moon can be seen playing keyboards for the noise insanity that is the Howmba Sowmba (Chris Digiacomo's solo slaughterhouse). Mark-Anthony had a solo project for a while, but I can't remember the name of it. Eric Burns went on to form doom/sludge metal band Entropy after the break up of WWCM and prior to WWCM, he was in the noisegrind band Red Rocket Fiasco. Corey Digiacomo eventually moved to California, where he eventually co-developed a record label with his younger brother Chris who still lives in Florida called Makeshift Origami Records (www.myspace.com/makeshiftorigami) putting out the likes of Entropy (Eric Burns post-WWCM project), Capsule (ex-a ton of south florida hardcore/punk bands), Consular (Miami sludge warriors) and many more.

Love Is A Biased Word

http://www.mediafire.com/?5id1n1jt1hl

Rarities And Demos: a collection of their two demo tapes (unsure of which tracks belonged to which tape). the demo version of "may the sun never rise again" features dan from cyst on assisting vocals. also, a little interesting fact, may the sun never rise again was also released on an unofficial split cd with remembering never in order to help promote the release of remembering never's debut album. what wishes cant mend was unaware that remembering never even made the split cds that were passed around as promos at shows if my knowledge serves me correctly.

http://www.mediafire.com/?83k1gvg9bmt

The Courtesy Of Vultures: (self released recording of their last four songs - one of which includes the introduction of short lived guitarist eric burns to the lineup - hand assembled, screen printed and numbered out of 94)

http://www.mediafire.com/?cmt0mgjbmu4

You can also order their full length "Insomniac Diaries" from Very Distro here:

http://verydistro.com/moreinfo.aspx?id=5893

All info written by Joe.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The Agency



City: Miami
Years Active: 1994 - Present
Type Of Music: Early - Punk Ska, Current - Rock
Myspace or Website: http://www.theagencyrock.com/

The Agency began as a punk ska band but evolved into one of the best techinical rock bands to come out of South Florida in years. Members went on to Dashboard Confessional, Seville and Stickshift Lover.

The Agency - Rock To The Apocalypse

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=ZWEEX3MX

The Agency's tracks from their split with Milkshed:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RTVKWJ3S

You can order their new record "Turn" here:

http://www.perchrecords.com/

Solstice

City: Miami
Years Active: 1990 -1995, 2006 - Present
Type Of Music: Metal
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/solsticefl

Solstice was one of those bands that broke up before they should have and never got the recognition they should have gotten. Members had been in and went on to Cannibal Corpse, Demolition Hammer, Malevolent Creation, Divine Empire and Anger. They released their self titled debut (in my opinion one of the best metal records ever written which also includes a cover of SMD by Carnivore), a second record "Pray" which you can order through Nuclear Blast Records and a demo. From what their myspace says they are back in action.

Self Titled

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=X9GFG8FE

Demo 1990

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=6FSQ1FBS

Order "Pray" here

http://www.nuclearblast.de/index.php?Action=showShopProductDetail&artikelnummer=137766&kat=

Promise No Tomorrow


City: Miami
Years Active: 1995 - 1998
Type Of Music: Metal
Myspace or Website: http://www.myspace.com/promisenotomorrow

Promise No Tomorrow went through numerous lineup changes and names before settling on PNT and released this split with An Acre Lost (Poison The Well) on OHEV Records. Members went on to Adore Miridia, Glasseater, Dance Floor Justice, and To The Bitter End. Had they been from another state, I always felt they would have done so much better as a band. Great record and a great listen after all these years.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=SREPS31X

Powerhouse


City: Miami
Years Active: 1989-1991 (roughly)
Type Of Music: Youth Crew Hardcore
Myspace or Website: n/a

Powerhouse (to the best of my knowledge) was the first youth crew hardcore band in South Florida. They featured future members of Where Fear And Weapons Meet, Cavity, Machine, and the Judas Factor. They only released this one 7 inch on New Age Records and a demo.

"Death Of A Salesman (Self Titled)" 7 inch

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RYSMJT3X

Demo 1989

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=PLWYG4GN