The four band members, Greg Attonito, Pete Steinkopf, Bryan Kienlen, George Rebelo, were all members of bands in high schools in Basking Ridge. After they decided to move to New Brunswick to follow the growing underground music scene there. With a strong fan base formed from students from the nearby Rutgers University, The Bouncing Souls, who took their name from a Doc Marten’s advertisement, became a staple of the local scene, and also brought supporting bands to the forefront at their shows.
The band released their debut album titled “The Good, The Bad & The Argyle” in 1994 on their own independent label, Chunksaah Records. The album was a compilation of all their previous EP’s, and an album of wholly new material, “Manical Laughter” followed two years later. Half of the songs were written in a week, and their new wave punk sound gained them a tour slot with Youth Brigade, and a major label contract with Epitaph Records.
After a slight false start with their third eponymous album, Hopeless Romantic, their fourth album was a huge hit with fans and critics. The band was heralded for their experimental modern take on punk, paired with deep lyrical content.
The turn of the millennium saw some band line up changes and a new album, titled “How I Spent My Summer Vacation”. By this point the band had gained a large following around the world, as they became veterans in the punk scene. More recently they have toured with the likes of Black Flag, and had their music used for Hollywood movies such as “The Manchurian Candidate”. In 2004, the band released an anniversary DVD; “ Do You Remember? 15 Years of the Bouncing Soul”.
The original line up coalesced in 1991 originally under the name Jack Kevorkian and the Suicide Machines. This formation included Jason Navarro (vocals), Dan Lukacinsky (guitar), Jason Brake (bass), and Stefan Rairigh (drums). Over the course of the 1st three years the group experienced several line up changes. Rairigh was replaced by Bill Jennings who was in turn replaced by Derek Grant. The position of bass also opened and closed a few times. Jason Brace was proceeded by Dave Smith, but this lasted only brief time until Royce Nunley took up the role. By this point the group truncated Jack Kevorkian from their name and released their split album with the Rudiments, “Shank for Brains”.
1995 saw the band sign to the Walt Disney subsidiary, Hollywood Records and by 1996 they issued their studio debut album, “Destruction by Definition”. Their sound took musical cues from ska pioneers like The Specials, hardcore punk acts such as Bad Brains, and pinnacle new wavers like the English Beat. It was quickly accepted by the punk community and they even scored a moderate hit with their single “No Face”.
Their follow up album “Battle Hymns” came out in 1998 and acted as a continuation of their ska-core sound. It featured songs that exploded with catchy melodic riffs and blasts of punctual brass. The songs rarely hit over the two minute marker, seeming to disintegrate with visceral excitement before one realized it had begun. The album peaked at no. 127 on the Billboard 200 and it’s track “Give” was included in the Disney original movie “Brink!”.
The Suicide Machines released their 3rd self-titled album on 15 February 2005. The album was spearheaded by the single “Sometimes I Don’t Mind” and closed with the Joe South cover “I Never Promised You a Rose Garden”. The latter of the tracks appeared in the 1999 film “SLC Punk” starring Matthew Lillard and Jason Segel. A year later they issued their album “Steal This Record”, which included an R.E.M. cover and in 2002 they put out their compilation album “The Least Worst of the Suicide Machines”.
The group switched over to the label Side One Dummy in 2003 and issued the albums “A Match and Some Gasoline” and “War Profiteering Is Killing Us All”. Navarro also developed a record label of his own entitled Noise Riot Records” and put out the Suicide Machines’ 2nd compilation album “On The Eve of Destruction: 1991-1995” through it.
The group suddenly broke up in 2006, but have since reformed, playing their 1st reunion show in 2009. From 2010-2014 they have played various festivals like the Fest 9 and Riot Fest as well as sporadic gigs here and there. In 2015 they scheduled a two week tour, in which they would perform their album “The Definition of Destruction” in it’s entirety.
I have had the opportunity of seeing the Bouncing Souls many times in concert. I have seen them play the Stone Pony in New Jersey as well as The Social a couple times in Orlando. Every time I've seen the Bouncing Souls they keep a very casual atmosphere, however I can't vouch for larger venues as I have only attended bar shows. Their lead singer, Greg, will mosey back and forth on stage throwing in an awkwardly adorable dance move intermittently. The Bouncing Souls recently replaced their long time drummer Michael with George Rebelo from Hot Water Music. I had an opportunity to see George play with them recently and while the image of not having the same gang on stage is a little different, the sound and vibe of the group carries on without a noticeable change. The set lists have a great mix of their bigger "hits" such as "Ole!" and "Hopeless Romantic" but also some old classics like "These are the Quotes from our Favorite 80's Movies". Each performance that I have attended seemed so relaxed that it felt if I were inclined to yell out a request it would have been granted. The crowds at the shows are majority late twenty to early forties. There is still an active pit and crowd but not having the younger group around is quite enjoyable.
I have been a fan of 90’s bands for a long time. Rancid and Goldfinger are two of my favorite bands. A friend of mine knew this and he recommended a band called Suicide Machines. He described them as somewhere between Rancid and Goldfinger.
This made me curious. After listening to the CD, I was immediately hooked. I had to see this band live.They passed through my area a few times as part of a larger tour. I considered seeing them this way, but I always decided against it. I wanted to see them perform a full set, not just a few songs.
I finally got my chance. Suicide machines were scheduled to play a show in my area. I bought my tickets and waited.The day of the show finally arrived. I was so excited. My nervous energy might be helpful at the show, so I didn’t try to control it. When I arrived at the venue, I was ready. I looked at other members of the crowd, and felt solidarity.
We were going to have fun together. The band dove head first into their first song. The crowd went crazy. Over two hours of amazing music and we still wanted more. The band gave an encore and wished us a safe trip home. They were great. I had never had so much fun at a concert before.
The catchy melodies of Strike Anywhere were the elements of their punk rock music that got me into their music when I first came across it on the Tony Hawk video game back in 2003. People may think that Strike Anywhere are just your average punk rock band, but when you listen carefully to their lyrics, it becomes evident that they carefully construct and master their lyrics to broach topical and sometimes difficult issues such as women’s rights, animal rights, globalization, and many more current issues.
They opened the show with the title track from their debut album, Change is a Sound, and the energy was sky high from the moment they walked out onstage. They hyped up the crowd throughout the opening song by reaching out into the audience with their microphones and holding them up to the mouths of singing fans, and also by jumping up and down and getting everyone going.
Thomas Barnett and Matt Smith’s vocals blended together really well, and their harmonies were spot on. The way that Garth Petrie and Mark Miller intertwines their guitar solos together was also epic. The most dancing I did though, has to be in the drum solo, Eric Kane took it away and went mental, smashing epic and complex beats out on the drum. Each individual in that band is so talented, and together they make insane music.