Authority Zero und Counterpunch

Formed whilst attending high school, Authority Zero came together in 1994, featuring Bill Marcks (guitars), Jerry Douglas (vocals, guitar) and Jason DeVore (vocals). They soon enlisted Jeremy Wood for bass duties, who had also taught Marcks and Douglas how to play guitar. As a talented bassist, his skills helped Authority Zero stand out from other punk acts, adding a sense of fluidity to the rhythm section. Jim Wilcox (drums) joined soon after, with the band beginning to play locally regularly.

Well-received early EPs and demos led the band to gain a contract with Lava Records, with whom they released their debut album, "A Passage In Time," in 2002. FInding hits with the singles "One More Minute" and "Over Seasons," the band established their presence on the punk rock scene, gaining high profile support slots with the likes of Sum 41, Everclear, Guttermouth and H2O.

In a short space of time, Authority Zero already had material for their second effort, releasing the distinctly latin-flavored "Andiamo" in 2004. Extensive touring followed before Authority Zero recorded an all-acoustic live album, "Rhythm and Booze," which appeared in 2006 on the Suburban Noize label. A support slot with Zebrahead helped gain new fans on tour, before returning with the more energetic "12:34," laying down some fast-paced punk.

In 2010, their fourth record found the band reaching the number five spot on the Billboard US Heatseekers chart, their highest position yet. Bassist Jeremy Wood unfortunately left the band in 2013, citing musical differences, shortly before Authority Zero unleashed their fifth outing, "The Tipping Point," again charting well.