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Imagine Morrissey fronting Social Distortion and you might get an idea of what Southern California's Death On Wednesday are all about. On first listen, you might think of the bizarre lounge aesthetic of The Smoking Popes or even maybe the dark intensity of Glenn Danzig and The Misfits. Not so easily pigeonholed in the typical pop-punk mold of some of their West Coast kinsmen, Death on Wednesday cite influences as diverse as The Beatles and Elvis to Dramarama and The Cult. Their unique sound -- melodic yet pulverizing guitar riffs coupled with a solid rhythmic backbone - has already garnered them a great deal of attention in their native Orange County. With the release of Buying The Lie, it won't be long before they ensnare fans worldwide.
Long time friends Nate Lawler (vocals, guitar) and Kevin Smith (bass, background vocals) formed their first band, Midway while only in high school. They played gigs throughout the Inland Empire, but quickly grew tired of the few punk outlets the IE had to offer. They jumped in their van and made the permanent pilgrimage to Orange County. There they met Jorma Vik (drums) and Scott Raynor (guitar). The four clicked instantly and immediately started booking shows. The band rapidly began carving out a name for themselves within the OC circuit. They captivated audiences and in turn built a loyal, well-rounded following.
One weekend the four piece (then going as The Redliners) would go from supporting OC punk staples like Unwritten Law, Guttermouth and Slick Shoes, to the next opening up for indie rockers like Ultimate Fakebook, the Stereo, Midtown and Garrison.
The band proved to themselves to new audiences, they feed off their live performances, playing hard and giving their all. This energy is reflected in their fans, who despite their range in age or musical tastes, come time and again to see their explosive live show.
With two self-produced EPs already under their belt (and one line-up change,in early 2000 Scott left the band and was replaced by local scenester, Jeff Saenz), D.O.W. have been hard at work creating their upcoming full lengthalbum, Buying The Lie, out on SideCho/Vagrant Records on October 2000. Trever Keith (Face to Face) produces (and lays down some of his signature guitar licks) with Chad Blinman (Face to Face, the Get Up Kids) as engineer. These two so-cal punk veterans helped D.O.W. create a more mature sound, both musically and lyrically while still maintaining the band's signature sound.Discography:
Electrical Signal EP (unreleased)
The Doubletime EP (SideCho Records) CHO1001
Buying The Lie (SideCho/Vagrant Records) CHO1003
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