Midnight Laserbeam

They scared the shit out of me the first time I saw them. I had no idea what was going on. You probably won't understand that by listening to the records, but they had two drummers and a guy screaming into the mic. When you are 14 and you go to Gilman to hear more bands that sound like Rancid, this situation will frighten you. I had never heard sounds like this. Being scared was awesome.

Midnight Laserbeam - After This We'll See Fireworks

Midnight Lazerbeam - A Death In The Discotheque

Dead And Gone

Dead And Gone were the best band to ever exist.

To me, they expressed the depressed and confused inner monologue of the person wallowing in late 20th century America better than anybody else. A perfect union of lyrical and musical themes, no one aspect of the band ever really overpowered another. The drums pounding maddening marching rhythms on the toms only to switch tempo, time signature and dynamics at the drop of a hat. The crooked and demented basslines hinting at melody while it's tentactles rear up, wrapping itself around your throat and dragging you back down into its darkness. The guitar like jagged icicles, like cold sheets of rain, like breathing your last breaths of air as you lay dying on the frozen tundra. The vocals, the voice in your head questioning all you've seen, all you've learned, all you've loved, pleading for sweet release from a life you've gone crazy trying to comprehend.
Perfection.

(all ripped from vinyl, except for the live set)

Dead And Gone - s/t 7" (vinyl communications, 1994)

Dead And Gone - T.V. Baby (prank records, 1995)

Dead And Gone - live set from 924 gilman (07/09/95)

Dead And Gone/The Gaia - split 7" (prank records, 1997)

Dead And Gone - God Loves Everyone But You (alternative tentacles, 1997)

Dead And Gone - Shiny And Black 2x7" (golden standard laboratories, 2000)

Dead And Gone - The Beautician (golden standard laboratories, 2001)