Attitude Adjustment (band)
Encyclopedia
Attitude Adjustment was a crossover thrash
band formed in the early 1980s in the San Francisco Bay Area
.
, Eric Smith and Rick Strahl in early 1985, briefly with Nick Koljian on vocals. The lineup was changed by the addition of Kevin Reed
on vocals. This lineup played a number of initial shows at Ruthies Inn, the New Method, the Mabuhay Gardens
and other Bay Area venues. Several months later Kevin Reed was replaced by Andy Andersen on vocals and Chris Scapparo joined as a second guitarist. They shortly went into the studio to record the Dead Serious Demo in 1985. The demo was recorded at Peter Miller Studios and engineered by Eric Kauschen.
(Known as Forbidden Evil at that time), Vio-Lence
, Sacrilege
, Possessed
, Hirax
, Death Angel
, R.K.L.
, Dr. Know
, Suicidal Tendencies
, Corrosion of Conformity
, D.R.I.
, Discharge
, UK Subs
, Neurosis
, The Exploited
and Operation Ivy
, among others. The band finally released their debut album, American Paranoia released by Pusmort Records. This album is considered to be a "crossover" between hardcore
and thrash metal
.
Attitude released an LP and an EP, taking a more thrash metal
-like style, with Andy Andersen returning to his initial style of singing. Rick Strahl and Chris Scaparro became the new guitarists with Eric Brecht on drums during this time.
Chris Kontos, Eric Smith and Kevin Reed continued on with Attitude Adjustment and in 1988, this new lineup released the EP No More Mr. Nice Guy, again on Pusmort Records, which is very different from American Paranoia.
By 1990, former members Andy Anderson, Chris Scaparro, and Rick Strahl formed a new band with a more hard rock
direction. The band was called Two Bit Thief and they kept it alive until 1995.
Kontos and Reed returned to the name Attitude Adjustment in 1991, but with another new lineup to record their last studio album, Out Of Hand, again mixing hardcore with thrash metal.
In 1993, the American Paranoia LP and the No More Mr. Nice Guy EP were re-issued on CD. The LP version includes the Dead Serious demo.
Chris Kontos joined Robb Flynn (who left Vio-Lence) in 1993 to form the post thrash band Machine Head
.
As of July 2007, the band has reformed, at least temporarily.
In 2011, the band released a new album "No Way Back" on Taang records.
Crossover thrash
__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...
band formed in the early 1980s in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
.
Formation
The band was formed by Chris KontosChris Kontos (musician)
Chris Kontos is best known as the drummer of Machine Head on their first album, Burn My Eyes. He and the band parted ways before their second album in 1997...
, Eric Smith and Rick Strahl in early 1985, briefly with Nick Koljian on vocals. The lineup was changed by the addition of Kevin Reed
Kevin Reed
Kevin Bruce Reed is an American Presbyterian author, theologian, and publisher.Reed grew up in Dallas, Texas, and attended the Richardson, Texas public schools. He left Dallas in August 1973, to attend Moody Bible Institute, in Chicago, Illinois, where he graduated with a diploma in Bible and...
on vocals. This lineup played a number of initial shows at Ruthies Inn, the New Method, the Mabuhay Gardens
Mabuhay Gardens
The Mabuhay Gardens was a San Francisco nightclub located at , on the Broadway strip of North Beach, an area best known for its strip clubs....
and other Bay Area venues. Several months later Kevin Reed was replaced by Andy Andersen on vocals and Chris Scapparo joined as a second guitarist. They shortly went into the studio to record the Dead Serious Demo in 1985. The demo was recorded at Peter Miller Studios and engineered by Eric Kauschen.
Early Tours and Recording
In 1986 and 1987, Attitude Adjustment played frequent gigs throughout the Bay Area and California. They played alongside bands like ForbiddenForbidden (band)
Forbidden is a thrash metal band from the San Francisco Bay Area. Formed in 1985 as Forbidden Evil, the group was founded by Russ Anderson and Craig Locicero, who are both permanent members. Since their formation, Forbidden have broken up and reformed twice with numerous line-up changes...
(Known as Forbidden Evil at that time), Vio-Lence
Vio-lence
Vio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
, Sacrilege
Sacrilege (band)
Sacrilege were a female-fronted thrash metal band from the Midlands region of England. Despite having played relatively few gigs during their existence, Sacrilege are today recognised as an important band; both as an influence on later heavy metal and doom metal bands, and as an example of the...
, Possessed
Possessed (band)
Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...
, Hirax
Hirax
Hirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena , the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the other new thrash metal bands of the area such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer...
, Death Angel
Death Angel
Death Angel is a Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. Death Angel has released six studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and two live albums....
, R.K.L.
Rich Kids on LSD
Rich Kids on LSD was a Californian hardcore punk band formed in 1982 in Montecito, California, a suburb of Santa Barbara. They were associated with the "Nardcore" scene that evolved out of nearby Oxnard. Their music expanded over the years from West Coast hardcore to a mix of hardcore with rock...
, Dr. Know
Dr. Know (band)
Dr. Know is a punk band which began as a Nardcore band and now has roots in Los Angeles, CA.They are one of the founding figures of the "Nardcore" punk movement from Oxnard, CA. The band was started by Kyle Toucher, Ismael Hernandez, and Robin Cartwright in early 1981, and after auditioning a few...
, Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies is a U.S. crossover thrash band founded in 1981 in Venice, Los Angeles, California by Mike Muir, its leader and only permanent member. The band is sometimes credited as one of "the fathers of crossover thrash"...
, Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity
Corrosion of Conformity is an American heavy metal band from Raleigh, North Carolina formed in 1982. For almost the majority of its existence, the band has consisted of guitarist Woody Weatherman, bassist Mike Dean , drummer Reed Mullin and vocalist and rhythm...
, D.R.I.
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
, Discharge
Discharge (band)
Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
, UK Subs
UK Subs
The U.K. Subs are an English punk rock band, among the earliest in the first wave of British punk. Formed in 1976, the mainstay of the band has been vocalist Charlie Harper, originally a singer in Britain's R&B scene. They were also one of the first street punk bands.-Career:The U.K...
, Neurosis
Neurosis
Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving distress but neither delusions nor hallucinations, whereby behavior is not outside socially acceptable norms. It is also known as psychoneurosis or neurotic disorder, and thus those suffering from it are said to be neurotic...
, The Exploited
The Exploited
The Exploited are a Scottish punk band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1979. Originally a street punk band, they transformed into a faster hardcore punk band with a heavy political influence. From about 1987 on they changed into a crossover thrash band...
and Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy
Operation Ivy was the eighth series of American nuclear tests, coming after Tumbler-Snapper and before Upshot-Knothole. Its purpose was to help upgrade the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons in response to the Soviet nuclear weapons program...
, among others. The band finally released their debut album, American Paranoia released by Pusmort Records. This album is considered to be a "crossover" between hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
and thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
.
Lineup Changes
At the end of 1987, Andy Andersen, Chris Scaparro and Rick Strahl joined up with former Condemned to Death guitarist Keith Chatham to form Condemned Attitude, which would later be renamed Attitude.Attitude released an LP and an EP, taking a more thrash metal
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
-like style, with Andy Andersen returning to his initial style of singing. Rick Strahl and Chris Scaparro became the new guitarists with Eric Brecht on drums during this time.
Chris Kontos, Eric Smith and Kevin Reed continued on with Attitude Adjustment and in 1988, this new lineup released the EP No More Mr. Nice Guy, again on Pusmort Records, which is very different from American Paranoia.
By 1990, former members Andy Anderson, Chris Scaparro, and Rick Strahl formed a new band with a more hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
direction. The band was called Two Bit Thief and they kept it alive until 1995.
Kontos and Reed returned to the name Attitude Adjustment in 1991, but with another new lineup to record their last studio album, Out Of Hand, again mixing hardcore with thrash metal.
In 1993, the American Paranoia LP and the No More Mr. Nice Guy EP were re-issued on CD. The LP version includes the Dead Serious demo.
Chris Kontos joined Robb Flynn (who left Vio-Lence) in 1993 to form the post thrash band Machine Head
Machine Head (band)
Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
.
As of July 2007, the band has reformed, at least temporarily.
In 2011, the band released a new album "No Way Back" on Taang records.
Current line-up
- Chris KontosChris Kontos (musician)Chris Kontos is best known as the drummer of Machine Head on their first album, Burn My Eyes. He and the band parted ways before their second album in 1997...
(drums) - Kevin Reed (vocals)
- Eric McIntire (guitar)
- Yapple Rueles (guitar)
- Greg Orr (bass)
Former members
- Nick Koljian (vocals - Scoopy's Clownhouse Revenge)
- Kevin Reed (vocals - Deathtoll, Deface, Numbskull)
- Andy Andersen (vocals - Condemned Attitude, Attitude, Two Bit Thief)
- Eric "Bobo" Smith (guitar)
- Ray Vegas (bass - Vio-LenceVio-lenceVio-lence was a thrash metal band formed in 1985 in the San Francisco Bay Area. They released demo tapes, one EP and 3 LPs between 1985 and 1993. Their most stable line-up was Phil Demmel and Robb Flynn on guitars, Deen Dell on bass, Perry Strickland on drums and Sean Killian on vocals.- 1985 -...
, Social Unrest) - Chris KontosChris Kontos (musician)Chris Kontos is best known as the drummer of Machine Head on their first album, Burn My Eyes. He and the band parted ways before their second album in 1997...
(drums - Machine HeadMachine Head (band)Machine Head is an American heavy metal band from Oakland, California. Formed on October 12, 1991, the group was founded by Robb Flynn and Adam Duce. There have been 4 member changes since their inception. The current lineup of the band comprises Flynn , Duce , ex-Vio-Lence guitarist Phil Demmel ,...
, Death AngelDeath AngelDeath Angel is a Filipino-American thrash metal band from Concord, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. Death Angel has released six studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and two live albums....
, Verbal AbuseVerbal AbuseVerbal Abuse is a hardcore punk band, originally from Houston, Texas, but which became successful after moving to San Francisco.Verbal Abuse was started in Houston, Texas in 1981 after singer and songwriter Nicki Sicki quit the band Sick Pleasure and moved to Virginia, then back to Texas when he...
) - Keith Medeiros (bass)
- Keith Chatham (guitar)
- Paul Birnbaum (drums)
- Eric Brecht (drums - HiraxHiraxHirax is an American thrash metal band from Cypress, California. Starting in 1984 under the leadership of vocalist Katon W. De Pena , the band played in Los Angeles and San Francisco with the other new thrash metal bands of the area such as Metallica, Exodus, and Slayer...
, Death, D.R.I.Dirty Rotten ImbecilesDirty Rotten Imbeciles is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from the United States that formed in Houston, in 1982. The band currently comprises founding members, vocalist Kurt Brecht and guitarist Spike Cassidy, as well as drummer Rob Rampy and bassist Harald Oimoen.D.R.I...
) - Tezz Bones (guitar - DischargeDischarge (band)Discharge is a British hardcore punk band formed in 1977 by Terry "Tezz" Roberts and Roy "Rainy" Wainwright. They are often considered among one of the very first bands to play hardcore punk, and to mix punk with metal...
, Broken BonesBroken BonesBroken Bones are a Hardcore punk band with a distinct sound that is heavily influenced by other UKHC punk bands such as Discharge, and in later cases, crossover thrash.-Career:...
) - Sean Sutton (guitar)
Bands influenced by Attitude Adjustment
- Napalm DeathNapalm DeathNapalm Death are a death metal band formed in Birmingham, England in 1981. While none of its original members remain in the group, the lineup of vocalist Mark "Barney" Greenway, bassist Shane Embury, guitarist Mitch Harris and drummer Danny Herrera has remained consistent for most of the band's ...
recorded "Dope Fiend" off of "American Paranoia" for Leaders Not Followers: Part 2Leaders Not Followers: Part 2Leaders Not Followers: Part 2 is the eleventh album by the British band Napalm Death. It contains covers of various hardcore punk and heavy metal songs...
. - Jailcell Recipes recorded "Dead Serious" for their Poulton Road EP.
- Thrash band Municipal WasteMunicipal Waste (band)Municipal Waste is a thrash metal/crossover thrash band from Richmond, Virginia.They performed at the UK's Download Festival on June 15, 2008, on the tuborg stage....
.
Discography
- Dead Serious - Demo 1985
- American Paranoia - LP 1986
- No More Mr. Nice Guy - EP 1988
- Out Of Hand - LP 1991