Snapcase
Encyclopedia
Snapcase is a hardcore punk
band from Buffalo, New York
. Their records have been released on the Chicago
record label, Victory Records
. Through the course of the band's initial run of fourteen years, they released six studio albums before disbanding in 2005.
After a two-year hiatus, Snapcase reunited for a brief period in 2007, performing three concerts in November. Another reunion is ongoing, and the band are currently supporting Sick of It All
as of 2011.
and was named Solid State. In 1989, the lineup was guitarist Scott Dressler, then 15 years of age, 17 year-old drummer Mike Kimaid, Daryl Taberski, age 18 on bass, and Tiger Balduf, the eldest at 19 on vocals. Prior to recording their first demo as Solid State on January 30, 1990, Quest for Reality, Tiger Balduf left the band to get married, and Mike Kimaid left to join the Lockport
, NY based band The Watchmen. In their places instead were Chris Galas on vocals and Peter Dawidzak on drums. Soon after recording this, Peter Dawidzik left the band to go to school. On May 22, 1990, Solid State recorded their second demo, Accept Your Fate, with their friend Mike Lampe, who had assisted with the previous demo, as well. During this recording, the band was composed of Chris Galas on vocals, Scott Dressler playing guitar, Jason Kourkounis on drums, and Daryl Taberski on bass.
During the spring of 1991, Solid State went through a big lineup shift; Kourkounis left the band to pursue other musical interests, and Kimaid rejoined the band along with The Watchmen guitarist Joe Smith, making the band a five-piece. After these changes to their lineup, the band decided to change their name to Snapcase. Between the years of 1991 and 1992, Snapcase recorded two demos with Dennis Fura, Break The Silence and King of the Mountain. In 1992 the band was signed to Chicago
hardcore label Victory Records
and recorded their first 7 inch, Comatose, with Mike Sac and Robby Takac
that year.
There was a line-up change following the release date of the single; Taberski moved over to vocals, replacing Chris Galas, Bob Whiteside from Buffalo, NY band Support took over on bass, and Jon Salemi, who played drums in Support, joined to replace Joe Smith, who left for school. In 1993, Kimaid left the band after partially recording the band's first album and was replaced by former Buffalo, NY based Slugfest drummer, Tim Redmond, who performed on the rest of the tracks. Snapcase's first full length recording, Lookinglasself, was released in 1993 and was recorded with Don Fury and Fred Betschen.
In early 1995, the band released the Steps EP, which they recorded with Fred Betschen. This was the last recording to feature Scott Dressler, who left the band in the fall of 1995 to go to graduate school. He was replaced by Frank Vicario of Buffalo, NY band Fadeaway. In the summer of 1996, The California Takeover
was released which featured live recordings from Snapcase, Earth Crisis
, and Strife
.
, an album which is considered to be revolutionary by many fans of hardcore. The band set out on a summer tour, and featured performances on the Vans Warped Tour. In the fall of 1997, the band took some time off so that members could pursue education. In 1998, the band resumed touring, and was the opening band on the fall tour of the Deftones
and Quicksand. They also went into the studio with Brian McTernan
in the fall of 1998 to record a cover of the Bad Brains
"I", released on Century Media's Never Give In tribute record, and a split EP with Boysetsfire
that was released in the summer of 1999. These were the last recordings with bassist Bob Whiteside. He was replaced by Dustin Perry, formerly of the Minneapolis, MN
band Threadbare. They headlined Hellfest that summer in Syracuse, NY.
Designs for Automotion, the band's third full length album, was recorded in the summer of 1999 with Steve Evetts was released in January 2000. They spent most of 2000 on tour, performing on the Deconstruction tour in Europe
with NOFX
and playing the main stage of the Vans Warped Tour in the summer. Ben Lythberg began playing drums for the band during the fall, winter and spring while Redmond finished his masters degree.
and Atreyu
. Their final international tour was in early 2003. They opened for Bad Religion
and Finch
in the spring of 2003. Bright Flashes was released in November 2003. Featuring songs that were recorded for the conceptual End Transmission album, it also included covers of songs by Helmet
, Devo
, and Jane's Addiction
, and 3 remixes of songs from End Transmission.
There were jobs for the band members of Snapcase after disbanding. Tim Redmond taught AP Government, Global history, and The Turbulent Sixties at Williamsville East High School
and Scott Dressler was an Assistant Professor of Economics at Villanova University
. After Snapcase dissolved, Vicario, Perry and Lythberg briefly participated in the band Attractive with Josh English from the band Sixgoingonseven. Vicario was working on new projects, but he primarily focused on his job in the technology industry.
In early 2010, Snapcase confirmed to play a series of shows in Europe including a performance at the 2010 Groezrock Festival in Belgium and also confirmed a reunion show with Sick of It All
in Buffalo, N.Y., for May 8, 2010. Guitarist Frank Vicario later stated that the band had no intention of doing an extended reunion beyond the European and Buffalo, N.Y., shows.
Snapcase was later forced to cancel their previously announced European reunion shows due to the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull
and its resulting ash plume engulfing much of Europe's airspace. The band remarked on their twitter account that it could be at least three weeks before they'd be able to book different flights. The band still performed in their hometown of Buffalo, NY on May 8. European dates have since been rescheduled for July 2010. Snapcase performed at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 in Austin, Texas and is scheduled to play day four of Riot Fest 2010 in Chicago, Illinois at the Congress Theater
.
Sick of It All announced that Snapcase would be supporting them at their 25th Anniversary show at New York City's Webster Hall on March 26, 2011.
, affirmation
, and personal challenge.
According to many fans, Snapcase are one of the most progressive and influential bands in independent music, and they were dedicated to combining intellectual theory with aggressive music (as the band has claimed). Nevertheless, Snapcase always promotes free-thinking and an unrelenting quest for change, as their socially conscious lyrics reveal. The members of the band are all straight edge
, as well, but according to Frank Vicario, they're "not really singing about it or promoting it".
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...
band from Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Their records have been released on the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
record label, Victory Records
Victory Records
Victory Records is a Chicago-based record label founded by Tony Brummel. It is a privately held corporation. It also operates a music publishing company called "Another Victory, Inc." and is the distributor of several smaller independent record labels....
. Through the course of the band's initial run of fourteen years, they released six studio albums before disbanding in 2005.
After a two-year hiatus, Snapcase reunited for a brief period in 2007, performing three concerts in November. Another reunion is ongoing, and the band are currently supporting Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
as of 2011.
Formation
The band was originally conceived in 1989 in a basement in West Seneca, NYNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and was named Solid State. In 1989, the lineup was guitarist Scott Dressler, then 15 years of age, 17 year-old drummer Mike Kimaid, Daryl Taberski, age 18 on bass, and Tiger Balduf, the eldest at 19 on vocals. Prior to recording their first demo as Solid State on January 30, 1990, Quest for Reality, Tiger Balduf left the band to get married, and Mike Kimaid left to join the Lockport
Lockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
, NY based band The Watchmen. In their places instead were Chris Galas on vocals and Peter Dawidzak on drums. Soon after recording this, Peter Dawidzik left the band to go to school. On May 22, 1990, Solid State recorded their second demo, Accept Your Fate, with their friend Mike Lampe, who had assisted with the previous demo, as well. During this recording, the band was composed of Chris Galas on vocals, Scott Dressler playing guitar, Jason Kourkounis on drums, and Daryl Taberski on bass.
During the spring of 1991, Solid State went through a big lineup shift; Kourkounis left the band to pursue other musical interests, and Kimaid rejoined the band along with The Watchmen guitarist Joe Smith, making the band a five-piece. After these changes to their lineup, the band decided to change their name to Snapcase. Between the years of 1991 and 1992, Snapcase recorded two demos with Dennis Fura, Break The Silence and King of the Mountain. In 1992 the band was signed to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
hardcore label Victory Records
Victory Records
Victory Records is a Chicago-based record label founded by Tony Brummel. It is a privately held corporation. It also operates a music publishing company called "Another Victory, Inc." and is the distributor of several smaller independent record labels....
and recorded their first 7 inch, Comatose, with Mike Sac and Robby Takac
Robby Takac
Robert Carl Takac, Jr., known as Robby Takac is one of the founding members of the Goo Goo Dolls, along with Johnny Rzeznik. He is the band's bassist and was formerly the lead singer on the Goo Goo Dolls' earlier albums....
that year.
There was a line-up change following the release date of the single; Taberski moved over to vocals, replacing Chris Galas, Bob Whiteside from Buffalo, NY band Support took over on bass, and Jon Salemi, who played drums in Support, joined to replace Joe Smith, who left for school. In 1993, Kimaid left the band after partially recording the band's first album and was replaced by former Buffalo, NY based Slugfest drummer, Tim Redmond, who performed on the rest of the tracks. Snapcase's first full length recording, Lookinglasself, was released in 1993 and was recorded with Don Fury and Fred Betschen.
In early 1995, the band released the Steps EP, which they recorded with Fred Betschen. This was the last recording to feature Scott Dressler, who left the band in the fall of 1995 to go to graduate school. He was replaced by Frank Vicario of Buffalo, NY band Fadeaway. In the summer of 1996, The California Takeover
The California Takeover
The California Takeover is a split album by the American metalcore bands Earth Crisis, Strife and Snapcase, which was released in 1996. The album was recorded live at The Whiskey in Los Angeles, California on April 12, 1996.-Track listing:...
was released which featured live recordings from Snapcase, Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis
Earth Crisis is an American metalcore band from Syracuse, New York, active from 1989 until 2001, reuniting in 2007. Their most recent record, To the Death, was released in May 2009 through Century Media....
, and Strife
Strife
Strife is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Velocity, based on the Doom engine from id Software. Strife added some role-playing game elements and allowed players to talk to other characters in the game's world...
.
Progression Through Unlearning and Designs for Automotion
April 1997 saw the release of Progression Through Unlearning, which they recorded with Steve EvettsSteve Evetts
Steve Evetts is a music producer who has produced music for Alesana, Poison the Well, A Static Lullaby, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura, Symphony X, Saves the Day, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Story of the Year, Every Time I Die, Earth Crisis, Still Remains and Our Last Night.-Partial...
, an album which is considered to be revolutionary by many fans of hardcore. The band set out on a summer tour, and featured performances on the Vans Warped Tour. In the fall of 1997, the band took some time off so that members could pursue education. In 1998, the band resumed touring, and was the opening band on the fall tour of the Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
and Quicksand. They also went into the studio with Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan
Brian McTernan is a record producer who has worked with bands from all over the world. He works out of the Baltimore, MD area at Salad Days Studio. Brian was voted to be one of the 50 most influential people in Maryland by the Maryland Daily Record...
in the fall of 1998 to record a cover of the Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
"I", released on Century Media's Never Give In tribute record, and a split EP with Boysetsfire
Boysetsfire
Boysetsfire is a post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware and West Chester, Pennsylvania that formed in October 1994. Boysetsfire is composed of guitarists Chad Istvan and Josh Latshaw, drummer Matt Krupanski, and vocalist Nathan Gray. The band is currently auditioning for a new...
that was released in the summer of 1999. These were the last recordings with bassist Bob Whiteside. He was replaced by Dustin Perry, formerly of the Minneapolis, MN
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
band Threadbare. They headlined Hellfest that summer in Syracuse, NY.
Designs for Automotion, the band's third full length album, was recorded in the summer of 1999 with Steve Evetts was released in January 2000. They spent most of 2000 on tour, performing on the Deconstruction tour in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with NOFX
NOFX
NOFX is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California .The band was formed in 1983 by vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and guitarist Eric Melvin. Drummer Erik Sandin joined NOFX shortly after. In 1991 El Hefe joined to play lead guitar and trumpet, rounding out the current line-up...
and playing the main stage of the Vans Warped Tour in the summer. Ben Lythberg began playing drums for the band during the fall, winter and spring while Redmond finished his masters degree.
End Transmission and Bright Flashes
In 2002, the band focused their creative energy on crafting their new album, End Transmission, with Brian McTernan at Salad Days Studios. The result became their second-to-last and fourth full length album, which was released in September 2002. Redmond officially left the band soon after the release of the album and was permanently replaced by Lythberg. Snapcase toured that fall with BoysetsfireBoysetsfire
Boysetsfire is a post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware and West Chester, Pennsylvania that formed in October 1994. Boysetsfire is composed of guitarists Chad Istvan and Josh Latshaw, drummer Matt Krupanski, and vocalist Nathan Gray. The band is currently auditioning for a new...
and Atreyu
Atreyu (band)
Atreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...
. Their final international tour was in early 2003. They opened for Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
and Finch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
in the spring of 2003. Bright Flashes was released in November 2003. Featuring songs that were recorded for the conceptual End Transmission album, it also included covers of songs by Helmet
Helmet
A helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
, Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
, and Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
, and 3 remixes of songs from End Transmission.
Final concert and subsequent activities
The band announced in the fall of 2004 that they would be disbanding, and would play their final show in January 2005 in Buffalo, NY. The final show featured appearances by nearly every member who had ever played in the band. Redmond, Dressler, and Whiteside joined Salemi and Taberski for a performance of the song "Lookinglasself", and original vocalist Chris Galas joined them for the song "Comatose".There were jobs for the band members of Snapcase after disbanding. Tim Redmond taught AP Government, Global history, and The Turbulent Sixties at Williamsville East High School
Williamsville East High School
Williamsville East High School is one of the three Williamsville high schools located in the Williamsville Central School District in Williamsville, New York...
and Scott Dressler was an Assistant Professor of Economics at Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
. After Snapcase dissolved, Vicario, Perry and Lythberg briefly participated in the band Attractive with Josh English from the band Sixgoingonseven. Vicario was working on new projects, but he primarily focused on his job in the technology industry.
Reunion shows
Snapcase reunited briefly in late 2007 on November 20 at Mohawk Place in their hometown of Buffalo, N.Y. and on November 24 and 25 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. The reunion shows were performed for the benefit of Callum Robbins and the release of the Anti-Matter Anthology book release.In early 2010, Snapcase confirmed to play a series of shows in Europe including a performance at the 2010 Groezrock Festival in Belgium and also confirmed a reunion show with Sick of It All
Sick of It All
Sick of It All is an American hardcore punk band from Queens, New York. Formed in 1986, the band consisted of brothers Lou Koller on vocals and Pete Koller on lead guitar, Rich Cipriano on bass, and Armand Majidi on drums. There have been only two member changes since their inception, with Max...
in Buffalo, N.Y., for May 8, 2010. Guitarist Frank Vicario later stated that the band had no intention of doing an extended reunion beyond the European and Buffalo, N.Y., shows.
Snapcase was later forced to cancel their previously announced European reunion shows due to the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull
Eyjafjallajökull is one of the smaller ice caps of Iceland, situated to the north of Skógar and to the west of Mýrdalsjökull. The ice cap covers the caldera of a volcano with a summit elevation of . The volcano has erupted relatively frequently since the last glacial period, most recently in...
and its resulting ash plume engulfing much of Europe's airspace. The band remarked on their twitter account that it could be at least three weeks before they'd be able to book different flights. The band still performed in their hometown of Buffalo, NY on May 8. European dates have since been rescheduled for July 2010. Snapcase performed at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2010 in Austin, Texas and is scheduled to play day four of Riot Fest 2010 in Chicago, Illinois at the Congress Theater
Congress Theater
The Congress Theater in Chicago, built by Fridstein and Company in 1926 for the movie theater chain of Lubliner and Trinz, is a surviving example of a movie palace. It features ornate exterior and interior design work, in a combination of the Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance styles.The...
.
Sick of It All announced that Snapcase would be supporting them at their 25th Anniversary show at New York City's Webster Hall on March 26, 2011.
Music and lyrics
Snapcase built a reputation for composing music with complex guitar lines, harmonic distortion, and relentless rhythms. Lyrically, their songs explored themes of self-determinationSelf-determination
Self-determination is the principle in international law that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no external compulsion or external interference...
, affirmation
Affirmations (New Age)
Affirmations in New Age and New Thought terminology refers primarily to the practice of positive thinking—fostering a belief that "a positive mental attitude supported by affirmations will achieve success in anything." More specifically an affirmation is a carefully formatted statement that should...
, and personal challenge.
According to many fans, Snapcase are one of the most progressive and influential bands in independent music, and they were dedicated to combining intellectual theory with aggressive music (as the band has claimed). Nevertheless, Snapcase always promotes free-thinking and an unrelenting quest for change, as their socially conscious lyrics reveal. The members of the band are all straight edge
Straight edge
Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...
, as well, but according to Frank Vicario, they're "not really singing about it or promoting it".
Studio albums
- Lookinglasself (1994)
- Progression Through Unlearning (1997)
- Designs for Automotion (2000)
- End Transmission (2002)
- Bright Flashes (2003)
EPs and singles
- Comatose 7" (1992)
- Steps EP (1995)
- Snapcase VS. boysetsfire Split EP (1999)
Demos
- Quest For Reality (1990)
- Accept Your Fate (1990)
- Break The Silence (1991)
- King of the Mountain (1992)
Compilations
- Only The Strong MCMXCII (1993) "Fields of Illusion"
- Anti-Matter (1995) "Vent"
- Reason For Living (1996) "Caboose"
- The California Takeover (1996)
- Violent World - A Tribute To The Misfits (1997) "She"
- Never Give In - A Tribute To Bad Brains (1998) "I"
- No Borders (1999) "Box Seat"
- To the Bone (1999) "Typecast Modulator"
- Xtreme Rock: Music That Changed Our Lives ([1999]) "Caboose"
- Incompatible Vol. 3 (2000) "Ambition Now"
- For Those Who Stand (2001) "Break The Static"