The Used - Box Full of Sharp Objects - Under Pressure w/ My Chemical Romance

         The Used formed in 2001. The band recorded a demo, and sent it to producer John Feldmann.  Feldmann was frontman for the band "Goldfinger".  He liked this song so much that he flew the band out to L.A. to try to get the band signed to a label.  They eventually signed with Reprise Records. They released their first self titled album June 25, 2002 produced by Feldmann.  The band consist of Frontman Bert McCracken on vocals, piano, and keyboard.  Quinn Allman  on  lead guitar.  Jeph Howard on bass and back up vocals. Dan Whitesides is the drummer.  This video is the first of their four hit singles off this album.  The whole album was awesome.  Some of my other favorites songs off this album are "Maybe Memories", "The Taste of Ink", "Buried myself Alive", and "Noise and Kisses".  The band went on to release four more studio albums.  The band has been labeled in so many different genre's, (alternative, emo, screamo, post-hardcore, alternative metal, metalcore).  The band played "Projekt Revolution", "The Warped Tour", and "Ozzfest".  The Used gained alot of popularity in July 2003, when frontman McCracken dated Kelly Osborne.  In 2005 the band re-released their second studio album "In Love and Death" they added a bonus track.  The bonus track was a cover of David Bowie's "Under Pressure", with the band My Chemical Romance.  This second video is a live performance of the song.  The Used have a very unique sound that spans so many genre's.  The band has been around for over a decade, so give them a listen you will become a huge fan, as I have. You can buy the album here on    Amazon MP3  or  iTunes

    

Goldfinger - Mable

            Goldfinger is another L.A. ska/punk band that formed in the mid 90's.  Ska was making a comeback during this time with bands like Goldfinger, Reel Big Fish, Less than Jake and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones.  This was labeled as the third-wave ska.  The band formed in 1994 with frontman John Feldmann on vocals and guitar, Charlie Paulson on guitar, Simon Williams on Bass, and Darrin Pfeiffer on drums.  The Band signed with Universal Records and released there first album.  The album was self titled "Goldfinger" and released February 29, 1996.  Their first hit single "Here in your bedroom", earned the band alot of notoriety.  This video is of "Mable", the second hit off that album.  The band went on to release five more studio albums, a few compilation albums, and were on at least ten movie soundtracks.  Movies like Waterboy, American Pie, EuroTrip, Baseketball, and Kingpin.  They even made it to be on "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater",  "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4", and a few other games.  Simon Williams left the band after their album "Hang-ups".  Currently bass player is Kelly LeMieux.  The band has been around for well over a decade.  Hope you Enjoy...  You can buy the album here on   iTunes or Amazon MP3                  

Sunny Day Real Estate - Seven - In Circles

           Sunny Day Real Estate was another alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington in the 90's.  The band consist of frontman Jeremy Enigk, guitarist Dan Hoerner, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith.  The band members minus Enigk, formed a band under a few different names before the four came to become Sunny Day Real Estate.  The bands first album "Diary" was released in 1994 under Sub Pop Records.  They had that local grunge sound of Seattle, mixed with more hardcore guitar and softer-strained vocals.  This was truly the beginning of the "Emo Scene".   At this time Emo was not even a genre.  Sunny Day Real Estate were so far ahead of their time, and were definitely one of the very first Emo bands.  This video is off of their first hit single "seven".  The whole album was great. This album was so great I have to add another one of my favorite songs, " In Circles".            Every song on this album was great, but just to mention a few more of my personal favorites "Shadows", "#47", "#48", "Grendel", and "Song About an Angel" are surely worth checking out.  That year the band played on an early "Jon Stewart Show", and recorded several live songs for MTV's "120 Minutes".  In 1995 the band released another album labeled Sunny Day Real Estate.  It was pink and had no artwork.  Sub Pop distributed it as LP2, but it was widely referred to in circles as "The Pink Album".  My favorite song off of this album was titled "8" which I think was titled as a reference to their first hit "Seven".  A few other good songs on that album to mention were "5/4", "Theo B", "The Ocean", and "Rodeo Jones".  After this album was released the band split up.  Mendel and Goldsmith joined up with  former members of  "Nirvana", Dave Grohl and Pat Smear.  The four started the alt-rock band "Foo Fighters".  Enigk started a solo career and released one album.  In 1998 the band reunited, minus Mendel (who was still a member of the Foo Fighters) to release the album "How it feel to be something on".  I still like the sound of the original four members the best, and hope you give both of their first two albums a listen. You can buy the album here on    Amazon MP3  or  iTunes

SeLF - So Low

           Self was a alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Two Brothers Matt and Mike Mahaffey started the band, just recording songs at the house.  Matt sang lead vocals and played guitar.  Mike played lead guitar.  They picked up bassist Tim Nobles, keyboardist Chris James, and drummer Jason Rawlings.  They have been compared to bands like "Weezer".  This video features a hit off their first album "Subliminal Plastic Motives", released in 1995.  In the mid-90's alot of bands were trying to make their own sound, mixing genres like, alt-rock, pop-rock, punk-pop, and alot of bands like these were the forefathers of what became today's "Emo".  The band went on to release a seven more albums, three of which they released free via internet only.  They dropped a couple members and picked up a couple more over the years, but their first album was my favorite.  A couple other great songs off the album were "Marathon Shirt" and " Lucid Anne".  The whole album is great, check it out.  You can buy the album here on Amazon

Wax - California

      Wax is a punk rock band that formed in the early 90's in Los Angeles, although most of the band originated from Chicago.  "California" was their big hit single off of their second album "13 Unlucky Numbers", released in 1995.  Spike Jonze directed the video "Hush" off their first album "What Else Can We Do", this video, and the majority of their other video's.  In 1995 this song reached #28 on the "Modern Rock Billboard Charts". This video appeared in the episode of Beavis and Butthead "Another Friday Night", I think this is where I first saw the video.  Another great song off the album was "Who is Next", it was licensed to Nike for a commercial.  Wax also appeared in Pauly Shore's movie "Bio-Dome", during the party scene.  They also did a cover of Ren & Stimpy's song "Happy Happy Joy Joy", on the album "Saturday Morning - cartoons greatest hits".  They also had a song titled "Mallrats" that was on the soundtrack to Kevin Smith's movie titled "Mallrats".  I have listened to these guys for a long time, and they still hang with the punk bands from today.  Give them a listen I'm sure you will love it, and if anything else it is a great video.  You can buy the album here on  Amazon MP3

For Squirrels - Mighty K.C.

           For Squirrels was a alternative rock band from Gainesville, Florida.  This hit single "Mighty K.C.", was off of their second album "Example" released in October of 1995.  I first saw For Squirrels on MTV's late night alternative music show "120 minutes".  I immediately went out and bought "Example".  This was my new favorite band.  It was soft and hard at the same time; with their bright sounds and frontman Jack Vigliatura's wide range of vocal capabilities.  They have been compared to bands like "R.E.M." and "Nirvana", but like so many bands from the 90's,  they broke the mold with a sound of their own.  Soon after declaring "For Squirrels" as my new favorite band, I found out of the tragedy that befell the band.   On September 8, 1995, they were coming back from the "CMJ Music Marathon", and got into an auto accident.  The lead singer (Jack Vigliatura), bassist (Bill White), and tour manager (Tim Bender) all died from this fatal accident.  Guitarist (Travis Tooke) and drummer (Jack Greigo) sustained injuries, but survived.  The album was still released by "Sony" about three weeks later.  The remaining two members went on playing by the name "Revolver" for a while, and in 1996 played under the name "Subrosa".  The single "Mighty K.C." was titled in honor of the late "Kurt Cobain".  This whole album is great from beginning to end.  Some of my other favorite tracks are "8:02 PM", "Superstar", "Under Smithville", "The Immortal Dog and Pony Show", but my ultimate favorite For Squirrels song is "Disenchanted".  I have listened to this album for sixteen years, and it is still one of my favorite's of all time.  I am sure if you give it a chance it will be one of yours too.  You can buy the album here on  iTunes  or Amazon MP3