Victim's Family
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Victim's Family was a hardcore punk band formed in 1984 in Santa Rosa, California by bassist Larry Boothroyd and guitarist and vocalist Ralph Spight. Drummer Devon VrMeer completed the trio. Their sound blended hardcore punk, heavy metal and jazz, making them difficult to categorize into a single genre. All Music Guide says, "since its inception, the trio has refused to be pigeonholed to any single musical style — incorporating elements of hardcore punk, jazz, funk, hard rock, and noise into its challenging sound." They were known as one of the most musically diverse bands in the San Francisco, California underground music scene. Over the years, Victim's Family went through four drummers and two breakups. Their name was taken by a piece by cartoonist B. Kliban.
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1985, Victim's Family played their first show at the Petaluma, California community center, where they also opened up for Suicidal Tendencies. In 1986, they opened up for the Butthole Surfers at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco, and for the Dead Kennedys and the Descendents at the Novato Theatre. At this time they recorded their first album, Voltage and Violets, for Mordam Records, and regularly headlined at Club Foot in San Francisco. In 1987, they barely completed a tour of the United States and missed their dates in Canada after being banned from that country for one year. Things I Hate To Admit was recorded in 1988 at Prairie Sun Studio in Cotati, California and released in 1989. 1988 also saw an invitation by Konkurrent, a record label in Amsterdam, for a European tour. Devon VrMeer had left the band to pursue a family, so Eric Strand was recruited as drummer. Things did not work out, so he was replaced in Europe by roadie Tim Solyan.
Their third album, White Bread Blues, produced by Nomeansno drummer John Wright, followed in 1990 and was received on a much wider critical and commercial scale than before. A headline tour of the US and Europe cemented the group's reputation as an incendiary live act. The Germ, released in 1992, was their debut for Alternative Tentacles Records. Around this time, little known acts such as Primus and Green Day often opened for Victim's Family. However, the band split because of road burnout.
Ten months later Victim's Family reformed in the spring of 1993 to play a sold-out show at San Francisco's Kennel Club. A new album resulted, Headache Remedy, and was released by Alternative Tentacles in February, 1994. Four Great Thrash Songs, a recording of the band's (at the time) final show was released less than a year later, in 1995. Founding members Ralph and Larry also formed the Alternative Tentacles bands Saturn's Flea Collar , Hellworms, and The Freak Accident. Following a six year split, Victim's Family with new drummer David Gleza of My Name recorded the album Apocalicious in 2001.
On December 11th and 12th, 2004, Victim's Family reunited in Petaluma California at the Phoenix Theatre, and in San Francisco at the Bottom of the Hill, to celebrate their 20th anniversary with all their different incarnations, including The Freak Accident (Spight's solo project), and Meow Meow and the Meow Meows (Boothroyd's new band). Also included at this time was a Saturn's Flea Collar 10th anniversary reunion and a Hellworms reunion, after which they decided to remain reunited as Victim's Family. The Hellworms are reportedly working on new material, and Spight and Boothroyd are keeping their other new bands.
[edit] Line-up
- Ralph Spight—Guitar, Vocals
- Tim Solyan—Drums
- Larry Boothroyd—Bass
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
 |
1986 | Voltage and Violets | Mordam Records |
 |
1988 | Things I Hate to Admit | Mordam Records |
 |
1990 | White Bread Blues | Mordam Records |
 |
1992 | The Germ | Alternative Tentacles |
 |
1994 | Headache Remedy | Alternative Tentacles |
 |
1995 | 4 Great Thrash Songs | Alternative Tentacles |
 |
2001 | Apocalicious | Alternative Tentacles |
[edit] Singles and compilations
 |
1988 | Son of a Church Card/Quivering Lip 7" | Mordam Records |
 |
1990 | "Burly Jalisco" on Sasquatch compilation | Kirbdog |
 |
1991 | "My Evil Twin" on split 7" with Coffin Break | Rave |
 |
1992 | "Ill in the Head" on Virus 100 Comp. | Alternative Tentacles |
 |
1993 | Maybe if I... 7" | Alternative Tentacles |
|
|
1995 | "Dr. Schlessinger" on split 7" with Fleshies | Alternative Tentacles |
 |
2001 | "Fridge" on Apocalypse Always comp. | Alternative Tentacles |
