Madball

Madball is a New York-based Hardcore band that originated in the late 1980s, as a side project of Agnostic Front. The band developed after Agnostic Front's front man Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother, Freddy Cricien take the microphone and perform lead vocals during Agnostic Front shows.

History

Madball was founded in 1988 and featured most of Agnostic Front's members. Madball consisted of Agnostic Front's vocalist Roger Miret on bass, Vinnie Stigma on guitar, Will Shepler on drums, and vocalist Freddy Cricien, Roger Miret's younger half-brother. Madball's first few performances consisted of previously unused Agnostic Front songs. Madball's first release was the Ball of Destruction EP in 1989. After years of playing regional shows in and around the New York area, a second guitarist, Matt Henderson, would join the band. By then, they recorded and released the EP Droppin' Many Suckers for Wreckage Records. One year later, Roger Miret left the band and was replaced by bass player Hoya Roc — a good friend of Freddy Cricien — who was looking for a new band as his band, Dmize, was breaking up. The new incarnation of the band was signed by Roadrunner Records in 1994 and released a pair of full-lengths; Set It Off in 1994 and Demonstrating My Style in 1996. Touring steadily, the band built a sizable fan base outside their hometown.^[1]

1995 saw the band participating in the N.Y.H.C. Documentary. Extensive interviews were conducted with Freddy as well as a performance on July 29, 1995 at the now-defunct "Coney Island High". Freddy's brother, Roger, broke several vertebrae in his back at that show, requiring him to be in traction for the better part of a year.

Consisting of Cricien, Henderson, Hoya, and new drummer John Lafata, the band recorded Look My Way, which was released in early 1998. Hold It Down followed two years later. In 2000, Cricien was charged with attempted criminal possession of a weapon and was sentenced to six months in prison.^[2][3] The band announced their dissolution in 2001 but decided to reform in late 2002 with a new line-up featuring Mitts and Rigg Ross. They began touring and recording at the end of 2002. Since then, Madball has come out with: Best of Madball in 2003, N.Y.H.C. EP (EP) in 2004, Legacy in 2005, and Infiltrate The System in 2007. In 2009, Rigg Ross left to join Skarhead and was replaced by Ben Dussault.

Along with bands such as Agnostic Front, Vietnom, Bulldoze, Resistance and H2O, they comprise a part of New York's DMS Crew. Vocalist Cricien and bass player Hoya are also in the band Hazen Street, along with members of H2O and Cro-Mags.

In 2010, after the departure of the Ferret Records owners from the label, Madball followed them to their new and present label Good Fight Music. In February 2010 Madball signed a deal with Nuclear Blast for the European release of their new studio album, Empire, produced by Erik Rutan.^[4] Jay Weinberg, son of E Street Band and Max Weinberg 7 drummer Max Weinberg, joined Madball for the album and for touring.^[5]

Madball then dismissed Weinberg in September 2010, citing personality conflicts.^[6] Weinberg said that he had already quit the group by that time, due to lifestyle issues.^[7] Born From Pain drummer Igor Wouters replaced Weinberg for live performances.

Lineup

Members

• Freddy Cricien - vocals (1988−present)
• Hoya Roc - bass (1993−present)
• Mitts - guitar (2001−present)
• Mike Justian - drums (2011-present)

Former members

• Mackie Jayson - drums (ex-Cro-Mags, ex-Bad Brains)
• Igor Wouters - drums (2010−2011)
• Rigg Ross - drums (Skarhead)
• Vinnie Stigma - guitar (Agnostic Front)
• Roger Miret – bass (Agnostic Front)
• Matt Henderson - guitar (Blind Approach, Agnostic Front)
• Will Shepler - drums (Agnostic Front)
• John Lafata - drums (Mind Over Matter, Neglect, Sheer Terror, currently in Deathcycle)
• Walter Ryan - drums (Possessed), Powerhouse
• Ben Dussault - drums (ex-Throwdown)
• Jay Weinberg - drums

Discography

References

Further reading

• Madball at Allmusic

External links

• Madball on Myspace