DISASTER STRIKES - Political hardcore punk from Boston, MA

ABOUT DISASTER STRIKES

LINEUP: J.R. (vocals), Josh (guitar)
Joe (bass), Dave (drums)

FROM ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES
& OVERDOSE ON RECORDS:

"Based out of Boston, Disaster Strikes have crafted their own unique blend of punk and hardcore inspired by diverse influences such as Econochrist, Sick of it All, Dead Kennedys, Inside Out, Negative Approach, and Crass. However, their politically informed, impassioned music is not easily pigeonholed. Singer J.R. works as a union organizer, a job which lends his lyrics a truth based in his real life activism for the working class. The band combines a wide variety of influences, not just punk, to produce the hard-hitting and diverse music that is Disaster Strikes."

HISTORY / MORE INFO:

Disaster Strikes has completed several national US tours, three tours of Eastern Canda, and has shared the stage over the years with hardcore punk bands such as Agnostic Front, Iron Cross, Naked Aggression, The Pist, Jello Biafra (with both the Melvins and Guantanamo School of Medicine), Toxic Narcotic, The Unseen, Resistant Culture, The Pinkerton Thugs, Fucked Up, and Boy Sets Fire.

The Disaster Strikes name debuted in 1999 at a show with Toxic Narcotic and The Unseen at the Brighton Elks Lodge in Boston, MA. From the outset, the project has had a relentless focus on promoting workers rights and social justice. Disaster Strikes has been recognized as one of the most authentic, stalwart progressive voices in the underground hardcore punk scene. As fads within punk rock have come and gone, Disaster Strikes has proudly kept its political message at the forefront since the beginning - relentlessly challenging punk and societal precepts, combatting corporate greed, and promoting human rights.

After years of playing mostly local shows, sporadic hiatuses, and several lineup changes, Disaster Strikes began touring and recording in earnest in 2007 when current D.S. guitarist Josh (ex-All or Nothing HC) moved to Massachusetts from California and joined founding member and vocalist J.R. to record the Interrogation Sessions EP for Alternative Tentacles Records.

In March 2007, Disaster Strikes completed its first West Coast tour supporting the legendary Naked Agression, followed by an Eatern US tour in November 2007 with Resistant Culture. Following those tours, Disaster Strikes begins writing and recording the Interrogation Sessions EP.
In August 2008, Disaster Strikes completed its first national US tour with shows from Boston to Los Angels with support from their friends in DIY mainstays In Defence and Common Enemy.
In September 2008, Disaster Strikes officially released the Interrogation Sessions EP on Alternative Tentacles Records.
March 2009 brought Disaster Strikes back to the West Coast for the third time, touring solo from Phoenix to Seattle, followed by the Midwest US June 2009 "Hardcore in the Heartland" tour headlined by In Defence and Disaster Strikes.
In June/July of 2010, Disaster Strikes completed its second national US tour - playing 28 consecutive shows in 26 cities from Boston to the West Coast and back through Texas and the Midwest. Disaster Strikes was joined by fellow Boston punk band Ashers, featuring Mark of The Unseen, for the first half of the tour.
On January 1, 2011, Disaster Strikes and Bring Down the Hammer (ex-Brother Inferior) release a split 7" on Overdose on Records.
In June/July of 2011, Disaster Strikes tours the East Coast and Midwest US.
In January 2012, Disaster Strikes continues to work on a new full length, aiming for a mid-year release. US and European tour plans for 2012 remain in the works.

SOME PRESS & REVIEWS

For interview requests & on-air sets, contact: disasterstrikesemail(at)yahoo.com.

"I was hooked from the first song. Awesome, catchy hardcore with a mixture of heavy and melodic parts, this record reminds me a lot of recent PROPAGANDHI, which in my book is a huge compliment - it just doesn't get better than "Potemkin City Limits." Lyrics deal with corporate power, blind patriotism, and consumerism, all from a left perspective. One of the best releases on Alternative Tentacles in a while!"
- MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL

"Cross MDC with bands like Aus Rotten, React, and The Pist. Disaster Strikes crank out politically minded hardcore that draws from a variety of styles of the genre, from dual vocal delivery, Dead Kennedys-esque instrumentation on some songs, to Rollins style spoken/vocal delivery."
- RAZORCAKE

"Imagine Black Flag, Fugazi and DRI in a political science class, and the Massachusetts-based punk/hardcore quintet DISASTER STRIKES, the bastard child of such a concoction, is born… Songs that hit such topics as workers' rights, misappropriation of funds and a general contempt for the government are all here. And the music, chaotic in a Suicidal Tendencies kind of way at times and paying much homage to the early crossover sounds of punk and hardcore, hits just as hard as an elbow to the jaw."
- TOO MUCH ZINE

“Disaster Strikes = Municiple Waste + Dead Kennedys + I Object. Liberty Toast is pissed-off, politically-charged and, overall, ***** awesome! I suppose one good effect of the George W. Bush presidency is that a lot of great music is being created (much like during the Reagan era) as a reaction to his stupidity. If you like your punk punched full of politics without sounding preachy, this is a band for you.” - SLUG ZINE

"Truthful, politically charged punk and hardcore inspired by the likes of Echonochrist, DRI, Aus Rotten and Crass. Guest appearance by Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys)!!"
- SMARTPUNK ZINE

"With a classic political punkcore sound not unlike Aus Rotten or The Unseen, Disaster Strikes has put out a powerful, raw and straining record with more integrity than is usually expected... this is a teeth-on-the-curb, awareness-pushing record with some surprisingly catchy guitar hooks and empowering breakdowns."
- ORIGIVATION ZINE

"Man, I love the lyrics to this album. Every song contains essential messages that need to be heard more now than ever. Hell, these lyrics should be taught in American public schools as opposed to the naïve moral, economic, and military superiority that is all students get these days, as addressed in "No Chance." Naturally, Disaster Strikes tackles the major Alternative Tentacles issues, like the reality of Wal-Mart jobs, the lack of thought heading into Iraq, a call for union and general strike, pose-for-something-but-do-nothing Bono musician/celebrities, and general public disingenuousness and stereotyping, bolstered by an adaptation of Langston Hughes' poem "Ballad Of Skinner Boy" and the United Mine Workers' Constitution... Compared to what the Warped tour passes off as punk these days, Disaster Strikes is fucking legendary."
- TINY MIX TAPES REVIEWS

"The influences of Crass, Subhumans, Black Flag, Minor Threat and Dead Kennedys leads to an excellent cd."
- PUNK & OI IN THE UK REVIEWS

"It's like something TSOL or the Dead Kennedys would've done. It seems like a good sign since - thanks/no thanks to Blink-182 - punk rock has been about girls"
- PHILADELPHIA WEEKLY