The Witzard

SUNSTROKE's Brandon Wallace and Christian Debuque after band practice (photographer unknown) SUNSTROKE appear to have this uncanny ability to be able to pull parts and pieces from their (and, in turn, your) favorite bands/artists, sub-genres, eras, labels, etc., throw them all into a sonic slicing and dicing belender and to paraphrase Madonna, "make them feel shiny and new..." SUNSTROKE readily draw influence from Dag Nasty, Embrace, Fugazi, Hüsker Dü, Rain, The Replacements, Rites of Spring, and Revolution Summer-era Dischord Records. They've been through, like most Punk/Hardcore bands, their fair share of members, but have seemed to have landed on a semi-permanent line-up, and have released a gaggle of albums, EP's, splits, and one-off singles on a variety of labels, such as Axe to Grind, Coin Toss Records, New Morality Zine, and WAR Records, since initially forming around 2017. Oddly enough, SUNSTROKE recorded two of their latest songs, "Frank" ...

Sean Farlow of Sunstroke - CREDIT: Daniella Heminghaus (@dhphoto9) Sunstroke is a Hardcore Punk band hailing from New Jersey/Philadelphia and surrounding areas drawing a heavy influence from Revolution Summer -era bands, such as Dag Nasty, Embrace, Rain, and Rites of Spring, as well as a larger range of influences from 80's Brit-Pop, Shoegaze, and Minnesota Pop-punk greats Hüsker Dü and The Replacements. While keeping a strong handle on the ethos and social justice elements of Hardcore/Punk, Sunstroke looks to offer a sound and content for audiences to resonate with. Sunstroke have thus far released music on CoinTossRecords & New Mortality 'zine , including multiple increasingly sought-after variants and limited edition vinyl colorways for each corresponding release. Sunstroke's primary line-up consists of Sean Farlow & Ian Strang, as well as an ever-evolving rotating line-up including part-time members Brandon, Mikey, Christian, John K., Justin, Dave, Joey, To...

Ian, Joe & Amy (CORIKY) 2019 Fort Reno, Washington, DC / CREDIT: Claire Packer Not only has Alec MacKaye returned with his first active band in 20+ years, HAMMERED HULLS , his brother, Ian MacKaye , has now re-surfaced with a newly-minted group of his own: CORIKY [pronounced: "ko-ri-kee."] Supposedly, coriky is "a dice game, like liar's poker," according to photographer Mark R. Bacon. A recent Dischord Records press release simply explains, " Coriky is a band from Washington, DC. Amy Farina plays drums. Joe Lally plays bass. Ian MacKaye plays guitar. All sing. Formed in 2015, Coriky did not play their first show until 2018. They have recorded one album. They hope to tour." In their earliest aughts, CORIKY , then-unnamed, were often billed as "Amy Ian Joe (Name Unknown,)" "Ian, Amy & Joe," and, I've heard, at one point, were even toying with going by The Odds ; an homage to husband and wife, Ian MacKaye & ...

HAMMERED HULLS at Dischord House / CREDIT: Jim Saah Not only will Alec MacKaye forever be immortalized as the iconic "cover model" for multiple 7+12-inch releases for his older brother, Ian's bands, Minor Threat & The Teen Idles, he has, also, been in countless Punk/HarDCore bands of his own: Untouchables, (The) Faith, Ignition, The Warmers, and Bells Of.. MacKaye has not been part of a band, let alone any musical project, for 20+ years, following the demise of The Warmers with Amy Farina & Juan Carrera in 1997. After an extended self-imposed musical sabbatical, Alec MacKaye has finally returned with a new band. HAMMERED HULLS, featuring an array of Punk/HarDCore mainstays: Mark Cisneros, Mary Timony & Chris Wilson. Together, Cisneros, Timony & Wilson have played with Acquaintances, American Hearts, Autoclave, Chain & The Gang, Deathfix, Des Demonas, EX HEX, The Firebird Suite, Green 4, Helium, Hound, KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS, Led Byrd, ...

Hammer Hulls are a Washington, D.C./harDCore -adjacent band I've been hearing rumblings about for at least a year or so now; I always knew it involved Alec MacKaye —younger brother of Minor Threat & Fugazi frontman, Ian MacKaye —but wasn't exactly sure who else, but knew they had been playing shows both in and around the D.C. area. It has now been revealed that, in addition to MacKaye, HAMMERED HULLS , also, consists of bassist Mary "T$" Timony , guitarist Mark Cisneros , and drummer Chris Wilson . Hammered Hulls' members either are or were once active as part of bands such as Acquaintances , American Hearts, Autoclave , Chain & The Gang, Deathfix , Des Demonas, Ex Hex , The Faith, The Firebird Suite , Green 4, Helium , Hound, Ignition , KID CONGO & THE PINK MONKEY BIRDS, Led Byrd , THE MAKE UP, The Mary Timony Band , Medications, Mind Science of The Mind , Open City, Shake Ray Turbine , The Spells, Titus Andronicus , Ted Leo / Pharmacists, The Wa...

"No Guns on TV Hill" b/w "Dog" by Blue Streak Blue Streak is a DC/Baltimore -based "super-group," of sorts, consisting of current and former members of local area Punk/Hardcore bands Angel Du$t , Give, Pure Disgust , and Red Death... although, they're playing jangly Power-Pop , rather than your typical Hardcore/Punk fare. Blue Streak consists of guitarist/piano player Ben Schultz (Give,) drummer/percussionist Robin Zeijlon (Red Death, Pure Disgust, Lackluster,) bassist Nick Heitman (formerly Angel Du$t,) and vocalist/guitar player Mike French (Angel Du$t, In Between.) French, Heitman, and Zeijlon previously played together in "Throwback Pop-Punk" outfit Dizzy Pleasure Club (DPC) with Pat McCrory of Turnstile & Angel Du$t , who released a 5-track EP entitled D.C.P. on Photobooth Records back in 2016. As you might have already gathered, Blue Streak is named after 1999 Buddy Cop Comedy film Blue Streak starring Martin Lawre...