Wikipedia

T.S.O.L.

"TSOL" redirects here. For the band's debut EP, seeT.S.O.L. (EP).For the Shad album, seeTSOL (album).For the British government office, seeTreasury Solicitor.

T.S.O.L.(True Sounds of Liberty) is an Americanpunk rockband formed in 1978 inLong Beach, California.[1]Although most commonly associated withhardcore punk,T.S.O.L.'s music has varied on each release, including such styles asdeathrock,art punk,horror punk,other varieties of punk music, andhard rock.

T.S.O.L.
Left to right: Roche, Biuso, Grisham and Emory in 2011
Left to right: Roche, Biuso, Grisham and Emory in 2011
Background information
Also known asVicious Circle
OriginLong Beach, California,U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1978–2006
  • 2007–present
Labels
MembersJack Grisham
Ron Emory
Mike Roche
Greg Kuehn
Antonio Val Hernandez
Past membersT.S.O.L. § Former members

History

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1978–1983: Formation and first releases

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Formed in 1978 in Long Beach, T.S.O.L. originated as a punk band.[2]While the band first used the name Vicious Circle, they eventually changed their name to T.S.O.L by September 1980.[3]The original lineup consisted of vocalistJack Grisham(who has been credited as Jack Greggors, Alex Morgon, Jack Ladoga, Jack Delauge and Jack Loyd, among pseudonyms), guitaristRon Emory,bassist Mike Roche and drummer Todd Barnes. According to legend, the band acquired their instruments by casing a local music shop, waiting until closing, and then performing a smash-and-grab robbery.

T.S.O.L.'s debut five-song EP,T.S.O.L.,was released in spring 1981 byPosh Boy Records,featuring the reconvened original lineup. This first release was harshly political, featuring tracks such as "Superficial Love", "World War III" and "Abolish Government".

Their first full-length album,Dance with Me,was released later in 1981 onFrontier Records,and showcased a moregothic/deathrock sound. They then signed to independent labelAlternative Tentacles,releasing theWeathered StatuesEP early in 1982, and the melodicBeneath the Shadowsalbum later that year; the latter featured a new member, keyboardistGreg Kuehn.

Amid personal turmoil, Grisham, Barnes and Kuehn all left the band in 1983.Bad ReligionbassistJay Bentleybriefly joined the lineup.

After his exit, Grisham formed Cathedral of Tears, who released a 1984 EP onEnigma Records.Following the release of the Cathedral of Tears EP, T.S.O.L.'s replacement drummer, Mitch Dean, referred to Cathedral of Tears as a "synthesizer band" whose music he did not particularly like, adding, "not to make fun of it or anything," but that "[Grisham's] doing what he wants. No hard feelings, Jack-babe."[4]

1984–1990: Reconfiguration and Enigma Records

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T.S.O.L. chose to reconfigure.Joe Woodand Mitch Dean joined on vocals and drums, after Ron Emory, who was at the time playing in Wood's band The Loners, asked him to start a new band with himself and Roche. This new lineup released four albums on Enigma:Change Today?(1984),Revenge(1986)Hit and Run(1987) andStrange Love(1990). All four albums featured a more polished production style, withHit and Runreaching No. 184 on theBillboard200charts, and the band touring globally to support the releases. The band's first live album,Live,was issued by Enigma in 1988.

The band became friends withGuns N' Roses,and T.S.O.L. T-shirts were seen in the video for that band's "Sweet Child o' Mine",most notably on drummerSteven Adler.

Emory left the band in 1988, during the recording of demos forStrange Love,leaving Roche as the sole remaining original member—though Emory was given a writing credit on the track "Blow by Blow".[5][6][7]T.S.O.L. were joined briefly by guitarist Scotty Phillips, who quit before the band started recording the follow-up toHit and Run.They eventually hired former Dino's Revenge guitarist and actorMarshall Rohner.[8]They released a blues-metal album,Strange Love,in 1990. Roche was fired shortly before the album's release and signed over rights to the name and trademark to Wood and Dean leaving the band with no original members.

1991–2007: Schism, Nitro Records, and "farewell"

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In 1991, the original members reformed under Grisham and began playing shows under the name T.S.O.L. However, Wood and Dean were the legal owners of the name T.S.O.L, and the Grisham-led band was forced to use a different moniker for performances.[9][10]

In 1996, Wood and Dean were joined by guitaristsMike Marttand Drac Conley, and bassist Dave Mello (fromUniform Choice), with Dean subsequently replaced by Steve "Sully" O'Sullivan. In 1999, the original members fought with Wood for rights to the name and won. The Grisham-led T.S.O.L joined theVans Warped Tour,officially playing under their original name for the first time since they reformed.

Barnes died of a brain aneurysm on December 6, 1999, at the age of 34.[11]The remaining members recruited drummer Jay O'Brien (formerly of All Day, later of American Jihad) and released the "Anticop" single (2001) and the albumsDisappear(2001) andDivided We Stand(2003), all onNitro Records,the latter of which featured Kuehn back on keyboards as well as Billy Blaze replacing O'Brien.

In November 2006, the band announced they were breaking up, with final performances having taken place earlier in the month.[12]In September 2007, Cider City Records released the seemingly posthumous live albumLive from Long Beach,recorded in November 2006 on the weekend of the band's two announced "farewell" performances. Their hiatus was short-lived, however, as they returned to perform local shows in late 2007.

2008–present: Later releases

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In February 2008, T.S.O.L headlined the "Fuck the Whales, Save a Chckn" benefit, held to help with cancer treatment bills for guitarist Craig "Chckn" Jewett ofD.I.In December 2008, the band entered the studio to recordLife, Liberty & the Pursuit of Free Downloads,which was made available as a free download through sponsorHurley International's website on January 8, 2009.[13]It was also released on vinyl byDC-Jam Recordsin November 2009.

Grisham formed Jack Grisham's LOST Soul in 2012, a gigging ensemble featuring Kuehn and Biuso, with the intent of performing T.S.O.L. andThe Joykillermaterial.

On April 20, 2013, T.S.O.L. released a 7-inch EP,You Don't Have to Die(TKO Records), forRecord Store Day,composed of the title track (an unreleased 1980 demo) and two 1981 live tracks.[14]That same year, the band toured Europe and South America; they also completed a US tour with Flag.

On January 27, 2017, the band releasedThe Trigger Complexalbum onRise Records.[15]In August 2017, Antonio Val Hernandez joined the band as drummer, replacing Hanna.

In 2024 a new studio album,A-Side Graffitiwas released on February 27.

T.S.O.L. performing in 2018 at the Forge inJoliet, Illinoisin support ofDead Kennedys

Film and television appearances

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In 1981, director Paul Young madeUrban Struggle: The Battle of The Cuckoo's Nest,a film which featured live performances by T.S.O.L. as well as several Orange County punk and hardcore bands. Dave Markey's 1982 filmThe Slog Moviealso featured live T.S.O.L. performances, as didPenelope Spheeris' 1984Suburbiawith their performances of "Wash Away" & "Darker My Love". They also appeared in the 1989 movieThe Runnin' Kind.[16]Their music was also featured in the popular 1985 horror movieThe Return of the Living Deadand 1986 filmDangerously Close.They were also mentioned in the 2007 documentaryPunk's Not Dead.

Members

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Current members

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  • Jack Grisham– vocals, piano (1978–1983, 1991, 1999–present)
  • Ron Emory– guitar, vocals (1978–1988, 1991, 1999–present)
  • Mike Roche – bass (1978–1990, 1991, 1999–present)
  • Greg Kuehn– piano, synthesizers (1982–1983, 2005–present)
  • Antonio Val Hernandez – drums (2017–present)

Former members

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  • Todd Barnes – drums (1978–1983, 1991, 1999; died 1999)
  • Joe Wood– vocals, guitar (1983–1999)[17]
  • Mitch Dean – drums (1983–1998)
  • Marshall Rohner– guitar (1988–1996; died 2005)
  • Mike Martt– guitar (1996–1999; died 2023)
  • Drac Conley – guitar (1996–1998)
  • Dave Mello – bass (1990[18]–1999)
  • Steve "Sully" O'Sullivan – drums (1998–1999)
  • Jay O'Brien – drums (1999–2003)
  • Billy Blaze – drums (2003)
  • Anthony "Tiny" Biuso– drums (2003–2014)
  • Matt Rainwater – drums (2014–2016)
  • Chip Hanna– drums (2016–2017)

Timeline

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Discography

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Main article:T.S.O.L. discography
Studio albums

References

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  1. ^Strong, Martin C. (1999).The Great Alternative & Indie Discography,Canongate Books, page 663.ISBN0-86241-913-1.
  2. ^"T.S.O.L. Biography, Songs, & Albums".AllMusic.
  3. ^"tsol.htm".metallipromo.
  4. ^Blanchard, Jim (1984)."BLATCH magazine, Number 10, 1984, Interview with T.S.O.L."Internet Archive 'Zine Collection.RetrievedDecember 13,2022.
  5. ^Strange Love(CD liner notes). T.S.O.L.Culver City, California:Enigma Records.1990. 7 73541-2.{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^Torreano, Bradley."Biography: T.S.O.L."AllMusic.RetrievedJanuary 28,2012.
  7. ^Dean, Mich (1992).Hell and Back Together: 1984–1990(CD liner notes). T.S.O.L.Hollywood:Restless Records.72581-2.
  8. ^"Dino's Revenge – Hollywood Fats & Marshall Rohner".Steven Ameche.April 15, 2011.RetrievedApril 15,2011.
  9. ^Alexander, Jeff (May 24, 2021)."With Resolve & Resiliency; TSOL Celebrates 40th".Gnarly Magazine.RetrievedSeptember 9,2024.
  10. ^Boehm, Mike (October 10, 1991)."Bands Give a Backward Glance With New Releases: Agent Orange and the former members of T.S.O.L. revisit the punk boom, Honk reaches back to its musical roots, and Stryper offers a retrospective".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedSeptember 9,2024.
  11. ^Lewis, Randy (December 8, 1999)."TSOL Drummer Todd Barnes Dies".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedApril 25,2022.
  12. ^"T.S.O.L. break up".Alternative Press.November 27, 2006.RetrievedAugust 7,2016.
  13. ^"Hurley".Hurley. Archived fromthe originalon October 19, 2012.RetrievedAugust 25,2012.
  14. ^"T.S.O.L. - You Don't Have To Die E.P."Discogs.April 20, 2013.
  15. ^Jackson, Nate (November 28, 2016)."T.S.O.L. Release Their New Album, The Trigger Complex, in January 2017".OC Weekly.RetrievedAugust 22,2017.
  16. ^"The Runnin' Kind (1989) - IMDb".IMDb.Archived fromthe originalon April 20, 2017.RetrievedJuly 21,2018.
  17. ^"MUSIC: T.S.O.L.: Of Lost Labels: Inspired by The Germs, Joe Wood formed his own band, which has been through six record labels, 10 albums and some style changes".Los Angeles Times.November 29, 1990.RetrievedDecember 4,2023.
  18. ^"Despite Shaky Circumstances, T.S.O.L. Turns In Solid Performance: Rock: The O.C. band has long struggled with identity and personnel problems. But its show at Bogart's Thursday was surprisingly good".Los Angeles Times.February 3, 1990.RetrievedNovember 15,2023.
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