Murphy's Law (band)
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Murphy's Law | |
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Background information | |
Origin | New York City, U.S. |
Genres | Hardcore punk, skate punk, crossover thrash |
Years active | 1982–present |
Labels | Profile, Relativity, We Bite, Artemis, NYHC Tattoos, I Scream, Reflex/Wolfpack |
Members |
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Past members | See below |
Murphy's Law is an American
.Over the course of their career, Murphy's Law has released five albums, the last of which, The Party's Over, was released in 2001.
History
Murphy's Law and Back with a Bong (1986–1990)
The self-titled debut album features fast-paced, short songs with more mosh sections, but they also managed to blend in some laid-back Californian punk sounds and even blues into the stomping New York hardcore anthems. Some of the songs on this album could also be credited as an influence on the burgeoning thrash metal scene which had taken to incorporating elements of New York hardcore into their sound and general song structure – for instance, Anthrax and S.O.D., whose Speak English or Die album (even being released a year before the actual registration of Murphy's Law eponymous) predated this release. They shared a common interest in the lyrical themes of drinking, smoking, and partying with the likes of Boston hardcore band, Gang Green – another trait which separates them from the sociopolitical leanings of fellow NYHC bands. On later albums they diversified with experiments into ska.
The album spawned a few live favorites which were devised to "get the party going" – "Fun", "Beer", and "Care Bear" being just a small selection – but it also had a track which caused some controversy with "Skinhead Rebel". It was seen by some sectors of the community as a
The Best of Times (1991–1992)
Murphy's Law ushered in the 1990s with a reinvigorated blast of their debauchery-laced brand of comedic punk., and hardcore into their own distinct brew, shedding any dogmatic restrictions applied to the standards of their genre in the 1980s.
Production by Fishbone's John "Norwood" Fisher and Philip "Fish" Fisher lends authenticity and diversity to The Best of Times, as does the added instrumentation by several members of Fishbone. Covers of James Brown and Stevie Wonder provide some insight into Murphy's Law's sometimes controversial and misunderstood affiliation with the skinhead faction, finally putting to rest any allegations that racism or fascism have anything to do with the band's outlook. Although the group manages to shed this stereotype and expand musically on The Best of Times, the subject matter doesn't otherwise stray too far from earlier work. Songs about pot, beer, girls, and cars showcase the glorious immaturity and quest for fun that pretty much define Murphy's Law. When the band does get serious, which is not very often, it's in the interest of unity and friendship.
The title track is basically a fan tribute, thanking a small but loyal group of followers for the support that's enabled Murphy's Law to continue the party. The ska-tinged but heavy "1%" revels in the outcast-minded punk rock ethos, giving nod to those who embrace the good and bad of surfing the fringe of culture and society. Classic Murphy's Law rage surfaces on "Harder Than Who", an attack on the mindless aggression and competition that sometimes rule the hardcore scene.[3]
Good for Now, death of Chuck Valle and two more albums (1993–2009)
Murphy's Law collected a bunch of stomping, fast and anthem-style hardcore punk songs for this. It is first studio album in five years since The Best of Times. The personnel differed from previous efforts, but Jimmy G's vocals still provide the sound's basis. As with prior albums, the lyrics revolve mainly around smoking, drinking, and partying. A blur of melodic hardcore eventually gives way near the end to some saxophone-led ska. Dedication was released by Another Planet on March 19, 1996.[2] The label had already picked up the rights to their previous material from Profile Records and in 1994 had released a split CD with their self-titled and Back with a Bong albums on the same disc.
The album was produced by
Listeners find former D Generation guitarist Rick Bacchus, bassist Sal Villaneuva (Demonspeed), and drummer Eric Arce (Skarhead) joining forces with original Murphy's Law frontman Jimmy G and producer Daniel Rey (Ramones, The Misfits, and White Zombie). The result of this 2001 collaboration is 15 tracks of blistering, rowdy, and fast club punk. The song "The Party's Over" refers to the Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's intense "clean up" of the Big Apple. There are few musical departures on this predominately speedy punk album. "Walking Alone" incorporates a bit of a reggae vibe, while a saxophone line accents "Skinhead Girl", a cover of the song originally by Symarip, that takes the tempo down a notch to a swaggering groove (but stays true to punk form).
I Scream Records (2010–present)
On April 12, 2010, Murphy's Law announced in a
Media
In 2002, the band appeared in
Members
Murphy's Law has gone through many line-up changes over its four decade history with Jimmy Gestapo its only constant member.
Current members
- Jimmy Gestapo (James Drescher) – lead vocals (1982–present)
- Amy Wappel – bass, backing vocals
- Ben Social – guitars, backing vocals
- Seth Nelson – drums[8]
Past members
Guitars
Bass
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Drums
Horns
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Timeline
Discography
Albums
Live albums
Cover albums
Re-Issued albums
EPs
Music videos
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Singles
Compilation albums
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References
- ^ "The Most Influential Figures of NYHC: Jimmy G. (Murphy's Law) | Features". Noecho.net. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ ISBN 0-7535-0257-7.
- ^ a b Locey, Bill (April 9, 1992). "MUSIC MURPHY'S LAW : Suds 'n' Sounds : The band, known for its 'loud, grungy' style, is promoting a new album, which contains the tune 'Beer Bath.' So beware". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 23, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
- ^ Punknews.org. "Murphy's Law - The Party's Over". punknews.org. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "New Murphy'S Law Album, A Dvd, And Some Other Cool Shit In The Works! Van Murphy'S Law Op Myspace". Myspace.com. April 13, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ "Cremaster 3 (2002)". IMDb.com. May 25, 2003. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
- ^ "Liberty City Hardcore - Grand Theft Wiki, the GTA wiki". Grandtheftwiki.com. October 21, 2010. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ Donohue, Shawn (April 26, 2022). "New York's Hardcore Finest: Madball, Murphy's Law, Burn, Cro-Mags "JM" Heavy Up Tompkins Square Park". Glide Magazine. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
External links
- Murphy's Law on Facebook
- Murphy's Law at AllMusic
- Tour dates at Crawlspace Booking