The Explosion

In the beginning, there was the music. It was easy. Some friends started playing in 1998. They recruited a second guitar player, lost a drummer, gained a drummer, and became a band. It was fun. It was what Joe Strummer and Johnny Thunders and Debbie Harry had done. It was loud. It was fast. It made girls smile. And then, it was too late to go back.

With their five-song demo -- an inflamed declaration of intent released by Jade Tree as an EP -- and the brighter but no less brawny follow-up, 2000's Flash, Flash, Flash, they were The Explosion. They toured the U.S. and Europe with bands like A.F.I., Rocket from the Crypt and Sick of It All and became a part of something larger than themselves.

In 2002, they briefly toyed with concentrating on their text books and their time cards, instead of their music, for a bit. But first, they had to do one more tour. It was enough to prove that the music was still pure and purposeful. It was still a good time. People were listening. It was enough to show them that music is more than five friends blasting out brutal, beautiful sounds: Music is art. Music is revolution. Music is community.

Armed with a manifesto, a mission and a new sense of joy, The Explosion signed with Virgin Records in the fall of 2002, prepared to launch their attack. Tarantulas attack. The band has ideas and energy and imagination to burn, and they've invited their friends to jump into the fire. Created to release Explosion-side project, The Tonsils, Tarantulas Records has since released vinyl by The Bronx and The Distillers and unleashed new plagues like Darker My Love and The Lot Six. Not content to assail with music alone, each release is infested with art, politics and culture.

But the real feat is their bold, triumphant major label debut Black Tape, due out October 5, 2004. It’s as fast and furious as anything in their past, and peppered with as many fist-pumping, melody-gushing punk rock anthems. It also finesses in plenty of life experience and sonic sophistication. The first single "Here I Am" is a call to arms and a statement of purpose, as tough as nails and poppy as hell. "Deliver Us" is a riptide of brash, in-your-face vocals, churned up over scratched out, radiating guitars and throbbing bass. "Filthy Insane" is just that, a raunchy blast of manic, stylish punk rock.