Slapshot (band)
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Slapshot was a straight edge hardcore band from Boston, Massachusetts.
History
Slapshot was formed in 1985 by Steve Risteen and Mark McKay, formerly of Terminally Ill; Jack Kelly, formerly of Negative FX and Last Rights; and Jonathan Anastas, formerly of Decadence and DYS. Due to the reputations of its members, the band had a relatively high profile even before its debut; in a Malcom McClaren-esque move, one zine writer (A&R executive Mike Gitter) wrote that "Slapshot is a great live act" before they had ever played in public[1].
Diverging from their counterparts in hardcore, Slapshot decided to make the first album a 24 track cut as opposed to the usual 16-track hardcore album. To reduce costs, they recorded at night and completed the album in four sessions. Back On The Map was released by Taang! Records in 1986[2].
The band's lineup underwent a number of changes in its first few years, although its sound remained consistent. Jordan Wood, formerly of S.T.P., joined as an additional guitarist, but took over bass guitar when Anastas left the band to continue his education. In July 1988, the band welcomed Jamie Sciarappa, the former bass player for SS Decontrol; Sciarappa made his debut with Slapshot at CBGB. He departed in 1990 and was replaced by Chris Lauria.
After releasing the 1993 album Blast Furnace which was both a move into sample-based Industrial/Metal/Hardcore and only included one original member (Choke was joined by a more "Metal" backing band including members of Slaughter Shack), Slapshot toured in Europe that spring. On the second date of the tour, they recorded a live album in Berlin called Live At SO36. The following year, they recorded Unconsciousness in Chicago with Steve Albini, ex-member of Big Black and producer for Nirvana.
In July 1997, Slapshot played what was to be their last show in the United States for five years in Plymouth, Massachusetts. They toured Europe in 1999, including a stop at the Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium. In December 1999, a Slapshot tribute album called Boston Drops The Gloves - A Tribute To Slapshot was released by Flat Records (the label owned by Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys) and San Francisco-based TKO Records. The album included homages from twenty-two Boston bands.
In 2001, Slapshot issued a new album entitled Greatest Hits, Slashes And Crosschecks featuring rerecorded versions of classic Slapshot songs. They followed up with 2003's Digital Warfare (I Scream Records)and 2005's Tear It Down, along with several more European tours. In 2006, Slapshot released a statement on their website announcing that the band was defunct. A DVD release from Taang! Records is still expected.
Slapshot will never officially be 'defunct'. They recently played one show at 'Significant Fest 2007' on June 30th in Clearwater, FL. Also on the bill were old timers Killing Time, 108 and Uppercut. There are also plans for 10-12 shows in Europe in July 2008 with a stop at the 'With Full Force' festival in Leipzig Germany.
No word on when (or if at this point) the DVD will be completed and released.
Trivia
The London based BMX bicycle company Bicycle Union co-opted several Slapshot album covers and random artwork for use on their t-shirt and sticker line.
'Whats At Stake' from the Sudden Death Overtime record was covered by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones on the 'More Noise and Other Disturbances' record.
Current Slapshot guitar player Ed Lalli is also the lead singer for the Boston punk band, The Welch Boys.
Discography
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