Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Theory Of Ruin - Front Line Poster Child


Label: Escape Artist
Year: 2004

Ipecac posted the Theory Of Ruin full length some time ago, but I was listening to this ep in the car today and had completely forgotten how much it smokes. Great shit.
You already know that it's Alex Newport from Fudge Tunnel and Nailbomb (and producing a million good records [and a few crap ones]), and you know that this band sounds way less metal than you had originally expected and way more like Unsane meets Killing Joke meets Rapeman. You knew that. Got it. Maybe you knew that drummer Ches Smith was in Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant, and Xiu Xiu. Possibly. So you know this is super good then.
I was in a band once who were not very popular (go figure) and we played a show with Theory Of Ruin and Totimoshi. When we played there were literally 6 paying customers in attendance. Awesome draw. But then, when Totimoshi took the stage, our 6 "fans" (who had come simply out of obligation and were by no means there to hear loud music) began filing out. Yikes. Then, when Theory Of Ruin played, there was literally nobody there but the other bands the people that worked there. Ouch. No fun. They still powered through their set, and were still very impressive, but I felt terrible that no one was there to see it. 
Oh well

* Link fixed 09.19.09

13 comments:

1009 said...

Love Ches Smith but ToR is new to me. Very much looking forward to hearing this. The full-length link is dead, though; could that be re-upped? Thanks in any case.

Anonymous said...

An old band of mine also played with Theory of Ruin and the same exact thing happened, except there were maybe 10 people there. Also, had the pleasure of being one of the "crap bands" Newport recorded!

Mike said...

This is the band I miss the most. There was always less than a dozen people at their shows. I saw them live 5 or 6x and they were powerful, crushing, tight, and on point. I guess they weren't around long enough to get more fans. One of my favorite of all time bands. Check out Good for Cows if you like Ches' drumming...great stuff.

Icky said...

Where was the 6-person audience show?
NYC?
I was the driver/roadie for both ToR & Totimoshi back then...

Gray said...

Small world...
The show was in Atlanta at the Earl. i was in the opening band, called Black Venus.

Totimoshi were awesome too, I should get some of their records up here for folks to hear.

Mega-leg said...

Theory of Ruin ruled and the fact that there was no one there to see them is a travesty! I never got the privilege of seeing them live unfortunately. Does anyone know what Alex Newport is doing musically now? Fudge Tunnel always ruled as well.

Hey Gray, how about posting some Black Venus? I'm curious anyway...

Icky said...

I barely remember The Earl show, we got in so late, and it was fuckin' C-O-L-D!
What's up with that?
I do remember getting some good food in the restaurant; red beans & rice w/ BBQ chicken, & the merch area had the biggest hole in the floor I thought I was gonna break my ankle for sure. I stashed some beer in there to keep it cold ;)

I believe Alex moved to LA after he left SF & I think he is in NYC, er, Brooklyn now along with all the hip kids, haven't talked to him in a long-ass time...

ipecac said...

the counter culture nosebleed link is all fixed

go and prod it

FruitBooter said...

Alex moved to Brooklyn

FruitBooter said...

My old band was the band that played with them with around 10 peeps in Glendale, California. What a great band.

teedotjaydot said...

damn, i opened for them in Des Moines, Iowa

roughly the same attendance

Mr. Amsterdamned said...

Ouch..came a bit late to this party...any chance of a re-up, pretty please?

captcha=dulla

Mr. Amsterdamned said...

Thanks for re-up, mate!

 
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