Biography
A.C. ranks among the most notorious acts in heavy metal's shadowy underbelly, distinguished equally by their sonic abrasiveness and their penchant for provocation. Their moniker, drawn from a G.G. Allin track and standing for Anal Cunt, supplies much of that infamy, while their grindcore output consists of ultra-brief tracks whose titles rank among the most caustic in existence; "The Word Homophobic Is Gay" and "I Like Drugs and Child Abuse" illustrate the milder end of their catalog. The band's calculated ambiguity keeps listeners guessing whether the sentiments are satirical jabs at homophobic metal audiences or genuinely held views, though reports of the members' conventional domestic lives outside the group tilt speculation toward the former interpretation.
Formed in 1988 explicitly as a sonic experiment, the trio of vocalist Seth Putnam, guitarist Mike Mahan, and drummer Tim Morse set out to become the "most non-musical band in the world." Their rapid-fire grindcore salvos, most clocking in at ten or twenty seconds, substantiated that aim across a string of successive demos. In 1991 Mahan departed, Fred Ordonez stepped in on guitar, and the revised lineup issued several additional EPs plus a split single with the Meat Shits. Ordonez's tenure proved brief; he exited the following year and John Kozik took his place.
This configuration secured a deal with Earache, a label that had pursued them since their earliest recordings, and issued Morbid Florist that same year, generating unexpected underground acclaim. Ordonez returned as second guitarist, and Everyone Should Be Killed appeared the next year, by which point punk influences had begun to surface and broaden their reach. Ordonez left once more by year's end, Paul Kraynak filling the slot; that configuration cut Top 40 Hits and the notorious Oi!-styled rendition of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive." The latter track marked their commercial breakthrough, drawing punk audiences drawn to the band's outlandish behavior and lyrics, yet it also ignited backlash when the group cited racist hardcore outfits Screwdriver and Vaginal Jesus as primary influences on the cover and even shared stages with the latter. Mainstream metal outlets such as Metal Maniacs declined to cover them, and Earache gradually withdrew support.
Against that backdrop they delivered 40 More Reasons to Hate Us in 1996. Kraynak exited, Scott Hull replaced him only to depart after tracking the album, and even Tim Morse left; Putnam nevertheless assembled a touring unit featuring guitarist Josh Martin and drummer Nate Linehan for shows alongside Incantation and for the albums I Like It When You Die and the acoustic Picnic of Love. The same personnel endured through 1997's It Just Gets Worse. Two years later Linehan departed, John Gillis came aboard, and Earache dropped the band amid distribution obstacles tied to the group's name and titles such as "Limp Bizkit Thinks They're Black, but They're Really Just Gay," which deterred major retailers. After several singles on different imprints, Ng Records issued the sole full-length of that interim phase, The Early Years: 1988-1991, a compilation drawn from pre-Morbid Florist demos and singles that sustained fan interest until Defenders of the Hate surfaced in 2001 on Menace to Sobriety Records. The band later reunited. On June 11, 2011, Seth Putnam succumbed to a suspected heart attack at age 43.
Formed in 1988 explicitly as a sonic experiment, the trio of vocalist Seth Putnam, guitarist Mike Mahan, and drummer Tim Morse set out to become the "most non-musical band in the world." Their rapid-fire grindcore salvos, most clocking in at ten or twenty seconds, substantiated that aim across a string of successive demos. In 1991 Mahan departed, Fred Ordonez stepped in on guitar, and the revised lineup issued several additional EPs plus a split single with the Meat Shits. Ordonez's tenure proved brief; he exited the following year and John Kozik took his place.
This configuration secured a deal with Earache, a label that had pursued them since their earliest recordings, and issued Morbid Florist that same year, generating unexpected underground acclaim. Ordonez returned as second guitarist, and Everyone Should Be Killed appeared the next year, by which point punk influences had begun to surface and broaden their reach. Ordonez left once more by year's end, Paul Kraynak filling the slot; that configuration cut Top 40 Hits and the notorious Oi!-styled rendition of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive." The latter track marked their commercial breakthrough, drawing punk audiences drawn to the band's outlandish behavior and lyrics, yet it also ignited backlash when the group cited racist hardcore outfits Screwdriver and Vaginal Jesus as primary influences on the cover and even shared stages with the latter. Mainstream metal outlets such as Metal Maniacs declined to cover them, and Earache gradually withdrew support.
Against that backdrop they delivered 40 More Reasons to Hate Us in 1996. Kraynak exited, Scott Hull replaced him only to depart after tracking the album, and even Tim Morse left; Putnam nevertheless assembled a touring unit featuring guitarist Josh Martin and drummer Nate Linehan for shows alongside Incantation and for the albums I Like It When You Die and the acoustic Picnic of Love. The same personnel endured through 1997's It Just Gets Worse. Two years later Linehan departed, John Gillis came aboard, and Earache dropped the band amid distribution obstacles tied to the group's name and titles such as "Limp Bizkit Thinks They're Black, but They're Really Just Gay," which deterred major retailers. After several singles on different imprints, Ng Records issued the sole full-length of that interim phase, The Early Years: 1988-1991, a compilation drawn from pre-Morbid Florist demos and singles that sustained fan interest until Defenders of the Hate surfaced in 2001 on Menace to Sobriety Records. The band later reunited. On June 11, 2011, Seth Putnam succumbed to a suspected heart attack at age 43.
Albums
Singles
