Biography
American Made stands apart among punk outfits through an uncommon fusion that weaves rock and hip-hop-tinged pop into frantic hardcore punk and streetwise rap chants, yielding an altogether fresh result while threading an explicit Christian outlook throughout. The lineup features rapper Danneal Castillo alongside guitarist Chris Brown, his sibling drummer Aaron Brown, and bassist Eric Geeler.
Chris and Aaron Brown, together with Geeler, absorbed early influences from rock acts such as Social Distortion and Rancid, whereas Castillo drew from rappers including Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J. The central challenge lay in merging those contrasting approaches into a cohesive, energetic whole while conveying the group’s Christian principles without resorting to overt sermonizing.
The four musicians first connected at a Christian summer camp and soon began playing together under the name Against the Flow, a choice that reflected both their outlook and their sound. They later adopted the moniker American Made and repurposed the earlier name for their debut album. Issued in 1999 on KMG Records and produced by Whiteheart’s Billy Smiley, Against the Flow contains cuts propelled by thundering drums and savage guitar riffs, among them “Earth Girls,” “Kick It,” “How We Roll,” and “Live and Learn.”
Following that release, American Made has toured extensively across the country, sharing bills with acts such as Skillet and appearing in settings ranging from nightclubs to Christian rock festivals.
Chris and Aaron Brown, together with Geeler, absorbed early influences from rock acts such as Social Distortion and Rancid, whereas Castillo drew from rappers including Run-D.M.C. and LL Cool J. The central challenge lay in merging those contrasting approaches into a cohesive, energetic whole while conveying the group’s Christian principles without resorting to overt sermonizing.
The four musicians first connected at a Christian summer camp and soon began playing together under the name Against the Flow, a choice that reflected both their outlook and their sound. They later adopted the moniker American Made and repurposed the earlier name for their debut album. Issued in 1999 on KMG Records and produced by Whiteheart’s Billy Smiley, Against the Flow contains cuts propelled by thundering drums and savage guitar riffs, among them “Earth Girls,” “Kick It,” “How We Roll,” and “Live and Learn.”
Following that release, American Made has toured extensively across the country, sharing bills with acts such as Skillet and appearing in settings ranging from nightclubs to Christian rock festivals.
Albums
