Critical Mass

Formed in Berkeley, California, the ska-punk outfit Critical Mass brought together vocalist and saxophonist Michael Valladares, guitarist Jeff Kamalian, bassist Moose, and drummer Chris Barry-Smith. Drawing on a wide array of sounds that stretched from jazz through funk into hard rock, the band emerged in 1993 after the dissolution of several Bay Area groups—the Noise, Chill Factor, the Viberaiders, and the Elephant Men. Once they cultivated an audience across West Coast clubs, Critical Mass released their first album, Give It Up, Let It Go, in 1997. Three years after that came Bamboozled, followed by a self-titled record in fall 2000.