Knockout Drops

Hailing from Long Island, NY, the gritty alt-pop combo Knockout Drops emerged when Chris Campion on vocals, Tom Licameli on guitar, and Phil Mastrangelo on bass first connected through common musical inspirations. After shifting their operations to New York City, the group added Vinny Cimino on drums and started performing regularly in local clubs, where their off-kilter stage act helped cultivate a dedicated audience. Their self-released The Burning Bush Chronicles caught the ear of producer Joe Blaney, whose prior credits included work with the Clash and Soul Asylum. Blaney then produced the band's 1997 EP Nowadays. Momentum stalled for several years amid various music-industry setbacks, yet the Knockout Drops reemerged forcefully in 2002 by establishing a base at the N.Y.C. dive Siberia. There they developed fresh songs while hosting a circle of night-owl musicians and artists. This period directly informed their first full-length album, Killed by the Lights, issued in 2003 on Circus Clone, the imprint operated by Campion's brother Billy, also known as Vic Thrill.