New Bomb Turks

Four Ohio State University graduates holding English degrees, the New Bomb Turks quickly gained recognition as vanguards of the punk rock upheaval among mohawked, hardcore devotees worldwide. Rejecting any pop-punk leanings, the quartet instead delivered raw, high-velocity aggression rooted in the sound of the Pagans, Dead Boys, and comparable predecessors. Their moniker traces to Robert Wuhl’s character in the early-1980s B film The Hollywood Nights, the same low-budget feature that launched the screen careers of Tony Danza and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The band’s landmark debut Destroy Oh Boy! surfaced in 1993 to unanimous critical approval. They followed it almost immediately with the Drunk on Cock EP, whose cover art proved memorably provocative, then delivered another success the next year on Information Highway Revisited. That album showcased a more refined production and a subtler punk imprint, again winning widespread reviewer enthusiasm.

The Pissing Out the Poison: Singles and Other Swill closed out their association with Crypt Records after Epitaph, then an emerging mini-major, recruited them to its roster. Scared Straight and At Rope’s End appeared in quick succession, though both sets began to betray the fatigue of relentless road work and studio demands. A handful of EPs bridged the gap until the group’s final Epitaph release, Nightmare Scenario, reached stores in 1999.

After parting company with the label on friendly terms, the Turks toured briefly before returning to the studio. They completed The Night Before the Day the Earth Stood Still without label support, and Gearhead ultimately licensed and issued the album in fall 2002.