S*M*A*S*H

In the early 1990s S*M*A*S*H channeled the raw aggression of vintage British punk, prompting U.K. weeklies to lump the trio into a fabricated “New Wave of the New Wave” that supposedly captured fresh bands reviving the late-’70s and early-’80s underground sound. Ed Borrie (vocals, guitar), Salvador Alessi (bass), and Rob Haigh (drums) assembled the group in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Their first singles drew sharp condemnation from British conservatives. After signing with Hi Rise Records in 1994, the band issued the EP S*M*A*S*H that same year; the track “I Want to Kill Somebody” reached the U.K. Top 40 yet was ultimately banned over its contentious lyrics. Although the full-length debut Self Abused failed to register commercially, critics continued to champion the group. A subsequent single appeared on Seattle’s Sub Pop label, yet S*M*A*S*H stayed largely invisible to American audiences. The EP Another Love Song E.P. arrived in 1995, followed a year later by the single “Rest of My Life,” which proved to be the band’s last release before they disbanded.