The Riffs

In the early years of the twenty-first century, multiple groups operated under the name the Riffs. One hailed from Britain and specialized in ska, while another emerged from New Jersey and embraced a seventies revivalist stance shaped chiefly by Grand Funk Railroad, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Rod Stewart. The ensemble under discussion here, however, is the punk outfit formed in Portland, Oregon. Drawing from both sides of the Atlantic, that Portland unit projects a raw, confrontational style rooted in the archetypal punk sound of the late seventies and early eighties. Its members, all based in Portland, Oregon, remained untouched by the emocore acts dominating alternative radio during the nineties and the first years of the following decade; instead, their output delivers an fervent, unrepentant return to the foundational punk approach of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Dead Boys, and Sham 69. Their overall sound blends transatlantic elements yet owes its strongest debt to British forebears such as the Sex Pistols, Sham 69, and the Clash, while also reflecting the impact of American counterparts like the Dead Boys. Having coalesced during the nineties, the group further acknowledges pre-punk sources, above all T. Rex and its signature track “Bang a Gong.” The current roster features lead vocalist Tony Mengis alongside Dogsbody, Amphetamine Blue, Saigon Shakes, and drummer Carl. Each of these musicians previously played in other Portland punk acts, including the Champions, Deathcharge, Defiance, and Resist. The band’s debut long-player, Underground Kicks, appeared on the Pelado imprint in 1999. Two years later the members inked a deal with TKO, the Richmond, Virginia independent known for its focus on hardcore punk. In March 2002 that label issued the follow-up album Dead End Dream in both compact-disc and vinyl editions.