STAB CITY SLITWRISTS - FORGET HOLLYWOOD (2002 OR '03?)

Built on a potent mix of hardcore intensity, punk snarl, GIGANTIC fucking rock riffing and a solid metal sensibility, Stab City Slitwrists burst like a swollen blister all over the sleepy town of Flagstaff, Arizona sometime around the turn of the millenium. Known for over-the-top stage antics such as using broken telephone receivers as mics, standing high atop full Marshall stacks for the duration of entire songs, and having their bass player (who had a wireless setup) wander out into the street in the middle of a set, still playing along, SSSW were truly a sight to behold, a gang of booze-drenched, sweaty punks with amplification to match their ambition. Fronted by one female and one male vocalist (Betsy and Josh, respectively), they also included in their ranks one Case Miller, as well as the infamous Casebeer Brothers, who have played in about a zillion other Flagstaff and Tucson bands - including Shitbastard prior and JETOMI (Jewel Encrusted Tyrants of Modern Industry) directly afterward.
My old band had the distinct pleasure of sharing the stage with these freaks twice back in the day, once at The Vista in Eureka and once at a fancy restaurant called The Sapphire Rose. The latter of these two joints was hilarious, a gourmet eating establishment with candles and fine linens on the tables and a bartender wearing a bowtie. For some reason, it is not an uncommon occurrence for places like this to have punk and metal shows in Humboldt (see also: The Plaza Grill), and the ensuing chaos that night was both shocking and totally predictable. SSSW thrashed the place, blowing out the power at least three times during their set. Not surprisingly, a lifelong allegiance was formed, and as a result I received a Sharpied CD-R of their as-yet unreleased album Forget Hollywood from Johnny Casebeer a few months later. This same release now resides only three quick mouse-clicks away from your greedy fingers.
I also recall a write-up about these guys in one of the local rags in Eureka at the time. The reporter was under the assumption that the Casebeers and Case Miller were just "clever pseudonyms" used by a band that loved the sauce. But how wrong she was. These are their real names, almost as if fate knew that they were destined for a glorious future of boozy rock and roll excess. At least, that's what I think.

I'm pretty sure you can't buy this anywhere, so go ahead and download it guilt-free. If you like what you hear, check out Josh and the Casebeers' post-Stab City band This Runs On Blood (if you're in the Bay Area, these jackamos are playing at Full House in Oakland May 23rd and Bender's in San Francisco on May 29th).

Download HERE