‘90s Hardcore punkers DFL aka Dead Fucking Last are back with their first record
is over two decades and they are hitting the road in support…
DFL traces their history back to 1991, when guitarist Monty Messex and vocalist
Crazy Tom decided to form a hardcore band with Ad Rock of the Beastie Boys on
bass. Each of the members grew up in the early ‘80s hardcore scenes (Monty and
Tom on the West Coast, Ad Rock on the East) and their sound recalled that classic
era while their lyrics were distinctively contemporary. The band’s debut album,
1993’s My Crazy Life (released on the Beastie’s own Grand Royal Records) was a
mid-90s hardcore classic that maintained the frantic, schizo-ethos of bands like the
Germs, Black Flag, and yes, early Beastie Boys and the Circle Jerks.
During DFL’s initial run, the band played and recorded with a lot of punk icons –
Beastie Mike D, Brian Baker of Minor Threat and AWOL of Suicidal Tendencies were
each in the band for a time. After the release of 1995’s Proud to Be and 1997’s
Grateful (Epitaph) the band did what every hardcore band does- they collapsed.
But, surprisingly, Messex and Crazy Tom reunited in 2013. Since then, they’ve been
gigging and releasing digital singles. Now with Adam Gardner on drums and Edgar
Jaramillo on bass, they’re releasing what might be their most charged up, whacked
out record yet!
YRUDFL, the band’s first release in 24 years, is seven songs of straight-up So Cal
hardcore and lasts all of about 11 minutes… and you better believe every second
counts. The tracks are raw and ragged and combine, sharp, punchy riffs with lyrics
about feeling boxed in, running from cops, bugging out, and how tasty iced coffee is.
Messex talks about what fueled the new EP: “The hardcore and skate punk sound
that I grew up with in the early ‘80s had big impact on this record. I went back to
that early era of hardcore and let is inspire me as song writer. Bottom line- we just
tried to stay true to our sound, and keep things simple.”
They do. Because the record is their first in over two decades, it finds the band
revved up with unspent energy and, frankly, ready to explode. Comeback albums are
not supposed to be this jacked up! The title track finds the band asking the age old
question, “Why are you DFL?” Messex supplies the “answer. “ He says, “Each
person’s gotta answer that for themselves. Just consult your inner DFL and the
answer will come. For me it’s a personal quest that’s best served with pizza.”
Or there’s “No Exit,” which tears by in 59 seconds long and finds Crazy Tom spitting
out, “Live for nothing /die for something/ close my eyes and go away!” In fact, that
rapid fire mindset was aided by one of the inventors of rapid fire hardcore…Greg Hetson of the Circle Jerks produced the EP and it bears Hetson’s jumpy, beach-
punker, first-wave of hardcore edge. Messex says, “Those early Circle Jerk releases
had a huge influence on me as a musician, so when Greg signed on to produce it was
kinda next level. That same sonic ideology drove this record. We actually dedicate a
song to Greg ‘cause the dude has been through it all and he still stands strong.”
Hetson adds, “I always find it amazing that a band that has been around for a long
time can keep up the original intensity and character… and I think this record
delivers that!”
Honestly, it really does take 24 years to make 11 minutes this good. And if you don’t
believe me, give it a spin and see if your head is still attached to your shoulders
afterwards.
YURUDFL is out summer 2021 on SBÄM records and Say 10 records.