The Bruisers
Encyclopedia
The Bruisers were pioneers of the American
streetpunk/oi!
movement, formed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
in 1988. The original lineup included: Al Barr
(vocals, now the lead singer of the Boston
Celtic punk
band Dropkick Murphys
), Scotty Davies (bass
), Jeff Morris (guitar
) and Rodger Shosa (drum
s). Morris is now a guitarist and lead vocalist for Death & Taxes
, and a former guitarist for Mark Lind
& the Unloved. Former guitarist Rick Wimercht died in the mid-1990s.
The first band members were skinhead
s (although not white power skinheads). After a few short years and lineup changes, the band and their style changed slightly. By 1996, Al Barr was the only remaining original member of The Bruisers. One notable release by the band was a 7" split with Barr's future band Dropkick Murphys
in 1997. After 10 years, the band broke up in 1998. The Bruisers had a reunion concert on September 14, 2005 at The Roxy in Boston. The bill included local acts The Ducky Boys
and Tommy & The Terrors, as well as The Casualties
from New York City
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
streetpunk/oi!
Oi!
Oi! is a working class subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads and other working-class youths ....
movement, formed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
in 1988. The original lineup included: Al Barr
Al Barr
Alexander Martin "Al" Barr is the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys. He was also a founder and lead singer for The Bruisers, which he helped form in 1988 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His first band circa 1984, was called D.V.A....
(vocals, now the lead singer of the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Celtic punk
Celtic punk
Celtic punk is punk rock mixed with traditional Celtic music. The genre was founded in the 1980s by The Pogues, a band of punk musicians in London who celebrated their Irish heritage. Celtic punk bands often play covers of traditional Irish folk and political songs, as well as original compositions...
band Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
), Scotty Davies (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Jeff Morris (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
) and Rodger Shosa (drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s). Morris is now a guitarist and lead vocalist for Death & Taxes
Death & Taxes
Death & Taxes and similar can mean:* For the famous quotation about death and taxes, see Benjamin Franklin, who published the first, original version* Death & Taxes , a 1993 Jeffery J...
, and a former guitarist for Mark Lind
Mark Lind
Mark Lind is a singer/songwriter from Charlestown, Massachusetts. He released his debut studio album Death or Jail in early 2006. Lind is also the front-man and bassist of Boston punk band The Ducky Boys. His most recent solo release, an EP titled Compulsive Fuck Up was released in March 2007...
& the Unloved. Former guitarist Rick Wimercht died in the mid-1990s.
The first band members were skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
s (although not white power skinheads). After a few short years and lineup changes, the band and their style changed slightly. By 1996, Al Barr was the only remaining original member of The Bruisers. One notable release by the band was a 7" split with Barr's future band Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
in 1997. After 10 years, the band broke up in 1998. The Bruisers had a reunion concert on September 14, 2005 at The Roxy in Boston. The bill included local acts The Ducky Boys
The Ducky Boys
The Ducky Boys are a street punk band from Boston, Massachusetts. Since forming in 1995 in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, the band has spanned over ten years with two tenures that have led to four full-length albums and over 50 songs. The band derives its name from the name of an Irish...
and Tommy & The Terrors, as well as The Casualties
The Casualties
The Casualties are an American street punk band from New York City, New York, formed in 1990.-Biography:The Casualties members aimed to return to what they viewed as the "golden era" of street punk, embodied by bands such as The Exploited, Charged GBH , which they believed had disappeared by...
from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Members
- Al BarrAl BarrAlexander Martin "Al" Barr is the lead singer of the Dropkick Murphys. He was also a founder and lead singer for The Bruisers, which he helped form in 1988 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. His first band circa 1984, was called D.V.A....
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(1988 – 1998, 2005) - Scotty Davies – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1988 – 1990) - Jeff Morris – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1988 – 1996, 2005) - Rodger Shosa – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s (1988 – 1989) - Dan Connors – drums (1989 – 1997, 2005)
- Crash – guitar (1989 – 1990)
- Todd Seely – bass (1990 – 1991), guitar (1996 – 1997)
- Rick Wimert – guitar (1990 – 1995)
- Todd Seely – bass (1990 – 1991)
- Keith "Ritchie" Richards – bass (1991 – 1996), guitar (1997 – 1998)
- Robert Garceau – guitar (1995 – 1996)
- Scott Vierra – guitar (1996 – 1998, 2005)
- Johnny RiouxJohnny RiouxJohnny Rioux is a Boston-based musician. He is known for playing in and working with many punk rock bands from the Boston area. He currently plays bass guitar with the Street Dogs and has previously played with Roger Miret and the Disasters, The Bruisers and The Kickovers...
– bass (1996 – 1998) - John Dicicco – drums (1997 – 1998)
- Mike Savitkas – bass (2005)
Albums
- Cruisin' for a Bruisin' (1993)
- Up in Flames (1996)
EPs/singles
- Intimidation (1989)
- Independence Day (1990)
- American Night (1991)
- Gates of Hell (1994)
- Clobberin' Time (1995)
- Mad Parade/Bruisers (1995)
- Still Standing UpStill Standing UpStill Standing Up is an EP by The Bruisers. It was released on Haunted Town Records in 1997. The EP includes three covers, of Johnny Thunders' "Ode to Johnny", Billy Joel's "You May Be Right" and Angelic Upstarts' "Police Oppression"....
(1997) - The Bruisers/Charge 69 (1998)
- Molotov (1997)
- Bruisers/Randumbs (1998)
- The Bruisers/Dropkick Murphys (1998)
Compilation albums
- Society's Fools (1996)
- Anything You Want It's All Right Here...: The Authorized Bruisers 1988-1994 (1998)
- One Law For Them...Another One For UsOne Law For Them...Another One For UsOne Law For Them...Another One For Us is a CD by The Bruisers that was released in 1999 by Lost & Found Records. This double CD contains only previously released material...
(1999) - In The Pit - Live And Rare (2000)
- Better Days (2000)
- Singles Collection 1989-1997Singles Collection 1989-1997The Singles Collection 1989-1997 is a CD by The Bruisers that was released in 2004 by Taang! Records. The album features the Intimidation EP [tracks 1-4], Clobberin' Time EP [tracks 5-7], remixed Independence Day EP [tracks 8-14], American Night EP [tracks 17-18], Gates Of Hell EP [tracks 19-20],...
(2004)