Rambo (band)
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Rambo (stylized on-screen as R.a.m.b.o.) are an American
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
band based in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. The band identified with the
anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and Political movement, movement that seeks to abolish all institutions that perpetuate authority, coercion, or Social hierarchy, hierarchy, primarily targeting the state (polity), state and capitalism. A ...
,
crust punk Crust punk (also known as stenchcore or simply crust) is a fusion genre of anarcho-punk and extreme metal that originated in the early to mid-1980s in England. Originally, the genre was primarily mid-tempo, making use of metal riffs in a stri ...
,
cyclist Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...
and
thrashcore Thrashcore (also known as fastcore) is a fast-tempo subgenre of hardcore punk that emerged in the early 1980s. Thrashcore is essentially sped-up hardcore, adopting a slightly more extreme style by means of its vocals, dissonance, and occasiona ...
movements. Known for hectic live performances, the band toured extensively in the United States, Europe, Australia and Southeast Asia, including several sections of the latter continent previously unvisited by touring Western rock bands.


History

R.A.M.B.O. was formed in 1999 by singer Tony Croasdale (known as Tony Pointless), guitarist Andy Wheeler, bassist Beau Brendley and drummer Jeremy Gewertz, the latter two of whom played in Philadelphia-based hardcore band Kill The Man Who Questions. Croasdale was known in the city's punk rock scene for his involvement with the underground venue Stalag 13, and would later co-run a summer music fest that became unofficially known as the Pointless Fest. Initially, the group performed in camouflage face paint and military fatigue, but following the events of
9/11 The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were four coordinated Islamist terrorist suicide attacks by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. Nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing the first two into ...
, ceased this policy in fear of its presenting "the wrong" (i.e., a pro-American militancy) message. In 2000, Brendley and Gewertz left the group. Gewertz would go on to play with An Albatross, Brendley with El Toro de Oro. They were replaced by Bull Gervasi (formerly of Policy Of Three) and Todd Hoffman (of Virginia Black Lung and the Fighting Dogs), respectively; the lineup was rounded out by second guitarist John Robinson (a former member of Good Clean Fun). Artist Mike Bukowski soon started being considered a member of the band in the capacity of "propagandist" and relating to the group as did Gee Vaucher to
Crass Crass was an English art collective and punk rock band formed in Epping, Essex in 1977 who promoted anarchism as a political ideology, a lifestyle, and a resistance movement. Crass popularized the anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, ...
. Robinson, Hoffman, and Bukowski would go on to leave the group one by one, leaving Croasdale, Wheeler, Gervasi, and drummer Dave Rosenstrauss (along with Mick Brochu, a part-time live guitarist) as the group's final lineup before disbanding in 2007. The band maintains that they didn’t break up because of conflicts within the band. No member has ever been kicked out or quit in anger. The band started as a joke, therefore not all original members were prepared to commit to touring. The band decided to go on indefinite hiatus to focus on other aspects of their life. Wheeler became a successful cinematographer. His films include:”Shoplifters of the World”, “Gods Country”, and “Eric laRue”. Gervasi trained as an electrician, and purchased land in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, where he lives in a shack like the UNI Bomber. Croasdale finished college, and pursued a master's degree in biology. He directs a Nature Center, is an adjunct ecology professor, he is the co-host of the Urban Wildlife Podcast, and is writing a field guide on urban wildlife to be published by Cornell University. The three core members consider themselves best friends, and missed collaborating together. They began writing a new album in 2019. Dave was asked to drum on the recordings but declined as he was busy with his family. Jared Shavelson was asked to drum as he lives in Los Angeles and could collaborate easily with Wheeler. R.A.M.B.O. Unleashed “Defy Extinction” on Relapse Records in December 2022. They played their first show in 17 years at C.Y. Fest in Los Angeles in September 2024. Derik Moore of Citizens Arrest, Fright, Grey Cell, etc filled in on drums. Josh Agarn of Paint It Black played second guitar. Tony tore his plantatis muscle-tendon during the set. R.A.M.B.O. produced three full-lengths; ''Wall of Death the System'', on the
625 Thrashcore Max Ward, occasionally playing under the moniker of Hirax Max, is an American power violence and thrashcore drummer and vocalist, playing for such bands as Spazz, Plutocracy, Capitalist Casualties, What Happens Next?, Bombs of Death, and Sch ...
label,''Bring It!'', on Havoc Records, and “Defy Extinction” on Relaspse Records. The band was also known for its unrelenting and widespread touring, as well as its theatrical live shows featuring many cardboard props depicting humorous-yet-political scenarios based around their
anarcho-syndicalist Anarcho-syndicalism is an anarchist organisational model that centres trade unions as a vehicle for class conflict. Drawing from the theory of libertarian socialism and the practice of syndicalism, anarcho-syndicalism sees trade unions as both ...
convictions.


Discography


Tapes

*"No Circle Pits in Heaven" (self-released)


EPs

*Split 7" with Crucial Unit – (Ed Walters Records) *Split 7" with Caustic Christ – ( Busted Heads Records / Havoc Records)


Albums

*''Wall of Death the System'' (
625 Thrashcore Max Ward, occasionally playing under the moniker of Hirax Max, is an American power violence and thrashcore drummer and vocalist, playing for such bands as Spazz, Plutocracy, Capitalist Casualties, What Happens Next?, Bombs of Death, and Sch ...
, 2001) *''Bring It!'' (Havoc Records, 2005) *''Defy Extinction'' (Relapse Records, 2022)


References


External links


R.A.M.B.O.
on
Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

Havoc Records625 ThrashcoreRAMBO: Have Faith in the Youth, This Generation is Poised to Stir Some Shit Up (2021 Interview)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rambo American crust and d-beat groups Hardcore punk groups from Pennsylvania Straight edge groups