Violent Apathy is an American

hardcore Hardcore, hard core or hard-core may refer to: Arts and media Film * ''Hardcore'' (1977 film), a British comedy film * ''Hardcore'' (1979 film), an American crime drama film starring George C Scott * ''Hardcore'' (2001 film), a British documen ...

band that formed in March 1981 at

Western Michigan University Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a Public university, public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. B ...

Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

, United States, and sparked the Kalamazoo hardcore scene. The original band was three high school friends from

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is a city in Jackson County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The population was 31,309 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located along Interstate 94 in Michigan, Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127 in Michigan, U.S ...

(Kenny Knott, Richard "Dick" Bowser, and Jim Forgey) along with Eliot Rachman, another WMU student who hailed from

East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, although a small portion extends north into Clinton County, Michigan, Clinton County. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...

. Rachman had worked on the 1980

United States Census The United States census (plural censuses or census) is a census that is legally mandated by the Constitution of the United States. It takes place every ten years. The first census after the American Revolution was taken in 1790 United States ce ...

Lansing, MI Lansing () is the capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. It is the sixth-most populous city in Michigan with a populati ...

with members of The Fix and the original publishers (Tesco Vee and Dave Stimson) of '' Touch and Go'' magazine. He introduced the other members of the band to the then very new music of the Fix, the

Necros Necros was an early American hardcore punk band from Maumee, Ohio, although they are usually identified with the Detroit music scene. They were the first band to record for Touch and Go Records. History Necros was formed in mid-1979 by then- ...

, and

Negative Approach Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. The band is considered among the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little know ...

, and all three bands provided a great deal of support and encouragement to VA. Violent Apathy, through many lineup changes,Artist Direct Inc
"Violent Apathy: Here Today (Album Reviews)"
''Artistdirect.com'' (website). played numerous shows throughout

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

, particularly in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Lansing Lansing () is the capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. It is the sixth-most populous city in Michigan with a popul ...

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...

, and

Kalamazoo Kalamazoo ( ) is a city in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Kalamazoo had a population of 73,598. It is the principal city of the Kalamazoo–Portage metropolitan are ...

. The band played outside of

only twice, both in 1983, once in

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

and once in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. The

appearance, however, was supposedly attended by a young

Dave Grohl David Eric Grohl (; born January 14, 1969) is an American musician. He founded the rock band Foo Fighters, of which he is the lead singer, guitarist, principal songwriter, and only consistent member. From 1990 to 1994, he was the drummer of th ...

of the

Foo Fighters The Foo Fighters are an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Initially founded as a one-man project by former Nirvana (band), Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band comprises vocalist/guitarist Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, gu ...

and described as a formative experience for him in the book ''Come as You Are'' by

Michael Azerrad Michael Azerrad is an American author, music journalist, editor, and musician. As a graduate of Columbia University, he has written for publications such as ''Spin'', ''Rolling Stone'', and ''The New York Times''. Azerrad's 1993 biography '' Com ...

. The band's sound also evolved considerably during its three-and-a-half-year life, moving from primitive

thrash Thrash may refer to: *Thrashing (computer science), where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work *Thrash (surname) * Thrash, mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers *''Thrash Rally'', a top-down perspective rally racing video game ...

to a slower, more

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

-oriented sound. VA logo

Students for Progressive Action

Another significant contribution of singer Kenny Knott and Eliot Rachman was the formation in 1982 of Students for Progressive Action (SPA). Originally started as a scheme for local musicians to get paying gigs from the university. SPA grew quickly and brought many shows to

between 1982 and 1986. Some of the bands that played at SPA shows included Black Flag,

Circle Jerks Circle Jerks (stylized as Ciʀcle JƎʀᴋs) are an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1979 in Los Angeles, California. The group was founded by former Black Flag (band), Black Flag vocalist Keith Morris and Redd Kross guitarist Greg Hetso ...

Saccharine Trust Saccharine Trust is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1980 by singer Jack Brewer and guitarist Joe Baiza. The band would frequently perform with SST labelmates Minutemen and Black Flag. However, Baiza descri ...

, The Minutemen,

Butthole Surfers Butthole Surfers are an American rock band formed in San Antonio, Texas, by singer Gibby Haynes and guitarist Paul Leary in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has ...

Naked Raygun Naked Raygun is an American punk rock band that formed in Chicago in 1980. The band was active from 1980 to 1992, along with reunion shows in 1997, and since 2006. Naked Raygun have cited various bands as influences, including Buzzcocks, Wire, ...

, Discharge,

Misfits MiSFiTS was the acronym for the ''Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy''. This organization has now changed its name to GPS, an acronym for Geek Partnership Society. It was founded in 1999 and was the parent non-profit org ...

Samhain Samhain ( , , , ) or () is a Gaels, Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or the "Celtic calendar#Medieval Irish and Welsh calendars, darker half" of the year.Dáithí Ó hÓgáin, Ó hÓ ...

Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C., by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guita ...

, and many others. Violent Apathy and many other southwest

bands typically provided opening support at SPA shows.

Legacy

Members of Violent Apathy have also been involved in a myriad of other musical endeavors. Kenny Knott was part of the band Just Say No, who recorded three albums on the Go Ahead Records label, in the late 1980s and went on to front The Monokulators in Lansing, MI. Tommy Fuller played in Spite from 1984 to 1985, and in Black Spring during the 1990s and currently runs a brewery in

Lawton, Michigan Lawton is a village in southeastern Van Buren County, Michigan, United States. The population was 1,900 at the 2010 census. History The Village of Lawton came into existence in 1848 when the Michigan Central Railroad reached this destination. ...

. Rachman and Forgey were part of the original Meatmen. Rachman played with the Virelles, a group that eventually mutated into the God Bullies,Bowser, Richar
"Violent Apathy"
"homepages.nyu.edu" (website) another

legend. Also, Bowser and Rachman were part of a band called Dick and the Balls. Rachman also played with the Memphis Pilgrims after moving to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Knott and Bowser are currently two thirds of the space/noise rock outfit Dr Xeron and the Moogulators.

Resurrection

In June 2007, Violent Apathy reunited for a twenty fifth anniversary reunion tour. Their first public appearance in twenty five years was in

at the 2500 Club. This was followed by appearances in

, and

Personnel

I: March 1981-March 1982 :Kenny Knott: vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser: guitar :Jim Forgey: bass :Eliot Rachman: drums II: March 1982-December 1982 :Kenny Knott: vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser: guitar :Todd Visser: bass :Eliot Rachman: drums III: January 1983-August 1983 :Kenny Knott: vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser: guitar :Tommy Fuller: guitar :Todd Visser: bass :Andy Bennett: drums IV: August 1983-September 1984 :Kenny Knott: vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser: guitar :Tommy Fuller: guitar :Eric Lorey: bass :Andy Bennett: drums V: June 2007 – 2010 :Kenny Knott : Vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser : guitar :Tommy Fuller : guitar :Eliot Rachman: drums :Karl Knack : Bass VI: July 2010 reunion shows :Kenny Knott : Vocals :Richard (Dick) Bowser : guitar :Tommy Fuller : guitar :Eliot Rachman: drums :J.C. Graves : Bass

Discography

Releases

* '' Here Today'' - 7" (Gravelvoice, 1983)

Bootlegs

*''

Reason Reason is the capacity of consciously applying logic by drawing valid conclusions from new or existing information, with the aim of seeking the truth. It is associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy, religion, scien ...

'' - 7" (Lost & Found, 1996)

Compilations

*''Process of Elimination'' EP (Touch & Go, 1981) "I Can't Take It" *''Charred Remains'' tape (Noise/Version Sound, 1981) "Real World", "Hunger Strike", "Hypocrite" *''I Estimated Your Worth Today'' tape (has demo tracks) *''The Master Tapes'' 2LP (Affirmation, 1983) "Society Rules", "Desperation Takes Hold", "Ignorance is Bliss"

References

External links

Fan run Myspace page
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Violent Apathy Musical groups established in 1981 Hardcore punk groups from Michigan