CVZ, JR, and JT (spring 2000)

Playing that nu metal stuff and hanging out at Greg's was fun and all, but the more I started to get out and go to punk shows at local firehouses and VFW halls, it was starting to make more sense to try a hand at something more in the vein of the fast-paced, yet less aggro stuff I was witnessing live and listening to on my Fearless, Go-Kart, and Fat Wreck Chords albums and compilations.

There were a couple kids, named Colin and Justin, who were new to my public school system in 9th grade, and who I discovered had either listened to punk, skated, or even played music. By the end of that year, I got to know them decently enough that we decided we should start doing something about it. After playing with Colin a few times, things started getting weird with Greg when he found out, and the fact that Colin's mom's apartment was located right around the corner from Greg, it was easy for him to keep tabs on me. By the time summer rolled around, Greg and I stopped "jamming" and Colin and I decided that we would start a band together, with whomever worked best. These are some of the many first tracks we taped.

Probably one of the first times I played with Colin, he introduced me to his brother's friend Bob who played bass, and who had this song written which we banged out in one take. We had access to Colin's dad's basement for this, which was a pretty decently equipped studio...
Never Coming Back
(Colin - drums, John - guitar, Bob - bass, vocals)

Agnostic Front cover... sorry no vox...
Gotta Go
(Colin - drums, John - guitar, Justin - bass)

Us messing around with my cheapo Fostex four track tape recorder. Colin and Justin had known each other for years and took every opportunity they could to heckle each other. Please mind the juvenile level of humor...
Tourette Syndrome
(Colin - drums, Justin - bass, words)

Still shakin' out the nu metal with the four track... System of a Down cover... cringe... again, no vox...
Suite Pee
(Colin - drums, John - guitar, Justin - bass)

Song that Justin wrote...
Justin's Song
(Colin - drums, John - guitar, Justin - bass)

One last nu metal-esque one I wrote... presumably for the band with Greg, which was now petering out. Colin didn't seem to mind it though, as he was a "fan of the Deftones"...
heavy song
(Colin - drums, John - guitar, Justin - bass)

The beginning of the style of punk songs we would write from here on. I would eventually pen lyrics to it and sing them, and give it the title "Bottled Up"...
Get It While It's Hot
(Colin - drums, John - guitar)

Colin and I liked to jam it out sometimes too...
jam sample
(Colin - drums, John - guitar)