Along with X, Black Flag, Fear and the Circle Jerks, the savagely satirical Angry Samoans rode the first wave of Los Angeles punk. Formed in Van Nuys, California in the summer of 1978, the band was founded by singers and guitarists “Metal” Mike Saunders and Gregg Turner, a pair of erstwhile rock critics who previously teamed with fellow writer Richard Meltzer in the group Vom. After considering names like the Egyptians and the Eigen Vectors (a mathematical term—Turner later became a math professor), they settled on the Angry Samoans, enlisted Saunders’ brother Kevin on guitar, bassist Todd Homer and drummer Bill Vockeroth, and initially set out as a Dictators cover band.

Your dad’s favorite band.

Tim Chavez – Guitar
Joe Oesterreich – Bass
John Bogusz – Drums

Rock n Roll from the region.

If you ain’t got that wine, I ain’t got the time…

Based in the sleepy suburbs just west of Chicago, Tractor Boy is a 27 year old band in the making. Drummer/Singer Mike and Singer/Bassist Steve have been playing together on and off since the mid-1990’s, amid other projects, collaborations and the global war on terror. The two recently encountered a remarkable force of nature named Raul, who fills out the trio by shredding harder than any modern guitar player ever could. With a combined weight of over 700 lbs., the band is easily the heaviest rock band in the Midwest, possibly even the world. With songs about conspiracy theories, war, post-traumatic stress disorder, horror/fiction and beer, the band covers a wide berth of subject matter. Blended up in chugging guitars, blistering solo’s, and a relentlessly crushing rhythm section, the words are spit out by voices that are equal parts James Hetfield and John Fogerty. They are the sonic equivalent of a Combine Harvester, a throwback to the rock gods of old, but still tinged with modern ideals. Tractor Boy are the band you never knew you desperately needed in your life, but they have been here waiting all along. Get in.