Voodoo Glow Skulls, Authority Zero in Austin Feb 26, 2012 7:30 PM

Supporting Acts: Skyfox, Gogo Beware

Voodoo Glow Skulls In their sixteen years of existence, the Voodoo Glow Skulls have an impressive list of achievements. Seven albums, one million records sold, appearances in exotic locations like Brazil and Japan as well as the creation of a record store, record label, recording studio and a music venue attests to the remarkable creativity and energy of the band. Formed in 1988, Voodoo Glow Skulls meshed hardcore punk, traditional ska, tough guitar riffs and the Mexican music of their roots to create the prototype for the West Coast ska-core sound, influencing a wide range of bands from Sublime to No Doubt. Unflinchingly honest, their songs often used humor to comment on harsh political realities - from racial inequity to unrest overseas. Singing in both Spanish and English, Voodoo Glow Skulls' bilingual musical tradition has been a hallmark of the band since they began. Titled Adicción, Tradición, y Revolución, the new album is self produced and recorded (in their Dog Run Studios), and contains some of their most rocking, candid music ever. "Adicción refers to our feelings about music, we have hardcore fans who consider our music to be both unique and addicting," Frank explains. "Tradición signifies the fact that we've been together as a musical family for this long, and have not really changed. Also, we have always tried to include our Latin roots in our music, either by writing songs in Spanish or incorporating musical ideas that we grew up with. Latinos have a very strong sense of tradition, and we are very aware of it. Finally, Revolución because we have always tried to steer clear of trends - we are somewhat of a musical revolution in that our music is unique, even hard to copy." The core of the band since the beginning has been the three Casillas brothers, Frank, Eddie and Jorge, joined by drummer Jerry O'Neill and Brodie Johnson on trombone. The current line-up boasts a three horn section for the first time in six years. The lyrics are a collaboration between, "Eddie, a notepad and a pen, and myself," Frank jokes, and they run the gamut, from the hilarious send up of Jerry's girlfriend on "Dee Dee Don't Like Ska" to the political commentary in "We Represent". "Touring in some of the out-of-the-way places we have been, in some cases we are the first Americans they have dealt with directly. The negative feedback on the U.S. government is pretty universal, and disturbing." said Frank. "Smile Now, Cry Later" is their take on a rock steady song, with a killer groove. "Ghetto Blaster" indicts the corporate music industry and the force feeding of the masses. Every Voodoo Glow Skulls album contains one cover - their latest is a traditional ska version of the Guns N' Roses classic "Used To Love Her"! With a list of accomplishments that might make some bands ready to slow their pace, the band shows no signs of slowing down. A full West Coast tour will be followed by a trip to Brazil to headlining the Punk Rock Show festival on Halloween, and another U.S. tour immediately follows. Voodoo Glow Skulls legendary live shows are full of searing horns, grinding guitars and throaty growls - and no one plays super tight ska faster than these veterans. Adicción, Tradición, y Revolución rocks harder than ever - Voodoo Glow Skulls dubbed their sound "California street music" - a perfect description of their high octane mix of rock, punk, ska and hardcore. FRANK CASILLAS-VOCALS EDDIE CASILLAS-GUITAR JORGE CASILLAS-BASS EL DUCE-DRUMS ERIC FAZZINI-SAX RUBEN DURAZO-TROMBONE

Authority Zero Mesa, AZ based punk rock royalty AUTHORITY ZERO has managed to weather the storm of the music industry and endure living on the road away from friends and loved ones. For the release of their fourth studio album, 'Stories of Survival', AUTHORITY ZERO used their music as a conduit to convey not only the trials and tribulations the group has endured, but also the current economic difficulties faced across the globe. "The album title was a no brainer, as it encompasses everything this record stands for. This record has so much to do with survival, not only as a band, but as an individual living in a crazy world," says Jason DeVore of AUTHORITY ZERO. Founded in the summer of 1994, the band has flourished for nearly two decades. Initially their goal was simple; create a sound that paid tribute to their punk rock forefathers, but not confined by the musical barriers that typically bound the genre together. Their live show and energy on stage quickly drew comparisons to that of Rage Against the Machine, and the local independent record chain Zia Records caught on. In 2001, Zia issued AUTHORITY ZERO's debut, self-titled EP 'Patches In Time', which gained significant airplay on college radio, as well as indie powerhouse The Edge 106.3. Within months, the now classic EP became one of Zia's best-selling releases. With the band's quick success, Lava Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, signed AUTHORITY ZERO for the release of their iconic debut album, 'A Passage In Time', in 2002. The album's diversity drew comparisons to the likes of Bad Religion and Sublime, while the band took to the road for tours with Sum 41, NOFX, Alkaline Trio, Punk-O-Rama and the Warped Tour. As word continued to spread about the group's captivating live show, AUTHORITY ZERO released their sophomore effort, 'Andiamo', in 2004. The album embraced more ska and reggae influences and paired them with Latin-flavored rhythms to create their most culturally diverse record to date. AUTHORITY ZERO then charged ahead with two other well received releases, a live album titled 'Rhythm and Booze' and 2007's '12:34'. Incredibly successful runs alongside Slightly Stoopid, H20, Pennywise and Pepper followed these releases before the band returned to the studio to begin crafting 'Stories of Survival'. Marking the return of original bassist Jeremy Wood, as well as the addition of longtime friend Zach Vogel on guitar, 'Stories of Survival' is also the first release for Viking Funeral, an imprint label founded by Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge, Ken Seaton of Hardline Entertainment and Suburban Noize Records. The album begins with a sample of Winston Churchill's "Blood, Sweat, Tears and Toil" speech as the opening chords to "The New Pollution" kick in and DeVore laments about the current state of corruption in the music industry. The band seamlessly shifts to reggae for the socio-political observations in "Big Bad World" as the album runs the gamut of musical styles from driving punk rock to ska and reggae. AUTHORITY ZERO continues to forge their own path and cultivate a worldwide fan base of millions. Through ups and downs, trial and error, the band has overcome obstacles and presses on with a vengeance. In 2010, AUTHORITY ZERO released 'Stories of Survival'.