Last we’d heard from Fight Amp, the trio was just off a red-eye after spending 30 days last fall playing 30 shows across Europe with Black Tusk. Now that the South Jersey natives are set to hit the road yet again–a brief jaunt of seven shows in seven days–guitarist/vocalist Mike McGinnis passed along five current band’s that influence him (consider it a close cousin to bassist/vocalist Jon DeHart’s hangover playlist from 2012). But before we get to his picks, we’ll let him get you primed for his group’s upcoming tour (dates below): “We’re super stoked to be doing this limited run of Northeastern US shows with our southern brothers in Whores. These are our first shows in the states outside of Philadelphia since our run with Today Is The Day, KEN Mode and Black Tusk last year. We’re a few months off a European tour with Black Tusk and can’t wait to hit some of our usual haunts again. We’re rolling out some of our new material and feeling real good about doing this quick round of killer shows. Also, Whores are on a roll right now and are not to be missed. Second fucking wave.”
If you haven’t already, pick up a copy of Fight Amp’s last record, Birth Control, here.
Pissed Jeans
You know, we’ve been from the same city for some time and we hardly cross paths with these dudes. That being said, they influence the hell out of my guitar playing and lyric sheets. One of the best live bands around and their last few full lengths get pretty regular play on my home stereo. Hot Snakes/Pissed Jeans in Philly was probably my top show in 2012.
Whores
Our noise rock brothers from Atlanta. Can’t say enough good things about this band’s sound and songwriting. It’s simple yet super well-written. Thinking of these guys often makes me rethink some of my own riffs and remind myself that sometimes less is more. All killer, no filler, live precision.
Ecstatic Vision
New band, but extremely high on the list of bands that influence me right now, even including non-contemporaries. I work with their guitar player Doug Sabolick and seeing how hard this dude works on his art form drives me to work even harder at mine. It doesn’t hurt that this band is as dialed-in as it gets and isn’t afraid to test the waters outside of metal. These dudes are on the brink and will be talked about a whole lot in the next year.
Creepoid
I could interchange Creepoid and Ecstatic Vision between two and three easily. Another band I work closely with and have had ties with for years. Their current round of success is well deserved, and they influence the hell out of me to keep working and writing new material. These guys are writing potential hit after hit, just put out a record on No Idea that is front to back awesome with no filler, and as a “shoegaze” band, they aren’t afraid to reach into their heavier punk influenced side. Best band in Philadelphia at the moment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09gLKCgADSs
Melvins
I don’t think I really need to say much about this one. Been my number one for years, influences my guitar playing immensely, and the fact that I can put this on a list of contemporaries after all these years is pretty damn amazing. Bullhead live in its entirety was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen in my life. Their “sometimes people like us, sometimes they don’t, we just do what we do” attitude continues to influence my own attitude when it comes to Fight Amp.
*Photo by Jonathan Van Dine
**Tour dates (all with Whores):
March 26th – Syracuse, NY @ Badlands w/ Blood Sun Circle
March 27th – Allston, MA @ O’Brien’s Pub w/ No Way, Livver
March 28th – Brooklyn, NY @ St Vitus Bar w/ No Way, Creepoid
March 29th – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie w/ Rye Coalition
March 30th – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar w/ Multicult, Passage Between
March 31st – Chesepeake, VA @ Roger’s
April 1st – Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter w/ Hellbear, Prisoner
***Past entries include:
Cynic
Melt-Banana
Junius (Part 1) (Part 2)
Alcest
East Of The Wall
Enabler
Wolvserpent
Drugs Of Faith
SubRosa (Part 1) (Part 2)
Vattnet Viskar
Skeletonwitch
Ihsahn
Earthless
Watain
Orange Goblin
God Is An Astronaut
Primitive Man
Gorguts
Exhumed
Ulcerate
Pelican
Scale The Summit
Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Mouth Of The Architect
Howl
Kings Destroy
Zozobra
Call of the Void
Saint Vitus Bar
Coliseum
Woe
Anciients
Soilwork (Dirk Verbeuren) (Björn Strid)
Intronaut
BATILLUS
Inter Arma
Helen Money
Misery Index
Ancient VVisdom
Holy Grail
Rotten Sound
Ancestors (Part 1) (Part 2)
Kowloon Walled City (Part 1) (Part 2)
Aaron Stainthorpe (My Dying Bride) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Early Graves
All That Remains
Bison B.C.
A Life Once Lost
Fight Amp
Witchcraft (Ola Henriksson) (Magnus Pelander)
Vision of Disorder
Grave
Anders Nyström (Katatonia) (Part 1) (Part 2)
“Best of” Rush (Part 1) (Part 2)
Dawnbringer
Ufomammut
Shadows Fall
Horseback
Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Torche
“Best of” Meshuggah
Astra
Pallbearer
Barren Earth
Shane Embury (Napalm Death) (Part 1) (Part 2)
