fuel

Fuel formed in 1989 and thrived in the early 90’s post-hardcore scene. They were from the San Francisco Bay Area, though you wouldn’t know it to listen to them. They combined melody, power, and raw emotion to create both personal and political songs. They had a post-punk “DC” sound akin to Fugazi or early Hot Water Music with twin guitars and dueling rough post hardcore vocals and aggressive and intricate drumming. If anything, they were a bridge between the coasts since the bands they were closest to in terms of friendship were Jawbreaker (in fact, they recorded a Jawbreaker cover, but put an unused vocal track from a different song over it), Samiam, Cringer, and Monsula. After a few recording sessions at Gilman, they had their own self-published demo. A song recorded with Alex Sergay in the fall of 1989 later ended up on the Very Small Records compilation “If You Can See Through it… It Ain’t Coffee.” They recorded with Kevin Army in February and March of 1990, and released their self-titled LP “Fuel” in 1990 containing 10 songs on Sixth International/Rough Trade Records. The same recording sessions yielded four other songs which were released as a 7” on Lookout! Records the same year. Both were well received by critics. Over the next two years, they toured and played locally and hit the studio a few more times to lay down some tracks which would end up on split 7s with Phleg Camp and Angry son respectively as well as a few compilations. Most of their work was later re-released by Allied Records in 1995. The discography was called “Monuments to Excess” and featured more or less the same artwork as the original LP. Fuel split in 1991. Fuel was Mike Kirsch on guitar/vocals, Aaron Arroyo on bass, Jim Allison on guitar/vocals, and Jeff Stofan on drums. Mike Kirsch has been in numerous Bay Area bands such as The Skinflutes, early Pinhead Gunpowder, Navio Forge, Torches to Rome, Bread and Circuits, and Please Inform the Captain This is a Hijack. He’s currently playing guitar in Baader Brains. Jeff Stofan has also been in numerous bands including Monsula most notably. Twenty years later, and people still talk about Fuel. One of the members started and maintains the band’s official website as a tribute and scrapbook to a time he obviously loved. fuel - 1990 - take effect 7'' (lookout records) http://www.mediafire.com/?ay9h8za2zd3r2fz