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USA flagDEFIANCE
CURRENT NAME Defiance
FORMER NAMES -
ORIGIN USA
STATUS Active
FORMED IN -
LABEL Punkcore Records
GENRE Punk rock
STYLE -
LYRICAL THEME -
BAND ADDED 2004-08-30, 00:00
LAST UPDATE 2004-08-30, 00:00
Band biography
Defiance photo
Defiance began in the winter of 1993 out of the ashes of Deprived, Resist and Unamused... Portland's three most notorious anarcho punk bands of the late 80's and early 90's.

The first line-up of Defiance consisted of Mike (guitar / vox) from Deprived, Tony (vox) and Kelly (bass) also from Deprived and Resist, Alaric (vox) from Unamused, and Eric (drums). After a few short months and a couple local gigs, studio time was booked and the first two singles were recorded in one session. These sessions produced what were to become the first Defiance/s/t E.P. 1994 and the second "Burn" 1995 E.P. on Consensus Reality one of the members newly formed label.

After the release of the first single... a two month tour of the U.S. was booked over the summer of 1994. Shortly after the U.S. tour Tony left the band. As a four piece the group released the second single the Burn E.P. in 1995 and left for short tour of Canada and the U.S.. Upon returning they quickly went back into the studio and began work on their first full length LP. In the fall of 1995 they set out on an East Coast tour with the Final Warning, the Casualties and the Varukers... and then it was off to Europe. A tour single was Rush released in Milan, Italy, to coincide with the European tour titled Defiance - "European Tour E.P. 1995". This was the third single. It contained a few unreleased tracks and the title track from the forthcoming LP. Two and a half months later they returned and took a much needed hiatus. It was not until their return that the debut LP "No Future No Hope" was released in early 1996. The domestic release on the U.S. label Mind Control and the European pressing on the German label Skuld releases )... The debut LP was later hailed as .. "One of the best punk releases of the 1990's."

After the European tour Kelly left the band and was replaced by long time friend Chris on bass. The fourth single the "No Time E.P." was released on Profane Existence Records and followed up by an East Coast tour in 1997. The first gig of the tour was in Minneapolis, MN. This was to be the setting for the infamous "bomb shelter riot".

Shortly after Defiance erupted into their set the show was interrupted by the Minneapolis police. Squad cars numbering in the fourties arrived and punks and police clashed outside of the club resulting in several arrests and several injured police.

Upon returning to Portland Defiance began looking for a second guitarist this was to be Matty from the Portland punk band the Obliterated (...who oddly enough had been invited to join at the original formation of the band back in 1993). The addition of Matt on second guitar proved to be essential to a fuller sound live and overall. After a short West Coast tour in 1998 with the Riffs came the long awaited second full length LP (again on Mind Control Records) titled "Nothing Lasts Forever".

After the release of the LP and a period of silence tentative European / Japanese tour plans were made. Alaric (Gibby), and Eric (Niff) decided to pack it in... shortly followed by Chris. It looked as if maybe the title of the second LP may proved the final irony for the band... but after a lot of thought, founding member Mike and long time member Matt began writing new material and recruited two new members Alan on bass and Brian on drums and quickly rushed off for a short tour of Mexico in the spring of 2001.

The new blood with the combination of Mike and Matt on vocals and guitars proved to be the best line-up thus far. The third full length LP "Out Of The Ashes" is released in August of 2002, on the New York street punk label Punkcore, followed by the first full 6 week U.S. tour since 1994.

An appearance the 2002 Holidays In The Sun festival in New Jersey completed the hugely successful tour. Upon the arrival back in Portland it was back into the studio to record four new songs for the 5th single.

Upon completion of the new single Defiance join forces with long time anarcho punk legends Icons Of Filth for a US West Coast tour. Just as the Iraqi invasion begins the gigs are surprisingly packed as the country is at war.

In June of 2003 Defiance return to the UK for the first time in 8 years. Alan is denied a passport and longtime friend Kyle / Saigon Shakes (from The Riffs) fills in on bass for the tour and an appearance at the final Holidays In The Sun festival. A short 12 day UK tour with the Drongos for Europe (Birmingham) follows.

The "Against The Law" EP is released in the fall of 2003 in France on Dirty Punk Records. And the domestic version is included on the CD and as a bonus single in the LP version of the "Decade Of Defiance" the complete singles collection which is released in September 2003 (celebrating the ten year anniversary of the band) on Punkcore Records.

The next few months see the re-release of the classic first two LPs "No Future No Hope" and "Nothing Lasts Forever" (on Punkcore Records) and the departure of bassist Alan. Kyle / Saigon Shakes (The Riffs) takes over on bass full-time for the "Our Class... Against The Law" West Coast tour which follows in December with labelmates the Lower Class Brats. Nearly all of the shows are played to sold out venues and the tour ends with a bang in Portland for New Year's Eve. <å> The next few months are spent writing new material for the fourth LP, due out on Punkcore in fall of 2004. Tour plans for the future include a West Coast (US) tour in June with the Drongos for Europe and an East Coast tour in July in support of the upcoming release of the 4th full length LP.
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Current members Add - Fetch
Brian1999-Drums
Kyle2003-Bass
Matty1997-Guitars, vocals
Mike1993-Guitars, vocals
Former members Add - Fetch
Eric1993-1998Drums
Alan1999-2003Bass
Chris1996-1998Bass
Kelly1993-1996BassSee also ClusterBombUnit
Alaric1993-1998Vocals
Tony1993-1994Vocals
Session musicians Add - Fetch
Unknown / none
Buy Defiance albums
Official releases Add
1994DefianceConsensus Reality
1995BurnConsensus Reality
1995Euro TourConsensus Reality
1996No Future No HopeMind Control
1997No TimeProfane Existence
1998Nothing Lasts ForeverMind Control
2002Out Of The AshesPunkcore Records
2003Against The LawDirty Punks
2003Decade Of DefiancePunkcore Records
Tour dates / gigs
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