Audio By Carbonatix
What is it about Southern California punk that makes it so replete with depraved humor, juvenile posturing, and self-flagellating fervor? The heat? The smog? Once upon a time, there was a band called F.Y.P., a dirty, snotty punk band that, if anything, had a way with words. Songs like “Beat You with a Plunger” and “1,000 Dead Cheerleaders” instilled kids with a sense of belonging and spoon-fed them a helping of insolence. F.Y.P.’s demos were put out by its singer, Todd Congelliere, on his own label, Recess Records. As bands do, F.Y.P. broke up and became Toys that Kill, with Congelliere on guitar and vocals, guitarist Sean Cole, drummer Jimmy Chonga, and bassist Chachi Ferrara. “We were just sick of doing F.Y.P.,” Congelliere says of the new venture. “We’d been at it for more than ten years, and it had become a job. So to keep things fresh for ourselves, we started something new. We’re pretty selfish, so it worked out well.”
And while Toys that Kill’s new apple doesn’t fall far from the F.Y.P. tree, it does manage to keep its fidgety punk-rock roots stapled down with midtempo melodic hooks and a reprise of equally obtuse lyrics, as witnessed on tunes like “Catholic Damage” from its album The Citizen Abortion. “There are, like, three stages of punk,” Congelliere explains. “But I only believe in one stage, and I think the stage it’s in now is good. Punk is good in San Pedro, and other places in California because of bands like Rivethead, the Thumbs, Fleshies, Modern Machines, and countless others.” Their latest offering, Control the Sun, doles out more solid, three-minute punk-rock blasts that are raucous but decidedly a bit more — dare we say? — mature. “On this tour, kids can expect us to play songs at our shows,” Congelliere says matter of factly. And surely no one will be left unmoved.
