DRI invades Gallup with crossover thrash, Navajo bands among opening acts
Special to the Times | Rick Abasta
Ruben Munoz, frontman for Mesa, Ariz.-based thrashers “Scattered Guts,” looks at newfound fans intensely.
By Rick Abasta
Special to the Times
GALLUP
It has been a grind.
For more than four decades, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles have been touring the globe with its unmistakable crossover thrash sound that is as ubiquitous as the band’s corporate Skanker Man logo. And, like the logo, the band’s music has never gone out of style.
Special to the Times | Rick Abasta
Raemus Catron, guitarist and vocalist for Rei Gurren, said the genesis for the band began in 2004 when he was still attending Window Rock High School with Reuben Begay, bassist and backup vocalist. The band continues their do-it-yourself mission of playing music for the masses.
DRI stopped in Gallup May 23 for a show at Juggernaut Music. It was the band’s fourth time performing in Gallup, and the concert was part of the DRI 40th Anniversary Tour.
DRI is Kurt Brecht (vocals), Spike Cassidy (guitar/backing vocals), Greg Orr (bass/backing vocals), and Rob Rampy (drums).
Mesa, Arizona-based Scattered Guts, Death Mantra, Rei Gurren, Hellthrone, and Narbona, opened the show.
In May 1982, DRI released the “Dirty Rotten EP,” featuring 22 songs spanning 18 minutes. Many songs were under one minute, and the album was an instant favorite in the hardcore punk scene. Only 1,000 copies were pressed, and today the EP is a collector’s item.
The band’s blistering speed was unparalleled on hardcore punk albums that included the “Dirty Rotten LP,” “Dealing With It!” and “Violent Pacification.” In 1987, DRI released “Crossover” and began delving into thrash metal compositions that included longer, slower, and more complex songs than previous tracks.
“4 of a Kind,” “Thrash Zone,” “Definition,” and “Full Speed Ahead” round out DRI’s discography that spans hardcore punk and thrash metal. The band led the way for other crossover bands of the era.
“We’ve got 90 minutes of hardcore crossover thrash for you guys,” Brecht told the Gallup audience. “I think this is the third or fourth time that we’ve played here. I hope we’re helping you all build your scene here.”
The show was a no-frills affair. DRI’s banner hung on the wall as Brecht walked the stage length and sang with Cassidy and Orr flanking him on either side. The standards were included: “Couch Slouch,” “Nursing Home Blues,” “I’d Rather Be Sleeping,” “Violent Pacification,” and “Who Am I.”
Read the full story in the June 15 edition of the Navajo Times.
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