Biography

A punk rock band that hits hard without ignoring melody or vocal harmonies, PLOSIVS is an all-star outfit featuring members of Rocket from the Crypt, Pinback, and Against Me!. The foundation of their sound is a blend of two lean, wiry guitars, percolating basslines, and propulsive drumming, all in the service of songs that are tuneful but stripped to the framework. The band makes music that's both angular and engaging, with lyrics that are personal and urgent, an attack documented with clarity on their 2022 debut album. PLOSIVS grew out of a songwriting collaboration between John Reis, best known for his work with Rocket from the Crypt, Hot Snakes, and Drive Like Jehu, and Rob Crow, co-founder of indie rockers Pinback. The two found themselves working on material in a time of what they called "distance rock," when the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises were preventing bands from touring, rehearsing in person, and releasing records. Reis and Crow wanted to start playing their new music as a way of focusing their energy in a positive way. With this in mind, they invited bassist Jordan Clark (a member of the group Mrs. Magician) and drummer Atom Willard (who performed with Reis in Rocket from the Crypt, as well as keeping time for Against Me!, the Offspring, and Angels & Airwaves) to be part of their new project. They dubbed the new group PLOSIVS, a variation on "Explosives" that put the emphasis on the consonants, and once Reis and Crow had written an album's worth of songs, they gathered at San Diego's Singing Serpent Studio with Clark and Willard and began work on their debut album. After making their live premiere at Alex's Bar in Long Beach, California in November 2021, PLOSIVS released their first LP in March 2022 ON Reis' Swami Records label. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi