(Punk rock, Stoner rock, Skate punk) Revolution Mother - Glory Bound - 2007, MP3 (tracks), VBR 172-205 kbps

Mike Vallely is best known as a world-class skateboarder, but he's also been a serious music fan most of his life, and since 2002 he's been dividing his time between skating and singing. Born in 1970, Vallely saw Black Flag in 1984 in Trenton, NJ (not far from his hometown of Edison), and was an immediate convert to punk rock. He also took up skating that year, and turned pro in 1986, going on to become a member of Stacy Peralta's "Bones Brigade" team before striking out on his own in 1989 to form his own skateboard company, World Industries. In the 21st century, Vallely, now based in California and married with two children, decided to move into the equally high energy but less physically punishing world of rock & roll, and after cutting some solo tracks in 2002 with heartland rocker Joe Grushecky, Vallely formed the punk band Mike V & the Rats with guitarist Jason Hampton. The group released an EP on Indecision Records in mid-2002 and toured extensively on the West Coast. Vallely was also invited to sing with former Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn in Ginn's solo band, and in 2003 Vallely participated a series of Black Flag reunion gigs in Los Angeles. By 2005, Vallely and the Rats had parted ways, and he and Hampton founded a new project, Revolution Mother. Merging the aggressive punk attack of their previous band with the big guitars and emotional swagger of hard rock, Revolution Mother also features Colin Buis on bass and Brendan Murphy on drums, and the group released their debut EP, Enjoy the Ride, on Vallely's own Mike V label in 2006. In 2007, Revolution Mother returned with a full-length album, Glory Bound, which featured production from Murock and Andy Johns and was released through the independent Cement Shoes Records imprint. Revolution Mother hit the road to celebrate the album's release, with the group playing both rock clubs and skate parks (the latter with Vallely also displaying his skills on the board), and in the spring of 2007 they were added to the bill for that summer's Van's Warped Tour.

A metal-edged skatepunk band led by singer and professional boarder Mike Vallely, Revolution Mother are basically the entire aesthetic of the Vans Warped Tour in human personification. Their debut album is as much a lifestyle accessory as it is a collection of songs. Posi without being annoyingly up-with-people, Glory Bound tempers its hardcore thrust with guitarist/songwriter Jason Hampton's fondness for old-school '70s metal; the album was partially produced by Andy Johns, younger brother of '70s superproducer Glyn Johns and a well-known producer/engineer in his own right, who gave the songs he worked on a familiar AOR sheen that meshes surprisingly well with the hardcore-influenced rhythm section. The songs are varied enough, ranging from the full-on hardcore blasts of "The Real Deal" to riff-heavy metal (not metalcore) assaults like "The Accuser" and catchy pieces of old-fashioned boogie like the album highlight "Hole in the Sky," which features a Gary Glitter-style "Hey!" refrain that most likely makes it a big hit during the live set. The overall effect is surprisingly similar to Faith No More's The Real Thing, which featured a similar blend of then-current punk mores and unapologetic vintage metal influences. Not bad at all.

Mike Vallely - vocals
Colin Buis - bass guitar
Jason Hampton - guitar
Brendan Murphy - drums