Only Crime

About

To the Nines by Only Crime Only Crime is a combination of 5 veterans of the punk/hardcore scene who have pooled their collective experience to create a truly refreshing musical statement. Fusing elements of heavy rock and roll with the furious energy of punk rock from the 1970’s & 80’s, Only Crime has also adopted the creative abandon pioneered by jazz’s seminal protagonists. The band’s sound is heavy without being the least bit “metal”, melodic without sounding “pop”, and experimental without treading into the arcane realm of “art” rock. While the members of Only Crime aren’t new, their music is like nothing you’ve heard before. Only Crime was formed in 2002-2003 when vocalist Russ Rankin ( Good Riddance ) and guitarist Aaron Dalbec ( Bane/Converge ) realized they would have the time to pursue a band together; something they had talked about during a Good Riddance/Bane summer tour. Needing another guitarist to round out the sound, the two contacted Zach Blair ( Hagfish/Gwar/Armstrong ) who signed on instantly. As the trio, who all lived in separate states, began searching for a bassist and drummer they stayed in constant contact and began writing the original batch of Only Crime material. Soon Bill Stevenson ( Descendents/ ALL /Black Flag ), who had produced projects for Russ and Zach separately, got wind of the project and, excited at the chance to play some drums and revisit a musical landscape he had helped pioneer, became the band’s drummer. The last piece of the puzzle was bassist Doni Blair ( Hagfish/Armstrong ) who joined the group just as they were preparing for their first recording. In early 2004 the band recorded material which would eventually comprise their debut release at the Blasting Room studio in Ft. Collins, CO. Only Crime then struck out on a string of successful eastern US dates with the Dropkick Murphys . By the spring of that year Fat Wreck Chords had signed Only Crime and the first album, entitled To the Nines was released in July. Only