Something Fierce

Artist Information

Biography

Something Fierce is a three-piece punk/pop band from Houston, Texas whose music combines the sound and attitude of first-wave 1977 punk with an energy and outlook that's thoroughly contemporary, updating the attack of the Clash and the Buzzcocks for the 21st century.

Something Fierce were founded in 2005 by guitarist and lead vocalist Steven Garcia (ex-Gun Crazy and Born Liars) and bassist and voc...alist Niki Sevven (formerly with the Neckbreakers); the group went though several drummers before teaming up with Andrew Keith, who they recognized from his frequent presence at local shows and parties.

In 2006, Something Fierce recorded their debut album, Come for the Bastards, which they released themselves. The release was followed by frequent touring through the Southwest, with occasional road trips into the South and Midwest; they group also recorded a handful of 7" releases, including a split single with the Hangouts. In 2008, Something Fierce released their second full-length album, There Are No Answers; while the first pressing of the album was distributed by the band itself, the Portland, Oregon-based punk label Dirtnap Records liked the disc and reissued it after signing the band in 2009.

The band continued to tour extensively and released a 7" on Action Town Records in 2010 before recording their third album, Don't Be So Cruel, in 2011. The third album found Something Fierce's sound evolving in a more sophisticated, pop-influenced direction without losing sight of their punk roots. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Instrumentation

Steven Garcia (Guitar, Vocals)
Niki Sevven (Bass, Vocals)
Andrew Keith (Drums)

Discography

Don't Be So Cruel LP/CD (2011) (Dirtnap Records)
Where You Goin Man 7" (2010) (Action Town)
There Are No Answers LP (2009) (Dirtnap)
There Are No Answers CD (2008) (S/R)
Modern Girl EP 7" (2008) (Bitchin Riffage)
Teenage Ruins SPLIT 7" (2007) (Manic Attack)
Come For The Bastards CD (2006) (S/R)

Links

• Facebook
• Last.fm
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Bandcamp

Audio

• Afghani Sands
  Listen  
• Teenage Ruins
  Listen  
• Aliens
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review on Now Wave [+ Show ]
  

  "This is the sound of a band that truly believes it can set the place on fire! Whatever that elusive..."This is the sound of a band that truly believes it can set the place on fire! Whatever that elusive quality is that separates truly awesome punk rock from generic thrashing, this band possesses it in abundance...I hear definite similarities to a lot of the bands mentioned above (Marked Men, Beat Beat Beat, The Ends), as well as to other modern-day staples of hooky old school punk (Stitches, Clorox Girls). Yet this trio has its own sound that's carried off with distinctiveness and panache."

• Second Review on Now Wave [+ Show ]
  

  "Something Fierce keep getting better and better, and "Teenage Ruins" is a new high mark for the Hou..."Something Fierce keep getting better and better, and "Teenage Ruins" is a new high mark for the Houston trio. It's just a great punk tune - upbeat, catchy, and rockin' as all get-out, with great backing vocals and melodic guitar leads that are absolutely out of this world. This is music that just doesn't quit - it's so alive and energetic and contagiously hyper that it can make any day better just by entering my ears. It's hard to listen to a song like this and not imagine people jumping around, kids dancing 'til they drop, and bodies flying all over the place. Everything seems right here: the guitar sound is louder and rawer than ever, the solos kick ass, and the fadeout proves to be the perfect way to end all this fun. If you can believe it, "On Your Own" notches up the pace even more, firing off super-fast and ultra-tuneful. It's got a really uplifting, youth anthem style chorus. If the High Tension Wires covered Be My Doppelganger, it might sound something like this."

• Review on Left Of The Dial [+ Show ]
  

  October 11, 2007 Something Fierce/Come for the Bastards: Self-released With bratty battalion bra...October 11, 2007
  Something Fierce/Come for the Bastards: Self-released
  
  With bratty battalion bravura, banged-up trashcan harmonies, and old timey punk prowess, this Ozone City trio is making the big state of Texas shake under their attack. The lead track is brazen and ballsy - a great hectic, thundering mishmash that makes me think of a spastic version of Selby Tigers or the Grouvie Ghoulies. Yet, they immediately turn on a slight Pixies-like vibe on "Better off Without You," if you ignore the "I'm so fucking pissed" grrly motor mouth. This side of the band is pleasant, yet unrepentant rock'n'r'roll. Similarly, "Repent" has the same medium-paced rawness and pissiness, a kind of garage rock snarl, but it has hints of 1980's Orange County punk too. The catchy "Cut Deep," with its tale of words that actually do break bones, or at least cut skin, acknowledges that such things also conjure opportunities, especially when the girl turns away, finding solace in a lucky guy who doesn't open his dumb mouth.
  
  "Lost Perspective" careens like a bat out of hell, barely zipping beyond the one-minute mark, like a wall of bludgeoning harmonies. "Dirty One" is just as gritty and punches at those who are like "loaded guns" that are "about to fall" since they believe in their own lies. The crammed, clangy, almost off-tempo little drum solo makes the whole thing feel like a rough gem. "The Peter Pan Song" is a sweet and tough ode to the tiny creatures of our Technicolor imaginations and our desire to get rid of everything from losses, books, corporate crooks, bosses, drugs, sadness, all to be replaced by a permanent holiday in the sun. It's a stand-out, if only for its adept mix of punk formula, pop culture allusion, and serene sincerity. To end, "10 Ft." could be Dee Dee Ramone, or hmm, CJ Ramone, yelping "I can't take it anymore" as the song cuts right through to the buzz-bone reality of damaged rock'n'roll. Watch out for this new league of Southern fried tantrums.

• Review on SCR [+ Show ]
  

  "Come For The Bastards is honestly one of the best local releases I've heard in a while, a full-on, ..."Come For The Bastards is honestly one of the best local releases I've heard in a while, a full-on, snarling blast of sweat-soaked rawk that kicks its way into your head and stays. The band certainly lives up to their name; from the very start of the opening title track, guitarist/singer Steven "Baby Face" Garcia, bassist/singer Niki Sevven, and drummer Red Rocket are a ferocious, unstoppable force."

• Review on SCR [+ Show ]
  

  This is almost too easy; it's like eating my favorite candybar, seriously. I've been impressed as he...This is almost too easy; it's like eating my favorite candybar, seriously. I've been impressed as hell by local punk kids Something Fierce since I first caught their full-length effort, Come For The Bastards, but the blazing rawk fury of "Teenage Ruins" still catches me off-guard, nonetheless -- truthfully, it's their best damn song, and while I do love the vinyl, I find myself hoping the Fierce trio eventually throws it on their next actual album, as well, just so the rest of the non-turntable-owning universe can listen, too.
  The guitars roar and drive like a freight train, Stephen "Babyface" Garcia croons over the top like a more-tuneful Joey Ramone, and classic UK power-pop melodies straight out of the late '70s/early '80s lurk just below the ragged edge of the music. Simply put, it's a perfect anthem for teen rebellion, just like the song's title implies.
  The band's second track on the 7", "On Your Own," combines handclaps, '77 punk guitars, a limber, Rancid-style bassline, and a fine shoutalong chorus for a slice of retro-style punk/power-pop that's nearly as good as the first song. Plus, the intro guitars make me think of my favorite Billy Bragg live EP, and that's never a bad thing.
  

• Review on Smashin Transistors [+ Show ]
  

  "Hot, juicy and tasting good. The beers to wash it all down sounds like they were smuggled out of th..."Hot, juicy and tasting good. The beers to wash it all down sounds like they were smuggled out of the Marked Men's cooler. Melodic jangles and pop gleamings shot through into hyperspace by a agitated punk rock cannon."
  

• Review in MRR [+ Show ]
  

  "This Houston three-piece plays bouncy, tuneful, snot-nosed punk rock sounding something like RED CR..."This Houston three-piece plays bouncy, tuneful, snot-nosed punk rock sounding something like RED CROSS meets THE STITCHES...Definitely worth checking out...."
  

• Live Performance Review [+ Show ]
  

  "Andrew is more than just the unstoppable Red Fro of comic book fame he is a freaking beast on the k..."Andrew is more than just the unstoppable Red Fro of comic book fame he is a freaking beast on the kit while Nikkis basswork and Stevens guitarwork cut ahead of him like an army slicing its way through its opponents. The set was just a non-stop barrage of noise and sweat. What the fuck more do you want? What more do you need? Its just the musical equivalent of being coldcocked for 40 minutes. Ouch!"
  

• They've Come For You [+ Show ]
  

  Punk rock is sort of a misnomer these days. As a genre, it's been watered down by the likes of Gre...Punk rock is sort of a misnomer these days. As a genre, it's been watered down
  by the likes of Green Day, Blink 182, Sum 41 and any number of tattooed pretty boys
  and MTV specials on pop-punk stars' cribs. But Houston's Something Fierce like
  their punk old-style, and their music is a throwback to punk's glory days when bands
  like The Clash, The Ramones and Sex Pistols spat in the collective faces of both the
  mainstream and the underground.
  
  Steven Garcia, the band's singer/guitarist, describes the band's music as, in the
  words of Frenchie Smith from Young Heart Attack, "rude." "Our sound is definitely
  a mash up of 80's hardcore punk and '90s indie rock with a twist of surft and garage,"
  he says. "We really don't want to play the same style for the rest of our lives, but we'd
  always like to have an element of punk rock in our music."
  
  The band's recent debut, Come For The Bastards, is a raucus group of songs that
  instantly brings to mind some of the band's influences, but pays homage without
  being trite and doesn't come off as an attempt to ride the coattails of some MTV-
  styled trend. The songs are frenzied at times, but are structured enough to be catchy.
  Of the album, Garcia says, "Come For The Bastards came out of nowhere for us, but it
  quickly defined what we wanted to achieve with our music. As a song, it speaks out
  to a discarded youth or group of people living outside of the norms in society, and as
  an album, it lives somewhere between Agent Orange's Living in Darkness and the
  Pixies' Surfer Rosa, stylistically speaking."
  
  After ditching plans to move to California to pursue their music, the band ultimately
  decided to stay home to record their album. Something Fierce plays around Houston
  often and has attracted a decend fan base in their short time together. "The reaction
  to our music has been quite humbling," Garcia says. "We've had such a diverse group
  of people enjoy our music both live and on the album, and they've run the gamut in age,
  as well. Apparently we appeal to both teenagers and the 40-something first wave punk
  rockers. We think that says something about people just wanting to hear unadulterated,
  modern punk rock."
  
  "We think the scene is a lot better than most give it credit," Garcia says. "After hanging
  at the Houston Press Music Awards showcase, we really saw how connected
  Houston bands can be with one another, and we saw how much talent is building
  up in Houston, ready to explode. What would make the scene better would be more
  community attempts to showcase the local bands. Houston has several media outlets
  that leave its local music in the dust, and we think it's time they woke up at the wheel."
  
  By David A. Cobb

• Interview for Now Wave Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Something Fierce are an exciting new band from Houston, Texas. They have released their debut album,...Something Fierce are an exciting new band from Houston, Texas. They have released their debut album, Come For The Bastards, which is definitely a stand out release in the current punk scene. Inspired by the 1970s punk rock movement, Something Fierce will be touring around the country this year, keeping the spirit of rock 'n' roll alive for current and future generations.
  
  Dave: First off, could you introduce yourselves, who is in the band, and who plays what instrument?
  
  SF: Hello, Dave at Now Wave. We are Something Fierce from Houston, Texas. Steven Garcia holds down the guitar/vocals, Niki Sevven is on bass/vocals, and Andrew "Rocket" Keith brings the pain on the kit...As in he's constantly cracking his knuckles and breaking sticks. We don't let him sing, but we do give him control of the egg shaker while recording.
  
  Dave: When and how did Something Fierce get started as a band?
  
  SF: The band started with Niki and Steven as a two piece in 2005. It would be easy to say that it all "came together" right away, but it took a lot of work before things started picking up. While scouring the city for a drummer, Andrew literally emerged from under our noses. We only knew him as the awesome red afro guy that showed up to all of the parties, so when we found out he was a drummer, our fate was sealed.
  
  Dave: How is the current music scene in Texas? From on outsider, like me, looking in, it seems like there is a lot happening in Texas. What are some of the best cities for bands to play in?
  
  SF: Texas is big, so there definitely is a lot going on. Denton, TX seems to be breeding the best bands in the scene (Marked Men, Riverboat Gamblers, Wax Museums, Maaster Gaiden), and the cool kids there are as nice as can be. There's a hint of elitism in the air, but I think that's what causes the bands to rise above the generic. Austin has always been known for its prevalence in the music world, but playing a successful show there without having immediate connections can be tough. There's just too much competition, but it's still a place bands need to hit on tour. Austin can be a blast. We have some friends, The Hangouts, who are putting on rad shows in College Station, and although Houston has been a third wheel in the Texas scene since we are too far south, we'd like to think that Something Fierce is changing the formula. There is finally some unity developing amongst Texas bands, and we couldn't be more happy.
  
  Dave: That's good to hear. About how far is Houston from Denton and Austin?
  
  SF: Denton is a little over 4 hours away, just north of Dallas, and Austin is only about 3 hours north. That doesn't sound far, but you'd be surprised how often bands opt to skip Houston because of its location.
  
  Dave: What are some of the future plans for Something Fierce?
  
  SF: We've got a lot lined up this year. We should have a split 7" with The Hangouts out this month on Manic Attack Records, another 7" on Bitchin' Riffage due in October, and we've got two tours coming up. Basically, as long as we can afford to keep pumping out records and touring, that's what we'll do.
  
  Dave: Are there any plans on playing shows on the East Coast (Philadelphia, New York, Boston etc.)?
  
  SF: Nothing is set in that area, yet, but we want to hit it up before the end of the year. The tour lined up in July bounces as far east as Atlanta, then we head up to Chicago and come back down central. The tour in October hasn't been fleshed out, but I know we're doing a few dates heading east with Teenage Bottlerocket. After those, we'll likely continue up the coast on our own. Shit, dude, we tried last winter, but booking our own tours is fuckin' hard. Sometimes people are cool, and sometimes they just blow us off...Still, we have to keep trying.
  
  Dave: What kind of topics do you like to write your songs about?
  
  SF: My lyrics always either come off with a disdain for the upper echelon of society, or they will be about heartbroken kids that can't get their lives straight. There's an effort to find beauty in the dark corners of modern life, though. I always loved the way bands like The Buzzcocks could be so dark and realistic, yet so romantic in one sitting. Another perfect example would be The Wipers.
  
  Dave: What were some of the best shows you played so far?
  
  SF: The last two shows have really blown us away. We released that debut album last year, but Houston is notorious for catching on to things slowly, mostly because it's so big and divided. It's taken a lot of work to build up good local support. However, these last two shows with The Marked Men and The Ends have really caused an upswelling in our local fan base. We saw kids that we've never met before singing lyrics to our songs, and that is downright heartstopping.
  
  Dave: Were any members of your band in other bands besides Something Fierce?
  
  SF: Niki played in a band, The Neckbreakers, for a few years with her dad (a true first-wave punk rocker), and Steven played in Gun Crazy/Born Liars for about two years, starting as the bassist, then the drummer, then the guitarist...He even recorded both bass and drum parts on Exit Smiling, their latest release on Mortville Records.
  
  Dave: Wow, that's really cool to hear that Niki played in a band with her dad. Texas had a lot of bands back in the day. Are there any first wave bands from the 1977-1982 era that are still together?
  
  SF: Hrmm, that's a really good question. The first band that comes to mind is The Dicks. Gary Floyd has been living in San Francisco for the last two decades, but they still get together for a few Texas dates once a year. Niki and Steven were lucky enough to catch their last show in Houston at Rudyard's, and Floyd gave them both a big, hairy beard kiss! Other than them, Houston's The Hates are still in full gear, San Antonio's Butthole Surfers haven't called it quits, and even Jeff Walton of the legendary no-fi pop group, The Judy's, recently spoke about re-releasing their old albums and a possible NEW album/reunion tour. Stoked.
  
  Dave: How old are the members in Something Fierce?
  
  SF: At the moment, we're all 22.
  
  Dave: Did you guys release the Come For The Bastards CD yourselves?
  
  SF: Yes, completely and entirely on our own, but with the help of our loved ones. Steven designed everything on the album, and all of the money came from our own pockets. That's probably something we'd never want to do again because we're still paying for it!
  
  Dave: What do you think about the current state of punk rock?
  
  SF: Things will always fluctuate. There will be good bands, and there will be bad bands. There are a lot of exciting changes in the music world, though, like the downfall of the major label. The Internet and MP3 revolution have destroyed the importance of CDs, and records are on the rise again. Hopefully, that shift will make vinyl less costly to produce. Fuck, the Internet is even allowing access to excellent online zines like Now Wave that don't need to worry about advertisers but simply get to focus on CONTENT. Actual content and heartfelt reviews. That's what really matters.
  
  Dave: That is a very good point. It was a pleasure to do this interview with you. I wish Something Fierce the best of luck in the future, and I hope I get a chance to see your band play live sometime. Do you have any closing comments?
  
  SF: Thank you, Dave. Hopefully, you'll get your chance in October, and if any of you readers see us coming around YOUR town, show some love.
  
  Interview by Dave Getzoff, July 2007
  

Setlist

The set changes with every show. A set can be sent by request. They usually range from 35-45 minutes.

Basic Requirements

Calendar