Music
Press
"Very lively...and enthused to play to an active crowd" - Marianne Turner
Bombs Away!
Yeah, I’m a bit jaded. When you write about music, you have to actually listen to it. A lot of it. And most of it is, well, meh. But when I heard Portland’s Milkbomb for the first time, my ears snapped to attention. My immediate thought upon hearing the grungy guitar line on “Ashtray” was that Kurt Cobain had been reincarnated. It’s not quite the mess of molten effects and twists that Nirvana invented, but it’s dense and noisy, the vocals a stew of boredom and cynicism.
Then I started to hear shades of Grant Hart singing from New Day Rising-era Hüsker Dü. “Aurelia” is a blistering rocker that has the bounce and catchiness of later Social Distortion. “Witherspoon” shifts into punk gear with a riff that would get the flannel flying on even the sunniest of Northwest days. How could I never have heard of these guys before? Turns out that Peter Sampson, Kevin Dukes and Isaac Dickman (from Eugene’s Candy Machine Wrecker) haven’t officially released their debut record yet. None of These People Are Real will drop on July 25.
What is real is the music. It’s gritty. It’s stripped down and distorted. It was recorded for less than $450 in drummer Duke’s basement. It’s as if the fumes of teen spirit are still hovering in the air. Milkbomb, Candy Machine Wrecker and NINJA play at 9 pm Saturday, July 11, at Samurai Duck. 21+. $5 door. — Vanessa Salvia
- Vanessa Salvia
"Awesome! This is the future of Punk Rock." - Ben Tastic
"Good song, the singer has a solid voice" - Quote
Discography
Milkbomb released their debut album "None of These People are Real" on July 5th, 2008. The 14 song album was produced and engineered by Carl Mangine and the album's release party at The Ash Street Saloon was named 101.1 KUFO's local show of the week after "Ashtray" received multiple spins on the station.
Milkbomb have also reached an agreement with New York based label Latchkey Recordings to include "Ashtray" on a "best of indie" compilation CD in 2009.
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Bio
Genre: Rock (Loud And Energetic Alternative/Pop)
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Electric Guitar. Bass guitar. A Five piece drum kit. The guy with the electric guitar is singing into a microphone. It’s loud, but it’s catchy. It’s organic. It’s REAL. It all used to be so simple. Wipe out the artificial excess of the scene, and start it over so it matters again.
Milkbomb is a grunge/pop band coming out of the Portland, OR independent scene that is reminiscent of the days when the much needed breath of fresh air that was NW Rock & Roll was king. Milkbomb's upcoming debut CD "None of These People are Real" provides that same breath of fresh air from a unique perspective, addressing the frustration and hopelessness of growing up in an isolated, rural community and waving the flag for the growing segment of rock and roll fans who don’t feel represented by either the mainstream (too artificial and predictable) nor indie (too self-important and predictable) communities.
Recorded in Drummer Kevin Dukes’ basement for less than $450 with co-producer and engineer Carl Mangine, “None of These People are Real” is a testament to how Milkbomb is winning people over with undeniably hooky songwriting, while still maintaining the sense of unpredictability that is vital to all great rock music.
Vocalist/Guitarist Peter Sampson and Drummer Kevin Dukes grew up together in the small two town Oregon community of Yamhill/Carlton, meeting in high school and quickly gravitating together, playing together in several local bands. Both moved to Portland, and in 2006, the search was on to round out the Milkbomb lineup. The two went through several false starts on bass before finding a companion that shared a similar ethic. Enter bassist Isaac Dickman (from Eugene’s grungy “Candy Machine Wrecker”). After quickly honing their sound, Milkbomb is gaining a following, one great, unpredictable show at a time.
Milkbomb have been compared to Nirvana, Mudhoney, Foo Fighters, Pinehurst Kids, and even Beat Happening. At least this is what their fans are saying; the members of Milkbomb don’t really know.
And they don’t care.
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