Hot Water Music

Formed in the swamps of Gainesville, Florida in 1994, Hot Water Music quickly made an inexorable impact on the post-punk world. With six full-length releases, countless US tours they have earned a reputation as one of the hardest working bands in punk rock. With A Flight And A Crash they have finally accomplished what they set out to do all along, rock your ass, your heart and your brain.
It was a year and a half of writing and touring, four weeks of dismal suburban winter of Maryland that have lead up to the release of A Flight And A Crash. Built on the hard-lived vocal and guitar work of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard the songs on their latest release are a combination of technical ability and reckless abandon. Tracks like `Sons And Daughters' and `In The Gray' are delivered with such sincerity and emotion that land on listener's ears like rock n' roll manna. A purposeful undercurrent of rhythm created by drummer George Rebelo and bassist Jason Black fuses Hot Water Music's expansive influences of punk, rock, jazz and country with the bands newfound songwriting prowess.
Having spent the last six years building one of the most well-respected and loyal followings in punk rock since Fugazi, the band has a lot to live up to. Known for their highly emotive live shows and introspective lyrics, Hot Water Music has been critically heralded throughout the punk rock community. MAGNET magazine called them "the best punk band on the planet", while MEANSTREET likened their live shows to the "throwing of bread crumbs to starving pigeons".
The musical progression unveiled on their latest album is sure to raise eyebrows, but this is the kind of situation the members of Hot Water Music live for. Regardless of its effect, the band has never been more pleased and cocksure about a group of songs, a recording or a document of experiences than on A Flight And A Crash. Constantly searching for ways to expand and challenge themselves musically, the four members of Hot Water Music live only for themselves and the pure passion of playing and writing music.

The Gainesville, FL-based post-hardcore quartet Hot Water Music was formed in 1994 by bassist Jason Black, drummer George Rebelo, and singers/guitarists Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard. Debuting in 1995 with the 7" "Eating the Filler," they soon returned with the EP Push for Coin, rounding out the year with the release of their first full-length effort, Finding the Rhythms, on No Idea. Fuel for the Hate Game followed in 1996, but in the wake of their third album, Forever and Counting, Hot Water Music disbanded. The group soon re-formed, however, with a series of split singles as well as a new 7" single, "Alachua," spread across 1998. The following year saw the release of a new studio album, No Division, as well as the Live at the Hardback set and the Moonpies for Misfits EP. Wollard and Rebelo also teamed on the side project Blacktop Cadence.

Flight and a Crash marked the band's first release for Epitaph and of the new millennium, soon followed by 2002's Caution. The roundup compilation Never Ender appeared in early 2004, and The New What Next followed that fall. Around the same time, No Idea also released the full-length debut of Ragan and Wollard's acoustic side project with Samantha Jones (of Bitchin'), Rumbleseat. Hot Water Music took an extended break in spring 2005, allowing Ragan to devote his time to life outside of the band. Meanwhile, the remaining bandmates went on to form the Draft with Todd Rockhill, and subsequent nationwide touring followed. A formal announcement appeared in May 2006 that HWM had officially called it quits, and The Draft continued full-time as Ragan began to issue solo acoustic material. The split didn't last long, however; the band announced their reunion in late 2007 and embarked on a tour the following year, while No Idea issued the rarities collection Till the Wheels Fall Off that January. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide