Recently, I reacquainted myself with The Murder City Devils. I’m known for going down the wormhole when it comes to digging up music from the past. It has a lot to do with nostalgia. I start at whatever point in the artist’s catalog, and then ingest the rest. Album to album, EP to EP, or maybe I shuffle the entire catalog for as long as I can stand.
The Murder City Devils, of Seattle Sub Pop lore, initially raged for a solid four years (1997 to 2001). They’re one of the most fun and recognizable punk bands of all time. Before their first hiatus in late 2001, they released three Long Players (1997, 1998, and 2000) and one EP (2001). Dann Gallucci went on to play with Cold War Kids and Modest Mouse. Cody Willis joined Big Business and Melvins. Derek Fudesco joined Pretty Girls Make Graves and then formed The Cave Singers. Vocalist Spencer Moody kept it real.
The Devils’ recording of their last show on Halloween 2001 became R.I.P. (2003), maybe the most chaotic live album on record. It’s soaked in debauchery and brings back great memories of being in the pit. They reunited for a show in 2006 and eventually released another album, 2014’s The White Ghost Has Blood on Its Hands, which isn’t on TIDAL, but still lives on my iPod Classic! Also, I reviewed it for Treble.
Having released a single in May of 2024 and playing nine live shows in 2025 (the last being on November 23 in Austin, TX at The Mohawk), The Murder City Devils are not dead. They’re an essential punk band along the lines of Misfits, AFI, The Cramps, The Horrors, The Damned, Dead Moon, Rocket From The Crypt, Agent Orange, Dead Boys, Jay Reatard, Oblivions, The Marked Men, Ex-Cult, The Bronx, The Blood Brothers, Ceremony…the list is much longer…
MCD is responsible for "Dance Hall Music," a perfect marriage of hardcore punk and dance hall reggae, which makes for a fun, fast karaoke turn. Also, “Every Shitty Thing,” which is an excellent, emotional album closer (Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts).
Thank you, Spencer Moody, for giving me your time. And thanks to all my subscribers out there!
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