Attitude Adjustment (band)

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Attitude Adjustment was a hardcore/crossover/thrash metal band formed in the early 1980s in the Bay Area of San Francisco.

The band was formed by Chris Kontos, Eric Smith and Rick Strahl in early 1985. The line up was expanded by the addition of Kevin Reed on vocals. This lineup played a number of initial shows at Ruthies Inn, the New Method, the Mabuhay Gardens and other Bay Area venues. Several months later due to personal issues, Kevin Reed was replaced by Andy Andersen and Chris Scapparo joined as a second guitarist. They shortly went into the studio to record the Dead Serious Demo in 1985. The demo was recorded at Peter Miller Studios and engineered by Eric Kauschen.

Attitude Adjustment played frequent gigs throughout the Bay Area and California alongside bands like Forbidden (Known as Forbidden Evil at that time), Vio-Lence, Sacrilege, Possessed, Hirax, Death Angel, R.K.L., Dr. Know, Suicidal Tendencies, Corrosion of Conformity, D.R.I., Discharge, UK Subs, Neurosis, The Exploited and Operation Ivy, among others in 1986 and 1987. The band finally released their debut album, American Paranoia released on Pusmort Records. This album is considered to be a "crossover" between hardcore and thrash metal.

At the end of 1987 Andy Andersen, Chris Scaparro and Rick Strahl joined up with former Condemned to Death guitarist Keith Chatham to form Condemned Attitude which later turned into Attitude.

Attitude released an LP and an EP, taking a more thrash metal direction, with Andy Andersen returning to his initial style of singing. Different drummers and bassists (Rick Strahl took the guitar job alongside Chris Scaparro) were part of the lineup at this time and Eric Brecht eventually took the drum spot.

Chris Kontos, Eric Smith and Kevin Reed continued on with Attitude Adjustment and in 1988, this new lineup released the EP No More Mr. Nice Guy, again on Pusmort Records, which is very different from American Paranoia.

By 1990 they made a new band with a more hard rock direction, called Two Bit Thief, band that they kept until 1995.

In surprise to those that said that they were sells out, they returned to the name Attitude Adjustment in 1991, but with another new line up to record their last studio album, Out Of Hand, again mixing hardcore with thrash metal.

In 1993, the American Paranoia LP and the No More Mr. Nice Guy EP were re-issued on CD. The LP version includes the Dead Serious demo.

Chris Kontos joined Robb Flynn (who left "Vio-Lence") in 1993 to form the post thrash band Machine Head.

As of July 2007 the band has, at least temporarily, reformed with Kevin (vox), Eric (guitar), and Chris (drums) returning. They are joined by Yapple on second guitar, and Greg on bass.

Classic Line Up

*Andy Andersen (vocals)
*Chris Scaparro (guitar)
*Rick Strahl (bass)
*Chris Kontos (drums)

Best Line Up

*Kevin Reed (vocals - Deathtoll, Deface)
*Eric "Bobo" Smith (guitar)
*Ray Vegas (bass - Vio-Lence, Social Unrest)
*Chris Kontos (drums - Machine Head, Death Angel, Verbal Abuse)

Former Members

*Keith Medeiros (bass)
*Keith Chatham (guitar)
*Paul Birnbaum (drums)
*Eric Brecht (drums - Hirax, Death, D.R.I.)
*Tezz Bones (guitar - Discharge, Broken Bones)
*Sean Sutton (guitar)

Influences

* Napalm Death recorded "Dope Fiend" off of "American Paranoia" for "".
* Jailcell Recipes recorded "Dead Serious" for their Poulton Road EP.
* Thrash band Municipal Waste.

Discography

As Attitude Adjustment:
* Dead Serious - Demo 1985
* American Paranoia - LP 1986
* No More Mr. Nice Guy - EP 1988
* Out Of Hand - LP 1991

as attitudekein schlaf bis deutschland-EP 1987

Compilation

*"Rat Music for Rat People, Vol. 3" (CD Presents, 1987)

External links

* [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~cch223/mainpage.html K.F.T.H. site]
* [http://www.west-wind.com/music/Attitude%20Adjustment/ Rick Strahl's Site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/attitudea Myspace]