The Rip Offs
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THE REVIEW

In the first half of the '90s, there was a comeback of punk rock, mainly due to melodic hardcore and pop punk bands that, for better or worse, brought the genre to, if not mainstream, then almost mainstream levels.

However, alongside these bands, there was a decidedly underground and minority scene creating music tied to punk 77, both in terms of sound and "attitude" (self-production, vinyl records, particularly in the 7-inch format, etc.). I decided to start a series of reviews of these bands, beginning with what is undoubtedly the best punk rock band of the '90s: the Rip Offs!

After the breakup of his previous band, Supercharger, Greg Lowery decided he had had enough of what was being passed off as punk around him and, together with Jon Von (ex-Mr. T Experience) and Jason and Shane White (ex-Fingers), he formed a new band devoted to pure, raw, wild punk rock with no compromises, clearly influenced by the '77 style.
Mission accomplished, with black robber stockings over their faces, the Rip Offs play raw punk recorded in a low-fi manner that can't leave anyone indifferent. This can be heard in the handful of singles they recorded and in their only LP, released exclusively on vinyl, which further attests to the band's attitude.

Filthy, energetic, and angry guitars, two or three chords, rock'n'roll riffs, energetic yet not too fast rhythms, fun and politically incorrect lyrics (listen to Cops, Ugly, or She Said Yeah), and a touch of garage make up the formula that fills the grooves of this record across its 14 tracks (including two covers: one by Supercharger and one by the Lurkers), simply pure punk rock, the spirit of '77 is finally back.

Unfortunately, after this album, the Rip Offs would disband, but Greg would continue to play punk rock, first with the Infections and then with Zodiac Killers, and would produce (until the early 2000s) great records with his label.