The Briefs

The fall of 2000 was a time of innocence. Clinton was President. The Twin Towers were still standing. And Bob Seger still had his dignity. Then the Briefs burst onto the scene like a neutron bomb with the audaciously titled “Hit After Hit” and the punk rock landscape was changed forever.


Their style of punk leanings toward the late 70's and early 80's is loud, raucous and fierce, yet cohesive and hooky and steeped in the tradition of desire to just write a good song. The Briefs are exactly who they say they are, misfit teenagers who grew up in the eighties going to d.i.y. hardcore punk shows who got hooked for life, continued to refine their tastes, enlarge upon their roots and produce to the world. They are raw, sharp with humor, dark, strange and also... pop. When I say “pop” I mean popular in the broadest sense possible. The fifteen year-old mall hottie is a fan, but so is the 40 year-old stalwart with the pristine Undertones collection. Sure The Briefs wear their influences on their sleeve – Adverts, Buzzcocks, Weirdos to name just a few -- but they cop to them like junkies caught tying off in the alley with a skinny tie. They can’t help it. It’s in their blood. Listen you’ll understand. The groove is familiar but they’ve got a sound that’s all their own and uniquely unique. Infectious? Once they get in your ear, there’s no getting them out. The Briefs are mother fucking nerve agents for a diseased life.


With their disregard for what's popular, their distain for everything which is just like everything else, their often bleach-blond dye jobs and bad haircuts, The Briefs take the stage wildly and blatantly stating their take on what punk rock absolutely is. Minds of beatniks, hearts of punks, aesthetics a mix of classy and absurd. Take a good look because once they start to play it’s all a blur. This is their secret. It’s not just what they sound like or what they look like. It’s their energy. They’ll come to your town and electrify the place. It doesn’t matter if they go on first, last or in between. It doesn’t matter if it’s an all- ages gig, an outdoor music fest, or a shitty little dive bar deep in the heart of Wrongville. The Briefs are one of the hardest working bands in America. They’ll play any time, anywhere. They’ll pile out of the van and stun the crowd like rioters at a Republican convention.


They have so much energy, it’s hard to believe they’re from Seattle. The city that put lattes and dreary bearded indie rock on the map. A place so dull it’s known for rain. The Briefs still make Seattle officially their home, but they’ve come a long way since their debut record, and they’re still cranking out hits. In the span of their 20 plus tours across the US, EU/UK and Japan they’ve played everywhere, most recently captivating and assaulting audiences at Fun Fun Fun Festival in Austin, Punk Rock Bowling in Vegas and Ink n’ Iron Festival in Long Beach.


Years later they’re still poor and still weird but their fans are so much richer for the shitload of records they’ve put out along way. If you’re hungry for more history, BYO re-releasd “Hit After Hit” and “Off the Charts” so now you can listen to what you’ve been missing, but start with their last record: “Steal Yer Heart.” It’s got 12 tracks of pure punk rock pandemonium. If their previous record, “Sex Objects” was full of political mischief, an antidote for these tumultuous times, “Steal yer Heart” is a dysfunctional love song, a reflection of the challenges that come with spending half your life on the road.


The band took a hiatus in 2009 to pursue other musical endeavors. Steve E Nix and Kicks started the Elvis Costello(ish) band Cute Lepers, Dan moved to San Francisco where he started Modern Action Records to release some of his new projects including Modern Action and Sharp Objects and Chris moved to Berlin to pursue his painting career and beat on german drums in Suspect Parts.


The Briefs have since said, fuck hiatus. They are back in "tougher than an alley full of stray cats with rabies" form with their classic line-up to make select appearances at festivals and conduct regional tours. If they are playing anywhere near your city, now is the time to catch them! They are a refreshing blast that bridges the best of tradition with what any current self respecting punk music fan would just feel dumb for not immediately responding to. The Briefs are very good. They know how to write a song, they know how to put on a high energy performance and they will make you want to sing along and pogo like you’ve never done before!