Eddy Current Suppression Ring

If you were looking for a day job that would reinforce the credibility of your garage punk band, you could hardly do better than to follow the example of Eddy Current Suppression Ring — the four members of the group met when they were working at a vinyl pressing plant in Ormond, Victoria, Australia. Inspired by hard-edged, primitive rock in the manner of the Troggs, the Pagans. and X (the Aussie band, not the California punks of the same name), Eddy Current Suppression Ring got their start in late 2003 when guitarist Eddy Current, bassist Rob Solid, and drummer Danny Current were playing a few songs for the annual Christmas party at Corduroy Records, the pressing plant where they worked. They invited friend and fellow employee Brendan Suppression to sing a few numbers with them, and even though Brendan had never sung with a group before, everyone was impressed with his energy and ability to improvise lyrics, so the four decided to form a band.

Named for an electric gizmo that's part of a transformer, Eddy Current Suppression Ring cut their first single, "Get Up Morning," in 2004, and after lots of local gigging and a handful of 7"s and EPs, the band issued its self-titled debut LP on Dropkick Records in 2006. Dominated by tough, hooky tunes, no-frills musicianship, and Brendan's broad Australian accent, the album earned enthusiastic reviews from critics with an ear for garage and punk sounds, and the group formed its own label, Aarght Records, to release its second full-length album, 2008's Primary Colours. The album became an unexpected crossover success, rising to number six on the Australian charts and earning ECSR a nomination for Best Rock Album of 2008 at the Australian Music Industry Awards. It was released by Goner Records in the U.S. The band followed up the album with 2010's Rush to Relax, another fine slab of garage rock noise also released by Goner.