The Boondock Saints

It isn't just a coincidence that the Boondock Saints share their name with the title of a Tarantino-esque 1999 indie action film. Lead vocalist/guitarist Troy Duffy also wrote and directed that flick, which was shot just before the band began recording their debut album, Release the Hounds. Duffy and his brother Taylor (guitar/vocals) formed the band in Los Angeles after growing up in New England and relocating to Colorado, where Troy attended Colorado State University. Drummer Jimmy Jackson eventually followed the Duffys to Los Angeles from New England, and the lineup was eventually rounded out by bassist Gordon Clark. Following completion of The Boondock Saints, the band went into a Boston studio with producers Ron St. Germain and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to record Release the Hounds. The album was released in early 2000, musically falling somewhere between melodic hard rock and a less relentlessly introspective brand of post-grunge, with a touch of alternative metal crunch thrown in.