I liked the Distillers a lot from the age of 16 or 17 until I was about 21. My interest kind of started to wane after that. Maybe that was because the Distillers only put out one great album, maybe it was because that album is as aggressive a punk record as I have ever owned, or maybe it was because their later material seemed to lack the urgency of Sing Sing Death House. I actually believe that the band took a turn for the worse when their singer, Brody, started hanging out with Courtney Love, but that's neither here nor there.

I thought Brody's voice was one of the best punk voices I had ever heard. It was a little rough and she often strained it, but she knew when to let up at the right times and could carry a dynamic melody. I guess that's what appeals to me about the Muffs.

The Muffs were one of those bands that I would hear and like, but would never actively listen to on my own. I definitely jumped that hurdle earlier this year when a handful of their songs became the soundtrack for a relentless assault of academic obligations. The Muffs sounds like late 90's punk rock and I often wonder why I didn't listen to them when I was younger. I think it's difficult for a woman-fronted band to be taken seriously in the world of hard rock without being a sex symbol. The bar to make it on talent alone is raised much higher. It is tremendously unfair and I wonder if that had any bearing on them not showing up on my radar. Either way, it was my loss.

"Crush Me" - Happy Birthday To Me