The victims - television addict

Formed in Santa Rosa, California, in 1984, Victims Family made an indelible mark in the Punk and Indy scenes with their mad tempo changes and flirtations with Hardcore Punk, Jazz, Funk and Noise textures and satirical and poignant lyrics. In an era when Punk devolved into metal they went in a direction uniquely their own.

The original line-up of Ralph Spight (Guitar, Vocals), Larry Boothroyd (Bass) and Devon VrMeer (Drums) caught the collective attention of the underground with their 1986 debut release “Voltage and Violets”(Mordam/Konkurrel), an angry brew of off-kilter rhythms and cut and paste histrionics. On 1988’s “Things I Hate To Admit”(Mordam/Konkurrel) they stretched out further from placid instrumentals leading to furious diatribes about the late 80’s cultural miasma. In a live setting VF was a well-oiled machine, a tight and relentlessly challenging barrage of Devon and Larry’s syncopated attack and Ralph’s alternate Band live albums.