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{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Musicians --> {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Musicians -->
| name = Siege | name = Siege
| image = Siege_battle_of_the_bands_1984.jpg | image = Siege_battle_of_the_bands_1984.jpg
| caption = Siege at their high school's 'Battle of the Bands' in 1984. Left to right: Rob Williams, Kevin Mahoney, and Kurt Habelt. | caption = Siege at their high school's 'Battle of the Bands' in 1984. Left to right: Rob Williams, Kevin Mahoney, and Kurt Habelt.
| image_upright = 1.2 | image_upright = 1.2
| alias = | alias =
| origin = ] | origin = ], U.S.
| genre = {{hlist|]|]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anthony |first1=David |title=20 Years Ago, Saetia Defined Screamo in Just Nine Songs |url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/qvnkmv/saetia-lp-1998-the-shape-of-punk |website=] |accessdate=September 15, 2018}}</ref>|]}} | genre = {{hlist|]|]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anthony |first1=David |title=20 Years Ago, Saetia Defined Screamo in Just Nine Songs |url=https://noisey.vice.com/en_uk/article/qvnkmv/saetia-lp-1998-the-shape-of-punk |website=] |accessdate=September 15, 2018}}</ref>|]}}
| years_active = 1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–present | years_active = 1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023
| label = ], Deep Six, ], PATAC | label = ], Deep Six, ], PATAC
| associated_acts = ], ], The Spoils | associated_acts = ], ], The Spoils
| website = | website =
| current_members = *Kurt Habelt | current_members =
⚫ | past_members = *Kurt Habelt
*Rob Williams *Rob Williams
*Hank McNamee
⚫ *]
⚫ *]
*Chris Leamy *Chris Leamy
*Mark Fields *Mark Fields
*Ben Barnett *Ben Barnett
⚫ *Paul Kraynak
⚫ | past_members = *Hank McNamee
*Alex Smith
⚫ *]
⚫ *]
*Jim Hobbs
⚫ *Paulie Kraynak
*Mario Travers
}} }}
'''Siege''' is an American ] band from ]. Formed in 1981, they were active in the ] scene from 1984 to 1985, and reunited briefly in 1991. Guitarist Kurt Habelt and drummer Rob Williams reformed the band in 2016. '''Siege''' was an American ] band from ]. Formed in 1981, they were active in the ] scene from 1984 to 1985, and reunited briefly in 1991. Drummer Rob Williams and guitarist Kurt Habelt led a live ensemble of reunion performances between 2016 and 2023.


In its original incarnation, Siege paired extremely fast tempos with vocalist ]'s screeches and growls in their intense style of hardcore. Though little known at the time, the band has posthumously become revered by punk and ] fans worldwide and is now regarded as one of the pioneers of the ] and ] subgenres. Subsequent musicians have cited the group as a major influence, including the British grindcore band ]<ref name=mem>{{cite web|url=http://hellbound.ca/2011/10/in-memory-of-siege-vocalist-kevin-mahoney/|title=In Memory of Siege vocalist Kevin Mahoney|publisher=Hellbound.ca|date=October 31, 2011 |accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> and the American powerviolence band ], whose band name was the title of Siege's ]. In its original incarnation, Siege paired extremely fast tempos with vocalist ]'s screeches and growls in their intense style of hardcore. Though little known at the time, the band has posthumously become revered by punk and ] fans worldwide and is now regarded as one of the pioneers of the ] and ] subgenres.


==History== ==History==
===Formation, early years (1981–1984)=== ===Formation, early years (1981–1984)===
Then teenagers, the members of what would become Siege began playing together in 1981 in Weymouth.<ref>Mudrain, Albert. '']''. Feral House, 2004, pp. 47</ref> Guitarist Kurt Habelt, bassist Hank McNamee, and drummer Rob Williams rehearsed together informally during this time. They completed Siege's classic lineup in 1983, recruiting vocalist and occasional saxophonist Kevin Mahoney from nearby ].<ref name=sp>''Suburban Punk'' Fanzine, Spring 1984</ref><ref name=mrr>{{cite magazine|url=http://maximumrocknroll.com/kevin-mahoney-of-siege-1965-2011/|title=MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL - Kevin Mahoney of Siege: 1965-2011|magazine=Maximum Rock 'n Roll|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> Then teenagers, the members of what would become Siege began playing together in 1981 in Weymouth.<ref>Mudrian, Albert. '']''. Feral House, 2004, pp. 47</ref> Guitarist Kurt Habelt, bassist Hank McNamee, and drummer Rob Williams rehearsed together informally during this time. They completed Siege's classic lineup in 1983, recruiting vocalist and occasional saxophonist Kevin Mahoney from nearby ].<ref name=sp>''Suburban Punk'' Fanzine, Spring 1984</ref><ref name=mrr>{{cite magazine|url=http://maximumrocknroll.com/kevin-mahoney-of-siege-1965-2011/|title=MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL - Kevin Mahoney of Siege: 1965-2011|magazine=Maximum Rock 'n Roll|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref>


Self-described as a "second wave" punk band, they cited ] and ] bands,<ref name=sp /> as well as the desire to play faster than their predecessors, as formative influences on their sound.<ref name=mem /><ref name="Mudrain 48">Mudrain 48</ref> Siege's first official show was at a ] in early 1984 at ]. They were disqualified for obscenities and McNamee's smashing of his bass onstage.<ref name="Mudrain 48"/> Self-described as a "second wave" punk band, they cited ] and ] bands,<ref name=sp /> as well as the desire to play faster than their predecessors, as formative influences on their sound.<ref name="Mudrian 48">Mudrian 48</ref> Siege's first official show was at a ] in early 1984 at ]. They were disqualified for obscenities and McNamee's smashing of his bass onstage.<ref name="Mudrian 48"/>


===Radiobeat sessions, breakup (1984–1985)=== ===Radiobeat sessions, breakup (1984–1985)===
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And they were some of the most unassuming, laid-back people to ever work with. I mean, they had no attitude at all. They just came in and they were just really polite and very thankful, and then when they turned on the amps and made that noise, it was just unbelievable that it was coming from them.<ref>Mudrian 51</ref></poem></blockquote> And they were some of the most unassuming, laid-back people to ever work with. I mean, they had no attitude at all. They just came in and they were just really polite and very thankful, and then when they turned on the amps and made that noise, it was just unbelievable that it was coming from them.<ref>Mudrian 51</ref></poem></blockquote>


Despite their proximity to ], Siege did not fit into Boston's crew-dominated ] hardcore scene, and performed most of their gigs farther away in ], ], and ].<ref name=sp /><ref>Mudrain 49</ref> They played in ] with local hardcore bands ], Cancerous Growth, ], B.I.U, ], and ], out of state at the Living Room in ], and at Anthrax in ]. Despite their proximity to ], Siege did not fit into Boston's crew-dominated ] hardcore scene, and performed most of their gigs farther away in ], ], and ].<ref name=sp /><ref>Mudrian 49</ref> They played in ] with local hardcore bands ], Cancerous Growth, ], B.I.U, ], and ], out of state at the Living Room in ], and at Anthrax in ].


In 1985, Siege was scheduled to play their first show in New York City at ] with ]. Mahoney did not show up for the gig, and Siege disbanded shortly thereafter.<ref name="Mudrain 51">Mudrain 51</ref> In 1985, Siege was scheduled to play their first show in New York City at ] with ]. Mahoney did not show up for the gig, and Siege disbanded shortly thereafter.<ref name="Mudrian 51">Mudrian 51</ref>


===Reunion (1991–1992)=== ===Reunion (1991–1992)===
] vocalist ] fronted the band during their brief 1991 reunion.]] ] vocalist ] fronted the band during their brief 1991 reunion.]]
Siege reformed briefly in 1991 with ] vocalist ] replacing Mahoney.<ref name="Mudrian 51"/> They recorded a four-song demo that was believed to be lost due to the master reel being damaged. McNamee left the band after their first show in April of 1992 and was replaced by Alex Smith, and they played one show with the bands ] and ] before disbanding in August 1992. Williams later called the 1990s lineup a "false-start" reunion.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20030210132527fw_/http://www.sethputnam.com/siege.htm</ref>
Siege reformed briefly in 1991 with ] vocalist ] replacing Mahoney.<ref name="Mudrain 51"/> They recorded a four-song demo that was believed to be lost due to the master reel being damaged, and played shows with the bands Sloppy Seconds and Toetag before disbanding early the following year. Williams later called the 1990s lineup a "false-start" reunion. Before the reunion started, Putnam met Kurt Habelt at a ] show in 1990 and told him that he should get Siege back together and offered to try out. Habelt refused at first and said he'd get Kevin Mahoney back if he did. Putnam never wrote any lyrics for them but he did decide whether the word "streets" in the song "Cameras" should be plural or not; him and Robert got into a month-long argument over it. Putnam also said that Habelt changed one of his lines in the song "Read, Learn, Know" to "fight the power with your mind" and that there was tension between Williams and Habelt. Mahoney came over to watch the band practice and told the band they would not go anywhere because of the two. While he was leaving, he said "if anything happens to your new singer, like a safe falls on his head, then give me a call". Hank McNamee ended up leaving the band after the first show they did and was replaced with Jim Hobbs. The ''Drop Dead'' album got re-released on ], the three members got a $600 advance and Putnam was paid $200 because he bought the damaged reel of what eventually became the ''Lost Session '91'' EP that was found on a cassette tape years later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sites.google.com/site/chuckiehardcore/|title = Chuckiehardcore}}</ref>


===Post-breakup and legacy=== ===Post-breakup and legacy===
Despite writing a mere 20 minutes of music and never playing outside of ], Siege became highly influential. Their tracks on ''Cleanse the Bacteria'' exposed them to wide audiences, including ] of ], who described them as the fastest band he had ever heard.<ref name="Mudrain 51"/> Numerous pioneering bands establishing the ] and ] subgenres in the 1980s cited Siege as a formative influence,<ref>Mudrain 38, 126</ref> including British groups ] and Napalm Death. Their demo became a highly sought-after bootleg in collector circuits. Despite writing a mere 20 minutes of music and never playing outside of ], Siege became highly influential. Their tracks on ''Cleanse the Bacteria'' exposed them to wide audiences, including ] of ], who described them as the fastest band he had ever heard.<ref name="Mudrian 51"/> Numerous pioneering bands establishing the ] and ] subgenres in the 1980s cited Siege as a formative influence,<ref>Mudrian 38, 126</ref> including British groups ] and Napalm Death. Their demo became a highly sought-after bootleg in collector circuits.
] officially released Siege's demo and compilation tracks in 1994 as the '']'' CD. The same material was released on 12-inch ] in 2004 by Deep Six Records. Two separate additional reissues of the original Siege material issued on LP in 2006 and 2009 by the Deep Six label contained an additional three tracks, "Two-Faced", "Trained To Kill", and "Questions Behind The Wall", recorded during Radiobeat sessions. ] officially released Siege's demo and compilation tracks in 1994 as the '']'' CD. The same material was released on 12-inch ] in 2004 by Deep Six Records. Two separate additional reissues of the original Siege material issued on LP in 2006 and 2009 by the Deep Six label contained an additional three tracks, "Two-Faced", "Trained To Kill", and "Questions Behind The Wall", recorded during Radiobeat sessions.
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Williams remained musically active and formed the band ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deafsparrow.com/2013/11/01/interview-with-nightstick/|title=Nightstick Interview|publisher=Deaf Sparrow|date=November 1, 2013|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> which additionally featured Putnam and Habelt at times. Williams and Mahoney also played together in The Spoils, who released the ''...To the Victor'' LP in 2007. Putnam died of a suspected heart attack on July 11, 2011,<ref name="BMDead">{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=159315 |title=BLABBERMOUTH.NET – ANAL C**T Frontman SETH PUTNAM Dead At 43 |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |date= |accessdate=August 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Rosie |last=Swash |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/13/seth-putnam-dies-aged-43 |title=Seth Putnam, the 'GG Allin of grindcore', dies aged 43 &#124; Music &#124; guardian.co.uk |newspaper=Guardian |date= June 13, 2011|accessdate=August 24, 2014 |location=London}}</ref> while Mahoney died on October 14 that year after an extended battle with diabetes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/News/rip_kevin_mahoney_of_siege|title=R.I.P. Kevin Mahoney of Siege|publisher=Exclaim.ca|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> Williams remained musically active and formed the band ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deafsparrow.com/2013/11/01/interview-with-nightstick/|title=Nightstick Interview|publisher=Deaf Sparrow|date=November 1, 2013|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref> which additionally featured Putnam and Habelt at times. Williams and Mahoney also played together in The Spoils, who released the ''...To the Victor'' LP in 2007. Putnam died of a suspected heart attack on July 11, 2011,<ref name="BMDead">{{cite web|url=http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=159315 |title=BLABBERMOUTH.NET – ANAL C**T Frontman SETH PUTNAM Dead At 43 |publisher=Roadrunnerrecords.com |date= |accessdate=August 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Rosie |last=Swash |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/13/seth-putnam-dies-aged-43 |title=Seth Putnam, the 'GG Allin of grindcore', dies aged 43 &#124; Music &#124; guardian.co.uk |newspaper=Guardian |date= June 13, 2011|accessdate=August 24, 2014 |location=London}}</ref> while Mahoney died on October 14 that year after an extended battle with diabetes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/News/rip_kevin_mahoney_of_siege|title=R.I.P. Kevin Mahoney of Siege|publisher=Exclaim.ca|accessdate=August 26, 2014}}</ref>


Williams occasionally performed Siege material live with the Providence band Dropdead. A performance in ] in February 2015 was billed as their final live collaboration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bostonhassle.com/event/als-55th-birthday-extravaganza-dropdead-with-special-guest-fuck-you-pay-me-shattered-silence-stranger/|title=Upcoming Events|publisher=Boston Hassle|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref> Williams occasionally performed Siege material live with the Providence band Dropdead, including at Mayland Death Fest in 2014. A performance in ] in February 2015 was billed as their final live collaboration.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bostonhassle.com/event/als-55th-birthday-extravaganza-dropdead-with-special-guest-fuck-you-pay-me-shattered-silence-stranger/|title=Upcoming Events|publisher=Boston Hassle|accessdate=March 19, 2015}}</ref>


===Second reunion (2016–present)=== ===Live performances (2016–2023)===
In 2016, Williams and Habelt reformed the group. The band was completed by vocalist Mark Fields, second guitarist Chris Leamy (a member of Japanese Torture Comedy Hour with ] guitarist ]), and bassist Paulie Kraynak.<ref name=deci>{{cite magazine|url=http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/2016/5/31/the-return-of-siege|title=ROBERT WILLIAMS OF SIEGE & CHRIS DODGE OF INFEST TALK REUNITING TO KICK OUT THE POWERVIOLENCE JAMS|magazine=]|date=June 1, 2016|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref> They played their first show in Providence with headliners ]. Further performances included guest saxophone players, including ], and London stalwart John “Westy” Weston. Kraynak departed in August 2017. For 2019 dates, Leamy moved to bass guitar, with alternating second guitarists Ben Barnett (of Dropdead) and Mario Travers completing the lineup. Travers died in August 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mario Travers Obituary|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/mario-travers-obituary?pid=202534085|accessdate= November 27, 2022}}</ref> The band played a show at the Midway Cafe<ref>{{Cite web |title=Midway Cafe Under SIEGE |url=https://www.humpday.news/music/midway-cafe-under-siege |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=HUMP DAY NEWS |language=en-US}}</ref> in Boston mid-September 2022, prior to playing London hardcore festival Chimpyfest later in the month. In 2016, Williams and Habelt gathered an ensemble of musicians to play Siege's classic material live. This live group was completed by vocalist Mark Fields, second guitarist/bassist Chris Leamy (bandleader of Brian Famine, and a member of Japanese Torture Comedy Hour with ] guitarist ]), and Ben Barnett from Dropdead.<ref name=deci>{{cite magazine|url=http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/2016/5/31/the-return-of-siege|title=ROBERT WILLIAMS OF SIEGE & CHRIS DODGE OF INFEST TALK REUNITING TO KICK OUT THE POWERVIOLENCE JAMS|magazine=]|date=June 1, 2016|accessdate=June 4, 2016}}</ref> They played their first show in Providence with headliners ]. Further performances included guest saxophone players, including ], Ernie Kim, "Party" Marty Phillips and John “Westy” Weston. The band played a show at the Midway Cafe<ref>{{Cite web |title=Midway Cafe Under SIEGE |url=https://www.humpday.news/music/midway-cafe-under-siege |access-date=2022-09-16 |website=HUMP DAY NEWS |language=en-US}}</ref> in Boston mid-September 2022, prior to playing the London hardcore festival Chimpyfest. They gave their final performances in New York and Los Angeles in 2023.


==Covers== ==Covers==
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*] covered "Drop Dead" on their covers album '']''. *] covered "Drop Dead" on their covers album '']''.
*Williams's ] band Nightstick covered "New World Order" as "The Pentagon" in 1998. *Williams's ] band Nightstick covered "New World Order" as "The Pentagon" in 1998.
⚫ *] covered "Cold War" on their 1995 and 2023 tours.
*Mudoven covered "New World Order" as "The Pentagon" in 1998, based on the Nightstick version.
⚫ *] covered "Cold War" on their 1995 tour.
*Ripcord covered "Starvation" on their ''Harvest Hardcore'' EP as well as a live cover of "Walls" featuring vocals by ] on their ''Live At Parkhof Alkmaar Holland - 18/09/1988'' album. *Ripcord covered "Starvation" on their ''Harvest Hardcore'' EP as well as a live cover of "Walls" featuring vocals by ] on their ''Live At Parkhof Alkmaar Holland - 18/09/1988'' album.
*Intense Degree covered "Conform" on the Manic Ears ''North Atlantic Noise Attack'' compilation. *Intense Degree covered "Conform" on the Manic Ears ''North Atlantic Noise Attack'' compilation.
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==Band members== ==Band members==
{{col-start}}
⚫ ;Current members
{{col-2}}
* Kurt Habelt – guitar <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–present)</small>
;Classic lineup
* Rob Williams – drums <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–present)</small>
* Chris Leamy – guitar <small>(2016–2018),</small> bass <small>(2018–present)</small> * Kurt Habelt – guitar <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023)</small>
* Mark Fields – vocals <small>(2016–present)</small> * Rob Williams – drums <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023)</small>
⚫ * Ben Barnett – guitar <small>(2018–present)</small>

;Former members
* Hank McNamee – bass <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992)</small> * Hank McNamee – bass <small>(1981–1985, 1991–1992)</small>
* ] – vocals, saxophone <small>(1983–1985; died 2011)</small> * ] – vocals, saxophone <small>(1983–1985; died 2011)</small>

{{col-2}}
⚫ ;Later members
* ] – vocals <small>(1991–1992; died 2011)</small> * ] – vocals <small>(1991–1992; died 2011)</small>
* Jim Hobbs – bass <small>(1992)</small> * Mark Fields – vocals <small>(2016–2023)</small>
* Paulie Kraynak – bass <small>(2016–2017)</small> * Chris Leamy – guitar <small>(2016–2017),</small> bass <small>(2017–2023)</small>
* Mario Travers – guitar <small>(2018–2021; died 2022)</small> * Ben Barnett – guitar <small>(2018–2023)</small>
⚫ * Paul Kraynak - bass <small>(2016-2017)</small>
* Alex Smith - bass <small>(1992)</small>
{{col-end}}


;Timeline ;Timeline
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Alignbars = justify Alignbars = justify
DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy
Period = from:06/01/1981 till:{{#time:m/d/Y}} Period = from:06/01/1981 till:09/01/2023
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy
Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:2
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bar:Leamy text:"Chris Leamy" bar:Leamy text:"Chris Leamy"
bar:Barnett text:"Ben Barnett" bar:Barnett text:"Ben Barnett"
bar:Travers text:"Mario Travers"
bar:McNamee text:"Hank McNamee" bar:McNamee text:"Hank McNamee"
bar:Hobbs text:"Jim Hobbs"
bar:Kraynak text:"Paulie Kraynak"
bar:Williams text:"Rob Williams" bar:Williams text:"Rob Williams"


Line 154: Line 153:
bar:Habelt from:09/01/1991 till:03/01/1992 color:Guitars bar:Habelt from:09/01/1991 till:03/01/1992 color:Guitars
bar:Habelt from:03/01/2016 till:end color:Guitars bar:Habelt from:03/01/2016 till:end color:Guitars
bar:Leamy from:03/01/2016 till:01/01/2018 color:Guitars bar:Leamy from:03/01/2016 till:09/01/2017 color:Guitars
bar:Leamy from:01/01/2018 till:end color:Bass bar:Leamy from:09/01/2017 till:end color:Bass
bar:Barnett from:09/01/2018 till:end color:Guitars bar:Barnett from:09/01/2018 till:end color:Guitars
bar:Travers from:09/01/2018 till:12/01/2021 color:Guitars
bar:McNamee from:06/01/1981 till:09/05/1985 color:Bass bar:McNamee from:06/01/1981 till:09/05/1985 color:Bass
bar:McNamee from:09/01/1991 till:01/15/1992 color:Bass bar:McNamee from:09/01/1991 till:01/15/1992 color:Bass
bar:Hobbs from:01/16/1992 till:03/01/1992 color:Bass
bar:Kraynak from:03/01/2016 till:09/01/2017 color:Bass
bar:Williams from:06/01/1981 till:09/05/1985 color:Drums bar:Williams from:06/01/1981 till:09/05/1985 color:Drums
bar:Williams from:09/01/1991 till:03/01/1992 color:Drums bar:Williams from:09/01/1991 till:03/01/1992 color:Drums

Latest revision as of 04:11, 15 September 2024

American hardcore punk band

Siege
Siege at their high school's 'Battle of the Bands' in 1984. Left to right: Rob Williams, Kevin Mahoney, and Kurt Habelt.Siege at their high school's 'Battle of the Bands' in 1984. Left to right: Rob Williams, Kevin Mahoney, and Kurt Habelt.
Background information
OriginWeymouth, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres
Years active1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023
LabelsDeranged, Deep Six, Relapse, PATAC
Past members
  • Kurt Habelt
  • Rob Williams
  • Hank McNamee
  • Kevin Mahoney
  • Seth Putnam
  • Chris Leamy
  • Mark Fields
  • Ben Barnett
  • Paul Kraynak
  • Alex Smith

Siege was an American hardcore punk band from Weymouth, Massachusetts. Formed in 1981, they were active in the Boston hardcore scene from 1984 to 1985, and reunited briefly in 1991. Drummer Rob Williams and guitarist Kurt Habelt led a live ensemble of reunion performances between 2016 and 2023.

In its original incarnation, Siege paired extremely fast tempos with vocalist Kevin Mahoney's screeches and growls in their intense style of hardcore. Though little known at the time, the band has posthumously become revered by punk and heavy metal fans worldwide and is now regarded as one of the pioneers of the grindcore and powerviolence subgenres.

History

Formation, early years (1981–1984)

Then teenagers, the members of what would become Siege began playing together in 1981 in Weymouth. Guitarist Kurt Habelt, bassist Hank McNamee, and drummer Rob Williams rehearsed together informally during this time. They completed Siege's classic lineup in 1983, recruiting vocalist and occasional saxophonist Kevin Mahoney from nearby Braintree.

Self-described as a "second wave" punk band, they cited hardcore punk and new wave of British heavy metal bands, as well as the desire to play faster than their predecessors, as formative influences on their sound. Siege's first official show was at a Battle of the Bands in early 1984 at Weymouth North High School. They were disqualified for obscenities and McNamee's smashing of his bass onstage.

Radiobeat sessions, breakup (1984–1985)

Siege recorded a six-song demo tape at Radiobeat Records in Kenmore Square on February 6, 1984. The demo was produced by Lou Giordano, the producer of records by Hüsker Dü, Negative FX, SS Decontrol, Goo Goo Dolls, and many others. It would later be extensively bootlegged. In October 1984 the band recorded three more songs at Radiobeat with Giordano for Pushead's classic 1985 hardcore compilation Cleanse the Bacteria. Those 3 songs were Siege's only official original release.

Giordano later recalled those sessions:

The way our studio operated was that anything that comes in – there's no value judgments made about the music. We just record it. Still, one of the things that I guess was cool about being a staff engineer is that I wouldn't have sought out a band like that. I wasn't philosophically into anything that they were doing, but they were all good musicians – you would have to be to stay together at the speeds they were playing at. So there was that aspect of it, and just the whole pushing the envelope thing. It sounds like it's just gonna completely break apart going 700 miles through the sky and then all of a sudden everything just comes right together again.

And they were some of the most unassuming, laid-back people to ever work with. I mean, they had no attitude at all. They just came in and they were just really polite and very thankful, and then when they turned on the amps and made that noise, it was just unbelievable that it was coming from them.

Despite their proximity to Boston, Siege did not fit into Boston's crew-dominated straight edge hardcore scene, and performed most of their gigs farther away in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. They played in Greenfield with local hardcore bands DYS, Cancerous Growth, The Freeze, B.I.U, Outpatients, and Deep Wound, out of state at the Living Room in Providence, and at Anthrax in Stamford.

In 1985, Siege was scheduled to play their first show in New York City at CBGB with The Necros. Mahoney did not show up for the gig, and Siege disbanded shortly thereafter.

Reunion (1991–1992)

Anal Cunt vocalist Seth Putnam fronted the band during their brief 1991 reunion.

Siege reformed briefly in 1991 with Anal Cunt vocalist Seth Putnam replacing Mahoney. They recorded a four-song demo that was believed to be lost due to the master reel being damaged. McNamee left the band after their first show in April of 1992 and was replaced by Alex Smith, and they played one show with the bands Sloppy Seconds and Toe Tag before disbanding in August 1992. Williams later called the 1990s lineup a "false-start" reunion.

Post-breakup and legacy

Despite writing a mere 20 minutes of music and never playing outside of New England, Siege became highly influential. Their tracks on Cleanse the Bacteria exposed them to wide audiences, including Lars Ulrich of Metallica, who described them as the fastest band he had ever heard. Numerous pioneering bands establishing the death metal and grindcore subgenres in the 1980s cited Siege as a formative influence, including British groups Carcass and Napalm Death. Their demo became a highly sought-after bootleg in collector circuits.

Relapse Records officially released Siege's demo and compilation tracks in 1994 as the Drop Dead CD. The same material was released on 12-inch vinyl in 2004 by Deep Six Records. Two separate additional reissues of the original Siege material issued on LP in 2006 and 2009 by the Deep Six label contained an additional three tracks, "Two-Faced", "Trained To Kill", and "Questions Behind The Wall", recorded during Radiobeat sessions.

The 1991 recording was unreleased for many years. The track "Cameras" was eventually issued on the 13 Bands Who Think You're Gay compilation LP released by Putnam in 2004. The additional three tracks—"Death & Taxes", "New World Order" and "Disregard"—were thought to be lost before being rediscovered on cassette in 2014. The four songs were released on PATAC Records as the "Lost Session '91" 7-inch later that year.

Williams remained musically active and formed the band Nightstick, which additionally featured Putnam and Habelt at times. Williams and Mahoney also played together in The Spoils, who released the ...To the Victor LP in 2007. Putnam died of a suspected heart attack on July 11, 2011, while Mahoney died on October 14 that year after an extended battle with diabetes.

Williams occasionally performed Siege material live with the Providence band Dropdead, including at Mayland Death Fest in 2014. A performance in Cambridge, Massachusetts in February 2015 was billed as their final live collaboration.

Live performances (2016–2023)

In 2016, Williams and Habelt gathered an ensemble of musicians to play Siege's classic material live. This live group was completed by vocalist Mark Fields, second guitarist/bassist Chris Leamy (bandleader of Brian Famine, and a member of Japanese Torture Comedy Hour with Pig Destroyer guitarist Scott Hull), and Ben Barnett from Dropdead. They played their first show in Providence with headliners Infest. Further performances included guest saxophone players, including John Zorn, Ernie Kim, "Party" Marty Phillips and John “Westy” Weston. The band played a show at the Midway Cafe in Boston mid-September 2022, prior to playing the London hardcore festival Chimpyfest. They gave their final performances in New York and Los Angeles in 2023.

Covers

  • Napalm Death covered "Walls" on their second John Peel session and "Conform" on Leaders Not Followers: Part 2.
  • Disrupt covered "Cold War" on their 1992 live EP Smash Divisions.
  • Witch Hunt covered "Conform" on their Crucial Chaos Sessions.
  • Lycanthrophy covered "Conform" on their split with Say Why.
  • Anal Cunt included a section of "New World Order" in the Siege medley on their album Morbid Florist in 1993.
  • Exhumed covered "Drop Dead" on their covers album Garbage Daze Re-Regurgitated.
  • Williams's sludge metal band Nightstick covered "New World Order" as "The Pentagon" in 1998.
  • Mr. Bungle covered "Cold War" on their 1995 and 2023 tours.
  • Ripcord covered "Starvation" on their Harvest Hardcore EP as well as a live cover of "Walls" featuring vocals by Lee Dorian on their Live At Parkhof Alkmaar Holland - 18/09/1988 album.
  • Intense Degree covered "Conform" on the Manic Ears North Atlantic Noise Attack compilation.
  • Heresy recorded "Conform" during the sessions yielding the Face Up To It! LP, and the outtake later appeared on the Voice Your Opinion discography CD.
  • Rat Lord (no) covered "Starvation" on the B-side for their "Destroy" single in 2021
  • Water Torture covered "Walls" on their split with Corrupt Bastards.
  • Pillage covered "Starvation" on their 2013 demo 7-inch.
  • Voltifobia covered "Drop Dead" on their split tape with Agathocles.
  • Extreme Smoke 57 covered Conform on their first split 7-inch with The Sexorcist in 1991.

Band members

Classic lineup
  • Kurt Habelt – guitar (1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023)
  • Rob Williams – drums (1981–1985, 1991–1992, 2016–2023)
  • Hank McNamee – bass (1981–1985, 1991–1992)
  • Kevin Mahoney – vocals, saxophone (1983–1985; died 2011)
Later members
  • Seth Putnam – vocals (1991–1992; died 2011)
  • Mark Fields – vocals (2016–2023)
  • Chris Leamy – guitar (2016–2017), bass (2017–2023)
  • Ben Barnett – guitar (2018–2023)
  • Paul Kraynak - bass (2016-2017)
  • Alex Smith - bass (1992)

Timeline

Discography

Demos
Albums
  • Drop Dead (1994) (CD, Relapse Records) (Demo '84 + Cleanse the Bacteria compilation tracks)
EPs
  • "Lost Session '91" (2014) (7-inch, PATAC Records)
Compilation appearances
  • Cleanse the Bacteria (1985) (12-inch, Pusmort Records) (3 tracks - "Sad But True", "Cold War", and "Walls")
  • 13 Bands Who Think You're Gay (2004) (12-inch, Menace to Sobriety Records) (1 track - "Cameras")

References

  1. Anthony, David. "20 Years Ago, Saetia Defined Screamo in Just Nine Songs". Vice Media. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  2. Mudrian, Albert. Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore. Feral House, 2004, pp. 47
  3. ^ Suburban Punk Fanzine, Spring 1984
  4. "MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL - Kevin Mahoney of Siege: 1965-2011". Maximum Rock 'n Roll. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  5. ^ Mudrian 48
  6. Mudrian 51
  7. Mudrian 49
  8. ^ Mudrian 51
  9. https://web.archive.org/web/20030210132527fw_/http://www.sethputnam.com/siege.htm
  10. Mudrian 38, 126
  11. "Siege: Lost Session 91". Deaf Sparrow. May 26, 2014. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  12. "Nightstick Interview". Deaf Sparrow. November 1, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  13. "BLABBERMOUTH.NET – ANAL C**T Frontman SETH PUTNAM Dead At 43". Roadrunnerrecords.com. Retrieved August 30, 2014.
  14. Swash, Rosie (June 13, 2011). "Seth Putnam, the 'GG Allin of grindcore', dies aged 43 | Music | guardian.co.uk". Guardian. London. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  15. "R.I.P. Kevin Mahoney of Siege". Exclaim.ca. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  16. "Upcoming Events". Boston Hassle. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
  17. "ROBERT WILLIAMS OF SIEGE & CHRIS DODGE OF INFEST TALK REUNITING TO KICK OUT THE POWERVIOLENCE JAMS". Decibel Magazine. June 1, 2016. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  18. "Midway Cafe Under SIEGE". HUMP DAY NEWS. Retrieved September 16, 2022.

External links

Siege
Compilation albums
EPs
  • Lost Session '91 (2014)
Demo cassettes
  • Drop Dead (1984)
Compilation appearances
  • 13 Bands Who Think You're Gay (2004)
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