Stonewalled – 07 Oct 2022
Sometimes, you have to commend an artist’s commitment to the gimmick.
In October 1989, the sketch comedy show Kids in the Hall debuted. In the second skit, they introduced a character named the Eradicator (played by Bruce McCullough)— a ski mask-clad man who was aggressively dedicated to supremacy at the sport of squash.
Sometime around 2012, Andy Slania started a band inspired by this singular skit. Along with a revolving cast of musical compatriots, he’s twisted this four minute and fifty five second sketch into three LPs and an EP in the persona of The Eradicator.
In this third LP and final LP, The Eradicator doesn’t pivot from the gimmick. Those looking for new ground to be broken lyrically will be disappointed, as the eleven originals are lyrically rooted in the titular skit. Squash, masks, and game abound, with the band closing out with a cover of The Clash’s classic “Should I Stay or Should I Go?”.
For however it’s lacking lyrically, this LP makes up for it in spades with musicality. The backing band has the chunky tone of the early Direct Hit! EPs — not surprising, given ex-members Danny Walkowiak and Steven Maury minding the skins and strings, respectively. The band occasionally veers into the technical skate punk of Strung Out while even toeing the line of New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). All the while, Slania howls over the din like a hardcore Andrew W.K. defending his squash title.
I started listening to the album, fully expecting to dislike it because of the gimmick. Ultimately, this album won me over. I’ve gone back to listen to the band’s back catalog, and I’ve found myself playing their music when I need to concentrate on multiple things — and occasionally sing along to the chorus.
Once hailing from the salty tundra of Syracuse, NY, Ben now calls the DC suburbs his home. He fell in love with punk after listening to Punk-O-Rama 3, Less Than Jake and MXPX in middle school. He loves to slam dance but is too large to stage dive.
When he’s not pretending to have exquisite musical taste, he’s raising two children, designing RPG products and practicing law. (Who knows if he’ll ever get the hang of it.)
