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Keith Morris Despises 'Supergroup' Label for Off!

Lindsey Byrnes

Even for a punk legend like Circle Jerks and Black Flag alum Keith Morris, putting a band together isn't always an easy task. But when it came to his latest back-to-basics project, Off!, the stars aligned after a failed attempt at another collaboration.

Originally, Morris and Burning Brides frontman/guitarist Dimitri Coats attempted to form a group with several other musicians, but the project quickly deteriorated. The pair regrouped and Coats suggested that Morris write down a list of people he'd like to play with. It just so happened that the first names on that list, Redd Kross bassist Steven McDonald and Mario Rubalcaba quickly joined to form Off! in 2009.

"I've known Steven since he was 11 years old because of our relationship at 'the church' at Hermosa Beach. This is back in the very, very beginnings, the birth of hardcore punk rock. He's a great bass player. Mario, he was the last drummer in Rocket From the Crypt, and he was also in a really good band called the Hot Snakes. Mario called me out of the blue and said 'I heard you're putting together a new band and I'm willing to play.' I'm like, 'Wow, this is an honor.'"

The group immediately set about writing what would become Off!'s first release, the forthcoming four-song '1st EP,' which is due out Oct. 12 from Vice. The album is a throwback to Morris' early days of aggressive, 60-second musical riots. But even with the band's impressive pedigree, there's a label Morris hopes fans and critics avoid.

"One word that continually comes up, like Miss America and her fake breasts jumping up out of the cake for all of the senior citizen CEOs holding a sign across her chest that says 'Supergroup,'" he says. "I would like to take this opportunity to dispel any of those rumors, because there have been a lot of supergroups and a lot of them really aren't that super. I'm really not down to have to compete with anybody. We are who we are, we do what we do and just let what we do speak for itself."

After the '1st EP' drops in October, fans can expect a throwback debut full-length that will be released as a box set consisting of four 7" records on Nov. 23.

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