Blackbelt Club

Well. Basically, Dave fell in love with Minor Threat for a few months probably during his sophomore year of high school and was dying to start a hardcore band. Pete was a friend of Dave's. He had been in previous garage metal bands such as Metal Cause and. well at least i think there were a few. Well Pete coincidentally owned a drum set so the two began writing song lyrics about people they disliked ("Disapprove") and things that made them sound angry and pissed off like Minor Threat.

Now they needed a bass player and/or a guitar player. Well Dave heard from a friend of a friend that this kid Nick was in this pop punk band called Ricin and that he played bass. So Dave asked Nick if he would play for his band under the name P.A.W.B. (Punk Ass White Boys). Unbeknown to Dave, Nick had seen him in the hallways of their high school before and already hated him for no reason cause thats just what nick does, but he was interested and agreed to arrange the first practice.

Nick didn't feel that the name P.A.W.B. was tough enough for the band, so he suggested the name Blackbelt Club simply because Kung Fu Kicks ass and it just sounded cool. Pete and Dave Agreed.

The first couple practices were interesting. Dave had an entire notebook full of random lyrics, Pete could barely keep a beat and didn't believe in using his kick drum, and Nick was just whipping off any 3 chorded riff that came to mind. They made about 6 or 7 songs within the first week of practicing and played them fast and quite disorderly. Nick had suggested his friend Aurelio to be the guitar player and the next practice with him was official. the band was assembled.

After practicing in the basement of Dave's old house for a little over a month, they had their gig at one of good ol' Lou's Pearl St. shows in Northampton with a little help from Dave's friend Dan from the Mcfeelys who played there often at the time. They played some more shows at Pearl St. and eventually got some more shows at other venues. The Flywheel in Easthampton became a regular gig for the band. Thankfully the performances became less and less painful ass Pete Learned to play the drums.

Eventually they were hooked up with a recording date, thanks to good friends the Mcfeely's once again and laid down 10 tracks (that most know about). A while after that, the band's friend "Thrasher" Matt, as he is commonly known, from the hardcore band Face Off from Agawam, suggested that he play on second guitar and without hesitation he was added to the lineup. some more songs were written, some by the new member and they played more shows and slowly got tighter and faster, gaining a few regulars at their shows here and there.

Eventually tensions with Aurelio and the rest of the band led to his removal. A 4 piece once again, the band played on, slowly gaining a larger following (if you could even call it that) at a steady pace without ever playing an out-of-state show.

After about 2 years and a few of the greatest shows they had ever played, Dave, Pete, Nick, and Matt decided to call it quits. They had a lot of fun. Thanks.