Before Annihilation Time became known for the collision of hardcore punk and '70s hard rock that defined much of their later material, the Ventura County band's original lineup laid the groundwork with its self-titled debut LP.
Annihilation Time started in 2001 with Fred Hammer on vocals, Graham Clise on lead guitar, Tony Melino on rhythm guitar, Chris Grande on bass, and Jamie Sanitate on drums. They recorded their debut album with Nick Jett (Terror, Carry On) at Blood Tracks Studio in Granada Hills in 2002, channeling the influence of BL'AST!, Black Flag, and the early Nardcore scene.
Hammer left Annihilation Time later in 2002, but the debut record has continued to reach new listeners over the years. For its 25th anniversary in 2027, the LP will be reissued on vinyl with a detailed booklet, rare photos, flyers, artwork, and more. The new pressing will come out of Oxnard, a nod to the band's roots.
With the reissue on the horizon, I yucked it up with Hammer—whom I've jokingly referred to over the years as the "Mayor of Oxnard"—to revisit Annihilation Time's earliest days, the making of that first LP, his Nardcore roots, and why the record may be more popular today than when it was originally released.
That first Annihilation Time LP has become one of those records people seem to discover years after the fact. What do you remember about the local scene's reaction to what the band was doing during the early days?
The band was connected to the local scenes in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties. Three of the band members had graduated from Oxnard High School (Oxnard, CA), one from Nordhoff High School (Ojai, CA), and another from Dos Pueblos High School (Goleta, CA). The LP was recorded by our friend Nick Jett in Los Angeles County (Granada Hills, CA).
That alone is the size of three large California counties, with many different people and bands involved. Oxnard had the Nardcore scene, Ojai had a skateboard park with a lot of skate punks and outcasts, Santa Barbara County had the Pickle Patch and Ebullition scenes, and of course, Los Angeles County had every scene you could imagine.
The band's hometown seemed to be split between Oxnard, Ojai, and Santa Barbara. The band was created on the Fields of Fire/In Control 2001 U.S. tour. We were pretty vocal when the tour ended that we were starting a new band, and we were dedicated, had the means, and had the drive to make it work.
I think our local scenes wanted something different from what a lot of touring bands were playing. The locals seemed to like us and helped us out in any way they could. We were all pretty proactive in the local scenes, so we didn't have any problems setting up shows or finding someone to print our T-shirts, etc. Our first show was at a house in Santa Barbara, CA. The audience went nuts, and we got positive feedback, so we felt like we were on the right path.
Annihilation Time carved out its own lane, equal parts hardcore punk, Thin Lizzy, Motörhead, and '70s rock. Did you bring any of those classic influences into the mix? Tell me how your personal musical tastes shaped the sound in the early stages of writing.
I don't have much in the way of songwriting skills, so the other band members wrote all the music. I wrote the lyrics for five of the eight songs (one song was instrumental). My lyrics were inspired by the world around me.
One of the songs ["Down the Street"] is about a neighbor of mine who was homeschooled (this was years before homeschooling was mainstream). Another song ["Razor"] was about some classmates of mine in high school who committed suicide. I wrote a song ["Sand Lot"] about people littering at the beach and not caring for the ocean.
The music on the debut LP was heavily influenced by BL'AST!, Black Flag, and the original Nardcore bands (Ill Repute, Agression, Dr. Know, Stalag 13). The band moved more toward a 1970s rock sound after I left, so I had nothing to do with those influences. I was influenced by the 1980s punk/hardcore sound and vibe, so that's the influence I brought into the band from day one.
Yeah, I know BL'AST! is a pivotal band for you.
I was very good friends with BL'AST!, so I would hype up BL'AST! 24/7 to everyone in the band. People tell me regularly that our debut LP was a turning point in the music scene in Ventura County, CA, and that the band changed the sound of music in Ventura County forever. True or not, I don't know!
The early 2000s hardcore scene was full of bands looking either backward to Youth Crew or forward into metalcore. Annihilation Time almost ignored both lanes. Did you ever feel out of step (no pun intended) with the scene, or was that part of the appeal?
The band definitely wanted to create our own path, and after touring the U.S. in 2001 with Fields of Fire/In Control, we could see and hear what most bands sounded like and the images they wanted to portray.
I liked a lot of bands at the time, but I wasn't impressed with what some of the current bands were doing. We wanted to do our own thing, and we knew we had some talent, so it was full speed ahead.
I never felt like the band was out of step with the scene during that time, and all the bands and people at the time were always super cool to us. We did get a lot of feedback from people saying the band was a breath of fresh air at the time.
What are some of the highlights from your time in the band?
My highlights were getting to travel all over the U.S. and make new friends all over the country (and see some old friends!). It was rad to play shows with some of my favorite bands. Anytime a stranger approaches you and tells you that your band influenced them in a positive way is super cool.
Raymond Pettibon letting the band use his artwork was a dream come true! Playing live shows was always such an incredible experience. I made the majority of the band merch and flyers when I was in the band, so that was always fun. Seeing the finished product of an album, CD, T-shirt, sticker, etc., was always a big deal for me.
Looking back, do you ever wonder what the band might have become had that original lineup stayed together longer?
I never really thought about that question. The original lineup of the band with me on vocals played its first show in September 2001, and I played my last show with the band in November 2002. We already had some band members switch things up (two band members switched instruments), and the band was starting to move in a different direction sound-wise.
There was no way I could tour full-time with the band. If the original lineup had stayed together, I'm sure we would have done rad things, but it just wasn't meant to be.
I'm very happy with the debut LP and proud to be a part of it. I think the record is more popular nowadays than it ever was when it was released.
With the original LP now receiving a proper vinyl reissue next year, were there specific elements you felt needed to be preserved or updated?
For some reason, people think that the other band members and I don't get along anymore, which is 1000% untrue.
I took photographs for the Lecherous Gaze LP, and I talk to Chris Grande on a regular basis. I hung out with Graham Clise when his new band recently played in Ventura, CA. I helped Cronander with the artwork for their debut LP. I hung out with Jamie Sanitate at an R.K.L. show a few months ago. I ran into Tony Melino the other day at the local Mexican food eatery, and we shared some laughs.
In 2027, it will be the 25th anniversary of the debut LP, so I wanted to do something special for the reissue. It's going to have a huge booklet with a detailed history of the original lineup, along with never-before-seen photographs and rare flyers, artwork, etc.
I think it's important to keep the music available to new and old fans alike. I hope the LP can inspire the new generation of bands who want to do something different and make their own sound.
Also, a cool fun fact: The vinyl will be pressed in Oxnard, CA. Thanks to Indecision Records for keeping the music available to everyone.
I’ve often called you the "Mayor of Oxnard." Since you’ve lived there your whole life, what do you think people outside Ventura County get wrong or miss about the local punk scene?
Well, Tony Cortez of Ill Repute is the official "Mayor of Oxnard," but I do my best!
I think a lot of people not from this area think that all these bands, fanzines, artists, etc., just magically appeared. Oxnard is a working-class town, and the very early people in the scene really put a lot of time and energy into the music and shed a lot of blood and tears along the way. We are 60 miles north of Los Angeles, CA, so nothing was handed to us, and we had to create our own path. Almost all the bigger 1980s punk/hardcore bands will tell you that the early Nardcore bands were a huge influence on them.
Fun fact: Oxnard, CA, has some of the best surfers and skateboarders in the world, and a lot of these people are influenced by the local punk scene.
If you had to pick a song that perfectly encapsulates that early Annihilation Time era, which one would it be and why?
I would pick "Razor." That song was written about some classmates of mine at Oxnard High who took their own lives. The song has a lot of anger and despair in the music and lyrics. Everyone in the band had their ups and downs in life, so this song was sort of a love letter to anyone who was feeling like life was over.
I love the start/stop guitar and drums in the song. I had a difficult time singing it in the studio, and Tony Melino and Nick Jett really helped me out. It took a lot out of me mentally and physically. It was also fun to play live.
Someone once told me that they would listen to the song and punch the steering wheel when they were driving.
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The 25th Anniversary Edition of the Annihilation Time album will be out early 2027.
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