[Brian Krashpad]

No one has any reviews?

Here's another one from the Gainesville Sun, 1/14/2000. It had a pic too, don't have it handy.

Sound Check: Keeping punk's ethos alive

By PATRICK HUGHES

Scene's music columnist

Gainesville's Crash Pad plays an all-ages show at the Civic Media Center tonight at 9.

Singer/guitarist Brian Kruger describes his band's sound as "punk rock," and for him the "rock" is essential. Like the first wave of '70s English and American punk bands (think the Clash and the Ramones) that inspires him, Kruger's musical vision is hard-edged, but includes a healthy dose of songcraft. "We're not real fast. We're more mid-tempo to fast. We're not real 'shouty,'" he says. "We try to get some backing vocals in there. There's some occasional guitar leads - not always, but sometimes."

Kruger was attracted to this music as a University of Florida student in the late '70s. He says he originally heard many punk songs for the first time covered by Gainesville new wave band the Riff. The records were just too hard to find. For Kruger, punk embodied the rock 'n' roll spirit he says was scarce at the time. "In the late '70s you couldn't even go see a live band. Disco killed it," he says.

There's almost 20 years difference in age between Kruger and each of the other Crash Pad members (Adam Lishawa on guitar and vocals, P.J. Fancher on bass and Chris Weingarten on drums). But his relatively advanced age isn't the only big difference between Kruger and his bandmates: His day job is as an attorney. "I work for a consulting firm that does legal research for other attorneys," he reports. "It's a good gig. When you see me around town in a T-shirt, Converse and jeans, that's what I wear to work."

Kruger doesn't let the disparity bother him too much, and jokingly compares his musical life to the Seinfeld episode in which the hapless George Costanza succeeds by behaving contrary to his instincts. "Say you're married, got this great job - what's the one thing you shouldn't do? Be in a punk rock 'n' roll band," he says.

The Civic Media Center, a non-corporate reading room and library that also serves as a meeting ground for Gainesville's left-wing activist groups, has been regularly hosting music since the summer of 1994. The shows are all-ages and smoke-free, and Kruger likes the intimate vibe. "It's a lot of work. They don't have (their own) PA system, so I show up early, set everything up, do a soundcheck. That's the only way to make it work," he says. "The good things about it are you're in control of the sound, and the people are right there in front of you."

Founding CMC member and past coordinator Joe Courter says the space is a necessary part of musical life in the community. "For music it's more of a showcase. It's not a bar, so people are really there to listen," he says. The all-ages format provides a place for the youngest of Gainesville bands to try out their chops. "High school-aged bands have played there a number of times," Courter says.

Patrick Hughes works at Hyde & Zeke. He can be reached at gojira@ufl.edu.

Copyright © 2000, The Gainesville Sun.