I've Been Listening To: BOMB - San Francisco's Version of Grunge

By Krist Novoselic Fri., Apr. 2 2010 at 11:02 AM

Categories: Krist Novoselic

Hits Of Acid

In the late 1980's and early '90's there was this great band from San Francisco called Bomb. I never got to see them live. Jack Endino did and his comment was, "The drummer is amazing". They made this great record called Hits of Acid and one of my favorite tunes of all time is "I Loved Her, Then I Died" - I urge heavy rock fans to check it out. Here's a free mp3 of the tune "You In Romance"

Hits Of Acid is a great lost-classic. It's super-warped heavy rock. And like all of my favorite records - listening takes me on a journey. If this band came out of Seattle instead of San Francisco - they would have been one of the great Grunge bands.

Write Comment

Email to Friend

Print Article

More Links from Around the Web

hits of acid was and still is a superb album. one of my favorite of all time, from first to last track. bomb's live shows were amazing, partly because of their unique music and on-stage lunacy, but mostly because of the crowds they drew. so many freaks and so many psychedelics. only in the S.ity of F.reakos [sic] could such a band flourish. they played a lot of great gigs over the years, but my favorites were at that small club near Market and Church Streets. these were some of their last shows before they broke up. maybe early '91? sometimes i pine for the days of the aural ecstasy and drug-induced lust of a bomb show, but then i remember the acid hangovers and i'm satisfied with listening to them on itunes.
I was turned on to this band by a very good friend of mine and they soon became one of my favorite groups EVER! When their last album came out (which ROCKED),that tour took them toBozeman Montana..Yes,saw them live in a log cabin/community center up by the cemetery. Maybe 25 people there and it was AMAZING!Michael in a dress rocking the bass,and the rest of the band kicking out that wonderful BOMB sound. Not even a stage,right there on the floor...all I can say is wowwowwow!A major rock highlight in my life...major,man..MAJOR!
Hey Michael, One of our most memorable shows was playing with you guys at the Jazz-a-Frazz in Kansas City (in 1988 or '89). We played our set, and then when you guys got up on stage and started playing, I remember being blown away by the cool arrangements and sheer power of your music in that tiny space. You guys were ahead of your time. Cheers, Michael Leggs (singer/bassist from The Moving Van Goghs)
Hey Jay, good to hear you're still around! It was a pleasure for David and I to record what I think was your first demo at Hyde Street Studios back in the day. We still listed to you and miss your band. I remember the fights like yesterday but you've been immortalized through recording. It was all worth it! Kirsten and David Bock
Saw you guys as many times as I could, in Denver, San Francisco and in Seattle. I used to write for a few different music mags (MoshPit! and The Rocket) and wrotes some tortured reviews about you guys. Last I saw Mike, he was sober and doing interesting stuff. The girl that I miss is just me in a dress, indeed.
krist - you are right on. i bought this album before i had even heard nirvana (that would've been bleach circa '89). oddly, my new band covers "i loved her then i died." www.myspace.com/darkmatterhalos
awesome! one of the best bands ever.
I was the guitar player in this band, BomB And it was heaven and hell being a member of a "bad acid Psychedelic rock band from San Francisco. We did alot of drugs when we were in town but when we went on tour we ran out of speed within the first three days, ran out of acid after a few weeks. Once drugless we had about a week of hellish fights and almost breakups and many drunker then usual shows. I don't think any of that made our shows better or worse just edgier and more scary. Tony fag wouldn't let any one in the band talk in between song and so there seemed to me to be this dead uncomfortable deadness when we were in between songs or when Tony would break a drum and have to repair on the spot Tony was the most tortured artist I ever met . This may sound like I'm whining but I wouldn't trade a minute of the thirteen years we reigned as most psychedelic punk band out of S.F. since Jimi Hendrix in my mind. Thank you for all your compliments its nice too hear . WE ARE THE FIRE ON THE CANDLES ON THE CAKE AT THE PARTY FOR THE END, FOR THE END, FOR THE END, FOR THE END ... OF THE WORLD! (Words to "19" BomB LP 1985)
bombs my favorite SF band. also like faxhead.
bombs my favorite band in sf . also like fax-head.
Bomb is one of the best bands ever. I was blessed enough to see them play in Albuquerque in 1988 when their van broke down. They played a shitty house concert in the student ghetto and it was packed and smokey. The band came out only wearing t-shirts. A group of skinheads started throwing lit cigarettes and shit at them. The band stepped up their nudist moxy and started talking about how much they loved San Francisco because they were so gay and loved being gay in San Francisco. The skinheads were in a fervor and the band loved all that chaotic energy. They absolutely shredded. Drummer Tony Fag is an animal. He's my number one drumming influence. Their best record was their first one: To Elvis In Hell. Hits of Acid has a lot of the same songs and has better production value, but Elvis is undeniably more energetic. Go here to download it, and all their stuff, for free. http://www.hitsofacid.com/ Also check out the singer Michael Dean's movie "D.I.Y. or Die" on YouTube.
I remember seeing Bomb at The Penguin Pub in Youngstown, OH probably 1988. They played with a local hardcore band called Sacred Hate that night. I couldn't believe how freaking awesome they were and I remember their (Bomb's) performance to this day. Their guitarist tore it up with a slide/Les Paul and a dimed Marshall I think. Their bass player/vocalist actually stretched out before the show and on seeing their kinetic act you understood why. They could have come out today and in the right venue had some measure of success. Way, way, way ahead of their time.
Krist must have been on acid since he does not remember the night he and dave came to the bomb show in seattle at the off ramp, circa 92-93. I was the drummer and remember seeing them there. anyway. yes, very great band, the guitarists were amazing.
I miss you Michael! Bomb is still my all time favorite band! How is live treating you? Send me an email.... Jeff
Nate....glad you liked it. Michael Dean (singer from Bomb)
I know this will never be read (since it'll post about 4 months after the original post, but what the hell. I remember going up to a friend's dorm room in fall of '87 (he was a synth dork who actually had Sammy Hagar hair) and he pulled out "To Elvis in Hell" and put it on. My formative years were Sabbath, Ramones, and Floyd, and here in that tiny moment in '87 I found them all rapped up in one band. Though I understand the sentiments about them playing in SF vs. Seattle, I honestly think they were way too fucking weird (and cool) to every make it big. Damn they were awesome.
Haha, Anonymous, I'm doing the same exact thing. I wish they played this music at my job instead of Bon Jovi (the horror!) And I like looking at the perty album covers on the website, and that huge pic from 1990 is brutal- thumbs up.
Never heard of them, the song you linked to is amazing though, downloading all the stuff they have on the website right now :D
Nice tune, it has hints of Green River!
Hm, cool sound and great style.
If I were a gurl is a freakin long song, I like it.The bass guitar is what makes the song sexy.
i really liked their style, and they were sounding to me like primus
i really liked their style, and they were sounding to me like primus
Good day for tunes, not a good day for flying. Thanks, man, I liked this.
Good day for tunes, not a good day for flying. Thanks, man, I liked this.
Wow, the song is actually good... Krist i recomend you to listen to Ebba Gr�wedish punk band, they are pretty good