Better Than A Thousand Biography
Better Than a Thousand was essentially a side project that, like many such projects in the hardcore punk scene, eventually took on a life of its own. The group's genesis lay in the creative duo of guitarist/songwriter Graham Land and drummer Ken Olden, a Washington, D.C.-area straight-edge kid who played guitar for the straight-edge revival outfit Battery and the decidedly metal Damnation AD. The two of them desired to craft a body of songs that recalled the spirit of the bygone "youth crew" era of positive-thinking espousing, fast-paced moving, sing-a-long inducing hardcore. They made a bunch of songs and thought, "who better to sing on this than Ray Cappo?" Cappo had virtually led the genre through it's previous incarnation, fronting straight-edge flag wavers Youth of Today, before disbanding the group to devote his life to being a Hare Krishna monk and preaching the religion's ideas through the band Shelter. Shelter played hardcore music for a time, but had by that point evolved into something much slicker and more commercial, so Cappo jumped at the chance to revisit his past barking-vocal style. He enthusiastically laid down all of his parts in two days, in a bedroom studio setup. His voice can even be heard getting noticeably hoarse by the end of Just One, Better Than a Thousand's debut album, released in July 1997 through Revelation Records. The group began touring when it could, between its members full-time projects' schedules. They even released a second album, Value Driven, in the late '90s, before quietly dissolving, partially over Cappo's decision to abandon the straight-edge lifestyle. ~ Ryan J. Downey, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Saints Biography: Roaring out of Brisbane, Australia, in 1977 with the punk-era classic "(I'm) Stranded," the Saints, despite going through numerous incarnations, were a part of rock & roll for more than 20 years,...
Shadows fall Biography: Although their music sometimes bears strong similarities to the technical, progressive brand of death metal centered around Gothenburg, Sweden, and epitomized by bands like In Flames, Shadows Fall...
Roots manuva Biography: British rapper/producer Rodney Smith established himself as Roots Manuva in the late '90s and began releasing a series of highly regarded albums through Big Dada (which were usually...
Beck Biography: One of the most inventive and eclectic figures to emerge from the '90s alternative revolution, Beck was the epitome of postmodern chic in an era obsessed with junk culture. Drawing upon a...
Devo Biography: One of new wave's most innovative and (for a time) successful bands, Devo was also perhaps one of its most misunderstood. Formed in Akron, OH, in 1972 by Kent State art students Jerry Casale and Mark...
Sex gang children Biography: One of the most original and, in terms of frontman Andi Sexgang's longevity, persistent of all the early-'80s British goth bands, the Sex Gang Children came together in early 1981 around...
Misery index Biography: A death metal band from Baltimore, MD, Misery Index was founded in 2001 by vocalist and bassist Jason Netherton, drummer Kevin Talley (both former members of Dying Fetus), and guitarist Mike Harrison...
Impious Biography: One of the numerous death metal bands that came out of Scandinavia in the '90s, Impious have never been known for subtlety, restraint, or understatement; in fact, just the opposite is true. The...