MilwHC:Bands:SodomyLaw

From MilwHC

Contents 1 Sodomy Law 2 Band History 3 Songs 4 Comments

Sodomy Law

Line-up:

• Vocals: Mike Barsch
• Guitar: Dave Vandenberg
• Bass: Tim Frank
• Drums: Jon Vandenberg (maybe John)

Band History

From memory, they started as Human Hopefuls, playing Milwaukee Corefest in '85 or so. I was not old enough to drive to the show so at least half the band members weren't either. All members were students at Kettle Moraine High School. They changed their name to Sodomy Law shortly after Corefest, for unexplained reasons. They have a couple tapes and at least one Vinyl LP release on a (I think) German label. Singer Mike Barsch is currently running a punk label in Boulder and I think he owns a club there, too. (Soda Jerk Presents)

Songs

• Bald Eagle
• Inner-scene Fights

Comments

• Basically, a high school hardcore/crossover (later) band. Great live band. Mike Barsch is so punk he rigged the 1983 Kettle Moraine MIDDLE School "Best Song" poll to be "Should I Stay or Should I Go" by the The Clash.

• Mike is also so punk that at a show at the Odd Rock he demanded more money than the rest of the bands because Sodmy Law just had a record come out and they needed it for tour. While the other bands were scraping money together to make a demo cassettes. Yes it still pisses me off. They were also managed by Eric "Griffy" Grief, nuff said. --Dave Kaz 18:00, 8 Mar 2006 (PST)

• This is of course my opinion, but Sodomy Law always seemed to have this "rock star" attitude. It seemed like they never came to shows unless they were playing or some big touring band came to town. A huge part of the scene was that you supported each other's bands. When Silent Scream played, chances are the guys up front were in Cleveland Bound Death Sentence. That just how it was, and how you make the scene grow. Sodomy Law never seemed a part of that. --Pete Prodoehl 14:42, 9 Mar 2006 (PST)

• Oh, on WMSE for some reason, you could not say the word "Sodomy" so you had to call them "S-Law" or "Cole Slaw" or something goofy like that. --Pete Prodoehl 14:42, 9 Mar 2006 (PST)

• One time at the Odd Rock Dan Duchaine from the Speedfreaks was dissing Sodomy Law, saying something like "What they hell do they know about inner-city fights, they're from the suburbs!" when someone pointed out to Dan their song was named "Inner-scene fights" after which Dan said something like "Whatever, they're still dumb." --Pete Prodoehl 14:46, 9 Mar 2006 (PST)

• I think on WMSE it was "The Law". Very goofy. Yeah, I had not remembered how many people Mike rubbed the wrong way. He was cool with me, though. And Tim Frank the bass player was hilarious, like a little con man or something. I remember he paid me to glue a rat-tail hair extension in his hair for him. He had some girl cut out a lock so he could do it.