Unwritten law

Led by original vocalist Scott Russo, the San Diego-based quintet Unwritten Law capitalizes on the purest elements of SoCal-styled punk. Their catchy pop-punk riffs, meaty hooks and forceful lyrics are provided by drummer Wade Youman, guitarist Steve Morris, bassist Pat Kim (who replaced original bassist John Bell) and Rob Brewer.

After recording their first demo in the early '90s, Unwritten Law signed a deal with Sony, who officially released the album, later titled Blue Room, in 1995. A follow-up,Oz Factor, came out the following year.

The band jumped to Interscope Records for their third full-length release. The album, which is self-titled, appeared in 1998.

The all American rejects

While growing up in Stillwater, Oklahoma, both All-American Rejects vocalist/bassist Tyson Ritter and guitarist/programmer Nick Wheeler played guitar in junior high bands, turning to music to escape the small-town doldrums. Yet the two budding musicians didn't cross paths until Wheeler and his band performed at a party one night, where Ritter--who'd never played bass before in his life--impulsively joined them onstage as their bassist. Determined to stay in Wheeler's band, Ritter immediately purchased a bass guitar and learned to play within weeks.

Wheeler, a big Def Leppard and '80s glam-rock fan, and the AC/DC-inspired Ritter built a songwriting friendship throughout high school, and as the rest of the group disintegrated, they stuck together and played gigs around Stillwater as a duo, backing themselves with programmed drum loops on Wheeler's keyboard. The pair recorded several demos, which gave them plenty to choose from when laying down tracks in the studio with producer Tim O'Heir (Superdrag, Sebadoh) for their self-titled debut album, after the band became official with the addition of Mike Kennerty (guitar) and Chris Gaylor (drums).

The All-American Rejects released their first independent album in spring 2000, which hit the airwaves of local Oklahoma radio stations, consequently creating a massive local buzz and helping them land gigs opening for the Flaming Lips and Caroline's Spine. The following summer, they released the EP Same Girl, New Songs and toured the Midwest, returning home with a record contract with Doghouse Records (Get Up Kids, River City High). DreamWorks re-released The All-American Rejects a year later, and the album's unbelievably catchy, powerpoppy first single, "Swing Swing," immediately received nationwide radio airplay.

Joe Satriani

The acclaimed guitar virtuoso Joe Satriani was born in New York in 1956, but first established himself on the San Francisco music scene during the early 1980s. Satriani became one of the most recognized guitar teachers in the area, inspiring pupils such as Kirk Hammett (later of Metallica), Larry LaLonde (later of Primus) and Steve Vai (now an acclaimed solo guitarist in his own right).

Satriani did not begin recording until 1984, when he released a now out-of-print self-titled EP. Signing to Relativity, in 1986 he released his full-length solo debut Not of This Earth, a set of tracks that highlighted the young guitarist's amazing technical ability with complex hard rock instrumental epics. Satriani's popularity expanded with his 1987 follow-up, Surfing with the Alien, one of the few all-instrumental albums to ever reach the Top 40. Satriani became known as a "guitar player's guitar player," influencing countless hobbyists and professionals with his innovative style and sure-fingered playing.

After issuing the 1988 mini-album Dreaming No. 11, recorded with legendary bassist Stu Hamm, Satriani released his next full-length, 1989's Flying in a Blue Dream, which introduced vocals. 1992's The Extremist was followed by a double-disc 1993 retrospective, Time Machine. Satriani worked with the famous hard rock producer Glyn Johns on a 1995 eponymous album before moving on to a series of tours with other top guitarist known as "G3."

Satriani's most recent CD, Crystal Planet, was released in March 1998 on Sony.

The hardcore punk outfit the Distillers first came together in late 1998 when Aussie native Brody met bassist Kim Chi at work and realized their love for playing. Soon they hooked up with Detroit guitarist Rose Casper and drummer Matt for an angst-ridden rage familiar in the pioneers before them: Smith, the Plasmatics' Wendy O. Williams, and the Circle Jerks. Add a little U.S. Bombs and Rocket from the Crypt and the thirsting punk rock soul fronting the Distillers is pretty obvious. Signed to Epitaph, the band issued their self-titled debut in April 2000. ~ MacKenzie Wilson , All Music Guide