The Fuses are arguably the best Baltimore punk rock band ever. I believe they began in 1996. Three of the original Fuses were members of Baltimore band Webster. Guitarists Brendan Bartow and Kevin Trowel, along with drummer Lee Ashlin, recruited Mark Minnig of the Thumbs to play bass, and the Fuses were born. Pete Ross, maker of gourd banjos and former member of the Sniff Shits, joined on bass when Minnig moved to Brooklyn in 1998. To my knowledge, they recorded three full lengths ("I Wanna Burn," "Are Lies," and "Eastern Cities") and many singles/splits (someone else will have to fill in the blanks.)

They were a great live band, though at times the noise level and the amount of treble coming out of their guitars was downright painful. What a great, angry, chaotic but smart band they were/are.

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