The Real DEAD CITY REBELS

Sometime around October 1995 the original line-up of "Ottawa's most rockinest... ever" debuted @ the Dominion Tavern opening for Resin Scraper and Tricky Woo. To those present the night is forever etched in memory, and has become a minor snippet of Fat City Punk History. Not simply for the fact that the opening act was attacked by a drunk rugby team two songs into their set, probably at least in part because the singer called those losers on, but mostly because they rocked like a fuckin' hurricane before, through and after the whole thing! From that night on the DCR's where an Ottawa staple, playing more shows at the Dominion Tavern than anywhere and probably anyone for that matter, opening for a bunch of their favourite acts through 90's like the CandySnatchers, the New Bomb Turks, Lazy Cowgirls and the Mullens. In 1997 Chris joined on sax and in '98 the band had a record come out on a German label called High Society International. Not long after the record release party, Austen left to pursue his edumacation, having joined the band at the tender age of 16. Chris switched to guitar and the DCRs pressed on, getting turned on to the MC5, STOOGES and Sonic's Rendezvous Band in a big way and becoming an all out rock monster. After mailing out promo packages to every big indie in the U-S of A the band managed to secure a one-off deal with Man's Ruin Records out of San Fransisco. Contracts were signed, cheques were cashed, Dave Draves was employed to work his wizardry and a band at their creative and spiritual peak recorded an album that sounded like nothing from outta this town ever has... then a few months later the label went bankrupt, sent the band the masters and a few months after that they packed it in...