Philadelphia's favorite up and coming pop-punk band, THROK!!, have just finished recording their follow-up to the 1998 EP "The Taryn Trilogy." So far untitled, the band launched into the studio in the fall of 2000 following a well-received performance at the Summer 2000 Warped Tour in Philadelphia. THROK!! continue to play around the East Coast entertaining their fans with their irreverent blend of punk rock and humor and have several upcoming European and U.S. releases in the works. Self-described as a modern punk band with heavy 1980s pop influences, THROK!! writes songs with nothing but fun and humor in mind. In late 1994, drummer Ian Thomas and former lead singer/bassist Brad Bookler had a run in with three "disgusting" girls at University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where the two attended. Looking for an outlet for their experience, they picked up the acoustic guitar that sat near by in Ian's dorm room and started writing. After searching for more than a year for the perfect guitarist, Brant Schroeder joined up with the band, and the trio took the name Plaka - an awful smelling, animal based, paint. Following a few shows under the name, they decided it was too obscure and renamed themselves THE HERCULOIDS. However, in the summer of 2001 - following too many drinks and some conversations with a lawyer - the name was once again changed to the more suitable THROK!!
Through the late 1990s, THROK!! dealt with their fair share of line-up changes. In early 2000, following the departure of lead guitarist Brant Schroeder and lead singer Brad Bookler (and a couple of people in-between), the band brought in Tony Darnell on bass and vocals, Troy Brian on lead guitar, and left Ian Thomas to the drums. Once again poised to take over the world, THROK!! have recently signed with the artist management company K-rad Entertainment and are working with several record labels to dominate the world.
During the band's existence, THROK!! have recorded a live performance that on WXPN's Radio Revolution show and Drexel University's WKDU, appeared for an interview on the commercial station 94.1 FM, and showed up on the Wonka Vision Records compilation CD "The Streets Of Philadelphia" along side the likes of Anti-Flag, Latex Generation, Violent Society, Wolfpac (ex-Bloodhound Gang), and Burn Witch Burn (ex-Dead Milkman). Additionally, the band has performed at such events as the University of Pennsylvania Spring Fling (to more than 10,000 people), The Warped Tour, and continue to gig regularly around the Northeast with other national touring acts.
Always with an eye on the future, THROK!! is making sure to have a great time every step of the way. As Ian Thomas summed it up best:
"Our vision was of the kinds of bands you have memories to when you're driving down to the shore, or drinking with friends, or anything like that. You listen to a song later in life and just sit back remembering how great that time was and you wish you were there. That's the kind of band I want to be in. Those are the kind of songs I want to write."
Written by Jake Finkelstein.
--Thank You: Jake and Throk.
Here are our songs:
The Herculoids - The Taryn Trilogy
Somebody Loves You
Vibrator Song
The Growly March Oatmeal Parade
Throk!! - Curse of the Herculoids
Fat Magnet
Thank You card
Floater
T'aint It Love
Baby... One More Time
Just What I Needed
Blah Blah Blah
Jane Smells
Dick Dale is god
Meatball Surprise
Our Biggest Fan
Talk Dirty To Me
Wet Blanket
Coffee Time
Fucked Up World
