Vally Lemmons

Pop-punkers Vally Lemmons hail from Austin, TX. Debuting with 1999's Spontaneous Drive, the band was comprised of bassist/vocalist Chris Benitez, drummer Omar Cuellar, and guitarist Andrew R, with Chris' brother, Dave Benitez, soon replacing Andrew on guitar and backing vocals. While the band shared a love of Iron Maiden and the Descendents, the debt Vally owed to Green Day in both their lyrics and music was almost criminal. Nevertheless, Vally Lemmons gigged throughout Texas in support of Spontaneous Drive, and built a following with their energetic, often funny live set. Of course, since Vally Lemmons themselves were barely old enough to drink, they weren't a difficult act for the kids to embrace. Eventually, the band re-entered the studio to record their sophomore release, emerging in 2002 with Punk Rock Revolution. The album marked a step forward in songwriting, even if Vally Lemmons' sound still leaned heavily on the high-energy dynamics of early Green Day. ~ Johnny Loftus